I have all the things necessary for home canning, and I do occasionally engage in the practice. I don’t do it often because I don’t really have much need to…after all, I can always buy commercially canned vegetables and meats at pretty much any grocery. However, just because I can do something today doesn’t mean I’ll be able to do it tomorrow. Also, sometimes I cook stuff that I rather like (bunker gumbo ) and like to have some of it sitting on the shelf for a quick meal. And, of course, when the wheels really fly off civilization and the electricity becomes a pleasant memory, I’ll have a whole freezerfull of meat that needs to suddenly be repackaged in a shelf stable manner. Canning lets me do that. And, if you’re the type with a big garden and good hunting skills, canning lets you put a lot of food away at very reasonable prices.
Anyway, I was in the local independent supermarket getting my lunch at work the other day and as I walked by the aisle where they keep the home canning stuff I saw these:
A couple cases of wide-mouth lids. And not that cheap Chinese-made crap that has been showing up on the market:
Seriously…if you’re willing to purchase this crap because it’s $2 cheaper than Ball or Kerr, you deserve the problems that are going to come from these things. From what I’ve read they don’t seal well, don’t hold seal well, are spotty in the application of adhesive, and tend to buckle. Sure, their availability may be better than Ball or Kerr, but if you have to throw away the food, or make three attempts to get a good seal, or worst of all, go into your pantry six months from now and find a jar of what looks like vomit, was it really worth the ‘savings’?
Being a good survivalist, I spoke to a few LMI and asked if they needed any lids. Why not? If the world is going to sink into another World War or Great Depression then I want those people to have every advantage possible. Short version: I want a world with more of them and less of everyone else. Brutal, but true.
One person mentioned that they hadn’t ‘gotten into’ canning yet. Picked a hell of a time to start, I told him. He said he was waiting for a course at the continuing education facility to be offered. Dude, it ain’t rocket science and time may 9or may not) be of the essence. So, for those of you who haven’t experienced the joy of filling your kitchen with heat and steam, here’s youre shopping list:
Information…don’t start a trip without a map. There are plenty of good books on the subject, the one I use and recommend is:
Read it, read it again, and then flip through it another time. Nothing magical about canning…anyone can do it. But spoiled food is dangerous ‘food’ and you really want to pay attention to what you’re doing,. It’s no different than reloading ammo in that regard…it isn’t difficult, but you do want to pay attention.
I like the pressure canning, which is necessary to can meat or any food that contains meat (sauces, stews, etc.). This is gonna be the most expensive part of the process. Just resign yourself to spending the money and know that this thing will literally last you the rest of your life. It doesn’t use a gasket so if you’re concerned about replacement part availability, this is a great choice. I use this particular model:
Yes, not cheap. But I’ve had mine for a long time and haven’t had a lick of trouble from it. This particular package comes with tools that you’ll want….lid lifter, jar lifter, spatula, food funnel, etc. One-stop shopping. But this baby will let you can everything and in large quantities. Its big and heavy, so no glasstop ranges for this monster.
After that, its time for lids, jars, and bands. Most any hardware store (during normal times) will have them. You can’t have too many. Jars are reusable as long as they aren’t chipped at the mouth. Bands are reusable. Lids are not. Yes, some people reuse them. I don’t. Food poisoning is not worth trying to save $1 by reusing a lid or two. I don’t have the time to investigate every brand out there so I usually just stick to Ball as my first choice and then Kerr. Lots of people ‘inherit’ jars from grandma or some great aunt’s estate…thats fine but inspect them thoroughly for chips or damage.
All this stuff will fit in a large plastic tote that can sit on your basement shelving when you’re not using the canner. Find a great deal on meat? Can it. Neighbors had a bumper crop of tomatoes or something? Can ’em. Made a huge batch of vegetable beef soup and want the convenience of just heat-n-eat out of a jar? Fire up the canner.
As I said, I don’t do much gardening these days but I do hunt for bargains on meat. And when I do find a deal on meat canning it saves me freezer space, is convenient, and allows me to store a good bit of animal protein against whatever is coming. And if nothing happens? Well, it’ll still taste just fine and I’ll have saved a buncha cash.
I like you, Commander Zero! We think alike about canning & food safety. People who haven’t canned before can get recipes & information from their local Extension office. We used to offer free classes but the University got worried about liability.
“I like you, Commander Zero! ”
Awww…you’re sweet!
Hey CZ, maybe I missed it but was there a Model or picture of the Pressure Canner you use? TY.
It should be visible without an ad blocker
Got it, TY !
We haven’t done a lot of canning in recent years, just enough to keep the skills up. Mostly garden produce, though with some siblings help, we tracked down great grandmothers mincemeat recipe. Venison, beef, apples, oranges, raisins, etc. Makes a wonderful pie. But I freely admit, you either love it or hate it, there’s no middle ground.
I learned canning from my mother in the 1950’s; we did a lot of it. Mostly fruit and garden produce, and it was a major summer activity. She learned it from her grandmother, who canned everything just water bath over a wood fired cookstove. Like you do, we prefer the pressure canner–that 140’F it can achieve is our insurance against the dreaded Clostridium Botulinum.
