100+ Home Canning Recipes and Resources (2024)

FAQs

What foods Cannot be home canned? ›

Foods that are comprised mainly of fat (such as oils, mayonnaise, or lard) are not safe to be canned. They have a low moisture content which means it doesn't have enough water in it to help the contents reach 240°F.

Equal amounts of bottled lemon juice can be substituted for vinegar in recipes calling for vinegar. Vinegar, however, should not be used when a recipe calls for lemon juice.” North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation and Ball Corporation are examples of sources of validated home canning recipes.”

Foods such as fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalades and fruit butters, are high acid with a pH level of 4.6 or lower, so they can be preserved by boiling water canning, which ensures the safety of the preserved produce by destroying harmful molds, yeasts, and some bacteria.

As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation , dry canning vegetables without water or liquid may be extremely hazardous.

Citric acid, bottled lemon juice, or vinegar added in the correct amounts will ensure that whether tomatoes are boiling water bath canned or pressure canned, the C. botulinum spores will not germinate when a current recipe is used and the jars are processed properly.

Here's why. Bottled lemon juice is standardized, or uniformly acidified, per FDA regulations. Therefore, it is consistent which provides a known level of safety for food preservation. The final acidity of a food product is critical to deter the growth of microorganisms that can cause spoilage or foodborne illness.

By cooking under pressure, you can increase the temperature of boiling water from 100°C (212°F) up to 116°C (240°F). This is the minimum temperature necessary to destroy botulism spores, and the only way to guarantee safe canning for food items such as vegetables, meats and seafood.

What method is not recommended for canning? ›

Open-kettle canning and the processing of freshly filled jars in conventional ovens, microwave ovens, and dishwashers are not recommended, because these practices do not prevent all risks of spoilage.

The Amish use several canning methods depending on the type of food, including the following: Boiling water bath: This method is best for highly acidic foods such as tomatoes. It involves submerging jars of food in boiling water, which kills bacteria and seals the lid.

In dry canning vegetables, the vegetables are placed in the jar (hot or raw) with no added liquid and then processed in a pressure canner according to the processing times and pressure from a recipe that calls for added liquid.

Some favorite fruits to can are peaches, apples, apricots, berries, pears, and grapes. It is best to can the fruits soon after picking to preserve nutritional content. If possible, pick fruits early in the morning when they are top quality. Do no use overly ripe fruits or fruits.

Dairy foods are low acid and support the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores at room temperature. Avoid using dairy products in canned recipes such as creamed soups, meat gravy, pasta and cheese, custard pie filling mixes.

Salt, sugar, and preservatives are sometimes added during the canning process. Some canned foods can be high in salt. While this does not pose a health risk for most people, it may be problematic for some, such as those with high blood pressure. They may also contain added sugar, which can have harmful effects.

Proper canning procedures are meant to kill spores of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes the potentially deadly botulism poisoning. Some examples of unsafe canning practices include open-kettle, dry canning, oven and dishwasher processing, and using pressure saucepans/cookers instead of canners.

botulinum bacteria may find incorrectly or minimally processed canned foods a good place to grow and produce the toxin. Low-acid vegetables such as green beans, corn, beets, and peas, which may have picked up C. botulinum spores from the soil, are at risk. For more information, go to Shelf Stable Food Safety.