Home Canning Vegetables and Fruit is a Family Affair

Home Canning Guidelines

Home canning vegetables and fruit is a great way to preserve your food.
Skip Down to Benefits of Home Canning

Canning Equipment

Be sure to visit our Home Canning Store and I'll show you the canning equipment I use. I only buy one new piece of canning each year. It's easier on the pocketbook.

Click on the links on the right-hand side of this page to learn how to use your canning equipment.

Simple Step by Step Canning Instructions

Click on the pictures to learn how to can. . .

Make sure to Earthquake Proof your food storage room, so that your glass bottles don't break.

Do you have a canning question?

Ask your home canning questions here. We'll see what we can do to answer them.

Also, if you have a great idea or canning tip that would help someone else, post it here. Thanks!

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What Other Visitors Have Said

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Canning Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
Is the process for canning spaghetti sauce the same with meat or without it?...

Grape Juice Canning
Do you need to add sugar when canning grape juice?...

Lost liquid when pressure cooking vegetables
I am new to canning and just finished a batch of corn in my pressure cooker. I blanched it before hand, left a 1" space at the top & followed the directions …...

Metallic taste
I recently canned pinto beans. They seem to have an "off" flavor to them, sort of metallic. Any thoughts as to why they may taste this way?...

Spaghetti sauce
My first time canning. All my jars have sealed. Do I need yo refrigerate the jars?...

Canning Problems
I have a couple of canning questions. I have been canning for many years, but I always have several cans that will seal and then a few days or even a …...

Pounds of Pressure for Green Beans in Pint Jars
How many pounds of pressure for canning green beans in pint jars?...

Can you make grape juice with unripened grapes
My wife picked grapes that had not ripened yet. Can she still make jelly, jam or juice with it? If so, what would be the difference between the "ripe" …...

Apple Juice Pulp
Hi,

I am wondering if you have any thoughts on what to do with the pulp of the apples after making applejuice?

I have made cookies for my horses …...

Cooked apple cider, regular canning or high pressure needed?
If I cook my apple cider do I need to use a high pressure bath or just a boiling water method? How long will it keep if I don't use a pressure canner?...

Freezing Zucchini/Summer Squash
I have been looking on computer for several hours now and only found a few recipes that i can make with all of my zucchini & summer squash. but now I'm …...

Feezing zucchini and canning it later
Is it ok to freeze large seeded chunks of Zucchini to make canned relish at a later date? Thanks. Bev

Answer: I don't know how it will affect the texture …...

Cooking Canned Foods Before Eating
For home canned beets do you have to cook them for 10 minutes covered before eating, or can one just take the contents out and eat without cooking? Also, …...

Canned beets
Minutes for hot water bath - beets...

Making apple cider
Apple Cider

Can a home juicer be used for making apple cider? I would like to make a small amount. Like a quart....

Bath Canner Explosion
Alas! My hours of processing and canning a batch of tomato puree have been in vain. I just took the cans out of the bath canner just to realize that …...

WHAT CANNER
Hi i wish to start a home business selling my sauces but i would like to know what would be the best method of sterilization and sealing for jars? I am …...

Canning Beets
Can you can beets without a pressure cooker?

The answer is No. Beets are a low acid food. You must use a pressure cooker....

can I reprocess fruit? Not rated yet
I canned some peach & jalepeno jam 3 days ago. I noticed it didn't set the way I would like. Can I unjar the jam and add more pectin then re-process …...

Canned Juice in the Burning Sun Not rated yet
My son wants to can Juice and take it with him camping. They will be going to "Burning Man" in Nevada". It will be really hot. He wants to know if they …...

Canning Cantaloupe Not rated yet
I am looking for a good recipe for cantaloupe butter. Does anyone have one?...

Home canned potatoes Not rated yet
I would like to know what the shelf life of home pressure canned Idaho potatoes in chicken broth would be. ...

canned foods shelf life Not rated yet
As long as the seal remains unbroken, what is the average shelf life of foods canned in the quart jar methods.

