Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.
To can food at home, you combine canning safe glass jars, lids with rubber gaskets, food that’s safe for canning and the right heat processing. Home canning allows you to preserve almost any food – even entire meals – but you need to follow the rules. In this post I’ll discuss how to can food at home safely, basic equipment for home canning, canning tips and recipes.
Some people avoid home canning because they’re afraid of botulism poisoning, but following the right guidelines will help you prevent foodborne illness. Botulism spores are everywhere – from the deep ocean to mountain tops. You’re likely breathing them right now. It’s only under specific conditions that they become dangerous. In this post we’ll cover botulism causes, symptoms and treatment. You’ll learn how to prevent botulism in home canned food so you can can safely.
As a beginning canner, there are often canning questions that come up that might seem obvious to experienced food preservers, but aren’t so obvious when you’re starting out. I’ve teamed up with some of my blogging friends (Chaya Foedus from Pantry Paratus, Janet Garman from Timber Creek Farm, and Diane Hamilton Coe from Peaceful Acres Farm) to answer over 15 of your home food preservation questions and recommend some great resources. If you don’t find an answer to your question here, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out.
The post “Getting Started With Home Canning” gives a detailed list of equipment commonly used for canning. The most important piece is the canner. A water bath canner, which is basically a large pot with a rack in the bottom, is the easiest to use and less expensive than a pressure canner.
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