The pantry rack in my basement is noticeably more empty.Which just implies something … It’s time to fill it back up!I’m
prepared, y’ all.Like numerous of you, I’m feeling the pull to equip up and squirrel away food, even more than I generally do. There’s a lot I can’t control about this crazy world right now, but I CAN control how I’m feeding my family.And oddly enough, that does certainly makes me feel better.I’m seeing a rise of interest in food conservation today
(containers are sold out all over! ), which I believe is fabulous.If you are a canning beginner, I just revamped my Canning Made Easy course and it’s ready for YOU! I’ll walk you through each step of the process,(security is my # 1 concern!
)You can lastly find out to can with confidence and without the tension. For those of you who are ready to dip your toe into the water of home-canned food, but are feeling a wee bit uncertain about investing a lot of money in canning devices, I have some great news for you: You already have almost whatever you need to start canning in your kitchen area right now.There is a preconceived notion that in order to start canning, you need to have a whole closet loaded with
special canning equipment.And while that is certainly the case if you are planning to pressure can, if you’re intending on
water bath canning, you can absolutely escape without having unique equipment or tools for water-bath canning. With these tips, you can begin your
journey into the world of preservation and canning without purchasing loads of equipment.How to Start Canning with ZERO Special Equipment 1. The Canning PotOdds are, you likely remember those old graniteware or enamel canningpots from your grandmother’s kitchen area. While they are developed to be big enough for a bunch of containers and high sufficient to hold sufficient water for water-bath canning, you do NOT need to have an unique canning pot in order
to water-bath can.A typical large stock pot and lid from your cooking area can completely work for canning purposes. The only kicker is that it needs to be deep sufficient to cover the canning jars with at least two inches of water. Simply fill your mason jars as directed by whatever repine you’re utilizing, put the lids and rings on, and put the containers intothe stock pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover your containers by at least 2 inches. As long as your stock pot is deep enough for that, you are ready to can.A word of warning: I am a stickler for canning security(check out more about canning safety here )since botulism ain’t no joke, good friends. Please follow a safe dish for water-bath canning. You can find top quality, safe water-bath canning dishes here on my site, in my Canning Made Easy System, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and other FDA-approved
websites and books.REMEMBER: If you are canning low-acid foods such as vegetables, broth, and meats, you WILL require a pressure canner.However, if you are canning high acid foods like jams and jellies, fruits(like canning peaches), applesauce, pickles, etc., you can use safely and confidently water-bath canning.In fact, if you are a beginner to the canning world, high-acid foods(specifically jams and jellies)are a few of the very best initial canning foods anyway, so they are a perfect place to begin.2.
The Canning Rack Due to the fact that you are putting glass jars on the bottom of a pot with a strong heat source below, a rack is an essential piece of equipment in your canning toolkit. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with broken jars and a major mess. A rack will elevate the jars off the bottom of the pot simply enough to prevent damage and to permit the water to flow properly.If you get a waterbath canning equipment set, it generally includes a rack. If you’re using my stock pot pointer, you can make an alternative rack by taking extra canning jar rings and circuitry them together so they fit like a rack under the containers in the pot. You can utilize any type of wire or string to hold them together as long as it won’t melt in the heat or dissolve in the water.
Easy peasy? 3. Canning Tongs You’ll discover rapidly that canning tongs(aka jar lifters)are one tool that you don’t want to be without, as it’s not precisely simple to lift a boiling-hot, wet, slippery jar from a pot of water with your bare hands. If you don’t have a container lifter yet, you can improvise with a regular pair of tongs from your kitchen.By themselves, kitchen tongs are too slippery to grip the canning jars in the water, so we’ll make a fast adjustment. Merely get 6-8 rubber bands and wrap them around each of the grabbing ends of the tongs. This will offer simply enough grip for the tongs to grab the slippery containers, and you will not have to stress over burnt fingers.4. Canning Funnel Canning funnels are designed to fit comfortably into the mouth of both large and routine jars to avoid spills.
They can be found in plastic or stainless-steel and aren’t pricey– however, what if you are all set to tackle your first canning job and don’t have one?No prob-you can utilize a red solo cup instead.Grab a standard-sized red solo cup( if you use a more affordable knock-off variation, ensure it can handle hot food without melting ). Hold the red solo cup as much as a mason jar and see where
the tapering of the cup hits the mouth of the jar. Use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom of the red solo cup and it will fit right into the container and imitate a funnel.Not all canning dishes need a funnel, but sloppy foods like salsas, jams, and applesauce often make a substantial mess without the help of a funnel.
(Ask me how I understand.) One Thing You Ought To NEVER EVER Improvise: As Soon As you have these 4 products, you are set up to start canning high-acid foods in your home. The only other products you require are canning jars and lids.And this is one time where it’s a good idea to NOT improvise: You can NOT securely can with old spaghetti sauce containers or random glass jars from your cupboard. They aren’t ranked for heat like a mason jar is, nor do their covers fit in a manner in which will allow for a strong, safe seal on the completed food.Fortunately, it’s quite darn easy to find mason jars at almost every shop nowadays (although they may be in brief supply throughout these existing times
). Hunt for on mason jars at yard sales, thrift stores, and online local selling websites.( I recently snagged an incredible deal on MANY containers on my regional Facebook listings.) Keep in mind that while you
can definitely refuse mason containers and their rings over and over again, you will require to buy brand-new lids each time you are canning. You can not use the covers consistently due to the fact that thereis a sealing compound on the cover that assists produce a strong seal. After one usage, that sealing
substance loses its stability and will no longer be reliable for future canning dishes. Therefore, utilize a lid one time just and then purchase additional lids for future canning adventures.
(You can absolutely reuse your invested canning covers for other functions however– I draw an X on them with a sharpie so I know they are used, and then use them for kitchen storage, and so on. And speaking of pantry storage, if you want to make your mason jars much more functional, I’m using wrap-up lids like crazy right now for ALL THE THINGS and I like ’em. )And naturally, once you catch the canning bug, you’ll
likely desire to upgrade your improvised canning equipment with some official canning products. Nevertheless, in the mean time, do not let a lack of”correct”equipment stop you. Dive in, my friend. You’ll be pleased you did.