Answer: I usually try to use my food …...

What type of salt do I use when pickling green beans? Not rated yet
When pickling green beans for dilly beans, can I use dried dill and can I use rock salt to replace the salt called for in the recipe?

Answer: When canning …...

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Processing Spaghetti Sauce Safely Not rated yet
We have been making spaghetti sauce for months. We boil the sauce, sterilize the jars through the dishwasher, and boil the lids and seals. After filling …...

Enchalda Sauce Not rated yet
Do you have a recipe for canning enchilada sauce?

- No, I don't. If anyone has a great recipe for enchilada sauce, will you share it with us....

Why Lids to Canning
Jars Do Not Seal Not rated yet
Using make-shift supplies

Lids are not accurate width or ride on edge of jar

Sealing edges are not level - have dips

Used one piece caps instead …...

Why Home Canned Food Spoils Not rated yet
Here are some reasons that might cause your canned food to spoil.

Pressure Canning Methods

Pressure cooker not accurate (incorrect temperature) …...

Why Fruit Can Turn Dark
When Home Canning Not rated yet
There are five reasons why your fruit can turn dark when home canning.

Fruit not processed long enough

Temperature not high enough

Water not …...

Fruits Loosing Liquid During Canning Process Not rated yet
Why do fruits loose liquid during the canning process?

Filling jars too full

Raw pack - syrup and fruit to within half-inch of top

Hot pack - …...

Vegetables Loosing Liquid During Canning Process Not rated yet
Why do my vegetables loose liquid during the canning process?

Packing food too tightly in jar

Filling jars too full (will start siphoning affect) …...

Ideas for Small Space Gardening Not rated yet
Terri,

I also have a tiny plot of land to garden on but there are many ways to increase your land. You can find areas that you can change into growing …...

Should I buy produce and can it? Not rated yet
We only have a very small piece of land to plant on. I would love to can but how? Would canning produce from the stores be a good idea? Any ideas?

…...

What do you do to prevent your canning bottles from loosing fluid during processing? Not rated yet
Hi! I just wanted to report on the canning problem you helped me resolve. (loosing fluid during processing of canning jars in canner)

I followed your …...

Click here to write your own.

Canning is becoming a lost art but is a part of provident living.

I’m taking you with me this summer as I work with my family in preserving food from our garden. I’ll lead you through a step-by-step process with detailed instructions and pictures to show you what to do as you learn how to can.

You'll also want to check out freezing, dehydrating, and using root cellars to preserve your food.

Canning vegetables and fruit might look like a gigantic undertaking, but taking one step at a time it’s easy.

Bookmark this page now. Come back often to get help as you learn the basics of preserving food.

Benefits of Home Canning

Canning has may benefits. Here are a few.

If you’ve haven’t canned your own produce, you’re in for a treat. Spoil your family with fresh, canned fruits and vegetables. They won’t want to go back to the stuff you buy in the store.

You’ll also save a ton of money. “Waste not, want not”. When the garden starts producing, you’ll have more than you can eat. So can the extra food.

If the electricity goes out, your food is still good. Canned vegetables and fruit can last many years on the shelf.

There will be NO added preservatives in your canned food unless you put them in. You know exactly what’s going into your food. One more benefit of home canned food!

Home grown or locally grown produce is more nutritious than food you buy in the store. The soil on most commercial farms has been depleted of the essential nutrients that your body needs. Your soil is the best place to grow your food.

Pass on the tradition and art of canning to your children. This is where children get excited about gardening. They love to see and eat the fruits of their labors.

You spend quality and quantity time with your children as you sit on the porch snipping beans, shucking corn, shelling peas, etc.

Being self-sufficient gives you peace of mind. You don’t have to rely on the grocery store for food. Self-sufficiency is an important part of provident living.