Supplies For Canning

[dashboardc33]

I am thinking about canning this year. Most likely I will can cucumbers and tomatoes. What supplies do I need to start canning? I have never canned before in my life. I think it would be great to make some spaghetti sauce and pickles. I know I obviously need mason jars, but do I need something to preserve or vacuum seal the cans?

 

[marlingardener]

You will need a hot water bath canner. It looks like a big pot with a lid, and inside there is a removable rack which holds the jars. You will also need a jar lifter (the jars are really hot, and the lifter is invaluable), lids, rings (which are reusable so you don't need one for every jar), and good upper body strength because the canner when full is heavy!
Read up on canning--it is rewarding, but has to be done right. Here is a reliable site with good information: http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started
Good luck, and let us know how the canning went for you.
Oh, I forgot to mention that home-canned tastes better!

 

[Durgan]

I am thinking about canning this year. Most likely I will can cucumbers and tomatoes. What supplies do I need to start canning? I have never canned before in my life. I think it would be great to make some spaghetti sauce and pickles. I know I obviously need mason jars, but do I need something to preserve or vacuum seal the cans?

Preserving Garden Produce.
Posted on October 28, 2011 by Durgan
My comment is somewhat philosophical.

Utilizing the bounty of Summer for off season use is the aim. People preserve produce and the product is only desirable for short periods. I know a lady who has a basement with many jars of preserves that never get used. They preserve (keep) but are palatable in small amounts. For example, How much sauerkraut, dill pickles, salsa, etc. can your eat and is it sufficient?

After musing about this issue for some time I decided to experiment with juicing and pressure canning. I find the end product to be desirable and it is probably nutritional. I add nothing to the produce except water. Preparation time is minimal, since I basically take the produce as is and process. This year I have about 150 litres of wholesome food and ingest about half a litre or more per day.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DXAYD 6 August 2011 Making Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UFAQJ 6 August 2011 Green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers made into Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SFCQC 10 August 2011 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HZDXN 15 August 2011 Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Extracting Raw Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BEGVV 26 August 2011 Elderberry Twenty pounds Processed.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SASIO 31 August 2011 Niagara Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XLGIU 12 September 2011 Pear Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DKBJT 14 September 2011 Boca Noir Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FPYQP 15 September 2011 Tomatoes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AZQUW 16 September 2011 Concord Grapes
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WXDUB 4 October 2011 Ground Cherry. (Physalis Pruinosa) aka Aunt Molly Ground Cherry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AEYVU 27 October 2011 Apple Juice Processing

Reflect on it a bit and comment.

 

[Durgan]

Preserves to date 2014
Posted on August 1, 2014 by Durgan
Preserves to date 2014
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WUPPJ 15 October 2014 Cranberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BNQMB 27 September 2014 Concord Grape Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TLUOH 21 September 2014 Pumpkin Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XGPAG 20 September 2014 Apple Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RGIAR 16 September 2014 Tomato Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KDVQT 7 September 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HYPCT 3 September 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RFQUV 2 September 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OPEHN 1 September 2014 Pear Juicing.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AKDTN 29 August 2014 Elderberry Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LYSXF 25 August 2014 Tomato Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZJWVZ 24 August 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YEKDK 19 August 2014 Cucumber Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YCVZV 17 August 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZQHOP 15 August 2014 Beans Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TLFGK 12 August 2014 Sugar Beet Fruit Leather
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QXHNH 10 August 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AGNPW 6 August 2014 Cucumber Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NZKIF 4 August 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UDKNV 5 August 2014 Cherry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SWHUT 2 August 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MJGFJ 31 July 2014 Corn Preservation
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OKFOS 30 July 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CQSLE 29 July 2014 Sweet Cherry Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ANQXT 28 July 2014 European Gooseberry Juicing.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SATFZ 27 July 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PLEUN 26 July 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LTKEO 24 July 2014 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LBPGV 22 July 2014 Carrots processed for juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GJWDW 22 July 2014 American Gooseberry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ACKRG 21 July 2014 Black Currant.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?IDDLX 15 July 2014 Black Currant Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KEZMR 15 July 2014 Cucumbers Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GXPHS 13 July 2014 Black Currants
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LDKQB 10 July 2014 Garden Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EIGDL 7 July 2014 Haskap Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TDBCB 5 July 2014 Purslane Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PQOEH 1 July 2014 Garden Produce Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GOJJG 24 June 2014 Juicing Greens
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VEZPS 19 June 2014 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GAGAB 4 June 2014 Juicing Garden Vegetables

 

[dave david]

the most important thing to remember is to listen for the "clink" of the lids collapsing, this signals that the canning process is complete and after the filled jars cool, you can put this batch away for later use.

You may also want to read up on "pickling" either sweet, dill or spicey. Some processes are a few hours long, others will take weeks to "pickle" cukes and such.

Good luck, and the results are habit forming, as you generally can not buy "canned" half runner green beans at the grocery store. Let alone, have them taste as good as home canned ones from your garden. Some folks near my buy up the special veggies, like these, from the farm stands and just can them. Works well for older folks who can not tend one, or do not have a garden space of their own, any more.

 

[CanadianLori]

If you are nervous about achieving a proper vacuum, experiment with a jar of coloured water.

 

[pixie N.C.]

I purchased the Blue Book by Ball,it will explain everything you need to know and what equipment you'll need. Some processes are more complicated than others,so if you read this book you can make the decision for yourself what to try. I started with simple tomato and cucumber recipes that weren't that expensive