Right now, your garden is producing a bounty—a bounty that you might be unsure what to do with! You also might be shopping at the Oakland County Farmers Market for fresh, Michigan-produce. How in the world should you process and preserve all that summer has to offer? Canning might be your answer! Here are some basic steps, courtesy of Michigan State University Extension and Martha Stewart.
Gather Your Equipment
First, gather or purchase the basic equipment. Essential equipment for canning includes the following:
- A big pot taller than your canning jars
- Clean canning jars and rings
- New canning jar lids
- Water bath or steam canner (for water bath canning)
- Pressure canner (for pressure canning)
- Canning accessories such as a ladle, wide mouth canning funnel, jar lifter, and kitchen towels.
Methods of Canning: What is the difference between water bath canning and pressure canning?
Water bath canning, also known as boiling water canning or hot water canning, uses a boiling method to destroy harmful contaminants like yeast, mold and most bacteria. But water bath canning can’t destroy C. botulinum, a bacterium that produces the toxins responsible for botulism. All types of botulism are medical emergencies, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Water bath canning is used for preserving all high-acid foods like fruits, pickles, jellies/jams and acidified tomatoes.
Pressure canning, a more complex method than water bath canning, uses pure steam to kill germs and pressure to seal jars. Pressure canning is different from pressure cooking, and pressure cookers should never be used for canning.
It’s necessary to use a pressure canner to safely can low-acid food, including all meat/protein s, all vegetables (unless they are made to be high-acid, such as pickled products), and soups.
Additional Steps for Canning
- Make sure your equipment is safe to use. Water bath canning equipment needs no maintenance, but check if you have all components, including the canner, lid and rack. If using a pressure canner, check the rubber gasket for flexibility and for brittleness and cracking.
There are two types of pressure canners: weighted and dial gauge. Weighted gauges do not need to be calibrated but should always be evaluated yearly for cracked gaskets and clogged steam vents before use. If you have a dial gauge, it will need to be checked for accuracy. Contact your local Michigan State University Extension office to see where you can get the dial gauge calibrated free of charge. Without an accurate pressure gauge, you can place others at risk for dangerous foodborne illnesses, such as botulism. - Second, examine your jars for any chips or nicks along the rim. Glass damage can cause the jars to break during canning or cause the seal to fail. Replace bands that are rusty or misshapen.
- According to Michigan State University Extension, you also should check your canning resources to make sure they are up-to-date and research based. Do not trust just any recipe you find! The National Center for Home Food Preservation and Michigan Fresh bulletins are available through MSU Extension. Both are reliable resources. Read the current recommendations to make sure you have the necessary ingredients, research-based recipes and equipment.
- Finally, enjoy summer’s bounty!
Additional Resources
MSU Extension Food Preservation Course
Michigan State University Extension offers Online Home Food Preservation, a self-paced, free online course designed to help individuals stay up to date on the latest research for home food preservation. The course also offers access to recipes! It’s user-friendly and accessible, no matter a person’s experience with preserving food, and provides up-to-date science-based techniques for safe home food preservation.
The seven-segment course introduces preservation methods and skills from drying foods using a dehydrator and freezing and blanching to more advanced pressure canning. Register today!
Other links:
Click here for MSU Extension fact sheets, recipes and other useful information on home food preservation.
Click here for a canned applesauce recipe!
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