Nowadays, canning jars are used for more than just canning! Of course, many of us still use them for our pickles and preserves, but they are also great for packing lunches, drinks, leftovers, and general storage.

But, they can start to spoil over time – do you know how to remove rust from canning jar lids? 

As efficient as they are at keeping everything inside airtight and sealed, canning jar lids are also prone to rust. Sometimes, the rust can form through the environment they were left in, as a result of the contents inside of the jar, and so on.

Thankfully, it’s easy enough to clean them up with a little elbow grease – believe me, I’ve done so myself (many times)!

Let’s take a closer look at why canning jar lids rust, whether or not you can still eat with them, and how you can remove the rust yourself. 

Why do canning air lids rust in the first place?

If you are new to canning your own food, then it may be a shock to see your canning jar lids beginning to rust. Sadly, even if we look after them perfectly, clean them every day and dry them properly with a towel, they can still develop unsightly rust – it’s to do with moisture.

As is the case with all kinds of rust, the rust on your canning lids is caused by the build-up of dampness against the lid. The water reacts with steel on your lids when left for too long or if soaked repeatedly. This creates iron oxide, leading to those nasty orange patches!

As strange as that may seem, think of the moisture content in your salads, sauces, dressings, soups, and so on. Even a small amount of moisture can cause damage to a canning jar lid – even to the fanciest of mason jars, too.

Are rusty canning jar lids dangerous? 

Generally speaking, no, rusty canning jar lids aren’t dangerous. Iron oxide is not harmful to us – however, that doesn’t mean you will want to ingest metal lumps with your lunch!

The biggest issue with rusty canning lids is that the rusty patches tend to grow in size until cleaned off.

Eventually, they will damage the seals on the lids, making them less airtight and less likely to keep the contents safe and fresh – defeating the object of canning in the first place. 

Of course, if left for too long, rusty lids will begin to crumble away, leaving you without any seals for your canning jars. If you start to see rust on mason jar lids, it’s good to take care of it as soon as you can.

How to remove rust from mason jar lids

To get started, all you will need is a bowl, a cloth, and some distilled white vinegar. 

If the rust is emerging on your lid(s) in small patches, you can use the cloth to rub some distilled white vinegar over the surface. Ideally, the cloth should be soaked in vinegar for an easier job.

White vinegar is a natural substance that is completely safe to clean with – and the smell also won’t linger on the canning lids, so do not worry about it affecting your food! 

However, if you’re really not keen on having vinegar on your hands, then try wearing some dish gloves as you wipe to protect your skin. If you have sensitive skin like me, this is all the more worthwhile.

Once you have removed the rusty patches and any orangey traces that might be left on your canning jar lid(s), take a wet sponge and some warm and soaped-up water to clean them down. This should remove any excess vinegar and potential traces of rust that remain. 

Do not be tempted to leave your lids to air dry when you have finished washing up! Instead, take a clean, dry cloth, and buff them completely before putting them away.

Leaving them to air dry will encourage moisture, and thus, you’re back at square one again before you know it.

On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a canning jar lid that happens to have a lot of rust, or is even covered in it, then there’s no point wasting your energy with a vinegar cloth. However, that does not mean that the canning jar lid(s) in question aren’t salvageable. 

Place the lids in a bowl full of distilled white vinegar. Leave it to soak for a while, or at least until you see all of the rust disappear. 

If, even after a while, the rust is still persisting, then take a steel wool scrubber to scrub off any of the remaining orange. 

Then, again, once the lid is completely clean, wash it in a bowl of soapy water with a clean, wet sponge. Once it’s all done, dry it with a clean, dry towel, and put it away. 

If the rubber rings around your canning jar lids have also developed rust, then remove them from the lid and place them in a bowl of distilled white vinegar.

Wipe around them until the rust is gone, give them a good clean, then place them back inside the lids (once they, too, have been cleaned and dried), and put them away. 

Will clean canning jar lids be safe to use with food again? 

Yes, once your canning jar lids have had rust safely removed, they will be perfectly fine to use with all kinds of food and drink.

As mentioned, distilled white vinegar does not leave a smell, which is why it is increasingly used in home cleaning products. It is also completely natural, making it safe to eat after or even with.

