Home food preservation lets you enjoy fresh and seasonal ingredients throughout the year. Canning is a fun and rewarding process and can be a great bonding activity for friends and family. Here are the supplies you need to get your canning party started.
Water Bath Canner
If you’re new to canning and on a budget, water bath canning is for you. Although a water bath canner won’t be able to can low-acid foods, you can preserve high-acid foods such as most fruits, jams, jellies, and sauces to your heart’s content.
High acid and high-temperature environments kill Clostridium botulinum bacteria while the boiling process removes oxygen in the jar, creating a tight seal.
Water bath canners are deep pots with a rack or basket on the bottom used to keep jars from knocking into each other and breaking. Canning jars are loaded onto the rack and gently lowered into the canner.
You can also leave out the rack and use the canner as a large kitchen pot for large quantities of food, including stews and soups.
Factors to consider when buying a water bath or pressure canner:
- Size: According to the USDA, canners should be big enough to hold at least four quart-sized jars. Smaller pressure canner capacities are not recommended. A standard, 21-quart water bath canner can hold seven-quart jars. A smaller 11.5-quart canner can hold seven-pint jars. A large-capacity 33-quart canner holds nine-quart jars. Canners must be large enough to allow at least one inch of boiling water to cover the tops of jars. To ensure even heating, do not use a canner four inches in diameter larger than the stove’s heating element.
- Material: Canners are usually made of enamelware, stainless steel, or aluminum.
- Porcelain enamel on steel can evenly absorb and distribute heat but can chip and rust easier than other materials. Although enamelware can be used on glass and ceramic electric stove surfaces, stainless steel is recommended to prevent damage.
- Stainless steel canners are durable, affordable, dishwasher-safe, and long-lasting options that won’t rust. They can retain heat well and cook food evenly.
- Aluminum won’t rust or chip, although you need heavy-duty aluminum. Low-grade aluminum is more vulnerable to denting, causing the lid not to fit securely.
- Bottom surface: Canners can have flat or ridged bottom surfaces. When canning on electric stove burners, use a flat bottom for even heating. When canning on gas stoves, a ridged or flat bottom will do.
- Lid: Lids must be adequately fit to maintain a steady boil. A tempered glass lid can allow you to see if it’s boiling without lifting the lid. Some water bath canner lids may have small steam vents or temperature and altitude indicators to simplify the process.
- Handles: Unless you have silicone-coated handles, you’ll need pot holders to avoid burns when using hot stainless steel, aluminum, or porcelain handles.
Pressure Canner
Pressure canners (not the same as pressure cookers) are suitable for canning low-acid foods such as meat, fresh vegetables, and other low-acid foods.
Low-acid foods have an acidity level above 4.6 pH. Canners must reach 240º F for a certain amount of time to kill the bacteria. The USDA only recommends pressure canning for low-acid foods.
Pressure canners may also be used to can high-acid foods, but it’s much easier and faster with a water bath canner.
When buying a pressure canner, you’ll have to consider many of the same factors in the water bath canner section above, including material, capacity, the bottom surface, and lid.
Pressure canners come in two gauge styles: dial and weighted gauges
Gauges are one of the only indicators of what’s happening inside the canner. During the process, you cannot lift the lid to check the temperatures with a thermometer.
Dial gauges feature a single dial indicating the pressure inside. They can also show if it goes over a safe level. Dial gauges should be pressure tested every year to ensure they are calibrated.
Weighted gauges are found on top of the steam vent. They change when a certain pressure is reached, usually in increments of five pounds of pressure. Weighted gauges do not have the same calibration problems as dial gauges.
Electric pressure canners can show you the information on a digital display.
Gauge styles
If you live at a moderately high altitude, go with a dial gauge since you can process food in between pressures, unlike weighted gauges that change in increments.
Many canning recipes require 10 pounds of pressure at sea level, but if you live at high altitudes, you must use higher pressure. For instance, if you live 1,000-2,000 feet above sea level, you would need 11 pounds of pressure instead of the recommended 10 pounds at sea level.
Weighted gauges can under or overcook certain food if you need your pressure to be between two pressures listed in the indicator. Certain foods like veggies and fruits can become too soft if overcooked.
