Water Bath Canning is the easiest method for preserving high acid food, primarily fruit, tomatoes, and pickled vegetables. You need the following equipment, a water bath canner, a jar rack, a five to six court pod and a saucepan, canning jars, two piece caps, lids and screw bands, a jar lifter, a wide mouth funnel, a ladle, and a non metallic spatula.
Look for these supplies at you local culinary store of search for scanning supplies online. As simple and wash your equipment in hot soppy water, rinse of any soppy residue. Fill the kettle ½ or 2/3 full of water and begin heating the water.
Put clean jars in this hot but not boiling water for at least ten minutes until you are ready to fill them. Set the clean bands aside and put the lids in hot but not boiling water in a saucepan. Separating then from your jars, protects the lid sealant.
Next, prepare your food exactly as the recipe tells you. After preparing your food, pour it onto the hot jars leaving the right amount of space stated in your recipe.
Release any bubbles in the jars with a non metallic spatula. To do this using the spatula, press back gently on the contents going all the way around the jar. Add more food to the jar after releasing the bubbles. If necessary, no air bubble and proper head space ensure a proper seal.
Wipe the jar rims with a clean damp cloth. Put a hot lid onto each jar rim. Seal inside touching the jar rim and hand tighten the screw band.
Hang your jar rack on the inside edge of your kettle still filled with hot water and place four jars on the racks. Make sure they are upright and not touching each other. Lower the rack into the kettle, cover the top of the submerged jar with one to two inches of hot water. You can have more water from a tea kettle or a pan. Cover the kettle with the lid and bring the water to a boil.
Let the jars boil for the recommended time. Remove the jars from the boiling water with a jar lifter, place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts.
Do not adjust the bands or check the seals. You should hear a ping when the jars seal. After about an hour, you can check the seal by pushing on the center of the lid. If the lid feels solid and doesn’t push down, you have a good vacuum seal. If the lid pushes down in the center and pops, the jar isn’t sealed. If that’s the case, refrigerate and use them within two weeks or as stated in your recipe. If there is a good seal, no need to refrigerate.
Label jars with the food and date you canned them.
Finally, store your jars in a cool dark place.
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