Canning & Preserving
Canning and preserving our own food is one of the most cost effective ways to feed our families the best organic food possible. Certainly we can find deals sometimes that would save use time and possibly even money. However you can’t match the quality of home canned produce to any store bought brand. Homemade is always a better quality than mass produced. Undoubtedly it does take some work during canning season. However it is so worth it in the end and the winter months.
We love to make sauerkraut, pickles and pickle relish, tomato sauce and salsa, dilly beans, and pickled asparagus if there is any leftover. Then I prefer to freeze any extra green beans, peppers, celery, broccoli and cauliflower. Most of the time now that our children are adults we are not growing or preserving as much as when they were growing teenagers.
Let's Get Started!
Whether you are buying at a farmers market or growing your own, always use the fresh picked vegetables with no visible spoiling for the best results in your canning and preserving.
First step is get yourself a quality canning and preserving cookbook like Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. And decide what you are going to make and what supplies you’ll need. Always follow safe canning and preserving practice as noted in the cookbook.
Second gather some jars for your recipe, whether you need a quart or a pint. I suggest checking garage sales or marketplaces for used canning jars if you are just starting out. You can also purchase them decide if you want wide mouth or regular. I personally prefer wide mouth jars always. Here are Quart Wide Mouth Jars and Pint Wide Mouth Jars.
Third gather why type of lids you want to use. I do not like the traditional lids. I prefer a Wide Mouth Reusable Canning & Preserving Lid. They are BPA free and I have reused them over and over for many years. Here are the Regular Mouth Reusable Canning Lids.
Fourth depending on what you are canning, you may need a hot Water Bath Canner or a Pressure Canner. Also having a set of Tongs for picking lids out of boiling water and a Jar Lifter are equally important.
Happy Canning & Preserving! Enjoy the deliciousness of your labor!
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