Beginner's Guide to Home Canning

by Frances Reasonover
Canning is probably the most eco- as pH value. Foods having a pH of
nomical and practical method of pre- 4.5 or lower are called high-acid foods
serving food at home. Among other and those with a value of 4.6 or higher
things it is a way to save food that are termed low-acid foods.
otherwise might be wasted. Since few bacteria thrive in acids,
Cost of home canning depends on their destruction is less difficult in
the kinds and sources of food canned fruits than in vegetables {with the
as well as the processing methods, exception of tomatoes).
containers, and equipment used. Other Botulism is a deadly poison caused
cost factors—labor, energy, water and by a toxin from the growth of spores
added ingredients—make exact cost (seeds] of the bacteria, Ciostridium
figures impossible to apply generally, botulinum. These spores will produce
but studies are reporting averages a deadly toxin in low-acid foods in
that show canning to be economical. the absence of air (oxygen) inside a
The wise homemaker will can only sealed jar. Therefore, the spores must
the amount to be used within a year. be destroyed by processing under
Food held longer will be safe to eat pressure at 240" F. The length of time
if it has a good seal and no signs of has been determined by scientists for
spoilage, but there may be nutrient each individual food.
or quality loss, especially if stored Clostñdum botulinum will not grow
at temperatures above 70° F. in foods with a pH of 4.5 or lower, so
As a beginner canner you need to high-acid foods may be processed
know something about micro-orga- safely in boiling water at 212° F.
nisms, including yeasts, molds and
bacteria, on the food, in water, air and
soil, as causes of spoilage in foods. Low and High Acid Foods
Knowing about these minute forms
Low-acid High-acid fruits
of life, which are so abundant every- vegetables and vegetables
where, will help make the work safer
as well as more interesting. Asparagus Apples
In addition to the action of these Beans—snap or shelled Apricots
minute organisms, the spoiling of Beets Berries
Carrots Cherries
fruits and vegetables is hastened by Corn Grapefruit
natural changes in color, flavor and Potatoes Peaches
texture of the food. These changes re- Pumpkin Pineapple
sult from the action of enzymes or Squash Rhubarb
micro-organisms found in nature Sweet potatoes Tomatoes
which break down and decompose
foodstuffs.
Bacteria are the most serious foes Yeasts, mold and non-spore form-
to combat in canning because they ing bacteria are readily controlled by
are more difficult to kill by heat than processing at 212° F.
either molds or yeasts. Most canning equipment and sup-
Acid in canned food is expressed plies may be purchased at hardware
stores, housewares departments, and
Frances Reasonover is Extension Food from mail order companies. Jars and
and Nutrition Specialist, Texas A & M lids are available in many retail
University, College Station. stores.

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Canning Jars compound of lids recommended for
Select standard canning jars made one use only will not hold a seal
of tempered glass that can withstand effectively after the first use.
high temperatures. The manufactu- Select lids appropriate for the jars
er's name or symbol in glass will being used. You may find the two-
identify the product. With careful piece units (flat lid with sealing com-
handling, jars last an average of about position and ring], one-piece lids, or
10 years. Avoid using antique jars flats with separate gaskets made of
because there can be hair-line cracks metal or plastic. Always follow the
not visible to the eye, causing jars instructions for pretreatment as in-
to break. dicated on the box or container by
Use canning jars in sizes suitable the manufacturer. If no name is indi-
for the product canned and your fam- cated on the lid, use a black wax
ily's needs. Canning jars generally are marking pencil or crayon and mark
sold in half-pint, pint and quart sizes the identity on each lid. If there are
with wide and narrow mouths. Large- problems, contact the manufacturer
mouth jars are convenient for packing whose name and address is on the
such foods as whole tomatoes and box or container.
peach halves. Quart jars are con- Screw ring bands may be reused if
venient for vegetables and fruits kept clean and dry in a protective
where your family has four or more container with a tight-fitting lid.
members. Never use bands with rust, or pried
Examine the sealing edge of jars up or bent edges.
for nicks, cracks, or sharp edges that If you have extra lids, store them
would prevent a seal. Discard any protected in a dry, cool place.
with these imperfections. One-piece zinc caps lined with
One-trip jars from purchased white porcelain, with rubber rings,
canned foods should not be used be- may be used. The caps may be reused
cause they generally are not tem- if they have not cracked, spread or
pered to withstand the high heat re- bent at the edges and are clean, like
quired for home canning, and may new. The rubber rings are effective
break when subjected to the heat. only once because they tend to dry
Tops of these jars may not fit stan- and deteriorate with age, often be-
dard canning lids, thus preventing a come porous, and sometimes crack.
good seal. If you have jars with bail wire
Closures—jar lids and rings come clamps, sometimes called "lightning"-
with new canning jars. The sealing type jars, be sure they are not in the
"antique" class. Lids for these jars
are all glass, and rubber rings are
used between the jar and lid for seal-
ing. A wire clamp holds the lid in
place during processing; after pro-
cessing, the short spring wire of the
clamp is snapped down to complete
the seal.
A boiling water bath canner is
needed for processing high-acid foods,
such as fruits, tomatoes, tomato and
fruit juice, and pickles.
Water bath canners in several sizes
are available on the market. The con-
Home canning equipment. tainer must be deep enough for a rack