I concur on the Ball Blue Book. It’s been the standard reference for a century or more, and that technology hasn’t changed.
I’ve had good luck with the Tattler reusable lids.
I taught myself to can after i became an adult and it was extremely easy.
disclaimer:I had been around when my mother and grandmother canned but never really paid attention.
All i would tell someone wanting to learn is pretty much what youve said. Buy quality. Buy the Ball Blue Book, and follow it To The Letter. If it says 3 minutes, that absolutely Does Not mean 2 minutes and 55 seconds. That 5 seconds matters.
I am someone who has reused lids for years without problem. When i was little, everyone i knew saved their old mayo/etc jars that had standard canning lid sizes and used them as well. I know some folks are now peeing in their pants at this, but in over 60 years of multiple families doing this, no one has ever made anyone sick. we occasionally lose a jar to thermal breakage as the glass seems to wear out over the years. if/when times get much tougher, use what works (as long as you follow the Blue Book!).
My pressure canner is an old National brand, belonged to a friend’s Grandmother. Yes, they do last for years. I do have to replace the gasket every 4 or 5 years or so, depends on how much I use it.
I check the seals on my jars every couple of weeks, some will occasionally fail in long storage. I also use the Big Book of canning as well as the Blue Book, and don’t rely on memory – use the book every time.
Something needing said for those folks who put away the canning gear as just in case, without using it.
First, would you really stock away untested gear? A flashlight or radio that never got turned on? Seems counter productive to me, but oh well.
On canning, don’t forget the HEAT source. To run a larger pressure cooker requires a significant heat point. To be blunt, most modern electric stoves with safety elements, and all the glass top models…. yeah, they are not going to cut it. They simply won’t runner a pressure canner well, if at all. I’ve tried and failed with both, and the store I bought them from apologized for ‘forgetting’ to tell me that.
What WILL run a pressure canner is a portable butane burner, like restaurants use. I’ve had one for years, and only recently finished the third fuel can from a 12 pack bought with the burner. It appears every power outage to make coffee, and is now the go-to for running the pressure canner.
I suspect a side burner on a propane grill will also work.
I’m not sure the side burners on most grills will take the weight. YMMV
I’d consider the turkey fryer kits. They have a decent propane burner and are designed to support a decent amount of weight. Be useful for heating/boiling water too.
Funny, we have a glass top and to date have had no problems. The extra large burner does a great job, but even the middle size has worked without problem. We use the All American. We have a Presto with the gasket for back up along with a spare gasket. We prefer to can now instead of when we “must”. Living the small town life we don’t have as reliable energy as the cities. We keep our propane cooker and tanks for heating food (and coffee!) in an emergency.
the problem comes in when they crack the glass….read your owners manual on that one friend!
A made-in-USA newcomer that has been popping up here is Rubbermaid’s Golden Harvest brand. They are a buck or two cheaper than Ball, which in turn is a buck or two cheaper than Kerr. I bought a box of lids and bands to try out.
I don’t can a whole lot, really just to make sure I can still do it right. Jars end up going to egg nog production more than anything else, but I’ve noticed the quality of Ball lids seems to have slipped a bit. Lids with jars are tight enough to deform the sealing surface and seals themselves aren’t quite uniform. I really need to try some of these newer Ball lids to see how they do.
Was this another call that went-how many? Buy them all,how many?,all of them. Was at a store a few months ago and some lids and rings showed up. As I was stacking cases in cart a lady saw them and wondered out loud about getting some. I asked when she had last seen some she took two cases-hopefully a future LMI. Any experience with vacuum packing dry goods? May build a vacuum chamber for larger glass jars to extend shelf life. Fyi- did you hear about the Yemeni attacks on Saudi Oil facilities today? Last report was they had “uncontrolled fires”
Housemouse has a vacuum sealer that works with bags and jars. Works a treat. She jars crackers, cookies and candies. Crackers and cookies won’t break like in the bags. I just ate saltines that were a year old. We don’t like the 1/2 gallon or gallon jars. They hold too much product. Most would go stale before we would eat it.
I’m seeing only the first three photos. It appears there should be at least two more. I am not using an ad blocker. Any suggestions? I even tried a second browser with the same results.
There’s 3 pictures and 2 links to Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778801314/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=notfrothebun-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=1bba37c841f3dd1cc8b6919ac3c2cb81&creativeASIN=0778801314
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9JG9H3/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=notfrothebun-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=d4ca7083f949f8e00a749984cd0b98e7&creativeASIN=B07H9JG9H3
Steelheart
Thank you.
Always a few cases of Ball or Kerr and plenty of lids at my local family owned. Small towns are great, aint they?
I remember my aunt & Grandma topping off their canning jars with melted paraffin after filling them.
I guess it works; she’d can in the summer & make pies out of the fruit when holidays rolled around.
Pies; tons of pies.
Canning is kind of like reloading – if you wait until you “need it” it’s too late. I’ve found canned meat is really worthwhile. Canned beef or pork is really easy to shred and put into enchiladas or burritos.