My First 'Canning Friday'

Now that I'm diving into canning more and more I thought it would be a good idea to share some of what I'm learning with others.  Canning is scary to many people and the safety of it is why a lot of people stay away from it.  I was one of those people for a long time.

The truth of the matter is that there are some issues that can pop up if bacteria is introduced into the preserving environment but once you crack the code it really isn't that scary.  

I'm going to start sharing some of the canning knowledge I have (as little as it is) and what I'm learning from other people and books as well.  My hope is that even if people don't want to can anything they will at least learn something and be able to answer that final question in Jeopardy when it comes around.


The Ball Canning Company is a GREAT resource!  They were my first stop when I started researching the whole canning thing.  This link goes to their step by step guide.

This Friday we are going to talk about preparing the jars to be canned.  This is the first step in keeping bacteria away.

Before I start my canning process I fill up my waterbath canner.  It takes my poor still electric stove forever to heat it up.  So technically I guess this is step 1.

Step 1: Look over your jars to make sure there are no cracks or chips in the glass.


Step 2: Wash your jars, lids, and bands with warm, soapy water.  I like to wash mine in the dishwasher because it gets much hotter than hand washing does.


Step 3: Keep the jars warm.  I do this by filling my waterbath canner with simmering water and submerging the jars and lids in it.  Warm jars have a smaller chance of cracking when you fill them with hot liquid.