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Canning Tips For The Person Who Has Never Before Canned

Are you the type of person who likes to do things the old fashioned way? I mean by holding onto the traditions, and knowing how things were done before we advanced beyond these stages. Then let me introduce you to canning for beginners. This is one of the most rewarding hobbies that anyone could possibly do. You can learn how your grandparents preserved food for the winter. All you need to have is a pressure cooker, some canning jars/w lids, some food that you would like to try to preserve and the desire to do it. Cooking under pressure will trap steam from the boiling water in order to reach the temperature it needs to kill bacteria and make it possible to preserve your foods.

For starters, it is best to start out with a boiling water method. This is the most frugal way to learn how to can and you will be proud of your efforts when done. You will need some canning jars, lids, both pints and quarts, which are pretty standard sizes for canning tomatoes, pickles, and other fruit. Small 8 oz jars are good for preserving items such as relish and jellies. They come 12 to a box and have lids for each one. These jars are tempered for canning and therefore it is not recommended to use any other jars, such as a mayonnaise jar, or a jar that has previously had other product in it.

Some of the materials you will need is a large canning pot with a rack that is deep enough to submerge the jars by at least one inch but preferably two. The rack keeps the jars from touching the bottom of the pot, which is the goal here. You'll need a plastic spoon or knife or spatula type instrument to stir the filled jars to release any possibly trapped air. You'll need a large mouth plastic funnel and a set of strong long handled tongs to pull the hot jars out of the water. Lastly, you will need a dish towel to dry any remaining water from off the jars when they are removed from the pot.

Always use the fresh produce when possible, wash and peel the fruits before you begin. While you are prepping your fruit for cooking, place the jars into water and let it come to a boil for a few minutes. Then place the cut up fruit into the hot jars filling them about an inch from the top. There's a product called Fresh Fruit that is recommended to prevent fruit from discoloration. Read the directions to get the recipe for a sugar water syrup that's either light, medium or heavy, experiment to see which you like best. Pour this syrup over the fruit. Dip your plastic spoon or spatula into the jars releasing any trapped air. Clean any other food from the outside of the jar, put your lids on and tighten them. Put the jars back into the pot filled with warm or hot water and put back on the stove. Make sure to cover the jars with water about an inch over the lids.

Turn the heat on your canning pot to high. When the jars have come to a boil, put the lid on the pot. Boil vigorously for a few minutes, take the lid off the pot, and let it continue to boil for the time limit in your recipe, usually 10 minutes is good for pickles, and 25 to 30 minutes for fruits, and 35 to 40 minutes for tomatoes.

When they have been cooking for the allotted time, turn the pot off and place the jars on a towel to drip dry and allow to cool, preferably overnight. Before leaving the jars to cool check each jar to make sure there are no lids popped up in the middle. If this has happened, the jars of food are no good because they didn't seal. If this is the case you can either refrigerate those jars (once they cool) and use those immediately, or try again using a new jar and lid. Try also wiping the lid of the jar with a clean towel before screwing on new lids to try.

There is no better feeling than the feeling you get once you learn to preserve food. It is beneficial for anyone that likes to learn how things were done by our grandparents, it is one way to work in the past.

Article Source: http://www.articleadventure.com

Rachel enjoys sharing about ways to assist families with frugal ideas .and money saving tips .to assist families stretch their budgets, thus lowering stress.

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