So, if you happen to have some remnants of the vinegar in your canning jar lid, you won’t need to worry about lingering smells or tastes.

It’s also a common misconception that rusty lids need special sterilization. That’s not the case – while you’ll need to sterilize your jars themselves before use, cleaning the lids is just as easy as soaking them in a little vinegar before rinsing and drying clear.

Sadly, however, this solution is not a permanent one. It will not leave a protective film over your canning jar lids and will, therefore, not be the last time you have to get rid of rust!

One of the best ways you can stave off rust on mason jar lids in future is to avoid leaving them to dry in a drainer or similar. These lids will always need towel drying – otherwise, you run the risk of rust appearing time and time again.

On the bright side, vinegar-soaking is an incredibly affordable, natural, sustainable, and efficient way of cleaning your lids. So, as soon as your canning jar lids start to go a little orange or brown again, simply break out the distilled white vinegar, and you’ll be good to go! 

Can a canning jar lid be too rusty to clean? 

Yes, in some cases, even a bowl full of white distilled vinegar is not enough to save a canning jar lid! 

If the rust has spread over a large section of surface, or if even the entire lid has begun to chip away, then there is not much that the white vinegar can do. As you try to scrub it clean, you are more likely to keep removing pieces from the lid, which will cause irreparable damage. 

If your canning lid has reached this point, then it is time to throw it away. A lid that’s flaking away or even completely disintegrated is simply not going to do its job.

However, that doesn’t always mean it’s the end of the road for your rusted lids – you can use them elsewhere in the home, just not for canning!

Some people use rusty canning jar lids for art projects, so you can always ask around those you love to see if anyone would be interested in them as a more sustainable way of getting rid of them. It may even be worth diving into a few upcycling craft ideas yourself if you’re the creative type!

However, you should always keep the mason jar that the lid belonged to, as it can be used for plants, drinks, and general storage. Just because it doesn’t have a lid anymore doesn’t mean you have to cast it out to retirement!

Conclusion 

As dangerous and damaged as rusty metal may seem, it’s not necessarily ‘the end’ for your mason jar lids. We have all grown up thinking that something rusty was something unsalvageable, but that is simply not the case! 

As you can see, it could not be easier to save with canning jar lids. You can save a fortune on canning jars, reduce your waste, and have sheer pride in knowing that you have saved something that could have been thrown away just by using some vinegar and a cloth! 

Remember that it is always easier to clean a smaller patch of rust than it is a bigger one. So, the quicker you get on getting rid of the patches, the better. In fact, as soon as you see even the slightest discoloration or change in feel on your lid, it’s time to break out the vinegar.

Originally posted 2022-09-24 10:52:37.

The post How To Remove Rust From Canning Jar Lids first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

Peppers are a joy to grow and always tasty in a variety of dishes! They come in many different varieties, from bell to spicy chili. They can be the key ingredient in your meal or a yummy side dish -from sauces and salsas to salads and soups.

While you may be an avid fan of canning this versatile treat, do you know how to preserve peppers without canning, too?

Preserving fresh peppers is a great idea if you know you’re going to be serving up pizzas, curries, jambalayas, and more in the months to come. However, you don’t necessarily need the fanciest canning equipment, or the best canning know-how, to keep them fresh.

Stick around, and I’ll take you through how to preserve peppers easily – without needing to reach for that canner.

Why preserve peppers without canning?

While canning is an incredibly handy way to seal and store food for months (even years) to come, there may be occasions where doing so simply isn’t convenient. If you’ve grown tons of peppers this past year, too, it may be that you simply don’t have enough canning jars available!

Great ways to preserve peppers without canning

Let’s run through a few ways to preserve peppers that I have personally tried at home – which always provide quick, tasty additions to a whole host of family meals.

Freeze your peppers

One of the best and easiest ways to preserve any pepper is by freezing it. Your peppers may not be as crunchy when you defrost them, but they will retain their taste and spicy kick.

The best thing about freezing peppers is that, unlike many other vegetables, peppers do not need blanching before freezing.

You can freeze the whole pepper, or, to save yourself time in the future, and space in your freezer, chop the peppers into strips and remove the seeds.

