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Get a Ball Blue Book. It tells all. It is not a complicated procedure, but it is time consuming.

I divide my canning into two days (learned that one through experience), to make it easier.

First day, I get out all the equipment and wash it to get the dust off. ;)

Clean off some counter space, check the jars for cracks and chips, check the canning lids for scratches, was the jars and lids in how soapy water and let dry, clean the rest of the kitchen, and make extra dinner for leftovers on canning day. There is NO fresh food cooked on canning day, it’s every man for himself and if I’m in the middle of actually working with food (on the second day), you don’t enter the kitchen unless someone stopped breathing or is bleeding to death. Even then use the LR phone and hang out by the front door for 911.

For the second day, (canning day), ***DISCLAIMER HERE***
contrary to the recommendations of the canning book, and this is all on you to decide, I put my canning jars in the oven to warm up on LOW. NEVER over 200 degrees. I’ve never had a jar crack on me this way but this is just me. This is advised against officially.

I put a small pot on the stove for boiling the lids and use distilled water as our water is so hard that it leaves deposits, but you have to use a glass pot because distilled water is very corrosive and will pit aluminum or stainless steel.

Put canner on stove and fill with hot water and bring to a boil. Put a tea kettle on to boil more water to fill canner high enough to cover jars if necessary.

Prepare food and fill jars according to directions in Ball Blue book. Put on lids and bands and hand tighten till very snug. Place hot jars in canner and process for recommended time. That’s how you can tell when it’s done, simply by processing it the recommend time.

When the processing time is done, place hot jars in a draft free place where they won’t be disturbed for 24 hours while they cool. Check the seal by looking at the little button in the center of the lid to see if it’s down and after I take off the band (after 24 hours) I push up on the lid with my thumb. If it’s sealed properly the lid cannot be pushed off by hand.

Wash the jars carefully to make sure they are clean on the outside and label them with a Sharpie for contents and date. You WILL forget when you processed it after a couple years.

There is NO fresh food cooked on canning day, it’s every man for himself and if I’m in the middle of actually working with food (on the second day), you don’t enter the kitchen unless someone stopped breathing or is bleeding to death. Even then use the LR phone and hang out by the front door for 911.

I just love bumping into kindred spirits in my spare time. LOL

Get a Ball Blue Book. It tells all. It is not a complicated procedure, but it is time consuming.

I got one! Walmart had them for about 6 dollars! Along with a nice set from Ball of canning accessories - and a lot cheaper than my buying them online too.

And I got 4 more cases of quart wide-mouthed jars from Winco for $7.59 each.

Now, I need a canner. (sigh) I was so close to buying the 15 1/2 Qt All American one, but then the reviews were talking about how well-made it is with thick walls and very heavy. Not that that is all bad - but it is a concern for me since I have repetitive stress issues and need to limit how much I lift.

How often would you say I'd need to lift the pot when canning, especially with water in it? (If I can just keep adding jars and water while it stays put on the stove, I can deal with that just fine)