12 Lifesaving Canning Rules

[hawgrider]

SAFETY RULES OF CANNING


1. Don’t use jars larger than a quart. Home canning technology cannot guarantee that larger quantities will be sufficiently heated through for enough time. Rather, the food on the outside will overcook, while that on the inside won’t get hot enough for food safety.

2. A water-bath canner may only be used for high acid foods such as tomatoes, fruits, rhubarb, sauerkraut, pickles, and jams/jellies. A pressure canner MUST be used for low acid foods including vegetables, meats, and stews.

3. Use only modern canning recipes from reliable sources (especially when first learning canning as a beginner).

4. Never reuse jar lids. Used lids aren’t reliable for sealing correctly. If a screw-on band is rusty or bent, it won’t work right and should be discarded and replaced. That said, you might consider purpose-designed reusable Tattler lids.

5. Don’t use antique or ‘French’ -type canning jars. They aren’t as safe as the modern, regular ‘Ball, Kerr’ type.

6. Check the jar rims carefully every year by running your finger over the top of the rim and checking for nicks. Even the tiniest nick makes the jar unusable for canning. A nicked jar rim won’t seal reliably.

7. Raw pack is not safe for certain foods: beets, all kinds of greens (spinach, etc.), white potatoes, squash, okra, a tomato/okra combination, and stewed tomatoes.

8. You must allow the correct amount of space (head-space) between your food, together with the liquid that covers it, and the jar lid (follow the recipe instructions).

9. Water Bath Method: Do not begin counting the processing time until after the water in the canner comes to a rolling boil

10. Pressure Canner: Do not begin counting the processing time until after steam has vented for 10 minutes AND until the pressure gauge has risen to the recommended pressure after placing the weight on the vent pipe.

11. Process the full recommended time (and at the recommended pressure if using pressure canner).

12. If a jar did not seal, discard the lid, check to see if the jar rim is chipped (discard jar), check for food residue on the rim (clean), put on a new lid, and reprocess. Or consume the food and/or put in the refrigerator as you would any other leftover food for later consumption. http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/12-lifesaving-canning-rules/

[Dwight55]

I may have starved to death if someone had believed the first four, . . . namely my mother, grandmother, Aunt Inez, Aunt Della, Aunt Cloma, . . . and a handfull of other folks who contributed to my eating.

Did you just make these up, . . . or did you get em from Wilipedia???

May God bless,
Dwight

[hawgrider]

I may have starved to death if someone had believed the first four, . . . namely my mother, grandmother, Aunt Inez, Aunt Della, Aunt Cloma, . . . and a handfull of other folks who contributed to my eating.

Did you just make these up, . . . or did you get em from Wilipedia???

May God bless,
Dwight

Different era different food. If you want to play games with canning its certainly your choice. Personally when I can meat and produce I follow those rules. If you don't and you recommend to people not to follow them then I certinly am not responsible for your lack of basic safe practice rules of canning todays meat and produce.

[Gambit]

this is good information for starters such as myself

[Broncosfan]

I know a lot of people that gamble using a water bath rather than a pressure cooker. They always tell me that they haven't had any problems. Well that one time you do you will regret it. A good canning book is a must. I have several now because of the recipes. I use my pressure canner more now than ever. Since it hold 14 quarts I get done faster than water bathing.

[hawgrider]

I know a lot of people that gamble using a water bath rather than a pressure cooker. They always tell me that they haven't had any problems. Well that one time you do you will regret it. A good canning book is a must. I have several now because of the recipes. I use my pressure canner more now than ever. Since it hold 14 quarts I get done faster than water bathing.

This^^^ is good advise! You are wise Mr Bronco!

Its not worth a shortcut or sloppy practices when it comes to family and friends enjoying natures bounty.

At minimum get a current Ball blue book and follow it especially if your new to canning.

Some of grandmaws recipes are still good today but some are not.

Example water bathed canned meat is suicide!!!!
Anybody that tells you its not is a fool!

[Dwight55]

Do what you want in canning, . . . I personally use all three of my presssure canners instead of water bath, . . .

BUT, . . .

Growing up all we had to eat were beans, corn, blackberries, peas, cherries, apples, pears, peaches, kraut, carrots, beets, pickles, and a few other odd and end things I don't recall that were all done using a water bath canner, . . .

OR, . . .

A wash tub full of water, jars, sitting out in the front yard with a piece of metal siding on it for a lid, . . . boys kept the wood under it to keep it boiling.