Place them into freezer bags or even freezer-safe storage pots, and they’ll be ready to use in all of your stir-fries, burritos, fajitas, salsas, soups, and more!

This technique works for all kinds of peppers and is a great and easy way of keeping them fresh for longer.

For extra flavor, you could also roast the peppers beforehand, then freeze them. Go wild!

Preserve peppers by drying out

Dry peppers are ideal for adding some extra spice and kick to your meals. Many of us buy them pre-dried and ground, but did you know that it is incredibly easy to dry them yourself?

If you happen to be in a dry climate or have a warm, dry area in your home (above 68 degrees F, ideally), then you can easily air dry them.

Air drying works best for thinner peppers, such as chillies – any thicker, and you’re at risk of your peppers going moldy before you can enjoy them.

Keep the stems on the peppers, and use a needle and some string to tie them together. There should be enough space between each pepper, ideally a few inches, to ensure that there is plenty of airflow between them and that they do not compromise each other.

Hang the peppers up, ensuring that they get plenty of sunlight.

It should take up to a month for your peppers to dry out completely. Once they are brittle to the touch, they will be ready for you to enjoy!

You can leave the dried peppers on the string, but do take them away from sunlight when they have finished drying. You can also untie them and place them into jars, again, keeping them away from the sunlight.

While you’re making use of jars, you’re not having to travel the full canning route. Simple!

Alternatively, you could also dry the peppers quickly using your oven. Set your oven to about 150 degrees F, and place the peppers individually spread across a baking sheet.

Place them in the oven, keeping the door ajar to allow any excess moisture to escape. Keep checking on the peppers roughly every 30 minutes, ensuring that you rotate them when necessary.

Completely drying out your peppers can take up to two hours, so clear your schedule! When they are done, place them in a jar away from the sunlight.

Finally, you can, of course, dry your peppers out using a food dehydrator. Using a dehydrator is definitely the quickest and easiest way, although the other two methods aren’t too technical or time-consuming.

What’s more, this method requires you to invest in some extra kit – the choice is yours!

Preserving peppers as sauce

If you like using peppers as ingredients, then the chances are that you already have plenty of signature pepper recipes in your cookbook!

As it happens, plenty of sauces can be frozen and kept for another time. This is an excellent way of saving perishable ingredients and giving your future self a great home-cooked meal without having to lift a finger.

Can you imagine? Coming home from work too tired to cook, but your past self has you covered with something warm and filling that’s good to go in a matter of minutes!

All it takes is a little planning, and you can pop some of your favorite homemade sauces into the microwave, ready to eat.

Sauces such as roasted pepper pasta sauce or even fajita sauces taste as good as fresh when defrosted, and make for ideal bulk meals that you can freeze in batches for different occasions.

Chipotle peppers

Have you ever heard of chipotle peppers? Now’s the time to make your own in the comfort of your own kitchen.

For this particular twist, you will need a smoker – again, an extra investment, but one I seriously recommend if you want to make the most of your peppers in creative new ways.

While smokers can be expensive, you can also get some great stovetop smokers, like this one, which will do the job.

Chipotle peppers can only be made using over-ripe jalapeños. You will be able to tell them by their deep shade of red. Take the whole over-ripe pepper and place it in the smoker. Cook them at a low temperature until they are completely dried.

Then, as you would with air-dried peppers, simply place them in a jar in the cupboard until you are ready for that sweet and smoky taste!

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to preserve peppers without having to can them. In fact, canning them isn’t even the tastiest way of keeping them fresh! From roasting and smoking to dehydrating and air-drying, there’s no end to the ways you can get the best out of all of the different flavors in various peppers.

Thankfully, none of these methods take very much time. As long as you are willing to put in a little effort, you could have flavourful and readily-prepared peppers right at your fingertips, all year round.

So, forget throwing away all of your ripe peppers and use them to make something a little bit different. At the very least, you could place them as-is into your freezer, ready for another day. Either way, you should never have to throw out a pepper again.

Originally posted 2022-06-16 22:18:55.

