HOMESTEAD: FAMILY SURVIVAL | EPISODE 1 - CANNING

How To Get Started Canning

A Simple, Affordable Way to Preserve Your Food

Canning offers a timeless and satisfying method to preserve the best of every season. Whether you're a kitchen novice or a culinary enthusiast, canning is an affordable and simple way to keep your pantry stocked with nutritious, homemade delights. Here's why canning is a great way to get started preserving food effectively and deliciously.

Why Choose Canning?

Longevity: Canned foods can last for years, reducing food waste and saving money.
Nutrition: Lock in the nutritional value of fresh produce right at its peak.
Flavor: Enjoy your favorite fruits, vegetables, and sauces year-round, not just when they're in season.
Bonus: You know exactly what goes into your food—free from added preservatives and artificial ingredients.

When you’re just getting started canning, you might be worried about how to do it, what equipment you need, or even whether the food will be safe once you preserve it. Don’t worry—it’s fairly inexpensive to get started (we’ll suggest some basic equipment, and some of it you may already have), and it’s not nearly as intimidating as it might seem at first glance.

Understanding Safe Canning Methods: Essentials for Home Preservation

To ensure the safety and quality of your home-canned goods, it’s essential to use the appropriate canning method tailored to the type of food you're preserving. There are three primary, FDA-approved methods of canning: the boiling water bath, the atmospheric steam canner, and the pressure canner method. Here’s how to choose and use each method effectively:

1. Boiling Water Bath Method

Ideal for high-acid foods with a pH of 4.6 or lower, the boiling water bath method is perfect for canning fruits, tomatoes, pickles, jams, jellies, and other preserves. In this method, you completely submerge jars in boiling water (212 °F at sea level), ensuring the high acidity prevents the growth of harmful bacteria like Clostridium botulinum. When canning foods like tomatoes and figs by themselves, it’s crucial to add lemon juice or citric acid to safely preserve them using this method.

2. Atmospheric Steam Canning Method

The steam canning method is suitable for naturally acidic or acidified foods that have a pH of 4.6 or less. This includes most fruits, preserves, and pickled vegetables. Steam canners use a rack set over a water reservoir; the boiling water generates steam, which heats the jars. Recognized for its efficiency, the steam canner conserves water, heats up faster, and uses less energy compared to the boiling water bath.

3. Pressure Canning Method

For low-acid foods—those with a pH above 4.6 including vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood—pressure canning is the only safe method. These foods require canning at temperatures capable of destroying botulinum spores, achievable only in a pressure canner. In this method, jars are placed in 2 to 3 inches of water inside the canner, which is then heated to at least 240 °F. This high temperature ensures the safe preservation of low-acid foods.

So, before we get into the “how,” it might be worth throwing out some ideas for what foods you might want to try—we’ve listed a few below, but it’s possible to can just about any food you want to preserve, although as you saw from the methods above, some are easier to get started with than others.

Best Foods to Start Canning With

Tomatoes: Versatile and vital, they're perfect for sauces, salsas, and soups.
Cucumbers: Pickle them for a crunchy, satisfying snack or sandwich topper.
Peaches: Preserve these summer jewels to brighten up your winter breakfasts.
Green Beans: Canned green beans are a staple side dish for any season.
Jams and Jellies: Start with berries or grapes for a sweet spread on toast or desserts.

Let’s Get Started Canning!

Prepare Your Gear: Start with a quality canner and some basic tools. Check out this beginner-friendly Canning Starter Kit to get everything you need in one package. It can be found a bit cheaper, but we prefer the heavier gauge version linked here—it’ll last longer, hold heat better, and will last a lifetime—all for less than $130.
Select and Prep Ingredients: Choose fresh, ripe produce. Wash and cut them as needed.
Sterilize Jars and Lids: Use boiling water to ensure your jars AND lids are germ-free before filling.
Pre-Heat your Jars (180°F): Keeping your jars hot after sterilizing them will prevent them from breaking when the hot food goes in. You can let your lids and bands cool after sterilization, that way you can handle them without worrying about burns.
Use a jar lifter to remove the pre-heated jar.
Fill your jars one at a time with using a jar funnel. Follow trusted recipes to fill your jars, leaving appropriate headspace for expansion. Here’s the recipe for Jason’s famous—but secret—salsa recipe!
Clean the rim and threads of each jar with a damp cloth. This ensures a clean sealing surface. Place the lid on the jar so that the sealing compound makes full contact with the rim. Screw on the band until it's just tight enough to be moved with your fingertips.
Place the jar into the canner and continue this process with all your jars, making sure the water in the canner covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches.
Put the lid on your water bath canner and heat the water until it reaches a rolling boil. Once boiling, start your timer according to the specific processing time provided in your canning recipe.
Keep the jars in the boiling water for the duration specified in your recipe. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Let the jars sit in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes to adjust to the external temperature gradually.
Remove and Cool Jars Carefully remove the jars from the canner, placing them upright on a towel to avoid temperature shock and potential breakage. Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. It's important not to tighten the bands during this period, as it can disrupt the sealing process.
Check Seals and Store After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing the center of each lid. If the lid does not flex, the jar is sealed correctly. For additional assurance, remove the bands and try lifting the lid off with your fingertips. A properly sealed lid will stay firmly in place. Any jars that haven't sealed should be refrigerated and used promptly.
That’s it! Before storing, clean the jars, label them, and then store in a cool, dry, place away from sunlight.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Canning:

Overfilling Jars: Always leave the recommended headspace to allow for food expansion.
Ignoring Recipe Times: Processing times and temperatures are crucial for safety. Stick to the recipe!
Improper Sealing: Ensure the jar rims are clean and the lids are secured for a proper seal.

Make Canning a Breeze with the Right Tools

Equip yourself with the right tools to ensure success and ease in your canning adventures. Consider adding these essentials to your kitchen:

Get Serious with a Pressure Canner: Perfect for preserving vegetables, meats, and more, using a pressure canner gives you a wider range of foods you can can—including meats and low-acidity foods. This Presto is extremely well reviewed and affordable, or you can go all-in with the larger and more robust All American 1930 Pressure Cooker / Canner.
Ball Ma son J ars: Reliable and sturdy, ideal for any canning project.
Canning Funnel Set: Ensure spill-free transfers and keep everything tidy.

Get Started Today!

Canning is more than just a method of preservation—it's a journey back to the basics of cooking, a step towards self-sufficiency, and an act of love for those you feed. With each jar you seal, you’re capturing a bit of joy and freshness to savor later. Start your canning journey today—you’ll love pulling those jars out down the road to enjoy your harvest any time of year!

Secret Salsa Recipe

This recipe is based on 4 pounds of tomatoes and makes a medium salsa. If you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.

And if you have a way to measure the acidity (for example, using test strips), your pH should be <4.5

Ingredients:

4 Pounds Tomatoes (peeled, chopped, and drained)
2.5 Cups Onions (Grill 3/4 onion, use 1/4 fresh)
1.5+ Cups Green Peppers (or use more, we use as much as we can)
1 Cup Jalapeno Pepper, chopped
8 Garlic Cloves (grill with onions)
1/8 Cup Canning Salt
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Vinegar
1 Can Tomato Paste (12oz)
Cilantro to taste
Optional Ghost Pepper - just a small portion to your liking, but be sure to start small

Directions

Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minutes.
Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.

DOWNLOAD RECIPE (PDF)

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