I'm thinking of starting to can things at home, but have no idea where to start. I've found plenty of online instructions on it, but if anyone has any pointers, they'd be appreciated. I'd be starting out by canning drink mixes, tomato sauce and soup, but may move on to other things once I get the hang of it.

Also, I'd be giving a lot of them as gifts- how can I test the safety/effectiveness of the canning process to make sure I don't make anyone ill?

Thanks!

Hi Adam,

Low acid foods need to be canned in a pressure canner; fruits with lots of acid can be canned in a water bath canner.  Accumulating the supplies is probably the most expensive.  When the food is canned, you will hear a ping as the lid seals.  For instuctions on canning specific foods, most of us use the Ball Blue Book.

If you have questions on specifics, many times people here can offer suggestions.

Adam, Welcome to the forums. There are a couple of ways to can foods. High acidic foods do not require a pressure cooker and other foods do. I've just learned to pressure can last year and I love it. I recommend that you get the Ball Jar canning book. Its soft-cover and runs about $15. It gives very good instructions about canning, preserving and dehydrating everything. Pressure cookers come in a variety of sizes so be careful when selecting one. Also, one of the things nobody mentions is that its a "time consuming project" and not one you can start and leave the room. First you have to wait for the canner to get to a certain pressure and then stand by and make sure it doesn't get too high. A batch of vegetables can take 3 hours or more. I recommend that you find someone who's experienced and watch them a couple of times. There is also safety issues like not opening the lid until the pressure has completely dropped. We've done venison, stews, squashes and tomatoes. Its very rewarding.

Adam:

has any pointers, they'd be appreciated.

just let us know what you want to cann and if i know the recipe,  ill write it down for you. 

Adam I been canning since I was about 4 so got about 50 years .. there alot of incrediable people here that will help any way they can. 

karen kay:

just let us know what you want to cann and if i know the recipe,  ill write it down for you. 

For starters, homemade tomato sauce was what made me want to do this in the first place.

Rough ingredient list: a lot of fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, dried spices (subbed for any of the fresh herbs I mentioned that I can't find, and red pepper flakes & black pepper), garlic, onion, red wine.

Adam:

homemade tomato sauce was what made me want to do this in the first place.

 

I love homemade tomato sauce, but I do not like the instructions to add lemon juice to water bath can it.  I have a grandchild with a citrus allergy, so what I do instead is pressure can the tomato sauce. I generally use half pints & pints, & usually the quilted crystal ball jelly jars. I wasn't sure they would hold up the pressure canning, but they have done fine for multiple years.  my altitude is around 4,000 feet, and my canning time is 35 minutes at 15 pounds pressure ( I have a rocker, not a gauge, & live too high to do 10 lbs. I should use 13.5 pounds pressure, but can't do that with the rocker, so since it is more than 10 pounds, I have to use 15 pounds)  You will need to find out your altitude to pressure can.  The ball blue book is a good starting place for recipes & canning times. You can also call your extension agent, & they can help you with pressuring times. 

Nothing tastes like homemade!

 Vinegar can replace the lemon juice in the tomatoes for canning. It is a safety measure to up the acid for canning. I dont notice a taste change . Babs

Adam:

homemade tomato sauce was what made me want to do this in the first place.

i cann tomatoes, tomato juice, and peppers in tomatoes and i love them, but one thing i cant make myself like and that is tomato sauce and paste.  sorry, i dont have that recipe.  im sure someone on here does though

Adam:

For starters, homemade tomato sauce was what made me want to do this in the first place.

 

You can make tomato sauce any way you like, with or without herbs or seasonings except for salt, which is needed to can it. As someone else said, if you want to can it in a water bath, you can add vinegar if the tomatoes are not acidic. (Most heritage tomatoes are. )

Basically, you seed and puree tomatoes and cook them down to about half volume, then add whatever spices you want. If you want to cook other foods like peppers with the tomatoes, add them while they're cooking down. 

The best advice you can get for the canning part is to get a Ball Blue Book. It has explicit instructions for different foods, canned in different ways and how to adjust for your altitude.