Canning Prep and Method

 Please note:  This is a momma of a canning post.  If you're new to this, you may begin to feel overwhelmed.  Resist!  I'm offering you my experience in a way that (hopefully) is easy to understand, that will cover any questions you may have and that will give you the best chance of success.  This is how *I* can.  Others may have slightly different methods.  This is what works well for us.  Before you know it, you will be doing these steps in your sleep...but it's safer to be awake.

I've shown you what 5 items  you need to begin canning.  Now, I'm going to explain how you get ready to can.  These steps can be taken before you even begin to make what you will fill your jars with (if the process takes little time) OR can be done during, like in the case of tomato sauce where you will have some free time while the sauce cooks down (a perfect time to do canning prep).

A word about using a large pot instead of a canner:  It is fine to do!!  I often use a large pot if I have a small batch of something to can (4 or 5 jars).  Just make sure that the pot is deep enough to have the water come up to the shoulders of the jars and that you can place the lid on your pot with the jars inside.  It will need to be deeper for quart jars than pint jars.  I place an old dish towel in the bottom of my large pot for the jars to sit on.  This adds some cushion so the jars won't rattle too much against the bottom of the pot.  Substitute "large pot" in your mind for any time I say "canner" throughout this post.

Canning Prep


1)  Ready your jars.  It's important for your jars to be clean and sterile when you fill them.  It is also important that they are hot if you are going to be adding hot liquid or sauce to them.

You have two choices here.  Some people run their already washed jars through their dishwasher by themselves (so no food residue from other dishes will get on/in them).  The heat from the dishwasher sterilizes them and if left inside after the cycle, they will remain hot.

I sterilize my jars in my canner.  I add water to my canner along with however many jars I think I may need and bring the water to a boil with the jars inside.  The jars do not need to be covered with water.  The steam helps sanitize them and the water will make them hot.  This is safe because the jars are coming to a boil along with the water (so to speak) instead of being cold when placed in the boiling water.

2)  Ready you lids.  Jar lids need to soak in very hot water, so the seal will soften and mold better to the rim of the jar when you're ready to lid your jars.  Again, you have a couple choices.

You can boil some water in the microwave and then soak the lids in the hot water (DO NOT microwave the lids!).  You can boil some water in a small pot on your stove top with the lids inside, keeping the water hot until you're ready for your lids.  OR...

You can do what I do which is to put your lids in your canner with your jars and boiling water.  If you throw them in there loose, you'll have to fish them out individually with your jar lifter which is a pain.  I use a clothes pin to clip four or five lids together and drop them in.  A clothes pin is easier to fish out with the jar lifter and I can use several clothespins if I have lots of lids to ready.

3)  Prepare your "canning zone".  I place an old dish towel on the counter right beside my stove.  It keeps wet jars from sliding and keeps hot water from running off the counter and onto my flip flop clad bare feet.  This is where you will set your hot jars when you are ready to fill them, where you will fill your jars and top them with lids and rings.  It will also be where you will place the hot, wet jars once they come out of the canner to cool and seal.  Lay nearby your jar lifter, your jar funnel, a couple paper towels, and nice glass of ice water for yourself.  You have to stay hydrated, right?


The Method

1) When your filling is ready, set your hot jars on the towel in your canning zone (sorry, I know that sounds corny) using your jar lifter, making sure you've poured out any water.






2) Fill the jars using your jar funnel if needed.  Make sure to leave one inch of headspace (empty space at the top of each jar).  Gently tapping the jars or wiggling them helps settle the filling and releases any air bubbles.





3) Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel to remove any food residue.  This will ensure a nice, tight seal.







4) Remove your hot lids from the water carefully!  They will be very hot.  Let them cool just a tad until you can handle them and set one lid on each jar opening, centering it.






5) Place a jar ring on each jar "finger tip tight".  What does this mean?  This means that you will use only your fingers (not your whole hand) to tighten the ring, stopping when you meet resistance.

It DOES NOT mean, tightening the ring as tightly as you can.  You don't want the ring on too tight for two reasons.  First of all, if you've filled your jar too full, a too-tight ring won't allow the liquid inside to bubble out.  You want it to bubble out if it needs to.   It's better than the alternative which is that your jar can explode.  If this happens, it will usually happen in your pot or canner and will make a huge mess.  Finger-tip tight allows some filling to escape if it needs to.  Secondly, some gas needs to be able to escape as well...

Mini science lesson:  Heat allows the gases and food to expand- causing a build up of pressure inside your jar.  The pressure escapes from under the lid (if the ring isn't on too tight!).  As the jar starts cooling, the pressure outside the jar is greater than inside and this presses down on the lid, allowing it to seal against the rim and the pressure actually presses the center of the lid down, often making that popping noise we all love to here.  This seal is called a hermetic seal which means "completely airtight" so nothing can get in and contaminate the food.

6)  Using your jar lifter, place the jars into your canner of boiling water, making sure that the water reaches the jars' shoulders.  Process (or, let sit in the boiling water) per instructions for whatever it is you're canning with the canner lid on.

7) When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes.





8) Remove the jars with the jar lifter, keeping them level, and set them where they will be undisturbed for several hours.  If there is some water on top of the lids, that is okay.  It will evaporate.

9)  Always check for a seal.  You may hear a "pop" when your jars seal, but it doesn't always happen and that's okay.  Your jars can seal as you're lifting them out of the canner, or they can wait until several hours later.  A jar, sitting on a counter surrounded by many other hot jars, is going to take longer to cool down and seal than the others.

To check for a seal, run your finger GENTLY across the top of the lid.  If you can feel (you can often see as well) that the center of the lid is presssed down, it has sealed.  If it's still up (and feels like a bump), DON'T PRESS IT DOWN.  That will create a false seal and could cause food spoilage.  Any jars that don't seal after coming to room temperature should be refrigerated and eaten within a couple days.

10) Once your jars have sealed, let them come to room temperature before removing the rings.  Being very gentle and using a damp, clean rag, wipe around the threads where the rings were in case any filling seeped out.  This will deter ants and fruit flies in your pantry.

11) Store your jars in a dark place that will not freeze or become very hot after you've labeld them with the contents and the date.  Personally, I don't like to use sticker labels on my jars because they can be a pain to wash off.  Instead, I just use a permanent marker and gently write on the lids, which will get thrown away one day anyway. 

12)  Please be careful!  You will be working around boiling water, steam and hot jars- all which can burn.  Use oven mits, take your time, and keep little ones from standing between you and your counter so you won't drip hot water on them.  

13)  Lastly, make sure to stand back and admire your beautiful jars and all your hard work when you're done.

Look at you.  You're learning how to can.  I'm so proud of you:-).