My wife and myself are intrested in doing some canning, and we are wondering if anyone has good directions for water bath canning? Also, what is everyones expierance in canning? Good or bad.


Ted

I have been reading bout it but not really tried water bath yet
But look here
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

I know my mother-in-law used to do a lot of canning when she had a garden - we're talking dozens of cans every fall. Of course, she just left here. I'll ask her for any pointers when next I see her, though. It's something I want to learn as well. When I get my own land, I want to plant a little bit and do some canning of my own.

BlackBear wrote:I know my mother-in-law used to do a lot of canning when she had a garden - we're talking dozens of cans every fall. Of course, she just left here. I'll ask her for any pointers when next I see her, though. It's something I want to learn as well. When I get my own land, I want to plant a little bit and do some canning of my own.

Still waiting on the bee keeping too

boiling water bath canning

Background Information
Boiling water bath canning is recommended for processing high-acid foods. The temperature of the boiling water bath canner is 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) and will kill bacteria in high-acid foods. The boiling water bath canning method is used for processing fruits, pickles, relishes, acidified tomatoes, fruit jellies, jams, butters, marmalades, and preserves. Always check up-to-date canning information for correct processing times. For higher altitudes, processing times will need to be extended one minute for each 1000 feet above sea level. The time needed to process high-acid foods in boiling water ranges from 5 to 85 minutes depending on the food, style of pack, and jar size.



Equipment Preparation
Steps to Follow

Assemble all equipment and utensils.
Place boiling water bath canner, filled half full with water, on the stove burner and begin to heat. Make sure canner has a removable rack that will fit inside the canner. The canner should be large enough to allow the water to boil 1 to 2 inches over the jars when they are placed on the rack in the canner.
Place an extra kettle of water on the stove burner in case extra boiling water is needed to cover the jars in the canner.
Check all canning jars for nicks or cracks. Discard if damaged.
Wash jars and bands in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water. Jars should be boiled in hot water for at least 10 minutes. Each 1000 feet above sea level will require 1 additional minute.
Use new canning lids for each jar. Prepare lids according to manufacturer¼s directions.
NOTE: Use only standard canning jars for boiling water bath canning. Peanut butter or mayonnaise jars are not acceptable for canning.




Food Preparation
Select only the best fruit...firm but not overripe. Select only enough for one canner load at a time. Rinse fruit under cold running water. Peel fruit if necessary, remove pits, etc., and trim away bruised areas. Cut into serving sizes.
To prevent some fruit (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, etc.) from darkening, use commercial ascorbic and citric acid mixtures according to manufacturer¼s directions, or add 2 tablespoons each of salt and vinegar to a gallon of water. As the fruit is prepared, drop it in the solution. Do not keep fruit in the solution longer than 20 minutes. Fruit may also be dipped in lemon juice to prevent darkening.
If a sugar syrup is desired, prepare according to sweetness as follows.

Syrup Sugar Water Yield
Light (less sweet) 1 cup 4 cups 4 1/2 cups syrup
Medium 3 cups 4 cups 5 1/2 cups syrup
Heavy 4 3/4 cups 4 cups 6 1/2 cups syrup

Boil sugar and water together in a pan until sugar is dissolved - about 5 minutes. (Note: Fruit juice or water may be used to cover the fruit instead of a sugar syrup.)


Pack fruit firmly into jars. Leave 1/2 inch headspace at the top of the jar.
Note: Some fruits will need to be precooked before packing into jars. This is called the "hot pack" method. To "hot pack," the fruit is brought to a boil in the syrup, juice, or water, cooked briefly, and packed into hot jars. Hot liquid is poured over the fruit. Hot packing helps to prevent fruit from floating in the jar.


Pour boiling fruit juice, water, or syrup over the fruit in the jar. Fill within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Run a non-metal knife or spatula along the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe off the top of the jar rim with a clean cloth.
Place hot sealing lid on packed jar next to glass. Screw band on jar until just tight.
Always refer to reliable up-to-date canning information to determine the best way to prepare fruit for processing.




Processing
Make sure water in canner is boiling.*
Place jars in canning rack, then place rack in canner while water is boiling. ** Place jars far enough apart to allow for circulation of water around jars. Water should be 1 to 2 inches over the tops of the jars when boiling.
Begin timing for processing as soon as the water returns to a rolling boil. Use the table as a processing guide; however, at higher altitudes (over 1,000 feet) you will need to adjust processing times.
The canner should be covered during processing. The hot boiling water should cover the tops of the jars during the entire processing time.

After processing time is completed, remove hot jars and place on a towel or rack to cool. Keep jars out of drafts. DO NOT TURN JARS UPSIDE DOWN. When jars have cooled, check for sealing.


