With garden season upon us, now is the time to prepare for canning. If you have grown a garden in previous years, you already know the abundance it produces. In the last couple years, there have been shortages of canning supplies because everyone was trying to purchase them at the same time. Don’t get yourself caught in that chaos this year. Use this list as a quick reference to prepare for canning now.
Investing in canning supplies gets you one step closer to living a healthier, self-sustaining life. You will be able to lessen the need for buying most of your vegetables, soups, jams, fruit, salsas, pickles and even some meats from the supermarket. The peace of mind you will get from knowing what exactly is in your food is priceless. No matter if it’s from your garden or from a local farmer.
Supplies Needed
Listed below are the items you will need to prepare for canning. You can find them online and in stores such as Tractor Supply, ACE Hardware, Walmart, Target etc. You may even be able to find some of these items at garage sales. These supplies may also be used for many years with the purchase of new lids each year.
- Water bath canner with rack
- Pressure canner
- Canning tool kit (kit includes a jar funnel, jar lifter, magnetic lid grabber and a head space spatula)
- Mason jars both regular mouth and wide mouth (with lids and bands)
- Large stock pot. Stainless steel is best because aluminum has a chemical reaction when in contact with acidic foods.
- Ladle
- Storage shelves
- Recipes
Many think you need to have a large kitchen to work in while canning, but it is not necessary as long as you have a kitchen table. I find it is better to have your work space closer together. When my kitchen was redone, I designed the space with canning in mind because I spend a lot of time canning many things. In my kitchen, the sink and stove are within arms reach of each other with an 18 inch counter space in between them. Having everything close like that saves you steps and keeps you from going in circles.
I’m sure a lot of you are probably thinking that’s not enough counter space for prepping vegetables and getting them cut up. And you’re right, I use my kitchen table. I prefer to sit at the table to get my prep work done versus standing at the counter for hours on end. So you see, even the most compact kitchens will work.
Which Canner to Use
If you are wondering why there are 2 types of canners on the supply list, here’s the reason. What you choose to can, will determine which canner you will use. With acidic foods such as tomatoes, jams, jellies, salsa and pickled vegetables you will use the water bath canner. The recipes for these foods have added lemon juice, vinegar or another type of citric acid to ensure they are safe from bacteria.
For non acidic foods such as red meats, poultry, corn, beans, carrots, soups, stews etc. you will use the pressure canner. The heat, pressure and length of time kills any bacteria in the food.
Storage Shelves
While you are waiting for your garden to produce, it is a good time to figure out where you will store your beautiful jars once filled. The ideal space will be dark, dry and cool. This may take some creativity to figure out but it’s best to do it ahead of time. Your shelves will need to be strong enough and sturdy enough to hold the weight of the filled jars. If you already have the space in a pantry or basement that’s great. If not, you may need to build or purchase some. It is best to have them anchored to a wall to make them extra sturdy.
Recipes
The last item on the list to prepare for canning is recipes. There are so many canning recipes out there for all kinds of foods. You can use handed down recipes from family, shared recipes from friends, online recipes or even in canning guide books. If you are a beginner to canning, I do suggest you get a book. I purchased the Ball Complete book of Home Preserving when I first started. It is filled with step by step instructions, tips, conversion charts and recipes. All of these things, make it a great resource to have.
So there you have it. Everything you need to prepare for canning. All that is left to do now, is to decide what to can. Are you trying to fill your pantry for the winter months? If this is your plan, I can tell you it is such a satisfying feeling to see all those jars filled in the pantry. It’s especially nice on days when you don’t feel like cooking. Just grab a quart of soup or stew to heat up and not have to spend more than a few minutes in the kitchen heating it up.
Maybe you want to give some as gifts during the holidays. They make the perfect gifts for those hard to buy for people in your life as well. I mean, everyone has to eat, right. So why not give some healthier, chemical free homemade jam, salsa or even pickles. You’ll be surprised at how many ways you can be creative with this and how appreciated it is as a gift.
Canning is an age old skill that is making a comeback as more and more people are taking control of their health. What better way to do it than by what we consume. No added preservatives or chemicals. Just real food. Happy Canning!