Survival Blog - Home Canning made simple

Survival Blog

Home canning made simple

Lots of people will tell you than canning your food is the best option for long-term storage – and they’re right, other than freeze dried products, of course. However, sometimes you don’t quite know all of what’s in the canned tomatoes available to buy at your local grocery store, many people will opt to make their own canned products. If you have your own garden, don’t let your fruits and vegetables go to waste by rotting away on the vine – you can save them for later, give them away as gifts, or maybe the entrepreneur inside you wants to sell them on the side of the road. Whatever the purpose, canning your own fruits and vegetables can be a fun, easy way to store your food.

All you will need are glass mason jars with lids and sealing rings. You should probably sterilize them, just to be safe, before use. You can do this by pouring boiling water over the jars and letting them air dry. You’re going to also need a large pot or a pressure canner, a canning wrack, a wide-mouth funnel, tongs, and your favorite canning recipes.

Here’s some things you should know before you start canning. Food that has a high acidity content, like tomatoes and jams, should be canned in a hot water bath. This means that you canned the product, and then submerge the jar into boiling water from anywhere between 5 and 90 minutes (look to your recipes to know a more exact time). The boiling removes any oxygen hiding underneath the seal. But remember that you can only use this method when using food with a pH under 4.5 (usually vegetables). Foods that have a low acidity should be put into ice water. Remember that bacteria can easily grow in canned foods when they are not properly packaged. Botulism an illness caused by a germ that grows within sealed produce. It becomes a toxin and affects your nerves, causing paralysis or death. Symptoms are double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and weakened muscles. This can be avoided by using a pressure canner or cooker – this is the only recommended way to can food, though many use other methods. Do not eat from a can if it is swollen, cracked, foamy, or discolored.

Different foods require different processing times. For instance, raw peached will take 30 minutes to process if you are at an altitude of 1,001 – 3,000 feet. Research how to specifically can the food you wish to use before processing, because it can easily be contaminated. Go to the Natural Center for Home Food Preservation’s website to find out more.

So give it a try. A home canning project can be economical and fun for the whole family.