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 to hold the jars off the bottom of the
canner. The depth allows water to be
over the jars of food by at least 1 to
2 inches. Keep 1 to 2 inches of space
above the water to allow for boiling;
this prevents water from boiling over.
The canner must have a tight-
fitting lid. Or you can use a large
kettle with a tight-fitting lid, and a
wooden or wire rack to hold jars off
the bottom. There should be free cir-
culation of water to every part of
the surface of the jar and lid.
If you are going to buy a water bath
canner, check the height, and the lid
to be sure it is tight-fitting. The rack
preferably should have dividers so
jars will not touch each other or fall
against the sides of the canner or
each other during processing.
A steam pressure canner is abso-
lutely essential in canning low-acid
foods, such as vegetables, and insures
the destruction of spoilage micro- Scalding tomatoes in a bJoncher.
organisms.
Ten pounds pressure is used for
processing food in standard canning altitude. For information on canning
jars at sea level. This pressure corre- at altitudes above sea level, see the
sponds to 240° F. later chapter by Carole Davis.
The steam pressure canner is made To insure the canner's proper work-
of heavy metal that withstands high ing condition, check the dial gage for
pressure developed by steam. It con- accuracy each year—or if a canner or
sists of a kettle with a tight-fitting lid has been roughly handled or
lid equipped with an accurate weight dropped, the dial gage glass broken,
or dial gage to register the pounds of or any parts are rusty. The manufac-
pressure in the canner. The lid must turer or your county Extension office
lock or seal to prevent escape of can give information on testing avail-
steam. ability. Study and follow the manu-
The canner must have a safety facturer's directions for using your
valve, petcock or steam vent that can pressure canner.
be opened or closed to permit ex- Run through the process of operat-
hausting (venting), and a pressure ing the pressure canner on your range
gage. It must have a rack to hold in a trial run before you get into the
jars at least Vz inch from the bottom canning season, to be sure everything
of the canner. is working properly. Make a note of
A dial gage indicates pressure on the dial setting of the range if you
a numbered instrument. use an electric range for holding pres-
A weighted gage has no dial, but sure steady.
automatically limits pressure with Trying to use a pressure canner
weights preset for 5, 10, and 15 obtained from garage, rummage, or
pounds pressure. auction sales or handed down to you
The pressure is adjusted for high from someone's attic may prove dan-

