1 in 5 US households canned foods in 2004.

What is Canning? Canning involves placing foods in jars or similar containers and heating them to a temperature that destroys harmful spoil-causing micro-organisms. During the heating process, air is driven out of the jar and as it cools, a vacuum seal is formed. This vacuum seal prevents air from getting back into the product and bringing with it contaminating micro-organisms. There are two types of canning, which use different types of canners:
	Boiling Water Canning Boiling water canning is used for high acid foods, such as fruits and fruit juices, tomatoes and tomato sauces, jams and jellies. Boiling water canning utilizes aluminum or porcelain-covered steel pots with removable perforated racks and fitted lids. The canner must be deep enough to allow for one inch of briskly boiling water to cover the tops of jars during processing.
	Pressure Canning Pressure canning is used for low acid foods, such as vegetables, meats and poultry. Modern pressure canners are lightweight, thin-walled kettles typically having turn-on lids. They include a jar rack, gasket, dial or weighted gauge, automatic vent/cover lock, vent port or steam vent with a counterweight or weighted gauge and a safety fuse.

sprout How Do I Can?

Steps

Explanation

1. Choose your directions

Publications: UGAE's info sheet and USDA's Complete Guide to Home Canning
Site: National Center for Home Food Preservation's detailed instructions
Book: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

2. Select food and recipe

Fruit	Meats and Fish	Tomatoes Products	Vegetables
Apple Juice Apple Butter Apples Applesauce Apple, spiced Apricots Berries Berry Syrup Cherries Cherry Topping Crabapples, spiced Cranberries Cranberry Sauce Figs Fruit Pureés Grape Juice Grapes, whole Nectarines Peaches Peach Topping Pears Pie Fillings Plums Plums, spiced	Chicken or Rabbit Poultry Stock Chili Con Carne Meat, ground, chopped Meat, cubed Meat Stock Meat and Vegetable Soup Mincemeat Pie Filling Fish (pint jars, USDA) Fish (quart jars) Fish, smoked	Tomato Juice Tomato Paste Tomato and Vegetable Juice Crushed Tomatoes Tomato Sauce Tomatoes, in water Tomatoes, in juice Tomatoes, raw Tomatoes, with zucchini Spaghetti Sauce, meat Spaghetti Sauce, meatless Tomato Ketchup Blender Ketchup Hot Sauce Barbecue Sauce Chile Salsa Chile Salsa II Mexican Tomato Sauce Tomatillo Green Salsa Tomato Paste Salsa Tomato and Green Chile Salsa Tomato Salsa with Paste Tomatoes Tomato Taco Sauce	Asparagus Beans or Peas Beans, baked Beans, dry Beans, lima Beans, snap Beets Carrots Cayenne Pepper Sauce Corn, cream style Corn, whole kernel Mixed Vegetables Mushrooms Okra Peas, green or english Peppers Potatoes, sweet Potatoes, white Pumpkins, squash Vegetable Soup Spinach, other greens

3. Store properly

Recommended storing practices