• Home
  • Mama’s Bio
  • Mama’s Homestead
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Mama’s Homestead

~Our Simple Life~

  • Homesteading
  • Homegrown
  • Homemade
  • Homekeeping
  • Beekeeping
  • Classes On My Homestead
    • Homesteading Classes
    • Beekeeping Classes
    • Homemaking Classes
    • Exploring the Outdoors Classes
Canning, Canning High-Acid Foods, Canning Low-Acid Foods, Homekeeping, Homemade, In the Kitchen, Kitchen Skills

Getting Ready to Can

August 4, 2014

Getting Ready to Can

There are a few things you need to do when getting ready to can. After you follow these steps, the next step is to place your jars of food in a water bath canner or a pressure canner to process.

This is an overview of preparing to can, follow a recipe from a reputable source for more details.

Affiliate Disclosure! MamasHomestead.com contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I will make a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting MamasHomestead.com and keeping our website going.

Gather Equipment Needed for Canning:

CannersYou will need a pressure canner for low acid foods, such as; meat, beans, most vegetables and a water-bath canner
for high acid foods such as; fruits, tomatoes, jams, jellies, preserves, relishes, pickles, etc.  Go here to find the Acid Content of Fruits and Vegetables for Home Canning and Preserving.

Getting ready to can suppliesYou will also need canning jars, lids, and rings, a jar lifter, a jar funnel, an air bubble remover/headspace tool (or a small spatula), a ladle, measuring cups and such, a magnetic lid wand, canning lid rack, or kitchen tongs to lift the jar lids out of the hot water, and a simple kitchen timer. This is a great Home Canning Set for beginners.

Preparing Jars and Lids: 

 

Getting Ready to Can Jars and LidsInspect, wash, and rinse your jars and prepare your lids using the methods in Preparing Jars and Lids for Canning. I usually prepare more jars than I think I will need, just in case. 

Putting Food in Jars:

Getting ready to can Jar, funnel, ladleFor hot pack recipes, place a jar funnel into the top of your jar and ladle in the hot food or gently pack larger foods in by hand. Add boiling liquid, such as syrup, broth, or water to food according to the recipe you are using,  if needed.

Getting ready to can Air bubble removalRemove air bubbles from jars by pushing the air bubble remover/headspace tool or spatula down into the side of your jars.

Getting ready to can Headspace toolTo get proper headspace, use a headspace tool or I have used a seam gauge or a small measuring tape to measure the distance between the rim of the jar and the top of the food. Generally beans, corn, peas, and meats are packed/filled to one inch of the rim of the jar. Other foods should be filled to 1/2 inch of the rim of the jar. Take out any excess food or add food, if needed.

Getting Ready to Can Wipe jar rimsWipe the rim of your jars with a clean, damp cloth. Lift a prepared jar lid out of the hot water and place it on top of your jar with the seal touching the glass rim. (Don’t you love my daughter’s manicure!)

Getting ready to can Screwing on lidScrew on the ring/band firmly tight. Do not over tighten! Making them too tight will cause the lids to buckle.

Now you are ready to can!

 

 

canning canning jars canning lids
by Nelle 
12 Comments

About Nelle

I am Nelle. I grew up in rural, small town, Ohio. When I was young, I learned a lot about homesteading from my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, 4-H, FFA, and others around me. Now, I’m all grown up, have 6 children of my own, and plan to teach them everything I know. Here on Mama’s Homestead, we talk and write about homesteading, homeschooling, and kidsteading (homesteading with kids). We teach our kids about survival, self-sufficiency, gardening (vegetable, herb, flower), orchard, beekeeping, home keeping, soap making, harvesting, cooking, food preservation, livestock, nature, crafts, homesteading tools and wares, and more… Welcome to my homestead…come and learn with us!

View all posts by Nelle

Related Posts

  • Lemon Lime Soda JellyLemon Lime Soda Jelly
  • Cream Soda JellyCream Soda Jelly
  • Root Beer JellyRoot Beer Jelly
  • Grape JellyGrape Jelly
previous article: “A Scoop of Heaven” Coconut Milk Ice Cream
next article: Make a Home Management Binder with Your Daughter

Comments

  1. Lisa Murano says: August 21, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    Wow! Thanks for the canning tips. I’ll be doing some first time canning this year….cant wait to try it!

    Thanks for joining us at Green Thumb Thursday, We’d love to have you link up again this week!

    ~Lisa M

    Reply

Leave Your Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to my homestead!

Hello, I'm Nelle Weaver!
I grew up on a small farm in Ohio and experienced various aspects of homesteading. I learned many skills from my grandparents and parents and from being involved in 4-H and FFA.  
My husband and I write about our simple life here on Mama's Homestead and teach classes on our homestead in central Ohio, where we raise goats, chickens, and rabbits, have an orchard, garden, keep bees, and much more. Read More…

Search Mama’s Homestead:

Connect With Me!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Shop Amazon…

Recent Posts:

  • Mango Fruit Leather
    Mango Fruit Leather

    Mango fruit leather has turned out to be one of my kids' favorites. The sugar is totally optional, but it makes it much sweeter and cuts the tartness. Read more →

  • Lemon Lime Soda Jelly
    Lemon Lime Soda Jelly

    This Lemon Lime Soda Jelly is delicious. I added a fresh lemon and a fresh l fresh lime to the mix to give it a rich, tangy flavor. It will make you pucker, a little. Read more →

  • Cream Soda Jelly
    Cream Soda Jelly

    Cream soda...do you like yours red or amber colored? I chose the amber colored version for my cream soda jelly. I like the flavor better. Plus, I added a teaspoon of vanilla, just for added vanilla goodness. Read more →

  • Homestead Beef Jerky
    Homestead Beef Jerky

    This beef jerky recipe has been used in our family for many years. I love the flavor. It tastes like it was dried over a wood fire. We have also used this recipe for venison. Read more →

  • Grape Soda Jelly
    Grape Soda Jelly

    Up next, Grape Soda Jelly. I think this would probably be my sister's favorite soda. She loves all things purple. This soda jelly, surprisingly tastes a lot like regular grape jelly you would buy at the grocery store. Read more →

  • Orange Soda Jelly
    Orange Soda Jelly

    I remember growing up, this was one of my favorite flavors of soda, plus orange was my favorite color. I added orange juice to my orange soda jelly recipe to give it a tiny bit of healthfulness and add to the orange flavor. Read more →

  • Homemade Noodles
    Homemade Noodles

    When I was growing up, my mom made homemade noodles and cook them in homemade chicken broth. This was such a tasty treat. The store bought kind do not even come close. Read more →

Mama’s Homestead Posts

  • Mango Fruit Leather December 2, 2014
  • Lemon Lime Soda Jelly November 18, 2014
  • Cream Soda Jelly November 17, 2014
  • Homestead Beef Jerky November 17, 2014
  • Grape Soda Jelly November 12, 2014
  • Orange Soda Jelly November 12, 2014
  • Homemade Noodles November 12, 2014

Mama’s Homestead Archives

Unable to communicate with Instagram.

Follow Me @mamashomestead

Copyright © 2023 · Prima Donna theme by Georgia Lou Studios