Aunt Inez had more half gallon jars than she did quarts, . . . did almost all of her canning in half gallon jars, . . . quarts was for jam and jelly.

It is only unsafe, if the people doing it don't follow good hygiene practices, etc.

But then again, . . . gotta remember the wonderful government scientists who give us this life saving information, . . . used to also teach that eggs, butter, and bacon would kill you, . . . and if you were really sick, . . . needed to go down to the barber, have him bleed you a bit, let that bad blood out that is poisoning your body.

Thanks for the info, . . . but just be careful you don't take it as THE gospel, . . . because it darn sure is not.

Edited to add: none of us ever died with any kind of food poisoning or anything like that (or even getting sick) either, . . . we're all living proof of that, . . . with my aunts and uncles all living into late 70's at least, . . . and did it without Obamacare.

May God bless,
Dwight

[hawgrider]

Do what you want in canning, . . . I personally use all three of my presssure canners instead of water bath, . . .

BUT, . . .

Growing up all we had to eat were beans, corn, blackberries, peas, cherries, apples, pears, peaches, kraut, carrots, beets, pickles, and a few other odd and end things I don't recall that were all done using a water bath canner, . . .

OR, . . .

A wash tub full of water, jars, sitting out in the front yard with a piece of metal siding on it for a lid, . . . boys kept the wood under it to keep it boiling.

Aunt Inez had more half gallon jars than she did quarts, . . . did almost all of her canning in half gallon jars, . . . quarts was for jam and jelly.

It is only unsafe, if the people doing it don't follow good hygiene practices, etc.

But then again, . . . gotta remember the wonderful government scientists who give us this life saving information, . . . used to also teach that eggs, butter, and bacon would kill you, . . . and if you were really sick, . . . needed to go down to the barber, have him bleed you a bit, let that bad blood out that is poisoning your body.

Thanks for the info, . . . but just be careful you don't take it as THE gospel, . . . because it darn sure is not.

Edited to add: none of us ever died with any kind of food poisoning or anything like that (or even getting sick) either, . . . we're all living proof of that, . . . with my aunts and uncles all living into late 70's at least, . . . and did it without Obamacare.

May God bless,
Dwight

You completly missed my point...

Different era different food.

Half gallon jars should not be used for the reason listed. Sorry dwight but your promoting very dangerous practices. I won't do that and neither should you. People have died and become very sick using your recommend practices.

Nobody will get sick or die using mine.

You better say an extra prayer over your food your going to need it!

[Broncosfan]

[QUOTE=hawgrider;107465]You completly missed my point...

Different era different food.

Half gallon jars should not be used for the reason listed. Sorry dwight but your promoting very dangerous practices. I won't dont that and neither should you. People have died and become very sick using your recommend practices.

Nobody will get sick or die using mine.

You better say an extra prayer over your food your going to need it![/QUOTE

My grandmothers both water bathed their green beans years ago. I know people that still do but its not safe and a gamble and I would never do it. I still hear" Well my mother did it that way" but that doesn't make it doing it the safe way.
I recommend the book " Keeping the Harvest" by Nancy Chioffi & Gretchen Mead. Not sure where you can get it probably amazon its not expensive and has a lot of good recipes and lots of basic canning guidelines for water bath and pressure canning.

[hawgrider]

Yes green beans are a no no. Meat and fish are absolute no no's all low acid vegtables are all a no no for waterbath method.

Just because someone you know tells you it safe to jump off a bridge doesnt mean its proven tested and safe. Resonable thinking sane people don't jump off the bridge.

[Dwight55]

Just because someone you know tells you it safe to jump off a bridge doesnt mean its proven tested and safe. Resonable thinking sane people don't jump off the bridge.

The total point I attempted to make (please note that I DO USE pressure canners for virtually everything myself) is that just because someone says "THIS IS SAFE" or "THAT is not safe", . . . does not mean it IS CORRECT.

And YES, . . . we can look back to what other folks did, . . . and we very well may have to do that in the future sometime, . . . that is what PREPPING is all about in many cases.

It is obvious that the "so called" experts have not been as perfectly correct in all their warnings in the past, . . . the admonition that everyone will die if they keep eating those eggs, that bacon, that butter, . . . "It'll clog up your ateries, . . . you'll be dead at 40" was the typical warning.

Now the fashion is that red meat is bad for you, . . . they want you to eat more tilapia, tofu, and turkey burgers.