The post How To Preserve Peppers Without Canning (4 Great Ways!) first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

Cucumbers are some of the best kitchen staples to grow yourself! They are really easy to propagate, and when the plants do well, you can find yourself with mountains of cucumbers to get through the season! They are perfect for salads, appetizers, and even drinks. If you’re like me, you will find yourself with a few too many cucumbers and not much left to do with them. Have you thought about looking into canning ideas for cucumbers?

Canning cucumbers is quick, easy, and keeps your produce tasting great for months to come. Canned pickles are also budget-friendly, eco-friendly, and will last you for ages – and there are plenty of canning recipes for cucumbers out there worth following.

In this guide, I’ll take you through the basics of why cucumber canning is worth your time, and a few of quick canning ideas you can put to work right now.

How long can canned cucumbers last?

Fresh, canned cucumbers can stay in the fridge for about a week. However, as you know, pickles tend to have a much longer shelf life.

As long as you follow strict pickling guidelines, your preserved cucumbers should be safe to keep in the cupboard for up to about a year.

Of course, the shelf life of your efforts also depends on the types of pickles that you plan on making. Some might only last a few months, whereas others will last past a year. Either way, pickles definitely stay good for a long time!

Once they are opened, you should have a few weeks to a few months to eat them safely, but you must remember to keep them refrigerated once opened.

It’s pretty easy to tell if your cucumbers or pickles are going bad. To start with, there will be a nasty smell – fermentation can really kick up a stink! Your pickles will also likely start to change color, i.e., they’ll get darker if fungi is starting to grow. The same goes for the texture of the brine or water you can with.

You may even start to see your canning jars starting to bulge, or that bubbles are floating up to the surface. If bubbling is occurring and the jars have been left to ferment without shaking, your cucumbers are probably on the way out.

Do canned cucumbers have to be refrigerated?

Canned cucumbers can be refrigerated, but it’s not essential.

Canned fresh cucumbers will need to be refrigerated to maintain their crunch and texture, but pickles can be kept in a cupboard. In fact, while the jar is still unopened, in most cases, it is best to keep your pickles in a cool, dry area, such as in your cupboards or pantry.

Once the pickles are opened, it is best to keep them in the fridge until they are all eaten. Remember to tighten the lid on the jar every time you close it to maintain the quality of the contents, and keep them in the back of your fridge until you are ready to eat them again!

You can prolong the shelf life of your pickles if you keep them properly, which means knowing when to keep them out and when to put them in the fridge.

Canning your cucumbers – what you’ll need

Before I get into a couple of my favorite canning cucumber recipes, it’s worth taking stock of some of the equipment and ingredients you’ll need. If you’re already into your canning, it’s likely you’ll have some jars to hand – but it’s always best to be prepared.

Recipes and their specific ingredients will, of course, vary. However, it’s just as well to have the following to hand regardless of how you intend to can those cucumbers.

• Cucumbers (obvious, much?)
• Canning jars (mason jars are ideal)
• Canning salt
• Bay leaf
• A large bowl and canning pot
• Dill (either seed, leaf, or even both) and dill weed
• Mustard seed
• Pepper flakes (red, ideally)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cloves
• Peppercorns (black)
• Turmeric
• Red and green bell peppers
• Red and yellow onions
• A dish towel or similar
• A cooler
• Vinegar (usually white wine or rice works best)

It’s worth remembering that, when canning and preserving cucumbers, you’re essentially going to be making pickles – so if you like adding a bit of tanginess to your sandwiches, you’re in the right place.

For the purpose of this guide, I’m going to assume you already know how to can, and that you have a process in place. If you’re completely new to canning, don’t worry!

Be sure to read up on a quick tutorial to getting started – and always make sure you’ve sterilized your jars properly before you begin! While you can expect your canned cucumbers to last for months and months to come, it stands to reason you won’t want any nasty bacteria creeping into the mix along the way.

Canning cucumber recipes – things to try

Unfortunately, there aren’t scores of different cucumber canning recipes out there – but there are a few different twists on how to produce different flavors and textures. Below, I’ve lined up a few popular canning cucumber recipes that are nice and easy to start with. Try them yourself!

Dill pickles

Dill pickles are a go-to for anyone who cans cucumbers. They are the easiest pickles to make and have the perfect flavor to garnish any meal – salads, sandwiches, burgers, you name it.

