Does the idea of canning your own food intimidate you? Let me help you overcome your fear. This post is all about canning for beginners. My goal is to put a damper on your fears and help you overcome any reservations you may have about water bath canning.
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And Nobody Died!
After making Instant Pot strawberry jam for the first time, I wanted to can it. Of course I could remember helping my mom can things from the garden, but I had never done it by myself. So I got out my Better Homes & Garden Cookbook, you know the red and white checked one that every woman gets for her bridal shower. It went over the basics of canning for beginners such as safety, headspace, and time.
So I gave it a shot. I let my jars cool and could heard my lids popping, but the next day I was so worried that I’d done something wrong I started over and canned it all again. Despite calling my mom for reassurance, I wasn’t satisfied that I had safely canned it. So I left one jar out and put the rest in the fridge. I decided that if we could eat the unrefrigerated jar without problems then the others were probably safe too. Needless to say we ate all of the jam and nobody died or even got sick. Now I can with much more confidence and certainty.
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Canning Safety for Beginners
Always use new lids.
The seal on a canning lid is only meant to be sealed once. . If you reuse them, they may not seal properly compromising your food. You could unknowingly make yourself or your family very sick from botulism. You can use rings over and over again on the other hand.
Follow a canning recipe.
I don’t care if that’s how grandma always did it. Science has helped us learn how to safely can food so as not poison our loved ones. Now, if you’re canning food for your enemy, you do you. Water bath canning is only for high acid foods. Sometimes you must add vinegar to make it safe to can this way. A safe and tested recipe ensures that the food you are preserving is edible.
Low acid foods must be pressure canned.
Low pressure foods like broth, meat, vegetables, soup, and meals must be canned in a pressure canner. A pressure canner gets much hotter so it kills the bacteria, like botulism, that is on the food. Washing it or cooking it beforehand will not get rid of the bacteria, so just go ahead and pressure can it. I do not recommend pressure canning for beginners to start out with. It is a lot more intimidating and a lot more can go wrong.
Use mason jars.
This one seems obvious, but since this is all about canning for beginners I’m going to say it anyway. Pickle jars and spaghetti sauce jars are not meant to be reused. The mouth of the jar may not match that of a mason jar so mason jar lids won’t be able to seal properly. And you cannot simply use the lid that it came with because it is not safe to do so. You can use second hand mason jars though. Just make sure that they don’t have any cracks or chips in them.
Some things are not meant to be canned.
Some foods simply should not be canned. Eggs and dairy products are at the top of this list. Oils or oil based products like pesto should not be canned although a bit of oil in a recipe is ok. Nut butters and squash pureés are too thick to properly heat up, making them unsafe to can. Although you are able to can cubed squash or pumpkin in a pressure canner.
Water Bath Canning for Beginners
I am going to share the basic process of water bath canning for beginners. These basic steps will work for any high acid foods like fruits, jams, tomatoes, salsa, pickles, and relishes.
- Fill up a large pot or water bath canner about halfway with water. Put the empty jars in so that they are full of water too. Your water should come up about an inch over the jars. Placing a rack at the bottom will prevent the jars from breaking during the process. Cover the pot and let it boil for 10 minutes to sanitize the jars.
- Place the rings and lids in a separate pot of boiling water for 10 minutes to sanitize them as well.
- We always want to put hot food into hot jars. So once your canning safe recipe is finished cooking, it’s time to can it. Lift a jar from the boiling water using a jar lifter. Pour the water back into the pot. Use a canning funnel to help you get the food into the jar. Remember to leave the recommended headspace, how much will depend on the recipe. If needed use a rubber spatula or bubble remover to get out any bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel.
- Now use a lid magnet to get a lid and ring out of the other pot. Center the lid on the jar. Screw on the ring until it is fingertip tight. Then place the jar back into the canner. Repeat until all of the jars are full.
- The water level should be 1 or 2 inches above the tops of the jars. Next, put a lid on the pot or water bath canner. Once it reaches a rolling boil, start your timer. Follow the directions in the recipe for processing time.
- When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Let the jars sit in the water for another 5 minutes to cool down some. This will help prevent breakage. Remove them using a jar lifter and place them upright on a towel. They will need to remain undisturbed for 12 hours. Undisturbed means that you should NOT tighten the rings.
- Finally it’s time to check your work. Push down on the middle of the lid. It should not flex or bend. Remove the ring and try to lift off the lid. If the lid stays in place then you’ve done a good job. Make sure to add a label so you don’t forget what’s inside! Store them in a cool, dark, place for up to 18 months.
The site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Revive EO Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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