With the current rebirth of interest in back-to-basic lifestyle activities, there has been increased activity among the general public in old-school food preservation methods such as canning. Besides saving money at the grocery store, many people experience significant emotional satisfaction from canning their own food. Unlike those of generations past, however, most modern people didn’t receive training in the home concerning canning. Following are five basic things that everyone who plans to can food in their home kitchen should know.

Start With Something Simple

If you’ve never canned food in your home kitchen before, starting with something simple is recommended rather than trying to master a complicated project right out of the gate. Starting with one batch of cherry tomatoes or a basic berry jam will help get you comfortable enough with the canning process to tackle larger and more complex tasks in the future.

Choose Food For Canning Carefully

Selecting food for canning that’s in good condition will result in a better end product. Check fruits and vegetables carefully for worms, insects, and mold, and make certain that they are ripe and firm. Certain fruits are more suitable for canning than others, so be sure to research the specific foods you are interested in canning.

Cleanliness Matters

Keeping hands as well as all food preparation surfaces clean will minimize chances of food borne bacteria contaminating the contents of your cans. Boiling the canning jars for 10 minutes before filling and processing them is advised as a way to eliminate any residual bacteria. Running jars through the dishwasher will also sterilize them.

Keep Canning Equipment in Good Repair

Food items that don’t have enough acid in them, such as most vegetables and meats, will require the use of a pressure cooker in order to complete the canning process. Keeping pressure cookers and other kitchen equipment in good repair can be accomplished by taking good care of them, storing them properly when not in use, and taking them to an authorized service center for necessary repairs will help your equipment to perform well and to last a long time.

Use Current Canning Guides

The home canning process is not the time to go rogue in the kitchen. Follow recipes closely and make certain that you use current canning and preservation guides. You may be tempted to use a recipe passed down from a great-grandparent – and that’s fine, as long as you compare it to a current recipe and use that as a guideline for temperatures and total cooking time. Information concerning food safety may not have been known at the time the old recipe was written.

Like many others, you may find that canning your own food in your home kitchen is an addictive and enjoyable pastime that also has the added benefits of providing a variety of tasty treats for your table.