Preserving Your Produce: Canning, Processing, Dehydrating and More!

Preserving your own food allows you to experience the savings, the better quality and flavor of your own garden produce or fresh purchased items. You choose the varieties you use and the quality of each individual piece you add. You decide the recipe, so you can avoid harmful additives and preservatives.

Store your foods at the peak of freshness, while they still possess their full nutritional content and natural flavor. Enjoy the wonders of the season year around and save over grocery store prices.

This article on canning is part one of a multipart series which will cover many forms of food preservation. Please see the links for referral to other topics in the series.

Canning involves creating a vacuum to keep air away from food and destroying enzymes and microorganisms to protect food items from spoilage. These microorganisms include little beasties such as yeasts, bacteria and mold which can spoil the contents and make you sick. The heat applied stops the action of enzymes in the food and kills the bad guys.

If you are a novice in the kitchen, it is a good idea to brush up on food safety recommendations through the USDA or Nutrition.gov before you begin.

Regardless of which method you choose to save your food, some investment of labor will be involved. How much labor depends on whether you grow your own food items or purchase them, the method you choose for storage, and the form you require for storage.

Food Mills make removal of seeds and pulp from foods during processing fast and easy. A mill can uniformly mash soft items, such as for making cooked apples into applesauce. A food mill can make fluffy mashed potatoes, crush fruit for beautiful preserves, cream soups, make baby food, all with the turn of the crank.

The Foley version has become so well-used that the name has become generic for food mills in many cases.

OXO Good Grips is known for their cleverly designed products and makes an excellent mill.

Rosle has an exceptional design and two sieve disc plates. The one piece construction means easier upkeep and a longer life.

Fresh Preserving is what we know as canning or jarring.

The Food Channel offers a Fresh Preserving 101 for those of you new to canning. It breaks the actions down into a simple, step by step process that is easy to follow. If you have never canned before, it is best to do some research on the subject before you begin. Some foods require more extensive precautions than others.

Fresh preserving takes on two main forms: low and high acid, determined by the food you plan to store. Before beginning, all of the lids and jars should be checked for cracks, chips and signs of damage which may prevent a good seal. As a handy time saving tip, you can use your dishwasher to both clean and heat the jars and lids for use!

You do not have to own a canning pan. Any deep pot with a lid and any regular rack can be used instead of the official canning pan and rack pair.

You needn't be afraid of a pressure canner. Many changes in design have created a safer version which operates with fewer hassles and dangers than older models.

All-American produces combination pressure cooker/canners. They also offer versions with no gaskets. This eliminates trouble with opening and closing the device and may lead to a longer lasting appliance as there is no seal to fail or replace. They manufacture the body with double thickness in areas which see the greatest wear. With extra safety features and clamping locks, it is made in the US and UL listed, so you can be sure you're getting a quality product.

Presto and Mirro are also makers of highly rated pressure cooker/canners. These are well-made, safe devices which allow you to cook food in a fraction of the time and can as well- giving you two appliances in one.

Foods high in acid are easy to preserve and require only a boiling hot water bath, although a pressure canner can be used for all canning. All items should first be washed and the jars and lids added to a hot water bath (below boiling). Fill your canning pan halfway and heat the water until it simmers.

Prepare your foods. Remove a jar from the bath and fill it with your prepared food. Leave a little space at the top. This extra room in the jar is called headspace and varies depending on the food you're storing. Use a rubber spatula to circle the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles if any become trapped. Wipe the threads. Seat a lid squarely onto the rim of the jar and twist on a band until fingertip tight.

Add the jars to the canning pan and see that the lids are covered with at least an inch of water. Two is better. Set the lid on the pan and begin your boil. Once the water is boiling, start timing. Leave your jars in the bath according to the needs of your recipe and altitude. Once the time is up, take the lid from the canning pan, remove the pan from the heat, and allow everything to sit for a few minutes.

Put the jars on a towel liner and leave them to sit undisturbed for twelve to twenty four hours before checking for formation of a seal. When the time is up, remove the bands and pull with your fingertips on the edge of the lid. The lid should not bow when you press in the center.