Processing Times For High-Acid Foods Using A Boiling Water Bath Canner (212° F)

Fruits & Vegetables Pints Quarts
Apples (hot pack)*** 20 minutes 20 minutes
Apricots (raw pack)*** 25 30
Berries (raw pack) 15 20
Cherries (raw pack) 20 25
Dill Pickles (raw pack) 10 15
Sweet Pickles (raw pack) 10 15
Fruit Juices (hot pack) 15 15
Fruit Jams and Jellies 10 10
Peaches (hot pack) 20 25
Pears (hot pack) 20 25
Plums (hot pack) 20 25
Pickle Relish (hot pack) 10 --
Rhubarb (hot pack) 10 10
Tomatoes (hot pack)**** 35 45
Tomato Juice (hot pack)**** 35 40





Testing the Seal
3-Way Test For Checking The Seals On The Jars:

Hear the seal - Hear the "plink" as lid snaps down while jar is cooling, or tap lid with spoon when jar is cold. A clear ringing sound means a seal.
Observe the seal - If the lid is curved down, the jar is sealed.
Press the seal - After the jars have cooled, press the center of the lid. If it is down and will not move, the jar is sealed.
Remove ring bands from jar and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Ring bands free of rust may be reused. Never reuse lids for canning purposes.
NOTE: If a jar is not sealed within 24 hours, reprocess contents with a new lid or refrigerate and use in the next 1 to 2 days.

CAUTION: Never taste or eat food from a jar with an unsealed lid, swollen lid, or if the food shows signs of spoilage.

REFERENCE: Complete Guide to Home Canning, Extension Service, USDA, 1994.

Contact the local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for the most recent information on canning for your area.

*If using the raw pack method, have the water in the canner hot, not boiling. Placing raw pack jars in boiling water may cause the jars to break.
**If the rack does not have handles, leave the rack in the canner and place the jars in the rack using a jar lifter.
***When fruit is hot packed the fruit is heated before it is placed in the jar. Raw packed fruit is not heated, but it is still covered with boiling liquid.
****Tomatoes are normally considered to be an acid food. However, some varieties may have pH values above 4.6. Therefore, if tomatoes are to be canned as acid foods, they must be acidified with lemon juice or citric acid. Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/348-594/348-594.html

steam pressure canning

Background Information
Pressure canning is used to prepare low-acid foods like vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, mushrooms, and soup. Tomatoes and mixed vegetable recipes should be pressure canned. To make sure that all bacteria that cause spoilage in low-acid foods (pH value higher than 4.6) are destroyed, low-acid foods must be processed in a pressure canner at 240 degrees F to 250 degrees F (116 to 121 degrees C) for the correct amount of time based on the specific food product, style of pack, and jar size. Processing times for low-acid foods will vary from 20 to 100 minutes and need to be extended at higher altitudes. For instance, one minute of additional processing time is needed for each 1,000 feet above sea level.



Equipment Preparation
Assemble all clean equipment and utensils.
Check the pressure canner and accuracy of the pressure gauge using the manufacturer's instructions.
Wash jars and ring bands in hot, soapy water and rinse in hot water. Check jars for nicks and cracks. Discard if nicked or cracked. Keep jars in hot water until ready to use.
Check sealing compounds on new lids. Follow the directions on the lid package for preparation of lids. Do not use old, dented or deformed lids.



Food Preparation and Packing the Jars
Follow instructions in an up-to-date food preservation book for methods on preparing meats, poultry, seafoods, and soups for processing.

Select good quality vegetables and process only one canner load at a time.
Rinse vegetables thoroughly under cold running water.
Depending on the type of vegetable, skin, peel, slice, or cut vegetables. Remove seeds and stems.
For raw pack, pack vegetables loosely in jars to allow water to circulate between the vegetable pieces. Pour boiling water over vegetables to remove air, prevent food from floating, and increase vacuum in sealed jars.
If using the hot pack method, precook the vegetables in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes before packing in jars.
Leave 1 to 11/4 inch of space at the top of each jar. Eliminate bubbles by moving plastic knife or spatula up and down inside of jar.
Wipe jar rim and top of jar with a clean damp cloth.
Place lid with sealing compound down on top of jar. Screw band on jar until just tight. Over tightening may cause lid to buckle or jar to crack or break, while under tightening may allow leakage of contents.
Can only the quantity of food that will be eaten within a year.