To make the best dill pickles in the world, you need to start by boiling a mixture of vinegar, water, and salt in a pot.

While it is boiling, slice your cucumbers at the top and bottom to give them plenty of extra space in the jar. You will need half an inch of space between the tops of the pickles and the top of the jar. Then, slice your pickles either lengthways or horizontally, depending on how you want them.

Take your mason jars, and put in two cloves of garlic, two sprigs of dill, and all the cucumbers you can fit into the jar!

Once the mixture in the pot has boiled, carefully pour it into the jars. Do not close the jars until the brine has reached about room temperature.

As soon as the mixture has cooled down, you can place the lids on the pickles and put them in the fridge. They will be good to eat for about three months! You can start eating them right away but give the mixture about a week to settle, and your pickles will taste a lot better.

Bread and butter pickles

Bread and butter pickles are another staple in the pickling world. But what’s the difference between these canned cucumbers and the dill pickles we’ve seen above? It’s to do with seeds and spices.

Start by washing the cucumbers and cutting them into quarter-inch slices.

Put half a cup of your chosen pickling or canning salt, your cucumber slices, one diced yellow onion, one diced green bell pepper, and one diced red bell pepper into a clean bucket or large bowl. Stir the mixture together well, ensuring that the salt fully coats the other ingredients.

Put your bowl into a cooler and place a clean towel over the top. Put some ice gently on the towel, ensuring that it does not touch any of the cucumbers you wish to pickle. Then, place more ice around the cooler itself, leaving it for roughly three hours in a cool area – four hours may be necessary. It’s a waiting game!

After this time’s elapsed, simply drain the cucumbers, then place them somewhere clean on one side.

Now – it’s brine time. You can start to make the brine by boiling around seven cups of white vinegar, six cups of granulated sugar, half a teaspoon of ground cloves, one tablespoon of mustard seeds, two teaspoons of celery seed, and one and a half teaspoons of turmeric together in a pot on high heat.

Put the same number of cucumbers, peppers, and onions into each jar, pushing down on the ingredients so that they do not rise too high once the brine is poured on top.

Cover the cucumbers with the brine, leaving about half an inch at the top.

Leave the jars to cool down completely before closing them. Ideally, the jars should be processed in a boiling water canner for up to ten minutes before being left to cool down.

Keep the jars in a cool, dry place, where they can stay for up to a year! Once opened, keep them in the fridge, at which point they will be safe to eat for the next three months.

Canning cucumbers with low salt

If you’re trying to cut down on the salt in your diet, but still want to make the most of canning cucumbers to enjoy at a later date, then great news – Ball, the mason jar provider, has created a fantastic recipe to help you pickle up without the extra sodium. Below, I’ve provided a quick overview on Ball’s own guide.

You’ll need sugar, a small amount of salt, vinegar, dill, pickling spice, and – of course – your cucumbers. Firstly, prepare your jars in heated water (without boiling), using a boiled canner. You’ll need to wash and slice up your cucumbers so they’re a quarter thick.

Then add two tablespoons of salt and your spice, around six cups vinegar, and three cups sugar to a pan. You’ll ideally need to bag and tie your spices. Boil up and reduce, simmering for 15 minutes, and taking the bag out.

Start canning your cucumbers with a half-inch space where you’ll pack dill and pour hot water. You’ll then need to follow your standard canning process, popping in a boiled canner for another 15 minutes. Remove, cool, and you’re good to go within 24 hours.

This is a great little recipe that should help you prepare and preserve tasty pickles without having to go overboard on salt. Canning salt isn’t always essential for canning and pickling in any case – it’s more to do with flavor than anything else! Don’t be afraid to cut back a little bit if you need to.

Conclusion

If your cucumber plants have run rampant and you have more fruit than you can shake a (green) stick at, get yourself out of a pickle by making some… pickles!

Learning how to pickle cucumbers will help to provide for tasty green fillings for all kinds of meals for the years to come. With a bit of careful canning, they might just become your new favorite ingredients, and soon enough, you won’t remember what your burgers or salads tasted like without them!