315
gerous. You may not have any idea Work fast with small amounts of
as to the care, handling, or storage of food at a time, especially vegetables
the canner. A manufacturer manual with high starch content such as corn
on care, use and replaceable parts and peas which lose quality rapidly.
usually is not available. Old-old can- Any delay will result in loss of flavor
ners did not have complete informa- and nutritive value.
tion—manufactureras name, address Sorting and grading should be done
or model number—on the appliance. very carefully, according to size and
General kitchen equipment is help- degree of maturity and ripeness.
ful in any needed washing, peeling, Use only uniformly well-ripened
coring and slicing in the preparation products. Discard all defective pro-
of fruits and vegetables. Examples ducts and use together those of the
are, a vegetable brush for cleaning same size.
vegetables, a blancher or wire basket Dirt in seeds, bits of food, or sirup
for scalding fruits and vegetables contains bacteria that is hardest to
such as tomatoes and peaches to kill, and encourages yeasts and molds
loosen skins for peeling, and a co- to grow on the outer surfaces. Wash
lander for washing delicate fruits fruits and vegetables thoroughly be-
such as berries. fore canning.
A food mill is handy for making Scalding, peeling and coring—some
purees and straining fruits for making fruits, such as peaches and tomatoes,
juices, and a strainer for straining are scalded in order to peel them
juice. A long handled fork or plastic smoothly.
spatula aids in fitting and packing Follow up-to-date recommenda-
food and removing air bubbles. A tions, available in U.S. Department of
wide-mouth funnel is very convenient Agriculture or Extension pubhcations,
for filling jars, and a jar lifter helps for detailed procedures in preparing
you avoid burns in handling hot jars. fruits and vegetables for canning.
Use an automatic timer to time pro-
cessing accurately. Packing Methods
The number of pints of preserved You can pack food hot or raw in
food you will get from a given quan- jars. Hot-packed food is heated thor-
tity of fresh food depends on the oughly before it is packed into jars.
quality, variety, and maturity of the Raw-packed food is placed raw in
fruit or vegetable; on the size of the jars. Watery and soft foods such as
pieces, and on the packing method tomatoes are pressed gently to make
used. their own juice.
Selection of good sound fruits and Air, a poor conductor of heat,
vegetables is of paramount impor- should be removed from the jar. Re-
tance. The quality of canned fruits move air bubbles by gently moving
and vegetables will be no better than the blade of a plastic spatula or
quality of the raw food used. For best plastic knife around the jar—being
flavor retention, preserve only those careful that the food is not broken.
vegetables that are young, tender, Add more boiling liquid if necessary
and freshly gathered. to get a proper fill.
When filling jars, you will find the
Work Fast jar-filling funnel easy to manage. This
All steps, from beginning to end, of makes it possible to avoid spills of
any lot of canning should be carried seeds^ bits of food, or sirup that
through as rapidly as possible. A good could prevent sealing. But even when
slogan is "two hours from harvest to using a funnel you still need to wipe
container". the jar rim.

316
 Place raw-pack jars in water that is
hot (180° to 190° F), just below boil-
ing. Then bring it to a boil after
adding jars.
As the rack of jars is lowered into
the water, the water level will rise. If
more water is needed to have the jars
completely covered by 2 inches of
water, add boiling water.
Prepare only enough jars of food at
one time to fill the canner. Work
rapidly, allowing as little time as pos-
sible between filling and closing the
jars and getting them into the canner.
Start counting processing time as
soon as the water in the canner
reaches a gently rolling boil. Put the
WÊÊÊÊÊÊÊm. lid on the canner. Set your timer or
clock and make a written note of
Prepare the lids and sealing of jar starting time and final time. Keep the
according to the manufacturer's di- water boiling all during the processing
rections. When using a flat metal lid, period. If water boils down, add boil-
place the composition side on the ing v,iater sufficient to keep it at the
rim of the jar. Add the ring band and required height. When pouring water,
screw it down until firm, but not hard avoid letting it hit tops of the jars.
enough to cut through the sealing Process for the recommended length
compound. The lid will have enough of time. Do not cut processing time.
"give" to let air escape during pro-
cessing. This is called venting and Pressure Canner
means heating to remove air from Follow the manufacturer's direc-
jars. tions for operation of your pressure
When using porcelain-lined zinc canner before, during and following
caps, fit the wet rubber ring on the processing. Supplement these direc-
jar shoulder, but do not stretch it tions with information in U.S. Depart-
more than necessary. Screw the cap ment of Agriculture or Extension
firmly and turn it back VA inch. publications.
Use a jar lifter or tongs and place Count processing time as soon as
the filled jars on the rack in the the pressure reaches 10 pounds or
canner. Fill and place jars in the the proper pressure adjusted for alti-
canner one at a time to keep jars as tude. Be sure to hold pressure steady.
hot as possible while filling the At end of the processing time, re-
canner. move the canner from the heat. Allow
the canner to cool until the gage
Water Bath registers zero to avoid breakage of
Before you begin preparing the jars and loss of liquid from jars. After
food, fill the water bath canner half a minute or two, open the petcock
full of hot water. This permits water
to heat while you prepare the food.
Put a large kettle or teakettle of Heating beans thoroughly before plac-
water on to boil. The water should ing them in jars. Here, cut beans are
be boiling when hot-pack food is put covered with water to be foUowed by
into the canner. five minutes of boiling.