Processing
Read manufacturer's directions for pressure canner before placing filled jars in rack. Place jars in pressure canner that has approximately 2 to 3 inches of hot water covering the bottom of the canner. Fasten cover.
Heat, allowing steam to escape for 10 minutes or according to manufacturer's instructions.
Close vent and bring pressure canner to required pressure. Start counting processing time when pressure is reached. Maintain pressure and process for recommended time. Refer to the table as a processing guide.
Turn off stove and remove canner from heat. Let pressure drop to zero naturally. Wait an additional 2 to 5 minutes after the pressure has reached zero.
Open vent by releasing valve slowly. Unfasten cover. Lift cover and open away from you. Let stand 10 minutes.
Remove jars to cool on rack or towels. Do not tighten ring bands. Within 24 hours test seals and remove ring bands. Wash outside jar surface. Store sealed jars in dark, dry, cool place below 95 degrees F.



3-Way Test For Checking The Seals On The Jars
Hear the seal - Hear the "plink" as lid snaps down while jar is cooling, or tap lid with spoon when jar is cold. A clear ringing sound means a seal.
Observe the seal - If the center of the lid is curved down, the jar is sealed.
Press the seal - After the jar has cooled, press the center of the lid. If it is down and will not move, the jar is sealed.
Ring bands free of rust may be reused. Never reuse lids for canning purposes.
NOTE: If jar is not sealed within 24 hours, reprocess contents with new lid, or refrigerate and use in the next 1 to 2 days.

CAUTION: Never taste or eat food from a jar with an unsealed lid, swollen lid, or if the food shows signs of spoilage.




References
Complete Guide to Home Canning, Extension Service, USDA, 1994.
Food Preservation In Alabama, Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, Auburn University, 1995.
Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for the most recent information on canning for your area.




Processing Times For Low-Acid Foods Using a Pressure Canner* (240°F at 10 pounds of pressure)
Food Pints Quarts
Vegetables

Asparagus (hot/raw pack) 30 min. 40 min.
Beets (hot pack) 30 35
Carrots (hot/raw pack) 25 30
Corn, cream style (hot pack) 85 **
Corn, cream style (raw pack) 95 **
Corn, whole kernel (hot/raw pack) 55 85
Garden peas (hot/raw pack) 40 40
Greens (hot pack) 70 90
Irish potatoes (hot pack) 35 40
Sweet potatoes, dry (hot pack) 65 95
Sweet potatoes, wet (hot pack) 55 90
Lima beans (hot/raw pack) 40 50
Snap beans (hot/raw pack) 20 25
Okra (hot pack) 25 40
Summer squash (hot pack) 30 40
Summer squash (raw pack) 25 30
Winter squash (hot pack) 55 90
Vegetable soup (hot pack) Time depends on vegetable requiring the longest processing time.
Meats
Beef, Veal, Pork, Lamb (hot pack) 75 90
Ground beef (hot pack) 75 90
Poultry
Poultry, with bone (hot pack) 65 75
Poultry, without bone (hot pack) 75 90
Fish
Fish, salt and fresh (raw pack) 100 **


*Extend processing time one additional minute for each 1000 feet above sea level.

**Not recommended.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/348-595/348-595.html

Thanks for the info guys..WOOT WOOT!!! The mrs. will love all this info!


Ted

Ocala wrote:

BlackBear wrote:I know my mother-in-law used to do a lot of canning when she had a garden - we're talking dozens of cans every fall. Of course, she just left here. I'll ask her for any pointers when next I see her, though. It's something I want to learn as well. When I get my own land, I want to plant a little bit and do some canning of my own.

Still waiting on the bee keeping too

Haha! Holy crap, I completely forgot about that, too.

I have to write this stuff down.

Your local extension office has lots of tips on this. We used to have a canning club in 4H.

Not the most complete infromation- but as momlitia1 kinda wrote- see your County Extension Office- all have info, and most have classes.

VENISON- If roasting cook slowly in moderate oven about 15 minutes for each pound of venison. Slice, pack, into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to each quart jar. Add 3-4 tablespoon of both. Onion may be added if desird. Put on cap, screwing the band tight. Process in pressure cooker, 75 minutes at 10 pounds; or in water bath. 3.5 hours.

Swiss Steak with Mushroom Sauce- Slice round steaks 1 inch thick. Score lightly with flour and pound flour into the steak. Cut each steak into pieces to go into jar. Brown the steak quickly in hot fat and pack immediately into clean KERR Jars to within 1 inch of top of jar. Fill the jars not more than 2/3 full of the following sauce:
6 tablespoons fat in whcih meat browend
4 tablespoons flour
1 pint cold water
4 teaspoons salt
2 cups mushrooms pieces or whole - your choice
Brown flour in fat in which steak was browned. Add cold pure water gradually, stirring to keep smooth. Add the salt, myshrooms. Bring to a boil and pour over steak in jars, filling NOT more that 2/3 full with the sauce. Put on cap, screwing the band tight. Process in pressure cooker, 75 minutes at 10 pounds; or in wate bath, 3.5 hours.