Yeah! A kindred spirit.
For starters, get a Ball canning book. Think it’s called Ball Blue Book of Canning. It will tell you how from start to finish. (about five dollars-—it also has hundreds of recipes for salsas, compotes, marmelades, syrups, relishes, etc. as awell as specialty recipes for gift giving. Walmart carries the book along with all the canning supplies you might ever need.
We live on a remote ranch and I’ve been canning since 1971. It may seem mindboggling at first, but once you get the hang of it, it fast and easy. The only thing I’d suggest is to figure the cost.
Jars are expensive since they’re made of tempered glass (about fifty cents each, and come in cases of twelve, but seems like no one does this anymore and they can often be had cheaply at garage sales)—I’ve gotten hundreds for free as well. The rings can be used over and over, but you’ll need the lids (about two cents a piece) each and every time you use them.
Don’t recycle jars like mayonaise jars. They are not made of tempered glass and may shatter in the canner. (one learns this the hard way with an incredible mess)
I’d start with a water bath canner-—also available at walmart for about 12.95. They are usually enameled tin, speckled dark blue They come with a lid and are about three gallons in capacity.
Pressure canners are fairly expensive. Jams, jellies, and high acid fruits and veggies like tomatoes, peaches are processed covered only in boiling water for only 10—20 minutes. Anything put up with sugar, sugar syrup, or vinegar— as in pickles— can be safely preserved this way. The advantage of putting up food in this manner is the savings on energy.
Green beans, potatoes, etc. require a pressure canner and processed at the higher temps to kill botulism, etc. low acid veggies require. For instance, potatoes or soups and stews containing potatoes, peppers, meat, need FORTY to NINETY MINUTES at ten pounds pressure. That’s a lot of gas or electricity. Potatoes are so easily stored it’s hardly profitable to can them. Also scalding and freezing is a good option. The Ball Canning Book also tells you how to freeze and dry fruits and veggies.
Also I use wide mouth canning jars that are tapered. This way I can use them for freezing as well. Because of the tapered sides, food can be partially thawed and slid out of the jars. Narrow mouth jars require complete thawing since the food will not redily slide out. Seems like we’re always in a hurry here.
If you have any questions please use the private reply to me. I’m sure this will, no doubt, bore most to tears. Too bad so many no longer know how to feed themselve LOL
The author is lucky he wasn't dyslexic. I bring NOTHING to the table...except an appetite.
Brainhose , at a garage sale, I was lucky to find a large pressure cooker for canning. Check your local newspaper. You may find one cheap.
And yet, my Grandmother didn't have a pressure cooker, only a big pot she used to give them a water bath. She made homemade soup stock for years, and none of us died from eating her 'stores' as she called them. She did potatoes, green beans, all the 'pressure cooker' foods. Was it the pesticides they used back then, or did she just know what she was doing? One mystery we'll never have the answer to.
I am another kindred spirit who cans! texaslil gave you some good info.... the best of which is to get the Ball Blue book. I have used that (getting updated versions randomly) for over 35 years. They have good recipes and the instructions for safety are clear.
I would recommend if you are planning on doing non acid foods that you buy just the pressure canner. It is also usable as a water bath for acid food canning, and you will have a rack to use to keep the jars off the bottom of the pan.
I would also recommend that you carefully calculate how much you will really need for your family. If you only make spaghetti once every other month you will use much less sauce than if you serve it twice a week! And beets in my house (even though I love them) will last until the second coming!!! I find I have way too much jam left over, even after I did my own figuring.
Don’t let it scare you. Canning is loads of fun and nothing beats looking at a shelf full of “jewels” that you have made yourself!