As always with hot canning, it pays to tread carefully. Follow recipes and safety precautions to the letter. For example, it is always best to keep your jars in warm water, letting them heat up before the boiling brine is poured in. That way, you will reduce the temperature shock and avoid the risk of the jars cracking or breaking with the boiling brine.

It’s worth exploring other canned cucumber recipes across the web and social media for interesting twists on the basics – and I hope the recipes I’ve provided above offer you some food for thought!

Originally posted 2022-06-16 19:10:24.

The post 3 Great Canning Ideas For Cucumbers first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

If you are planning on canning some of your own recipes and foods, it’s time that you get familiar with the different types of canning jars you can work with. Did you know that different size jars make a big difference in what you can and can’t preserve?

Trust me – knowing all about the different sizes of canning jars available is going to save you a lot of time and energy. Think carefully about what you’d like to preserve – no one wants to end up with a small amount of leftover sauce in their pint jar while their vegetable sticks are stuck in bowls in the fridge.

Below, I’ll take you through a quick guide to the different size canning jars you can buy, and which types will lead you to the quickest canning success.

Different types of canning jars and their suggested uses

The best jars to use for canning are – of course – mason jars. These offer the best protection against heat and are easy to seal for airtight preservation.

Generally speaking, most canning mason jars have smooth sides and are either half pints, whole pints, quarts, or half-gallons in volume. Their mouths are usually between two and a half and three inches wide. 

You’ll need to invest in different-sized mason jars if you intend to preserve and pickle a range of different sauces, veggies, and more. Keep reading, and I’ll guide you through the most popular sizes of canning jars on the market.

Small jars (2oz)

The smallest canning jars you will come across are 2oz in volume. These are the kinds of jars that you might have from leftover beauty creams, and they aren’t usually used for food due to their size. However, you can still recycle these tiny jars easily. Use them to carry your favorite creams around with you, or, as small storage pots for holding change, bobby pins, staples, hair ties, etc. 

When it comes to canning, you may be able to use these jars for small amounts of preserves – or even for drinking from!

Jelly jars (4oz)

Jelly jars are perfect for storing – as you’d guess – small amounts of jellies and jams. These can be narrow or squat. They are usually used for holding spices, dips, or for storage. They are great for crafts, too, for loose glitter, beads, flowers, etc. In fact, many makeup artists, designers, event planners, and even teachers usually have a few quarter pint jars lying around. 

These don’t tend to be very popular among canners unless preserves and small amounts of jelly are involved – they will only hold a quarter-pint in volume, at most.

Half-pint jars (8oz)

Now we’re getting somewhere – half-pint jars are those you most likely already have in your home. 8oz jars are usually ideal for keeping jellies, jams, preserves, and otherwise. Many people use 8oz jars as drinking glasses, pencil holders, flower pots, and vases – as well as for homemade candles, jellies, and sauces, and as general food storage for spices, seeds, and more. 

While great for keeping the odd bit of sauce in storage, canners will normally look to bigger jars for most foodstuffs they wish to preserve.

Skinny jars (12oz)

12 oz jars, also known as three-quarter pint jars, are a little less common than the ones mentioned above but are the ones that you are most likely to keep in your fridge. 

They are ideal for keeping your chopped vegetables and fruits fresh in the fridge, storing overnight oats, and even occasional leftovers. They are also great for storing items such as oats, dried fruits, seeds, etc. 

They are tall enough to hold stringy vegetables, making them perfect investments for the veggie-conscious canner!

Pint jars (16oz)

Pint jars tend to be the ‘mainstream’ choice for most canners, and it’s likely these you’ll have seen on social media (if you follow canners on Instagram, for example!). They are perfect for holding and keeping a healthy amount of your sauce, salsa, fruit salad, and more. You may even invest in pint jars to can cucumbers with!

Outside of canning food, these jars are also commonly used to hold flowers, herbs, spices, and decorative pieces – they’re a fantastic crafting resource.

Pint-and-a-half jars (24oz)

Now we’re starting to reach the jar size that is a little less common. These jars aren’t found in all stores, and you are not likely to recycle any from the produce you buy. If you want to stack up on 24 oz or pint-and-a-half canning jars for your pantry, then you will have to look online. 

