When I first started canning foods, I was a complete novice. Without prior experience or knowledge, it felt like a daunting and potentially dangerous task. But with the help of my beloved Grandma, who had been canning for years, I quickly learned the ropes and am now confident in my own canning abilities. In order to make it easier for others just starting out on their journey into preserving food, I want to share all that I’ve learned from her step-by-step canning instructions that will give you the confidence to start your own canning projects with success!

There are three major parts of the canning process, starting with the preparation of ingredients, preparing the jars, and the actual canning. Let’s talk about how you can execute successful canning by learning each part.

Canning Instructions for Preparing the Ingredients

Preparing the ingredients precisely before canning is important to make sure the food is safe and keeps its quality. When preparing your ingredients for canning, taking the right steps is important. Here are some basic rules to follow to make sure that you are preparing your ingredients correctly:

1. When selecting fresh ingredients, it is important to choose those of the highest quality. Discard any fruits and vegetables with bruises or damages, as they may contain harmful bacteria that can cause spoilage if consumed. It is best to buy fresh produce from a reputable source to ensure delicious results. But if you harvest the produce fresh from your garden or farm, it’s better.
2. Before eating or preparing produce for canning, it is important to make sure it is clean. Wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, using a scrub brush if necessary to remove dirt and debris. For some items, such as tomatoes or peaches, it may be necessary to blanch them in boiling water or steam them briefly to remove their skins or soften them for canning.
3. Next, you must cut the food into the desired size and shape for canning. This could include slicing or chopping fruits, while you may need to dice or shred the vegetables. Depending on what type of fruit or vegetable you are working with, you may need to use different cutting techniques to get the right size and shape for canning.
4. When following a recipe for canning food, it is also important to take the time to measure each ingredient correctly. Too little of an ingredient can mean that there isn’t enough acidity, which can compromise safety and quality. Too much of an ingredient can lead to overprocessing, which can cause the product to go bad or even put people at risk of botulism. So, it’s important to make that you measure all of the ingredients correctly according to the recipe.

Canning Instructions for Preparing the Jars

Once you gather all of the ingredients and produce, it is essential to make sure that you also prepare the jars for storing your food. You should choose the appropriate canning jars to ensure that the food items can be properly preserved and remain fresh. Here’s a step-by-step canning instruction for preparing your canning jars.

1. To properly prepare your canning equipment for use, it is important to sterilize the jars and lids according to the instructions that come with them. This process typically involves boiling the containers and lids for a predetermined period of time to eliminate any potential bacteria that may be present. It is essential to follow these instructions carefully to ensure successful canning results.
2. After sterilizing the jars, fill them with the prepared ingredients, leaving a headspace gap between the top of the food and the top of each jar. This distance is specified in your recipe, and it is important to adhere to it for safe canning. Leaving too little or too much headspace can result in failed seals and spoilage.
3. Before attaching the lid to each jar, it is important to clean the rim with a damp cloth to remove any food residue. This will help guarantee that the seal is secure and there are no gaps between the lid and the jar. Wiping off food particles is essential for preserving food items for an extended period of time.
4. Finally, take the lids and rings out of their packaging and prepare them for use according to the instructions that came with your canning equipment. Some lids may require heating or soaking in hot water before you can use them properly, so be sure to check the specific instructions for your lid type beforehand. Once everything is ready, you can securely attach the lids and rings to your jars with confidence.

Canning Instructions for Preserving Foods

Once the produce, ingredients, and jars are ready, the next thing you should do is to prepare the canner to process the foods. There are three methods of canning that you can do to preserve your fresh harvest, including the water bath method, steam canning, and pressure canning. Here’s how you can execute these techniques successfully.

Water Bath Canning Technique

1. Place the glass jars with food carefully on a rack inside the water bath canner. Then, ensure that there is enough boiling water to submerge the jars by at least one inch. Then, add more hot water if needed, or remove some if it is too full. Make sure that all of your jars are submerged beneath the surface of the boiling liquid.
2. Once the water has reached the boiling point, set your timer and count the appropriate processing time. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle yet steady boil to ensure that a consistent temperature is maintained throughout the process.
3. After processing the jars in boiling water, you can turn off the heat before removing the canner lid. Allow for 5 minutes to pass before you attempt to remove any of your jars from the hot water bath. This will give them adequate time to cool down and prevent any possible burns or injuries caused by handling them too soon.
4. Use a jar lifter to carefully take the jars out of the boiling water. Once all of the jars have been taken out, let them cool down.

Steam Canning Technique

1. Before the processing time can begin, it is essential to vent out any air with steam from the canner. You should complete this procedure to ensure that you remove and replace the air with only steam. If this step is not done correctly, it could cause issues during the preserving process. It could even lead to a potential food safety hazard.
2. Next, maintain the steam temperature at the exact same level as that of boiling water. And regularly monitor it using a thermometer in order to ensure accuracy.
3. Can the jars process within the recommended time. There are no official recommendations on how long to can foods using atmospheric steam canning. But some suggest atmospheric steam canning high-acid foods for 45 minutes and low-acid foods for 90 minutes. Moreover, it will depend on the recipe you’re making.
4. After processing, remove the jars and let them cool for several minutes.

Pressure Canning Technique

1. Fill the canner with about 2 to 3 inches of hot water. But remember that when canning raw-packed food, the water should be hot but not boiling. However, when you are processing hot-packed food, the water should be at a gentle boil.
2. Place the jars of food on the shelf of the canner and make sure to add space for each jar so that steam can get through and wrap around them. Securely fasten the lid of the canner to ensure that no steam is able to escape, apart from through the designated vent.
3. Set the heat to the highest setting and let the canner release steam for 10 minutes. Ensure that all of the hot air is able to escape from the canner during this time in order to prevent pressure from building up inside. 
4. Once the canner has vented for 10 minutes, close the vent valve and allow the pressure to build to the specified level in the recipe. 
5. Then after reaching the appropriate pressure, begin processing the jars for the recommended time as specified in the recipe. Make sure to adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the correct pressure.
6. Finally, remove the jars carefully and let them cool for 24 hours.