Contents
Types of Food Preservation
Canning and Preserving Tools
Canning and Preserving Ingredients
How to Prepare Jars for Processing
How to Heat-Process Jars
How to Can Food
How to Make Sugar Preserves
How to Pickle
Canning Recipes
Sugar Preserve Recipes
Pickle Recipes
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How to Prepare Jars for Processing
Organization and cleanliness are key to successful canning, pickling, and preserving. Gather all your equipment in one place and follow the steps below for good results.
How to Prepare Jars, Lids, and Bands
There are three main steps to preparing jars, lids, and bands:
- Inspect: Check all your jars and lids for chips, dents, and cracks, particularly around the mouths of jars. Discard any jars or lids that are damaged—they pose hygiene hazards because they won’t seal properly.
- Sterilize: Sterilize your empty jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes before packing them with food. (If your recipe’s indicated processing is longer than 10 minutes, though, you can simply wash the empty jars in a dishwasher or with hot, soapy water, making sure to rinse the soap out thoroughly.) To sterilize jars, fill them with hot water and lower them slowly into the canner’s rack using a jar lifter. Make sure the submerged jars are covered by at least 2" of water. Boil the jars for 10 minutes, remove them, pour out the water slowly, and pack the jars promptly with your food.
- Clean and heat lids and bands: Wash all lids and bands in hot, soapy water with a soft brush, then rinse them thoroughly in hot water. Dry the bands and set them aside. After cleaning, hold them in a pot of simmering—but not boiling—water until they’re needed. Heating lids above 180°F warps them and impairs their sealing ability.
How to Pack and Fill Jars
Proper packing and filling ensures that jars seal properly.
Leave Proper Headspace
Pack solid items such as fruits, vegetables, and meats as snugly as possible to prevent them from floating once you pour in the liquid. Leave a gap between the top of the food and the top of the jar so that excess air can leave the jars during processing and allow a proper vacuum seal to form.
- Leave 1–1 1/4" headspace for low-acid foods.
- Leave 1/2" for high-acid foods (e.g., fruits, tomatoes).
- Leave 1/4" for sugar preserves, pickles, and relishes.
Eliminate Air Bubbles
After packing solid foods and filling the jars with syrup or brine, you need to free the air bubbles that get trapped in the jars. Run a clean plastic spatula, wooden chopstick, or bubble freer along the sides of the jar to release the trapped air. Repeat several times around the jar.
How to Seal Jars
Sealing jars properly involves two main steps:
- Wipe jar rims: Before you secure the lids and bands, wipe all jar rims with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel to remove any stray brine, syrup, or food residue. This will make your jars easier to open later and ensure that no bits of food interfere with the sealing process.
- Seal jars with lids and bands: Place a lid on each cleaned jar rim, making sure that the plastic compound is centered on the glass. Place a band over the lid and screw it on until you meet with mild resistance. You want the lids and bands to be secured snugly, but you shouldn’t strain to tighten them as far as possible.
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