However, if you do find some, then you will be happy to know that there are plenty of things that you can do with them! They are great for holding taller vegetables such as asparagus, celery and more. They are also perfect for large batches of pickles.

Quart jars (32oz)

While a little larger than the above option, these canning jars are a little more common, and are perfect for storing extra-large batches of sauces, fruits, and vegetables. They are also great for making your lunches for work or school, salads, and quick-prep dinners. Many people use quart jars for cocktails and lemonade, too.

Half-gallon jars (64oz) 

Half-gallon or 64oz canning jars are those you’ll need to look for when canning homemade specialty recipes such as kombucha, pickles, vinegars, pickled vegetables, and more. Super-sized, you can expect to fit an impressive amount of food and liquid into your average 64oz mason jar.

They will also work great in your pantry for storing larger amounts of ingredients such as flour, sugar, cereal, and pasta.

Thankfully, these jars are pretty common in stores as well as online, so it shouldn’t be difficult for you to find them! 

Gallon canning jars (128oz)

Finally, the biggest canning jar that you will come across is the gallon or 128 oz canning jar.  This is the ‘monster’ of the bunch – and jars of this size are great for serving big families or supporting avid cooks. They will hold vast quantities of dry pantry staples like cereals, nuts, pasta, flour, sugar, rice, etc. 

You’ll be able to store and can whole meals in here – and stacks of sauce you prepare for delicious dishes for the months to come.

They are also ideal for general storage and can be used to hold animal food, arts and crafts pieces, coins, and general clutter. 

Conclusion 

Yes – there are plenty of different types of canning jars out there, but stick with the common mason – and think carefully about the food and liquid you’d like to can and preserve. That will, of course, dictate the size you invest in!

Trust me – this can be a little trial and error to begin with, but once you have an army of fantastic jars ready to can with, your preserving mission can really get started!

Originally posted 2022-06-12 16:49:24.

The post What Are The Different Types of Canning Jars? first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

When it comes to canning peaches, we all tend to dread the same thing – the peeling. Peaches have such a thin and delicate skin that one harsh pull takes us back to zero, covering our hands in the sticky peach juice and thoroughly hating the process! Knowing the best way to peel peaches for canning is half the battle.

Nothing truly beats the taste of canned, preserved peaches. They are so sweet, work in so many recipes, and can be preserved for months at a time. So, the process has to be worth it, right?

Thankfully, you don’t have to buy any fancy peeling machines – chances are, you already have everything that you need right in your kitchen.

But why do you need to peel peaches for canning, and what is the best way to do it? Keep reading, and I’ll take you through what you need to know.

Why do you need to peel your peaches before canning?

As you know, canned peaches tend to be a lot softer to chew than fresh fruit. While that texture is a welcome change for many of us, not all parts of the peach are as tasty after canning!

The truth is that you do not necessarily need to remove the skins when canning peaches. They will not make the peaches go bad any faster – however, they will slightly modify the texture. While the meat of the peach should be as soft and sweet as ever, the skin itself tends to go a bit slimy in the can.

It’s pretty undesirable and is why most people tend to leave the skin out. Although the taste is fine, the texture just isn’t that appealing.

That being said, if slimy fruit is your thing, then, by all means, leave the skin on! Remember to clean it thoroughly before putting it in the jar, and you should be good to go.

However, if you would rather have all of the sweetness without the sliminess, here is the best way to peel the peaches before canning them.

How to peel peaches for canning

There’s nothing stopping you from using a knife or even a fruit peeler to prep your peaches for canning. However, that tends to remove a lot of the meat from the fruit. It can also get pretty messy and sticky – and can take a long time to get right!

Instead, why not try a clean, quick, and easy method that will leave you with all of the fruit and none of the skin?

Best way to peel peaches for canning

The best method for peeling peaches for canning is, without a doubt, blanching. You will need to gather a few items, but you most likely already have everything in your kitchen.

I recommend blanching peaches for canning – simply because it helps with preservation and improves the taste and texture.

To start, you will need a cooking pot, a bowl, ice, a bowl of acidified or acidulated water, and your peaches.

To acidify your water, simply add three tablespoons of lemon juice to water from your faucet, or from a filter if you prefer.

