Preserve the freshness of summer by canning fruits and vegetables to eat in the winter and spring. Canning your own food allows you to save money by raising your own garden produce or buying it in bulk. You can control the amount of sugar and salt in the food. Canned goods make attractive gifts for friends and neighbors as well. Sterilize all equipment and follow directions carefully to insure that your canned goods are safe.
Vegetables
Step 1
Wash your vegetables. Peel and slice into serving-size pieces. Try to make the slices as uniform as possible in size. Rinse the cut pieces under running water and drain in a colander.
Step 2
Heat a large pan of water. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Place the clean jars in the pan of simmering water and leave them there until you're ready to fill them. They must be immersed completely.
Step 3
Put the vegetables in a large pot and cover with water. Heat until they begin to simmer, stirring occasionally so that all pieces heat evenly.
Step 4
Set a small pan of water to boil and drop in new canning jar lids. Allow the lids to simmer while you fill the jars. Simmering keeps the lids sterile while also softening the ring of adhesive that fastens them to the rim of the glass canning jar.
Step 5
Set the canning funnel in the top of the jar. The funnel is sized to just fit the mouth of the jar and keep the rim of the jar clean. Use the slotted spoon to ladle hot vegetables into the jar. Fill the jar to within 1/2 inch of the top, packing the vegetables tightly in the jar.
Step 6
Slowly pour hot liquid from the pot into the jar to fill all the empty space around the vegetables. Leave 1/2 inch at the top empty. You may add a pinch of salt to the jar at this point. Be sure there are no air bubbles against the glass of the jar. Use a knife or a special bubble releaser tool to get out the bubbles.
Step 7
Remove the canning funnel from the jar. Wipe the rim with a damp, clean kitchen towel to make sure there are no food particles clinging to it; these would compromise the seal. Remove one lid from the water with tongs. Set the lid, adhesive side down, on the top of the jar. Screw on the ring until the ring is just tight. Don't over-tighten the ring. Set the jar aside until all jars are filled.
Step 8
Fill the pressure canner with jars, setting the jars into the canning rack. Add three inches of water to the bottom of the canner. Put the lid on the canner and fasten in place. Turn on the burner and bring the canner to a boil.
Step 9
Watch the gauge on the pressure canner and begin timing when pressure reaches 10 to 11 pounds. Process the jars for 10 minutes.
Step 10
Switch off the burner under the canner. Allow the pressure to drop to zero. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service reports this may take 45 minutes to more than an hour. When the pressure is at zero, remove the lid from the canner. Use the tongs to lift the jars from the canner. Let them cool on a towel on the counter.
Fruits
Step 1
Wash your fruit. Peel and slice into even pieces. Remove any pits, stems or bruised spots.
Step 2
Prepare a sugar syrup. Sugar syrup helps fruit hold its shape and keeps it from darkening. Add 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water and heat, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved, to make 5 cups of light syrup. You may also use white grape juice or another light juice to can fruit without sugar syrup. Heat the juice until steaming.
Step 3
Clean and sterilize your jars as in Section 1. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. Set them in a pan of steaming water until you're ready to fill them.
Step 4
Remove a jar from the hot water with tongs and set it upright on the counter. Place the canning funnel in the mouth of the jar. Use the slotted spoon to fill the jar with piece of fruit. Pour in the hot juice or syrup to within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar.
Step 5
Remove a lid from the hot water with the tongs. Take the canning funnel out of the neck of the jar. Cover the jar with the hot lid, rubber seal side down. Screw on the jar ring until just tight.
Step 6
Set the filled jars in the rack of the canner. Fill the canner with water to cover the jars.
Step 7
Heat the water in the canner to boiling. Begin timing when the water comes to a full boil. Process the jars 10 to 15 minutes, following the directions in your recipe.
Step 8
Turn off the heat under the canner. Use the tongs to lift the jars from the canner and set them to cool on a towel on the counter.
Tips and Warnings
- Fruits contain enough acid to be processed in a water-bath canner. Acidic tomatoes and pickles made with vinegar can also be processed in a water bath. All other vegetables must be processed in a pressure canner, according to the Agriculture Extension Service of the University of Tennessee. If you live about 1000 feet in altitude, you will need to adjust the amount of pressure and the timing of the canning. Consult your local county extension agent for more information. Use only jars designed for canning and not mayonnaise or other jars. If your tap water is hard, you may use bottled water so that your jars aren't covered with lime deposits.
- Discard any canned food in cracked jars. If the lid of the jar did not seal completely, refrigerate the jar and consume its contents within a few days.
Things You'll Need
- Colander
- Canning jars
- Two large pans
- Small saucepan of water
- Unused canning lids
- Canning rings
- Tongs
- Canning Funnel
- Slotted Spoon
- Pressure Canner
- Tongs
- Towel
- Sugar
- Fruit Juice
- Water Bath Canner
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