317
gradually and remove the cover. If a If there is a sealing failure, you will
weighted gage is used, nudge the need to reprocess the jars. Remove
weight slightly. If no steam escapes, the lid, heat the food and liquid, fill
pressure is down. Tilt the far side of a clean jar and use a new lid. Process
the lid upward so steam escapes away the full length of time. If only a few
from your hands and face. Because jars did not seal, you may elect to
food in the jars may be boiling vig- refrigerate and use the food within a
orously, leave jars in the canner about day or two or freeze it.
five minutes and then remove them. Once the jar is sealed, allow it to
set until cold. Then remove the
After Processing screw ring band, wash and store in a
When you remove hot jars from dry place for reuse. For safety make
the canner, use a jar lifter, or protect a routine check of canned foods each
your hands with cooking mits, pot month.
holders or canvas gloves. Set the jars
upright to cool on a rack, such as a Label and Inventory
cake rack, or a bread or cutting Write name of product and date
board, with double layers of dry cloth canned on a gummed label or the lid
or newspapers beneath the jars. If of each jar with a felt tip pen. Keep
jars are placed on a cold surface or a record of food canned, date, num-
wet cloth, the difference in tempera- ber of quarts or pints, and a place
tures may cause the glass to crack. for you to check them off as you use
Avoid placing jars in a draft, but them. This can be your guide for next
leave two or three inches between year's preservation plan. Use food
them so air can circulate freely. Avoid preserved for the current year, ready-
further tightening of lids that have ing a storage place for next season's
sealing compound, since this usually garden produce.
breaks the seal—unless the lid manu- Canned foods stored in a dry, dark,
facturer states it is safe to tighten. cool temperature (70° F or below]
If your processing temperature was will retain good eating quality for a
not held steady and liquid boiled out year. Home canned foods stored in a
in processing, do not open the jar to warm place near direct sunlight, hot
add more. Leave the sealed jar just pipes, above a range or refrigerator,
as it is. or in kitchen cabinets may lose some
Do not cover jars because this eating quality within a few weeks.
slows down cooling and food con- Dampness may corrode lids and cause
tinues to cook. If you have an air leakage so that the food spoils.
conditioning vent that will direct cold The main cause of spoilage in
air on jars, cover the vent during this canned foods is improper processing.
canning session. Bulging jar lids, or a leak, may mean
After 12 hours, check the seals. The gas is present and the food spoiled.
vacuum may cause a loud snap of the Before opening home canned foods,
two-piece vacuum seal while it cools, wash jars and lids and carefully in-
which is an indicator of an airtight spect the jars. Bacteria, yeasts and
seal. If the center of the lid holds molds should have been destroyed if
down when pressed and the lid does the food was properly processed.
not move, it is sealed. When you open the container, look
Tap the center of the lid with a for such danger signs as spurting,
spoon—a clear, ringing sound indi- cloudy or frothy liquid, an '*off' odor,
cates a good seal; a thudding sound deterioration, or slimy texture. A
indicates the possibility of an imper- foamy or murky appearance and
fect seal. patches of mold are visible signs of

318
ALWAYS label home-canned foods.

spoilage. That ordinary looking mold toxin for added safety. Heating de-
on home-canned food may indicate natures the toxin so that it does not
the presence of a much more deadly react with the body. Never taste home
problem: botulism. canned food before cooking it.
The odor in good jars of food Successful results largely depend
should be pleasant and characteristic upon the accuracy with which up-to-
of the product. Do not use food which date directions are followed.
looks or smells bad, or if there is any Safety is best assured when you
doubt as to its safety. exercise special care as you prepare
Destroy food if any of these signs and pack food into canning jars,
are obvious; discard out of reach of fitting jars with properly pretreated
humans and animals. Hds, and heating jars of food to a high
All low-acid, home-canned food enough temperature for a sufficient
should be boiled 10 to 20 minutes to length of time to kill micro-organisms
insure destruction of botulism-causing that cause spoilage.

319