Canning Jars
Choosing the right jars is one of the essential parts of the canning process. Kerr, Mason, and Ball are some of the best jar brands for canning. Canning jars are also known as Mason jars.
Jar sizes and uses
- 4 oz: 4 oz jars are good for storing jams, jellies, chutneys, dipping sauces, baby food, and other small-portion foods.
- 8 oz: These standard jars are good for jams, jellies, conserves, sauces, syrups, and chutneys.
- 12 oz: 12 oz jars are good for marmalades, jams, and jellies.
- 16 oz: Pint jars are ideal for sauces, salsas, pickles, and complete meals when you’re on the go.
- 24 oz: Pint and a half jars are best for tall vegetables like asparagus and carrots.
- 32 oz: Quart jars can hold a large quantity of food, such as sliced fruits and veggies, pickles, and sauces.
- 64 oz: Half-gallon jars are not used for canning but can be used for dry storage. Canners are not big enough for these jar sizes.
Regular vs. wide-mouth jars
Regular mouth jars have shouldered sides and a smaller diameter opening than wide mouth jars, which don’t have the shouldered sides. The regular mouth is good for easy-to-pour foods such as salsas, sauces, jams, jellies, and vegetables. Wide mouth jars’ shoulderless design makes them easier to fill and can handle whole fruits and vegetables.
Canning Lids and Rings
Canning lids are designed to create a safe seal and are available in regular and wide-mouth versions. Single-use lids consist of a screw band and a flat metal disk. Canning bands/rings can be reused until they are rusted or bent, but lids cannot. Using lids more than one time can improperly seal the food.
Reusable lids made of plastic or glass feature a silicone or rubber gasket used to create a tight seal. However, the risk of introducing bacteria from your hands onto the lid increases when applying the gasket onto the disk.
Funnels
Funnels make filling jars easy and mess-free. When shopping for canning funnels, consider the material, diameter of the funnel’s mouth, and additional features. They can be made of plastic, stainless steel, and silicone.
Funnel material options
As mentioned in the canner section, stainless steel is corrosion- and heat-resistant, making it ideal for cooking tasks beyond canning, such as transferring hot liquid or foods. They won’t retain the aroma of foods and can be washed in the dishwasher.
Silicone canning funnels are soft, lightweight, and have a rubbery texture, making them flexible and easy to fit wherever you have space for easy storage. They can also be washed in the dishwasher. Keep in mind that these can hold onto odors and stain easily. Soak your silicone funnel in vinegar and hot water to remove odors.
Plastic is the most affordable option, but some funnels cannot handle scorching temperatures, just warm or mildly hot, not boiling. High heat can cause them to melt or deteriorate with many uses. Like silicone, they also hold onto smells and stains but can be washed in the dishwasher.
Wide vs. regular mouth funnels
Funnels come in wide and regular mouth versions. They should fit properly over the jar. A standard jar has a 2 ½ inch diameter mouth. A canning funnel with a two-inch diameter mouth can fit properly in a regular-sized jar. If you have a wide-mouth canning jar with a 3 ⅜ inches diameter, a canning funnel with a 3-inch mouth diameter is perfect. Also, consider the diameter of the top of the funnel.
Other funnel features
Canning funnels should be easy to handle. Grips and handles can help you get a secure hold. Stainless steel handles can get hot when pouring hot liquids. If you need to strain your food, buy a funnel with a strainer. Some funnels also have a headspace measuring mark to ensure you leave enough air in the jar. Other funnels are even able to screw into jars.
Food Mill
Food mills are great for making baby food, sauces, soups, and more. They include large sieves with a crank-turned mechanism that pushes food through holes to create a purée with a uniform texture. Best of all, food mills remove pits, seeds, and skins, saving you time and labor.
Food Chopper
Canning can take up a lot of time, especially when prepping the food. Save yourself the trouble of cutting up food with a manual or electric food chopper. Although electric choppers are a bit more expensive, they can work with the push of a button. Find a food chopper with a rust-resistant blade since you may work with high-moisture foods.
