Amelia Jeanroy - Canning & Preserving For Dummies

If your recipe doesn’t tell you which processing method (water-bath canning or pressure canning) is appropriate for your food, don’t guess. Instead, use litmus paper to test the pH level of your food (see Chapter 3). If your food has a pH of 4.6 or lower, use the water-bath canning method; if it has a pH of 4.7 or higher, use the pressure-canning method.

Just as you wouldn’t alter the ingredients in a recipe or skip a step in the canning process, you don’t want to use the wrong equipment when you’re home-canning. This equipment allows you to handle and process your filled jars safely.

The equipment for water-bath canning is less expensive than the equipment for pressure canning (check out Chapter 9to see what equipment pressure canning requires). Water-bath canning kettles cost anywhere from $25 to $45. You may want to purchase a “starter kit” for about $50 to $60, which includes the canning kettle, the jar rack, a jar lifter, a wide-mouth funnel, and jars.

Following is a list of the equipment you must have on hand, no exceptions or substitutions, for safe and successful water-bath canning.

A water-bath canner: The water-bath canner consists of a large kettle, usually made of porcelain-coated steel or aluminum, that holds a maximum of 21 to 22 quarts of water, has a fitted lid, and uses a rack (see the next item) to hold the jars (see Figure 4-1). Do not substitute a large stock pot for a water-bath canner. It is important for the jars to be sitting off the bottom of the canner, and racks that fit this purpose are included in your canner kit. Although aluminum is a reactive metal (a metal that transfers flavor to food coming in direct contact with it), it’s permitted for a water-bath canner because your sealed jar protects the food from directly touching the aluminum.

A jar rack: The jar rack for a water-bath canner is usually made of stainless steel and rests on the bottom of your canning kettle. It keeps your jars from touching the bottom of the kettle, or each other, while holding the filled jars upright during the water-bath processing period. The rack has lifting handles for hanging it on the inside edge of your canning kettle (refer to Figure 4-1), allowing you to safely transfer your filled jars into and out of your kettle. FIGURE 4-1:A water-bath canning kettle with the rack hanging on the edge of the kettle.

Canning jars: Canning jars are the only jars recommended for home-canning. Use the jar size recommended in your recipe. For more on canning jars, refer to Chapter 2.

Two-piece caps (lids and screw bands): These lids and screw bands, explained in detail in Chapter 2, create a vacuum seal after the water-bath processing period, preserving the contents of the jar for use at a later time. This seal protects your food from the reentry of microorganisms. The older-style rubber rings are no longer recommended. Although they are sometimes still available secondhand, the seal is no longer dependable enough to result in a safe product. You can find these rubber rings in some specialty canning stores; however, due to their scarcity, they are very expensive and sold in small quantities. Reserve this type of canning jar and kitschy design for your fun food gifts, not canning for a family’s pantry.

In addition to the must-have items listed here, you may also want the following items. These aren’t critical to the outcome of your product, but you’ll discover a more streamlined, efficient level of work if you use them (you can find out more about these and other helpful-but-not-necessary tools in Chapter 2):

A teakettle or saucepan filled with boiling water to use as a reserve.

A ladle and wide-mouth funnel to make transferring food into your jars easier. The funnel also keeps the rims of the jars clean, for a better seal.

A lid wand so that you can transfer your lids from the hot water to the jars without touching them.

A jar lifter so that you can safely and easily lift canning jars in and out of your canning kettle.

A thin plastic or wooden spatula to use for releasing air bubbles in the jar.

Every aspect of the canning procedure is important, so don’t skip anything, no matter how trivial it seems. When your food and canning techniques are in perfect harmony and balance, you’ll have a safely processed product for use at a later time.

The following sections guide you through the step-by-step process for creating delicious, high-quality, homemade treats for your family and friends.

Always practice proper kitchen sanitation and cleanliness, carefully handle your food, and follow your recipe to the letter. Don’t alter your recipe or skip any processing step.

The first thing you do when canning is to inspect your equipment and get everything ready so that when you’re done preparing the food (Step 2 in the canning process), you can fill your jars immediately.

Always review the manufacturer’s instructions for readying your jars, lids, and screw bands. Then inspect your jars, lids, and screw bands for any defects as follows.

Jars: Check the jar edges for any nicks, chips, or cracks in the glass, discarding any jars with these defects. If you’re reusing jars, clean any stains or food residue from them and then recheck them for any defects.

Screw bands: Make sure the bands aren’t warped, corroded, or rusted. Test the roundness of the band by screwing it onto a jar. If it tightens down smoothly without resistance, it’s useable. Discard any bands that are defective or out of round (bent or not completely round). You can reuse screw bands over and over, as long as they’re in good condition. And because you remove them after your jars have cooled, you don’t need as many bands as jars. A good rule of thumb is to have as many bands as you will need to run your canner, full, in a day. Keep in mind that your finished jars will need time to cool before removing the bands to be reused. I prefer keeping at least three canner loads of bands so that I always have enough extra.

Lids: All lids must be checked before using each year. Single-use lids aren’t reusable. Check the sealant on the underside of each lid for evenness. Don’t use scratched or dented lids. Defective lids won’t produce a vacuum seal. Don’t buy old lids from secondhand stores. Older lids will not seal properly. Reusable lids must be checked for nicks and cracks. The rubber gaskets should be inspected for decay or breakage.

After examining the jars for nicks or chips, the screw bands for proper fit and corrosion, and the new lids for imperfections and scratches, wash everything in warm, soapy water, rinsing the items well and removing any soap residue. Discard any damaged or imperfect items.

Fill your canning kettle one-half to two-thirds full of water and begin heating the water to simmering. Remember that the water level will rise considerably as you add the filled jars. Be sure to not overfill at this point.