Home Canning Questions – Canning Chat

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From my Facebook page: “Thanks for the informative short clip! I never thought about taking the rings off for storage. I learned something new, thank you!☺” -A. I.

Canning Chat is a video tutorial tip series where I answer home canning questions readers have submitted.

Canning jars of various foods.
A pint canning jar packed with chunks of squash.

How to Can Vegetables

How to can vegetables in a mix, like green beans and onions.


Two jars of home canned meat sitting next to each other.

How to Can Meat

How to can meat cold from the freezer or refrigerator. Don’t put cold meat in a hot jar! Do this instead.


Jars of various canned food displayed over a blue and white checkered cloth napkin.

Food Canning

Home canning and food storage. How long will jars of food last?


A jar of vegetables with a container of pickling spices next to it.

Pickling Recipes

Find out why pickling recipes for vegetables do not require a pressure canner.


Water bath and pressure canners with a blanching basket sitting next to them.

Home Canning Equipment

Learn what options are best, and what things you need to watch for while purchasing products like jars, canners, and lids for canning at home!


Sharon holding the All American Canner lid.

All American Canner: Why is My Canner Leaking Steam?

Suddenly notice your All American canner is leaking steam around the lid? This is a common problem. Get ideas for what you can do about it at SimplyCanning.com.


Lifting a jar of chicken stock from the canner.

Canning Chicken Stock FAQs

So I’m canning chicken stock/broth. How do I remove the fat? How much is too much? What do I do with the extra? SimplyCanning.com answers these FAQs about canning chicken stock/broth.


Sharon standing next to her boiling water bath canner.

Boiling Water Bath Canning: Can You Stack Jars

When boiling water bath canning, is it safe to double stack your jars in the canner? SimplyCanning.com answers this beginner question.


Sharon holding a jar of canned or pickled peppers.

Canning Process: Different Jar Sizes

Can you adjust the canning process times for different jar sizes? Learn the answer at SimplyCanning.com.


Sharon wearing an apron and standing in her kitchen.

Moisture in Canning Jars Before Processing

Are you a beginning canner who’s found moisture in canning jars and lids BEFORE processing? Is that a concern? Learn the answer to this unique home food canning question at SimplyCanning.com


Sharon wearing a green shirt smiling in her kitchen.

Canning of Vegetables from the Freezer 

Is canning of vegetables from the freezer a good idea? Learn the answer in this Canning Chat! 


Sharon holding a canning rack.

Using a Pressure Canner as a Water Bath Canner

Do you need a special pot for water bath canning? Can you substitute another pot (like your pressure canner) instead? Learn the answer at SimplyCanning.com.


Sharon holding a jar of clear broth.

Canning Broth Question: Can You Use Bouillon in Home Canned Stock?

Wondering if you can use bouillon in home canned broth or stock? Listen as SimplyCanning.com addresses this question about canning broth.


A jar of golden dandelion jelly.

Dandelion Jelly Recipe Questions

I got these two excellent questions from a reader about my dandelion jelly recipe. Tune in and learn about this jelly that my son thought was honey! 


Sharon holding a jar of dark cherry jam.

Cherry Wedding Theme Ideas

A reader is getting married and wants to use a cherry wedding theme, complete with canned cherries as wedding favors! Here are several unique ideas I gave her. 


Sharon tightening the ring on a jar of peppers.

How Tight Should Your Canning Lids Be?

Ever wondered how tight you should screw on that canning lid? Learn the answer in today’s Canning Chat about tightening the rings.


Filled canning jars in a pressure canner.

Pressure Canning a Partial Load: Does a Pressure Canner Have to Be Full of Jars? 

Does a pressure canner have to be full of jars? Learn about pressure canning a partial load in this Canning Chat!  


Sharon pressing down on sealed canning jar lid.

Why are My Jars Popping After Canning? 

You’ve just finished canning a batch of food. As you remove the jars from the canner, the lids start popping! What do you do? 


Sharon holding a tiny jar of canned apple butter.

Apple Butter Recipe in Quarts 

You’re making an apple butter recipe. What sized jar (quarts, pints…) should you use for canning? SimplyCanning.com answers this question.


Sharon holding a small jar of canned tomatoes.

Canning Roma Tomatoes: Why the Long Processing Time? 

When canning Roma tomatoes, why do they require such a long processing time? Learn the answer in this week’s Canning Chat!


Jars filled with dry beans soaking in water.

Canning Pinto Beans FAQs 

Tammy is canning pinto beans, but she has several questions about canning them safely. Here’s what I told her… 


Colorful jars of home canned food stacked against a white background.

What Causes Jars to Not Seal: 10 Common Reasons

What causes jars to not seal? It’s frustrating when you realize a jar didn’t seal properly. This series is all about figuring out what might be the problem.


Sharon holding an empty glass canning jar.

Why are Canning Jars Not Sealing?

Ever asked yourself, “Why are my canning jars not sealing?” One possibility is that you have issues with your canning jars.


Sharon holding flat canning lids in regular and widemouth sizes.

Are Canning Lids Supposed to Pop?

So are canning lids supposed to pop? Is the jar sealed, even if you didn’t hear that ping? Here’s what you should know.


A canner filled with hot water and jars.

Electric Pressure Canner? 

Is there such a thing as an electric pressure canner? What about canning in an electric pressure cooker? I get questions on this topic all of the time!