If we totally ignore the practices of making jerky, . . . drying fruits and veggies, . . . and yes, water bath canning, . . . then we rob ourselves of options that may not be the best, but are still options that DID IN THE PAST provide safe food sources for our ancestors.

YES, . . . YES, . . . YES, many of those practices have an element of danger in them, but at the same time, . . . sitting and watching food spoil because "I was afraid to try to preserve it, . . . it might make me sick", . . . is a far worse practice, . . . for then they die of starvation, . . . sitting in a pile of rotting meat and veggies.

Walking across the Walmart parking lot has an element of danger in it, . . . but if we are careful it works out.

As an example, . . . my Grandmother, her sister in law, and another lady spent 2 days canning catfish back about 100 years ago, . . . Uncle Vince had caught the thing in the Ohio river, . . . they carried it back home on a horse drawn wagon (40 plus miles), . . . and they canned it using the old zinc lids and rubber washers.

Nobody got sick, . . . nobody died, . . . and they all had catfish in jars for later on.

No, . . . I would not attempt it, . . . but they knew how to do it, . . . how to do it successfully, . . . and if we are so inclined, . . . we can learn how they did it, . . . and it does not make any difference what the so called experts say, . . . it CAN BE DONE, . . . with or without Wikipedia's help.

May God bless,
Dwight

[rstanek]

Water bath canning has been used in my family as long as I can remember, I use the same process my mother used and she used the same process her mother used and so on, the key is doing it correctly as is in much cooking. It's just a matter of what canning process are you comfortable with.......oh and buy the way, I've been eating canned venison since childhood and I am still here to write this.......I'm not writing this to promote any certain method, it's just the process I use.....

[Toefoot]

I use both methods (Pressure cooker/Water bath) depending on the product and acidity. Harvest time I can outside in the evening enjoying a good beer or two. Methods used during hard times like the depression was crisis cooking and reflect on what they had to work with, resources, money. Crisis cooking has a place and needs to be understood, like all things being as sanitary as possible increases success.

In today's environment pressure cooker for low acidic meats, fruits and vegies is a must.

Amish Canning book electronic canning book and some others for download:


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi-mMTTmtnVAhUR2GMKHXSmBgsQFghEMAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcpliz.com%2Fbooks%2FCookBooks%2FP reservingAll%2FAmish%2520Canning%2520Cookbook.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEXBSUMCiHjadlowEZtiRdqsakd6w

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiFzPjGm9nVAhVJ3mMKHasyAUA4ChAWCDEwAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harvesthousepublishers.com%2 Fdata%2Ffiles%2Fexcerpts%2F9780736948999_exc.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGS_ydcMbYUipxY3CtJEkQZG9xYaA

USDA Complete Guide To Home Canning:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZr8GQnNnVAhUBW2MKHYA4CWMQFggsMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhomesteadbasics.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2009%2F12%2F8078550-complete-guide-to-home-canning.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEYXbqsYTvdpc1XC9ZtGyHU8b1GcA

Another good book (PDF) Food Storage and Canning Manual - Family Guardian

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwipxtXunNnVAhUL_mMKHf6QCgs4ChAWCCUwAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffamguardian.org%2FSubjects%2FHea lth%2FEmerPrep%2FFoodStorageAndCanningManual.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEzuInJc0DI-AYwGBA4tC7oh6Rvww

[hawgrider]

The total point I attempted to make (please note that I DO USE pressure canners for virtually everything myself) is that just because someone says "THIS IS SAFE" or "THAT is not safe", . . . does not mean it IS CORRECT.

And YES, . . . we can look back to what other folks did, . . . and we very well may have to do that in the future sometime, . . . that is what PREPPING is all about in many cases.

It is obvious that the "so called" experts have not been as perfectly correct in all their warnings in the past, . . . the admonition that everyone will die if they keep eating those eggs, that bacon, that butter, . . . "It'll clog up your ateries, . . . you'll be dead at 40" was the typical warning.

Now the fashion is that red meat is bad for you, . . . they want you to eat more tilapia, tofu, and turkey burgers.

If we totally ignore the practices of making jerky, . . . drying fruits and veggies, . . . and yes, water bath canning, . . . then we rob ourselves of options that may not be the best, but are still options that DID IN THE PAST provide safe food sources for our ancestors.

YES, . . . YES, . . . YES, many of those practices have an element of danger in them, but at the same time, . . . sitting and watching food spoil because "I was afraid to try to preserve it, . . . it might make me sick", . . . is a far worse practice, . . . for then they die of starvation, . . . sitting in a pile of rotting meat and veggies.

