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I’m sorry about the tardiness of the post, but the web hosting servers in Georgia have been down and I have not been able to get onto the site. If you’ve been unable to reach the site too, that is why. Anyway, I’m going to break away from the recipes today at the request of new canner and reader, Judy, and do a quick pictorial run-through of items needed for the two canning processes. Some are required and some are suggested in this list that I am offering. But the whole idea is to give all of you new canners out there, pictures of items so that you will know what to look for in the stores or online! There are two kinds of canning processes: Waterbath for fruits, tomatoes, pickles, jams and cheeses, and Pressure Canning for low-acid meats, veggies and soups. You can actually buy Litumus paper at the drugstore or online to test your fruits, veggies and anything of which you are not certain. A PH measure of 4.6 (±.5) or lower is considered acidic in canning (waterbath) and anything higher is considered basic (pressure canning required). These are levels advocated by the county extension offices and are not the same as what is scientifically referred to as acidic (7 and below) and basic (above 7). Tomatoes are a little iffy these days because some of the hybrids have been bred to not be as acidic. The heritage varieties should be fine. If there is a question, add 1/2 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to each jar of tomatoes or tomato products. And finally, invest in a good canning book. Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware – all of these carry the Ball Canning book which will answer most of your questions. But there are other books too that can be found in book stores, on Half.ebay.com, on Ebay.com and in used book stores.  These are the two books that I have on hand – The Ball Blue Book and The Farm Journal Freezing and Canning Cookbook that was my aunt’s.  A waterbath canner is usually made out of enamel ware or stainless steel. It includes a rack that can be balanced on the sides of the canner. This canner is used for high acid foods. There is also a steamer canner that is used for the same purpose, but I have never used one or even know anyone who has used one so I can’t attest to the quality or the success of the steamer canners.  There are two kinds of pressure canners. This 12 quart Mirro brand ‘weighted’ canner is very simple with just a variable weight on the pressure release to determine the amount of pressure reached inside of the canner when heated. The only maintenance required for this type of canner is to replace the rubber gasket each year and to keep the canner clean.  The removeable weight has a hole at each of 5 lb, 10 lb and 15 lbs of pressure. The weight is placed onto the pressure release valve at the appropriate pressure poundage before the canner is heated.  This All American brand pressure canner is a gauged canner. If you notice, there is a gauge with a needle that indicates the pressure achieved inside the canner. More maintenance on these canners is required because not only should the gasket be changed each year, but the gauge must be tested for accuracy at a local extension office each year. Either type of canner works well and it is purely personal preference when choosing a suitable one. Canners come in multiple sizes depending on how many jars they can hold. They can range from holding 4 quart jars to 19 quart jars and variations of the smaller jars.  You will need jars, of course. There are quite a number of sizes of jars and here are just a few.
 You will need Lids and Rings which can be bought as a set or, if you already have rings, as just lids. There are two sizes for the two mouth sizes of the jars – wide and regular.
 Important utensils to have on hand for all canning projects include:
 A candy thermometer can come in handy when making jams and fruit butters.   Some useful utensils to have on hand, depending on what you are canning, include:
 A variety of measuring cups is essential. An 8 cup batter bowl is handy for measuring fruit pulp to figure sugar additions for jam and fruit butters.  A handy item for fruit butters is a collandar. This one was my mother’s but you can still buy them online.  Another handy item for pastes and sauces is a food mill. It separates the skin and seeds from the pulp of tomatoes beautifully.  You will need a warm, wet dishcloth for wiping the rims of the jars and a dish towel on which to place the jars as they are being filled. It makes clean-up much easier by absorbing drips. It also makes a good cusion for the hot jars when they are removed from the canner. A Sharpie pen is handy for labeling the lids of your canned items with the contents and the date.  You will also need a small pot to fill with water and warm your lids  One of the best investments I made way back in the ’70’s was in a set of stainless steel nesting bowls. They have been invaluable for holding large amounts of fruits and veggies for raw packing. That biggest one can hold a whale of alot of tomatoes!  For stews, soups, chili and for blanching fruits and veggies, you will need to have some large stew pots. For years, I used hand-me-downs or thrift store finds, but about 10 years ago, I finally decided to save my money and invest in a set of Tramontina pots. There are four of them in different sizes. The largest holds 4 gallons of liquid. I love them because they are heavy weight 18 gauge stainless steel and the bottoms are three-ply stainless so that items don’t burn very easily on the bottom. I’m sure that I have forgotten something and if I think of other things, I will add them to the post, Hopefully this will help you have a visual list of items that you need for a day of canning and another list of items to which you can aspire! And if you have any questions, be sure to email them at the contact page or post in the comment section below! |
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