Canning Ladle
Canning ladles make the jar-filling process much more manageable. Long handles allow you to scoop deep into your large pot easily, and double spouts let you pour from either side. A convenient hook on some canning ladles enables you to rest them on the pot’s rim.
Jar Lifter
Canning jar lifters are a critical tool for the home canning process. They feature “curved grabbing arms” to get a secure hold of the glass jar’s shape.
Avoid using tongs since they don’t provide a secure grip and can end up spilling hot liquids and all your food.
Above all, look for a jar lifter that firmly holds different sizes of jars, has a comfortable grip, is durable even after several washings, and is rust-resistant.
Norpro’s vinyl-coated jar lifter is an affordable and durable choice.
Jar Labels
After washing your processed cans, it’s time to label your canned goods and includes the date. Some write directly on the lid or use an adhesive label, although these can be harder to clean off jars. Dissolvable jar labels can adhere firmly to jars for long storage and dissolve easily when washed.
Kitchen Towels
Canning can get messy and wet. Keep a few kitchen towels ready to use when canning. An absorbent kitchen towel can easily clean up any water spills when adding or removing jars from the water bath canner or drying off canned foods after the canning process.
Measuring Cups
Canning recipes call for precise measurements. Measuring cups are must-have supplies to measure in ounces, cups, and milliliters. A measuring cup set can come with several sized containers made from tempered glass.
Bubble Popper
A bubble popper is used to remove air bubbles before sealing the jars. By running the popper around the edge of the jar, you gently move the food to release the trapped air and get the right headspace. Bubble poppers have user-friendly measure marks on one end to measure the head spacing and prevent overfilling.
Magnetic Lid Lifter
A magnetic lid lifter has a magnetic tip at the end of the tool to pick up steaming hot canning lids without burning your hands. Although it is not necessary to boil metal canning lids to sanitize them, it can help you pick up lids one at a time since they tend to stick together.
Pickling Salt and Spices
If you’ll be canning pickles, you can use ready-to-use pickling salt and spices instead of making your own mix. The Mrs. Wages Pickling and Canning Salt produce a sparkling clear brine. Pickling spices infuse your favorite flavors into veggies.
Pectin
Making jams and jellies? Stock up on pectin, a naturally occurring starch used to thicken and solidify fruit preserves. Pectin is found in plant cell walls, making the plant tissue strong and durable.
Citric Acid
Citric acid, usually a white powder, is a replacement for lemon juice that can be used as a natural preservative. Some foods may require adjustment in acid levels to prevent botulism spores from germinating. That’s where citric acid comes in. Lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid can be added to jars before boiling to maintain a safe acidity level.
Mixing Bowl
Any homesteading kitchen must have a variety of mixing bowls. For canning, the larger, the better. High-capacity bowls are great for putting peels, scraps, and other leftover material inside for easy clean-up.
Canning Rack
Stainless steel canning racks are the standard choice, but they can also be made from other materials like aluminum, silicone, and plastic. Canning racks, available in various sizes, are used to slightly elevate the jars above boiling water to prevent water from entering the jar. Stainless steel racks can last for many years.
Canning Kit
Canning kits are a great way to start your canning journey without sourcing several items from different manufacturers. Although canning kits do not include a complete array of tools, they usually come with a jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, canning funnel, bubble popper, tongs, and jar wrench. Norpro’s six-piece canning utensil set is a must-have for canning beginners.
Canning Books
To start your canning journey on the right foot, the right canning book can provide you with step-by-step instructions and recipes. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving is the go-to resource for water bath canners of all skill levels. Mrs. Wages Home Canning Guide is another helpful canning book that includes 120 tested recipes.
Floor Mats
Canning can be a long but rewarding process that may require you to be on your feet for a long time. Floor mats can be a comfortable and supportive surface for your work, especially if you’re standing on hard floors. It can prevent aches and pains in the long run.
Start Preserving Your Favorite Foods Today!
Preserving meats, fruits, veggies, and more is doable for every budget. Whether you want to preserve produce at peak freshness or plan a canning party, head to Wilco Farm Stores for all the essential canning tools and equipment.
