AN INTRODUCTION TO CANNING

      For generations home canning was common in many households and considered an integral part of feeding a family. Before the majority of households turned to supermarkets to supply their food, canning was a way to have enough food on hand during the winter months when gardens lay dormant and fresh fruits and vegetables weren’t available. Farming families typically used canning to preserve a great deal of the family’s food for the year. Most nonfarming families also commonly had a kitchen garden of some kind and used home canning to prepare and preserve what was not eaten fresh. Canning even remained a part of everyday life for many rural families long after the supermarket entered the scene.

      Recently home canning has experienced an explosion of popularity, even among people who have never gardened or canned before. Many people have become interested in canning because they’re concerned about economic instability. Rising food prices and unemployment rates have them worried about being able to feed their families well should times become hard. Canning can be hard work, but it’s far more economical than purchasing fresh, frozen, or canned foods from the grocery store. By growing your own foods or purchasing them locally and in season when prices are at their lowest, you can avoid the heavy markups on out-of-season produce. By canning your own soups, stews, and other meals, you can realize huge savings on dining out or picking up takeout on those days when you don’t have time to cook or forgot to thaw something for dinner.

      Some people are uneasy about the quality and safety of commercially grown produce. They prefer to eat locally sourced foods, and they use home canning to preserve seasonal produce to eat throughout the year. Other people prefer to grow their own food, for either peace of mind or personal pleasure, and they want to be able to store their harvests to enjoy year-round. Talk to any canning enthusiast and you’ll likely hear the person gush about the pleasure of looking at shelves laden with multicolored jars of wholesome food. You’ll probably also hear about the peace of mind that canners get from knowing that no matter what might happen, they can reach into their pantry to put together a delicious and healthy meal.

      Not only is home canning insurance against potential hard times and an extremely satisfying undertaking, it also can be great fun. It is most enjoyable, as well as efficient, when it’s done as a group, with several hands pitching in to prep the ingredients, prepare the food, process the jars, and seal and label the day’s work. The home canning process can be a time of togetherness, shared work, and shared bounty.

      Whatever motivates you to begin canning your own food, you won’t be disappointed in the rewards. This book has been created to help the most inexperienced beginner to can food safely and successfully using water bath canning, pressure canning, or both. You’ll find plenty of the best-loved classic recipes for fruits, vegetables, condiments, sauces, soups, stews, and other canning favorites to get you started, and you’ll learn how to use each canning method step by step.

      Canning is a wonderful way to feed your family and live more sustainably and economically. This book takes you from the planning stages to that point when you, too, can look with pride at shelves lined with multicolored jars and say, “Wow! I did this!”

       The Two Methods of Home Canning

      There are two methods used in home canning: the water bath (or boiling water) method and pressure canning. The method to use depends on the type of food you will be canning.

       The Water Bath (Boiling Water) Method

      This method is often considered the best way for a beginner to start canning because the equipment is somewhat cheaper and the process is a little less involved. Water bath canning is used only for highly acidic foods such as tomatoes, berries, and pickles, which don’t require longer processing times to discourage bacterial growth in the preserved foods. The vacuum-sealed acidic environment is enough to keep foods safe and delicious in storage.

      With water bath canning, racks are placed in stockpots or water bath canners filled with water and the pot is brought to a boil on the stove top. The filled canning jars are placed on these racks and processed (i.e., boiled) for a specific amount of time according to the food being canned. Then the jars are cooled, which is when the lids seal shut. Once the jars have cooled and the seals are tight, rings are added to the jars and the food can be stored away.

       The Pressure Canning Method

      Pressure canning is done, as the name implies, in either a stove-top or electric pressure canner. These canners come in many sizes, and the one you choose depends primarily on how many jars you want to process at one time. As in water bath canning, metal racks are placed in the pressure canner, the canner is filled with water, and the jars are placed inside. The jars are processed under pressure (dictated by the foods you’re canning) for a certain period of time (also dictated by the food you’re canning) and then removed to cool and seal.

      Pressure canning may seem intimidating to beginners, but it’s easy to learn and incredibly rewarding because it allows you to safely can almost any food, including meats, stews, soups, chilies, and other meals.

      You can decide which method you would like to start with. Your decision might be based on the equipment you have available, a friend or family member who can lead you through a particular method, or the types of foods that you’re interested in canning. Whichever method you choose to learn first, you may want to borrow the equipment and purchase only a few jars. This way, you can limit your investment until you know for certain that canning is for you. Start out with very simple foods and recipes, such as dill pickles, tomato sauce, or canned peaches, and gradually work your way toward more complex recipes and even trying your own variations. When you’re completely comfortable with both the science and the process of your first method of canning, then you can confidently start learning the other.

      Since many people typically choose to start with the water bath method, this book begins with the water bath canning method and water bath recipes.

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