If the jar passes inspection, label and date it. You may store the filled jars in a cool, dry spot away from the sun for about a year. If the seal fails on a jar, you may try processing that one again.

Hot packing involves boiling food before canning. It is better for packing food, removing air, and for the overall appearance of food.

Raw packing does not involve heating the food before canning. This method can lead to discoloration of food over time, is not suited for all foods, and should be used with pressure canners.

Foods low in acid are easy to preserve but require pressure canning to ensure there are no surviving harmful spores. Preserving low acid foods requires a temperature of 240 degrees, which can't be achieved in a regular water bath. Meats and stews are some of the food items of this category, as is any food which mixes high and low acid foods.

Canning jars and lids should be washed before you begin, then immersed in a hot water bath (below boiling) so that they can accept the foods without breaking. The bands should be washed and set aside. A few inches of water should be allowed to simmer in the canner as you prepare your food items, but always proceed according to instructions for your model or method of canning.

When the food items are ready, use a jar lifter to remove each from the hot water bath. Fill to within an inch of the top. If you see air bubbles, use a rubber spatula and circle around the inside edge of the jar to release them.

Clean the threads of the jar of any food debris, then drop a lid on, making sure the sealing edge of the rim comes in contact with the mouth of the jar. Add the band, but affix it only fingertip tight.

Add the jars to the canner, then follow instructions specific to your canner model to process the jars. There may be need to adjust for altitude in some cases, so consult your manual.

Your jars should be removed to sit undisturbed on a towel-covered surface for between twelve and twenty four hours. After the time passes, remove the bands and check the seals. If the lid will not separate with fingertip pressure, the seal is probably good. The top should not bow when you press it.

Be sure you date and label your items, which should last about a year. Store your jars in a cool, dry place out of the sun. Basements were once popular, but aren't a good choice due to the rodents and conditions present. If a jar doesn't seal, you can try processing that one again.

If you know *the* name in canning and wonder what happened to Ball jars, the Jarden company now handles the Ball line of products. In fact, 2009 marks the 125th anniversary for Ball jars and the celebration includes a special product line featuring a one gallon commemorative jar, special edition lids, and a special anniversary preserving guide.

Jarden Home Brands has a website which provides a wealth of information to the home canner. Their site can tell you which jars to use for which conditions and how to calculate the yield of your produce. The site gives you a handy conversion chart and offers tips and benefits on choosing produce.

Jarden also handles Kerr canning products. The site includes a canning FAQ and handy recipe ideas.

Jars now come in a range of shapes and sizes and there are elite lids which make preserved items suitable for gift giving. Ribbons, gingham, fancy labels and other decoration can really dress up a plain jar. Fancier jars are available with designs created into the surfaces of the glass. Or allow your creations to stand on the merits of their own colorful beauty.

The USDA has a National Center for Home Food Preservation site which discusses in detail issues surrounding pickling, canning, drying, curing, smoking, freezing, fermenting and more! They have available charts which denote low and high acid foods.

The USDA also gives a general guide to altitude, but recommends you check with resources in your state before you begin the canning process to find exact directions due to the multitude of variations in terrain. A county extension office or local university would be a good place to start.

Beyond the lids, jars and canning pan, you may wish to consider a few additional purchases to make your canning go smoothly.

Canning manuals and recipe books offer helpful tips and interesting combinations to consider as you choose the food you wish to preserve.

Jar lifters are coated tongs which help you retrieve hot jars without burns or slippage. Handy racks keep the jars suspended off the bottom of the pan as the processing takes place. A number of other accessories and canning kits contain small, thoughtful devices to save labor and make the procedure seamless.

Pectin is a gelling agent used in producing jams and jellies. Its use saves cooking time. You can buy it or prepare your own.

Spice mixes and pickling and preserving salt may help you improve the favor of your mixture.

Finally, to tell if the food in your jar is safe, familiarize yourself with some of the danger signs of spoilage before you consume the food or even open a jar. Visible damage, a layer of growth on top of the foodstuffs, and the formation of bubbles are all bad signs. If a jar presents with leaks, unusual odors, or any of the other signs of spoilage, discard the contents safely (protect your pets when you do) and do not consume.

Happy Canning!