Home Canning Magazine


High Acid Foods

All high acid foods may be processed in a boiling water canner. High acid foods include jam, jelly, fruit spreads, conserves, preserves, marmalade, fruits and fruit sauces, pickles, relishes, salsas, chutneys and tomatoes with added acid.

BOILING WATER CANNERS

Boiling water canners are generally enamel coated and come equipped with a jar rack. A large, deep saucepan with a close fitting lid and a rack to lift jars off the bottom may be used if a boiling water canner is unavailable. Just be sure the pot is deep enough to allow jars to be covered with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) water, and large enough to provide room for a full rolling boil.

Screw bands can be tied together with string to make a rack. Cake cooling racks also may be used.

Place filled jars in canner. Bring water to a full rolling boil; boil for the "processing time" specified in the tested recipe. Remove jars; let stand 24 hours, then check seals. Sealed lids curve downward. To prevent rusting, remove screw bands from sealed jar. Wash and dry screw bands and store separately for your next home canning project.

  1. Processing is necessary not only to destroy spoilage microorganisms, but also to create an airtight vacuum seal.
  2. Processing destroys microorganisms that enter the jar upon filling. These microorganisms can cause food spoilage during storage at room temperature.
  3. Exhausting the air from the jar is important! Oxygen left in the jar causes undesirable colour and texture changes to the food and can support microbial growth. Exhausting as much air as possible reduces the oxygen in the jar and results in a strong vacuum. Reducing the oxygen in the jar limits undesirable colour and texture changes and gives spoilage microorganisms little or no chance for growth.

Two-piece metal lids _ Snap Lids _ are necessary for every canning project. A unique red sealing compound is built into the edge of the flat metal Snap Lid. When this compound is heated it softens, giving it the ability to fit snugly onto the rim of a jar. Use Snap Lids one time only. Once used, the red sealing compound becomes less resilient and will not form itself onto a second jar rim. Screw bands may be reused.

Step by Step Home Canning HIGH ACID Foods

Home canning is simple and safe when you follow these easy Steps. Jams, jellies, marmalades, conserves, fruit butters, fruit and fruit sauces, tomatoes with added acid, pickles, relishes, chutneys and condiments are all processed in a boiling water canner, as illustrated.

Step 1

Always use the best, top quality ingredients. For the best results can fruits and vegetables when they are at peak quality. For most produce this means 6 to 12 hours after harvest.

Step 2

Wash mason jars in hot soapy water.

Step 3

Place mason jars and water in canner over high heat. For all recipes requiring less than 10 minutes processing time, sterilize jars before filling by boiling them at least 10 minutes in altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m).

Step 4

Boil Snap Lids 5 minutes to soften sealing compound and sanitize lids. Only the softened compound has the ability to fit snugly around the rim of the jar and form an airtight seal.

Step 5

Fill hot jar with prepared recipe.

Step 6

Leave proper "head space". This is the space left at the top of the jar between the underside of the Snap Lid and the level of the food or liquid. Overfilling and underfilling can cause seal failure. The amount of head space is determined by the type of food.

HEAD SPACE - High Acid Foods

Step 7

Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between jar and food. After removing air bubbles be sure to readjust head space to the level indicated in the recipe.

Step 8

Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Center Snap Lid on jar.

Step 9

Apply screw bands just until fingertip tight. FINGERTIP TIGHT allows some `give' between the Snap Lid and jar. This allows rising steam, created inside the jar during heat processing, to be exhausted.

Step 10

Process filled jars in boiling water canner for time specified in tested recipe. Start counting processing time when all jars are in the canner and water returns to a steady boil. (Adjust processing time for altitudes higher than 1,000 ft (305 m) above sea level.) When processing time is up, turn off heat and remove jars from canner; place on a wooden board, layers of newspaper or towels in a draft-free place. DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

Step 11/12

Cool jars 24 hours; check for vacuum seal. As the jars cool, the lids `snap' down creating an airtight, vacuum seal. Sealed lids curve downward. Remove screw bands and store separately. Label, date & store jars in a cool, dark place.

At high altitudes, water boils at lower temperatures so processing time is longer.

FEET

METERS

INCREASE PROCESS TIME
MINUTES

1,0013,0003069155
3,0016,0009161,83010
6,0018,0001,8312,44015
8,001110,0002,4413,05020



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