Sharon holding jars of pickles and another home canned product.

Why are My Canning Lids Not Sealing?

Why are my canning lids not sealing? Let’s figure this out with SimplyCanning.com, shall we?!


Sharon standing in her kitchen in front of her oven.

What is Dry Canning?

What is dry canning? Is it safe? Learn more in this video from SimplyCanning!


Sharon holding a package of something like pectin or Clear Jel.

Home Canning: Pectin, Gelatin, or Clear Jel?

While home canning, do you use pectin, gelatin, or Clear Jel? Learn the basics about these different ingredients at SimplyCanning.com!


Sharon wearing a Simply Canning apron while standing in her kitchen.

How to Can Green Beans in Half Pints

What if you want to can green beans in a smaller jar size, for single-serve portions? What processing time do you use? Learn more in this video from SimplyCanning!


Sharon smiling in her kitchen.

Can I Use Apple Juice to Can My Apples?

What about using apple juice to can your apples, instead of a sugar or honey syrup? Learn the answer from SimplyCanning.com.


Sharon wearing an apron and standing in the middle of her kitchen.

Canning Apple Butter the Day After You Make It

Jennifer asks, “Can I make apple butter today, but put it in jars and process it at a later date, like a week from now?” Learn more in this video from SimplyCanning!


Sharon wearing a blue shirt and red Simply Canning apron.

How Do You Can Small, Multi-Colored Potatoes?

Trudy, who lives in Washington, asks, “I want to know if you can can the little round potatoes that come in several colors….”


Sharon wearing a blue shirt and red Simply Canning apron.

Can Splenda Be Used to Can Applesauce?

Is it safe to use Splenda to sweeten applesauce before canning? Learn more in this video!


Sharon smiling in her kitchen.

Can Vegetables Be Fully Cooked for Home Canning Soup?

Karen has found that soups with vegetables can get mushy after being processed for so long. Is it possible to cook the soup just a little and then let the processing cook the soup the rest of the way? Learn the answer here.


Sharon standing in her kitchen talking about heating jars for canning.

Best Way to Heat Your Jars for Canning

When you were heating your jars in your pressure canner before canning, how much water do you place in the bottom, and how long do you heat them up? Or do you just place them in boiling water for a specific amount of time? Can this be done in a different pot?


Sharon wearing a Simply Canning apron and standing next to her stovetop with the kitchen table in the background.

Vacuum Sealed Freezing vs. Canning. What’s Best? 

Is vacuum sealed freezing or canning the best option? Learn the answer in this Canning Chat!


Sharon standing in her kitchen and wearing a red Simply Canning apron.

Celery in Home Canned Stewed Tomatoes? 

Why do we leave out the celery when I make stewed tomatoes? Learn more in this video from SimplyCanning!

Sharon standing in her kitchen wearing a purple shirt with red Simply Canning apron over it.

When Can Corn Be Processed in a Water Bath?

When can corn be processed in a water bath canner instead of a pressure canner? Learn the answer in this video!


Sharon standing in her kitchen and pointing to her dark green plastic canning funnel.

Canning Funnel Review 

How does the plastic canning funnel compare to the stainless steel canning funnel? See the difference in this video!



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Do you have any home canning questions that you have not been able to answer? This is the place to be!

I have to say that I have received some great questions. Some making me really think and dig into why canning works. Some seem to be repeated often. Here are a few very common questions, and links to the question and answer conversations.

Some often asked questions:

Home Canning Questions

I often have folks ask me if their particular recipe is safe to can. The recipes will range from simple to elaborate.

I don’t have the facilities to test recipes. These are the type of home canning questions that I’ll refer you to your extension service. They have the resources to do testing. I’m just a mom who loves to can!

Remember I may not be able to get back to you immediately. If your question really needs an answer right away you will be better off calling your local extension.

If there is no office listed for your town. Just find the next closest one. They don’t have to be in your hometown to answer your question over the phone.

If you have questions on long term food storage and emergency preparedness check out Family Survival Planning. They have a wealth of information.

Page last updated: 6/23/2021

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Vickie Inkster
Vickie Inkster
5 months ago

I canned potatoes and lot of lost the liquid can I recan them with more liquid added?

Michelle
Michelle
8 months ago

Hi. You had a great pinto beans with jam recipe that is no longer there. Could you please send it to me!>?

Carol A Williams
Carol A Williams
9 months ago

Hi,
HELP, I tried canning green beans and did everything correctly, BUT, my 10 pounds of pressure never jiggled. I cut them off after about 15 min of steam. I took them out and some of the jars actually have sealed. I guess since it never jiggled then they didn’t cook?? How long will or will they last if I don’t try them again?? I am waiting till the jars and canner cool and I guess I could try them again.

Carol A Williams
Carol A Williams
9 months ago

I meant I cut the stove off- (sorry I was unclear) The jars have sealed believe it or not. How long will they last do you think?? Or would you take the beans out of the jars and freeze them???

Leah Swanson
Leah Swanson
1 year ago

Looking for a good apple jelly recipe. Especially one that can use my peeling scraps and apple juice. Can I follow the peach jelly recipe?
Thank you,
Leah S.

Cindy
Cindy
2 years ago

Hi there I have a Raw food radish kimchi that I use canning jar for retail I used it so the people can recycle reuse but the 1 store don’t understand that raw food cannot be canned. Please help me to explain to them. Thanks