Canning
The canning process can seem intimidating at first, but once
you’ve gone through it once or twice, it becomes pretty simple. I have my friend Sherry to thank for walking
me through it the first time. Putting up
jars of fruits, vegetables, jams, and sauces is a really satisfying endeavor,
and it’s easy to get hooked! They make
great gifts and, depending on where you source your raw materials, can save you
money as well.
Equipment
really big pot: this is what you’ll boil the jars in; look for the speckled enamel ones
canning funnel: helps
you get stuff into the jars without making a huge mess
jar lifter: a
specialized device for putting jars into boiling water and getting them
out
Keep an eye out for kits that
contain the above items – they can be a good deal. Or you can find these things at garage sales
or thrift shops.
small pot: this
is what you’ll sterilize the lids and rings in
small tongs: to
get the lids and rings out of the hot water and onto the jars
ladle/slotted spoon: for
getting the goods into the jars
jars: regular-
or wide-mouth; you can buy new or find
at garage sales or thrift shops
lids and rings: you
can re-use the rings, but you’ll need new lids each time you can
Process
Prepare the yummy thing you are canning. You’ll need to gauge at what point to start
the next steps based on how long your yummy thing will take to be ready. But the next three things can be kept “on
hold” if they are ready before your yummy thing is, so I would start them
earlier rather than later.
Fill the big pot with water, deep enough to cover your
jars. Keep in mind that the jars will
displace some of the water, so you don’t have to go overboard. Start the pot heating, as this can take quite
a while.
Put your jars in the dishwasher and run a hot rinse/dry
cycle to sterilize them. Leave them in
there till you’re ready to fill them.
Put the rings and lids into the small pot and cover with
water. Put on low heat and bring them to
not quite a simmer. Keep warm over a low
flame.
Retrieve jars from the dishwasher, being careful not to
touch the inside surfaces. I put them on a folded towel, both to catch drips
and protect my countertop from hot jars.
Using the funnel and ladle/slotted spoon, fill the jars with
your yummy thing, leaving about 1/2” room at the top. Wipe off any drips that get on the top edge.
Using the small tongs, place a lid on each jar. Then a ring.
Tighten the ring, but don’t crank down on it.
Using the jar lifter, place the jars into the big pot at a
full boil. Set a timer for the required processing time. How long you need to process
depends on what you are canning. Your
recipe should tell you, or you can find lots of resources online.
When the timer goes off, pull the jars out. I place them on another folded towel to
cool. You’ll likely hear many of the
lids “pop” as they seal. Give them about
10 minutes or so, and check that they have sealed: if the top does not depress
when you press on it, you have a good seal.
No comments:
Post a Comment