General guide to canning
Regardless of what you are canning, there are some basic steps you will follow for every recipe. If you’ve never canned before, this is a brief introduction to the steps you will follow to water-bath can anything; of course, make sure you follow the directions for any recipe you follow, but this will give you a general idea of what to expect.
Equipment needed
- Canning pot with rack
- Glass jars with rings and flat lids
- Canning tongs
- Canning funnel
- Lid lifter
- Small spatula
- Clean, damp hand towel
Preparation
- Wash and dry all equipment.
- Place lids, rings, and empty jars in canner, upright.
- Fill with water to two inches above the jars.
- Heat canner to a simmer (about 180 degrees F); keep simmering, uncovered.
- Follow recipe for preparing food.
- Remove the jars from the simmering water using tongs.
- Use funnel to fill jars (following recipe instructions for headspace); use spatula to slightly move food around until all air bubbles are gone.
- Use the damp rag to clean the rim of the jar; place flat lid on the jar, then the ring, and tighten just until you hit resistance (you only need to make them finger-tight).
- Using the tongs, place the jars carefully back in the water (you will need to remove water as you progress, to keep the water level the same).
- When all the jars are filled and replaced into the pot, turn the water up and bring the pot to boiling. Process (boil) the jars for the amount indicated in the recipe.
- When you’re done boiling the jars, turn the water off. Use the tongs to remove the jars and place them on a heat-proof surface (I like to use a towel-covered cookie rack so that air circulates more evenly around the jars) and allow to cool until they’re cool to the touch. As they cool, you will hear quiet “ping”s; this is the sound of the jars forming vacuums.When jars are completely cool, remove the metal rings (this will not compromise the seal, and it will ensure the rings don’t rust to the jars and make removal harder, later). Move them to storage (preferably, somewhere out of direct heat, light, and freezing temperatures). Make sure all jars have formed vacuums before you do; the small bump on top of the lid should be completely flat.
What you should do if a jar doesn’t seal?
If a jar doesn’t form a vacuum within 24 hours, remove and discard the flat lid (keep the ring). Empty and wash the jar; reheat the food as per the original instructions; and reheat the jar, lid, and ring (make sure you process at a simmer). Refill the jar, cover with lid and ring, righten, and place back in the water. Reprocess the filled jars per the recipe. Remove the jars when done processing, place on a heatproof surface and allow to cool. If, after 24 hours, the jars still don’t form a vacuum, either discard the food or preserve via another method (such as freezing or refrigeration).
**Note: If you have only a few jars, you can process them in a smaller pot than the canning jar, as long as the water level can reach two inches above the top of the jars.
Storing canned goods
I recommend dating jars using a permanent marker on the flat lid (since you cannot re-use these anyway). That way, you’ll ensure you’re using the food you canned first. Make sure that whatever storage structure you use to store the jars, it’s very sturdy. Jars are heavy, and you should avoid stacking them directly on top of each other if possible (as this compromises the seal). Keep jars away from direct light and heat, and from freezing temps (idea temperature is 50-70 degrees F) and small children/pets.
Using canned goods
When opening jars, first wash and dry jar well. Use a church key (or bottle opener) to open. BEFORE opening, visually inspect jar to make sure vacuum is still intact and that food doesn’t look spoiled. DO NOT EAT FOOD FROM JARS WITH A BROKEN/COMPROMISED SEAL!! After opening jar and BEFORE USING the food, inspect it by looking and smelling the food. If it looks and smells ok, it should be alright.
Serving home-canned good
You can use home-canned goods in any recipe that calls for it; remember that sizes and weights of commercially-prepared foods vary from those of home-canned goods. Additionally, all home-canned goods are fully cooked and won’t necessarily substitute for fresh ingredients.
Storing opened jobs
Store opened jars as you would any opened food (in the refrigerator), and discard after an appropriate amount of time, or at first sign of spoilage, whichever comes first.