Walking across the Walmart parking lot has an element of danger in it, . . . but if we are careful it works out.

As an example, . . . my Grandmother, her sister in law, and another lady spent 2 days canning catfish back about 100 years ago, . . . Uncle Vince had caught the thing in the Ohio river, . . . they carried it back home on a horse drawn wagon (40 plus miles), . . . and they canned it using the old zinc lids and rubber washers.

Nobody got sick, . . . nobody died, . . . and they all had catfish in jars for later on.

No, . . . I would not attempt it, . . . but they knew how to do it, . . . how to do it successfully, . . . and if we are so inclined, . . . we can learn how they did it, . . . and it does not make any difference what the so called experts say, . . . it CAN BE DONE, . . . with or without Wikipedia's help.

May God bless,
Dwight

Thats all fine and dandy and a good story from you.

But-

These recommendations do not come from wikipedifile as you say... They come from "Ball" and the ball blue book with is the standard for safe canning practices. There are many other sources besides "Ball" that these safe canning practices come from as well. Check them out.

[hawgrider]

Water bath canning has been used in my family as long as I can remember, I use the same process my mother used and she used the same process her mother used and so on, the key is doing it correctly as is in much cooking. It's just a matter of what canning process are you comfortable with.......oh and buy the way, I've been eating canned venison since childhood and I am still here to write this.......I'm not writing this to promote any certain method, it's just the process I use.....

There is nothing wrong with waterbath canning.

Whats wrong is some people still use waterbath canning to can the things that should only be canned with a pressure canner.

Meat, fish, green beans, low acid veggies must be pressure canned. Its a simple concept to follow. Botulism is a tasteless invisible killer look it up.

[Broncosfan]

Yes green beans are a no no. Meat and fish are absolute no no's all low acid vegtables are all a no no for waterbath method.

Just because someone you know tells you it safe to jump off a bridge doesnt mean its proven tested and safe. Resonable thinking sane people don't jump off the bridge.

I agree 100%

[hawgrider]

Water bath canning has been used in my family as long as I can remember, I use the same process my mother used and she used the same process her mother used and so on, the key is doing it correctly as is in much cooking. It's just a matter of what canning process are you comfortable with.......oh and buy the way, I've been eating canned venison since childhood and I am still here to write this.......I'm not writing this to promote any certain method, it's just the process I use.....

This is my Bambi in a jar method- http://theoutdoortradingpost.com/showthread.php?1513-Canned-Venison-Hawg-s-way&highlight=canned+venison

[MI.oldguy]

Yes green beans are a no no. Meat and fish are absolute no no's all low acid vegtables are all a no no for waterbath method.

Just because someone you know tells you it safe to jump off a bridge doesnt mean its proven tested and safe. Resonable thinking sane people don't jump off the bridge.

You can can green beans.make dilly beans.when we used to water bath and pressure can,leftover green beans were frozen in seal-a-meal bags.along with any other leftovers,then put in the big freezer downstairs.unfortunately,wifey does not have the time to can anymore as she has to deal with her decrepit asshole dad.

[hawgrider]

You can can green beans.make dilly beans.when we used to water bath and pressure can,leftover green beans were frozen in seal-a-meal bags.along with any other leftovers,then put in the big freezer downstairs.unfortunately,wifey does not have the time to can anymore as she has to deal with her decrepit asshole dad.

Yeah we make dilly beans with no processing at all. Its called pickling which has different rules than canning green beans.

I use my grandma's "no process" pickled green beans and hot mix recipes for some delicious crunchy pickled goodies.

We also make fermented dilly beans which also require no traditional processing. See my fermenting thread for instructions how they are delicious had some last night on our salad.

[MI.oldguy]

Yeah we make dilly beans with no processing at all. Its called pickling which has different rules than canning green beans.

I use my grandma's "no process" pickled green beans and hot mix recipes for some delicious crunchy pickled goodies.

We also make fermented dilly beans which also require no traditional processing. See my fermenting thread for instructions how they are delicious had some last night on our salad.

Huh?.wifey used to water bath them.

[hawgrider]

Huh?.wifey used to water bath them.

Right here no process pickled-

http://theoutdoortradingpost.com/showthread.php?5560-Grandma-s-no-process-alum-dill-pickles-and-same-brine-hot-mix

edited: link fixed.

[hawgrider]

Link fixed please re read it. I just now repaired it correctly.