First, you need to choose the food or product you intend to can. When selecting your food, it is important to keep the following things in mind:

• Try to select local fruits and vegetables. If you leave near an orchard or u-pick farm, purchase your produce directly from the farmer. Not only is the quality better, it helps support your local community. Make sure to call before your visit to see what is available.
• Look in your own garden. Do you have a strawberry patch? Try making strawberry jam.
• What does your family eat on a regular basis? Does your family eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Try making your own grape jam.
• Start with something simple, something that you will be excited to eat and share. If you preserve something you love, you will be encouraged when you open a jar. You’ll be able to say, I did this! It will motivate you onward and upward.

Once you decide what food you’d like to can, you must choose a canning method to match the food type. The two recommended, safe methods are pressure or hot water bath.

Are You Preserving Low or High Acid Foods? Do you know the difference?

The canning methods you choose will depend on the acidity of the food you are preserving. If you are like me, you have absolutely no idea of the pH levels in your foods. So just remember two easy things:.

Low Acid foods contain very little natural acid. They will have a pH of 4.6 or higher. Vegetables, meats, dried beans and all soups are low acid foods. These will need to be preserved using a pressure canner.

High Acid foods contain enough acid to have a pH level of 4.6 or lower. All fruits and fruit products, jams, jellies, and fruit spreads such as apple butter are included in the high-acid group. These will need to be preserved using a water bath canner.

Pickles also may be safely water bath canned because of the added vinegar or fermentation. This adds to the acidity of the food.

Tomatoes are a special case. The most recent recommendations indicate that you should add lemon juice to acidify tomatoes before canning.

There are also unsafe methods that you should avoid. Methods that your grandmothers may have used with no problems and taught you about. You have to decide if you want to take the risks associated with these.

Botulism is a type of food poisoning that thrive in low acidity. This is why it is important to process low acid food by pressure canning. A pressure canner obtains the high level of heat necessary to kill botulism spores.

Still Feeling Overwhelmed?

If you are just learning to can, I recommend starting with fruit and a water bath canner. Canning peaches or making applesauce is a great way to start. These foods are inexpensive and less intimidating. Plus, the results are so yummy! Achieving a delicious product will encourage you to continue canning.

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, you’ll realize canning is a fun, satisfying and valuable hobby. Or a way to bring healthier foods into your diet.

Safety

Methods - which one to choose?
Tomatoes Safety Unsafe Methods Spoiled Food Altitude Adjustments


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