Canning is something I grew up watching my mom and Gram do each summer and fall. They essentially take over the entire kitchen and I was often recruited to help, which makes sense to me now because it is a lot of work. This is my first summer of solo canning, and so far I've done pickles, peaches, jam, spaghetti sauce, and salsa. I have plans to can plain tomatoes. I've learned through helping my family, doing it myself, and reading other recipes/blogs with pretty good success! I hope this helps anyone who is interested in learning this skill, like I said it is work but very rewarding at the end.
1) Know Your Supplies: Below is water bath canner, which is used for anything acidic: pickled vegetables, tomatoes/tomato sauce, jams, fruit. This is what I use: Amazon.com: Granite Ware 9-Piece Canner Kit, Includes Enamel on Steel 21.5-Quart Water Bath Canner with lid, Colander, Jar Rack & 5-Piece Canning Tool Set: Home & Kitchen
This kit has everything you need for water bath canning at a decent price. I've used them heavily with no issues. I especially found the lid magnet useful! ***NOTE: The bottom of this canner is not flat and is not recommended for flat/glass stovetop. Shop around and see what's best for you.
The second type is a pressure canner, which is for non-pickled vegetables, bone broth, basically anything low-acid. I do not use this so unfortunately my knowledge is limited. It is not recommended you use a water bath canner for these items because they will not process at the correct temperature and spoil.
For jars, lids, and rims: jars and rims are reusable as long as there's no rust or cracks. Lids can be reused for dry goods but not canning, so make sure you buy extra lids/rims.
2) You Process Your Supplies Before Your Food: The jars, lids, and canning tools must be washed/sanitized before touching the food to risk any bacteria or contamination. Keeping your hands and work surfaces clean is a must. Also make sure to inspect all lids/rims/jars for any cracks. These are not good for canning.
Jars: Wash in hot, soapy water with a clean dish towel and set aside. Some people will place jars directly in the canner filled with hot water after. Jars must be hot before adding the food in, or they may crack when placing in the canner or adding hot sauce/brine.
Jar Lids/Rims: I place these in boiling water then leave them to simmer until ready
Canning Supplies: Wash with hot, soapy water and set aside on a clean towel.
After adding your food to the jars, carefully wipe the outside, inside, and top of jar rims with a clean, damp towel then add the lid/rim. This allows the jars to seal properly.
3) Ingredients and Altitude Matter: When water bath canning, using the right ingredients and adjusting cooking times for altitude is very important. For example:
Salt: Only use pickling salt or kosher salt for whatever you're making. Pickling salt has no additives and is less likely to clump. Kosher salt or sea salt is fine if you don't have this. Iodized salt can discolor your food, so it is not recommended.
Lemon juice and vinegar: Many recipes call for adding either of these in tomato sauces, fruit, or jams to insure there is enough acid to make the food safe. Whether you use apple cider or white vinegar doesn't matter except in flavor, but it should always be 5% acidity. Lemon juice should be bottled and not fresh as fresh lemons can vary in acid content. Citric acid can replace this (1/4 tsp citric acid=1 T lemon juice)
Peaches: I found out the hard way that white peaches get kinda mushy when canning (but taste delicious!) Yellow peaches work better.
Tomatoes: Certain varieties have more liquid than others (Roma, Amish Paste, and San Marzano have more meat and are best for sauce). Any kind will do, it does not impact food safety. I like to use a variety for different flavors. Regardless of type, tomatoes should be slightly soft and very ripe to have the most flavor.
Cucumbers: You can use any kind of cucumber, but pickling cucumbers are best because their skin is thin enough to allow the flavors to permeate through. These are easily found in the grocery store or farmer's markets when in season.
Altitude: If you live at a higher elevation this will increase your processing time. Most recipes will indicate time for 1,000 feet or below sea level, so adjust accordingly. A quick Google search will help you find out your sea level.
At 1,001 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes.
At 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes.
At 6,001 to 8,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 15 minutes.
At 8,001 to 10,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 20 minutes.
(I copied+pasted this info from a Better Homes and Gardens article)
4) Processing Your Food: Tomatoes and peaches take the longest (for me, at least) because the skins need peeled first.
Tomatoes can be peeled 3 ways: roasting, freezing/thawing, hot water + ice bath. I have done all 3 with good results
Roasting: This is my favorite way, good for sauce/salsas. Cut tomatoes in half and place on a tray cut side down. Broil for a few minutes until the skins start to blister (you can get a char for salsa). Allow to cool until you can handle them
Freezing/thawing: This is good for when you have lots of tomatoes or when they're being harvested slowly. Know this changes the texture of the tomatoes but is good for cooked sauces. Lightly score an "x" on the bottom of the tomatoes, freeze completely whole in bags, remove and allow to thaw completely or halfway in the fridge or room temp.
Hot Water + Ice Bath: Bring a pot of water to a simmer, place tomatoes whole in the pot (one layer of tomatoes at a time) for 30 seconds-1 minute until the skin blisters. Place immediately in an ice water bath (I use my sink for large batches).
For peaches, it is best to use the hot water+ ice bath method. Peaches will not be ready right away when you bring them home, allow them to ripen for 2-3 days until slightly soft. Unripe peaches will not peel well and you will have a tough time.
5) Follow Your Recipes: There are tons of great recipes out there, and it is important to not deviate from them (except for seasoning preferences). Different sized jars (half-pint, pint, quart) need different processing times, amount of water added to the canner, headspace (space between food and top of jar to allow food to expand). Some kinds of food need different processing times as well so the jars seal and they last for 1-1.5 years when done properly. Always check your jars have sealed before consuming (the lid should be flat and should not give when pressed down the middle).
One of my biggest challenges has been with peaches: I have liquid leaking out of my jars during/post canning (called siphoning). This often has to do with sugar to water ratio, changes in water bath temperature, and not getting all air bubbles out of the jars (scrape all the way down of the inside of the jars with the small spatula). If anyone has any tips on this, let me know!
**If you have issues with siphoning, wash the jars/rims with soapy water to prevent mold. Wait until 24 hours after removing from the canner before you do this. As long as the jars seal, they are safe to consume, the exposed fruit may just be discolored.
6) Allow Enough Time: For me, canning is an all-afternoon or all-day process. I'm doing this by myself so naturally it takes longer. Water bath canners are huge and the water takes a long time to boil (I use my tea kettle to speed things up). More experienced canners may only need a few hours, I will get there someday!
These are some things I've learned so far, I'm sure there will be more to learn as I keep going through this process.
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