Canning 101 provides an overview of canning along with links to resources and detailed information to help you understand the canning process so you will be informed and ready to embark on this facet of home food preservation.
What is Home Canning?
Canning is a preservation method, where foods are packed in jars and immersed in either a waterbath or pressure canner and heated for a specific amount of time at a certain temperature. The type of food will dictate what type of canner must be used, temperature maintained and the process period that is required.
Processing foods such as fish or meats in metal tins is also a form of home canning, but it requires specialized equipment to apply and seal the metal lids to canning tins. It is more difficult to obtain information or supplies and equipment sources for this type of canning and it is therefore not as popular as canning with jars.
Maintaining heat and pressure during the canning process prevents harmful organism and bacterias from causing food spoilage and health concerns. When the canning time period has expired and it is safe to remove jars, during the cooling-off period, a vacuum is formed causing air to escape from the jars to form a safe airtight sealing of jar contents. This further protects the canned foods from bacterial growth, deterioration and spoilage.
Canning Guidelines & Safety Precautions
It is imperative that you understand which type of canner and process is required for each type of food and that canning and safety guidelines are strictly followed in order to produce a safe food supply.
These are the best sites for canning methods and safety guidelines, and they provide wonderful illustrations to make it a great learning experience.
USDA National Center for Home Food Preservation - Complete Guide to Home Canning
Fresh Preserving by Jarden CS makers of Ball Preserving Jars.
Canning & Processing Books from Booksamillion.com
Simply search for food canning or processing books for helpful guides.
For additional resources and helpful tips:
Canning & Preserving Resources
Equipment & Supplies Resources
High acid foods such as fruits, fruit juices, jams, pickles and tomatoes can be processed in a waterbath canner. However, low acid vegetables, meats, fish and poultry must be processed in a regulated pressure canner. Special canning jars that are made of tempered glass should be used with appropriate sealing lids for the canning process.
Certain small canning tools such as funnels, apple corers and cherry pitters are great convenience items, but others like jar lifters, jars, canner racks, timers and tongs are must-have tools for the canning process. Follow these links to find everything you need for canning, including the properly-sized jars for your particular food batch.
- Top Canning & Preserving Equipment
- Covered 21 Qt Waterbath Canner
- Bernardin Ball Freezer Jars
- From Field to Freezer
- Ball Collection Elite Glass Preserving Jars
- Listing of Online Canning Supplies Retailers
- Choosing the Right Jar - Visit Ball's www.FreshPreserving.com site for an informative guide on Recommended Jar Usage.
Start with trusted and tested recipes. Canner purchases usually come with a recipe booklet and several good canning and preserving cookbooks are available on the market. You might also like to try some Canning Recipes from About.com Guides
From Start to Finish - Stay Organized
It's important to stay focussed during the canning process, to properly monitor the progress and not to forget an important step. Time is of the essence when it comes to canning. The object is to get the food processed as quickly as possible, from preparation to sealing, to reduce the risk of food deterioration which could affect the finished product. Keep your guidelines handy for quick reviewing and be prepared to stay the course and finish the process.
Get Ready to Start Canning Checklist
