It’s never a bad time to learn a new skill, and as we settle into month three of winter, maybe you should try your hand at canning. January is Canned Food Month, and while some people’s first thoughts are the cans at the grocery store, we know you, Country Culture maven. You’re a home canner.
But maybe not – at least not yet. Good news! Your state’s Cooperative Extension programs likely offer how-to courses year-round. UNH Extension provides this list of excellent resources to get your started.
Christine Kendle and Katharine Shumaker, Extension educators, Family and Consumer Sciences at Ohio State Extension, also put together these basics for canning vegetables:
Pressure canning is the only safe method for home canning vegetables. Vegetables are low-acid foods and must be canned in a pressure canner at the appropriate pressure to guarantee their safety. Deadly foodborne illness can occur when low-acid vegetables are not properly preserved. Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning in low-acid foods such as vegetables. In vegetables and meat, the bacteria produce spores that can only be destroyed by temperatures that reach 240º F for the correct amount of time in a pressure canner.
The C. botulinum bacterium is harmless until it finds itself in a moist, low-acid, oxygen-free environment or in a partial vacuum. These are the conditions found inside a jar of canned vegetables. Under these conditions, the bacterium can grow and produce toxins dangerous to people and animals.
Do not process low-acid vegetables using a boiling water bath, because botulinum spores can survive that method.
Caution: All home canned vegetables should be canned according to the procedures listed below. Low-acid and tomato foods not canned according to the recommendations in this publication or according to other USDA-endorsed recommendations present a risk of botulism. If it is possible that any deviation from the USDA-endorsed methods occurred, to prevent the risk of botulism, low-acid and tomato foods should be boiled in a saucepan before consuming even if you detect no signs of spoilage. At altitudes below 1,000 feet, boil foods for 10 minutes. Add an additional minute of boiling time for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation. However, this is not intended to serve as a recommendation for consuming foods known to be significantly under processed according to current standards and recommended methods. It is not a guarantee that all possible defects and hazards with non-recommended methods can be overcome by this boiling process. The recommendation is to can only low-acid and tomato foods according to the procedures in this fact sheet.
Equipment needed: Pressure canner – The pressure canner is a heavy pot that has a tight-fitting lid, a clean exhaust vent and safety valve, and an accurate pressure gauge or a weighted gauge. The pressure canning gauge needs to be checked for accuracy every year to guarantee proper pressure processing.
Every pressure canner should come with a metal rack in the bottom to help keep jars elevated and prevent breakage.
USDA does not have recommended processing instructions for canning in a small pressure cooker. Small pressure cookers that hold less than four-quart jars should not be used for canning. The research for USDA pressure processing for vegetable and meat products was conducted in pressure canners that are most similar to today’s 16-quart or larger pressure canners. Processing times listed in this fact sheet are not adequate for smaller cookers.
- Preparing the Produce – For best results, select only fresh, young, tender vegetables, and can them within three hours of harvesting. If canning takes place later, place the produce in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Rinse all produce thoroughly. Soaking vegetables will cause loss of flavor and nutrients. Handle gently to avoid bruising.
- Small Equipment – The following kitchen utensils are not mandatory but make the canning process more efficient and less frustrating: funnels to fit jar openings; spatulas; a bubble freer; a jar lifter for easy removal of jars from canners; knives; cutting boards; a timer or a clock; clean cloths and towels; and hot pads.
For the rest of the process, check out this fact sheet from OSU Extension.
If you can’t find an in-season class, don’t worry: Michigan State University Extension also has its Home Food Preservation course available too, at https://www.canr.msu.edu/foodpreservation/.