Then, start by bringing your pot to a boil. While your pot is heating up, remove loose dirt from the surface of your peaches under the faucet. They do not have to be super clean as you will be removing the skin, and the boiling water will help kill any bacteria, but this will help remove any excess debris that you do not want to end up in the can!

Place as many peaches as you can in the boiling water pot, making sure they are entirely covered by the hot water, and leave them there for about one minute.

Then, carefully take the peaches out of the pot, and place them straight into the bowl of ice. The temperature shock from the boiling hot water to the ice-cold bath helps loosen the skin, making removal incredibly easy.

When the peaches have cooled down enough to touch safely, take them out of the ice bath and put them directly in the bowl of acidified or acidulated water.

Once the peaches are in the acidified water, you can immediately remove the skins. They should practically fall off at the touch of your hand!

When the peaches have been skinned, place them over a rack or in a dry bowl, leaving them to dry before canning.

The acidic water ensures that your peaches don’t brown too quickly. Remember to move through each process quickly, leaving them no longer than a minute in each state. Leaving them for too long will make the peaches too soft for canning, and you’ll ultimately end up with peach sauce rather than whole slices!

As you can see, this process does not take long at all. Try it yourself, and you will see that it works a dream! You’ll never waste your time peeling or cutting the skins off your peaches again!

What can you do with the peach skins after peeling?

So, now you’ve got all the canned peaches you can handle and stacks of peach peels to throw away. Trust me, don’t do it! Throwing away those peach peels would just be a waste, especially as you can easily use them to make other peachy goods.

Peach peels can be used to make jams, marmalades, syrups, pies, drinks, peach-flavored ice cubes for your summer ice teas, etc. There are so many easy, homemade recipes you can try to use those peach peelings in an eco-friendly, financially-friendly, time-friendly, and tasty way!

How long do homemade canned peaches last?

As long as you stick to each process thoroughly, and properly can and keep your peaches sealed, they should easily last you from one year up to 18 months!

One of the main reasons people love canned peaches so much is that they do seem to last forever. They make for great treats throughout the year and can be used in all kinds of desserts, salads, drinks, dressings, and more. They can also be great and unusual gifts! But, most of all, they are a great way of ensuring that none of your peaches go to waste. Simply can them, and keep them for your recipes until the next season!

Conclusion

Canning peaches is easy, quick, and can be buckets of fun! It is a great activity to do alone, with the kids, friends, and family. Not to mention, it will make your kitchen smell fantastic!

Most of all, it is an excellent way of preserving what we have and making the most of all resources. Be sure to check out some irresistible peachy recipes, both for the skins and your canned goods! They’ll be flying off your fridge shelves sooner than you might think – and remember, you don’t have to put up with sliminess (unless you really enjoy it)!

Originally posted 2022-06-10 21:04:51.

The post What’s The BEST Way To Peel Peaches For Canning? first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

If you’re serious about canning, it’s good to make sure your jars are safe to keep food in for time to come. As you can imagine, that means putting them through a thorough clean! With that in mind, can you sterilize canning jars in the dishwasher – or are there other methods that provide better results in the long run?

In this guide, I’ll take you through what you need to know about sterilizing canning jars in the dishwasher, and when it’s most important to put your jars through the sterilization process.

Don’t have time to read my full guide? Here’s the straight answer – can you sterilize canning jars in the dishwasher?

Yes, you can sterilize canning jars in your dishwasher, but it will need to run at a very high temperature. Ideally, you’ll need a dishwasher that can rinse jars at 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which is around 66 degrees Celsius. This is hot enough to kill off bacteria and prepare your jars – providing you put them through the longest rinse your dishwasher has to offer.

Now you know the basic answer, let’s dig a little deeper into the canning jar sterilization process, and why it makes a big difference.

Why should I sterilize my canning jars?

While it may seem easy enough to go ahead and preserve just about any fruit, vegetable or other foodstuffs in a jar without any extra prep, sterilization is vital for the healthy preservation of said items. If you don’t sterilize your canning jars, anything you place in them will be at risk of bacterial growth, and will potentially develop yeast or mold, therefore spoiling.

Spoilage of food inside non-sterilized jars will likely occur fairly quickly, however, it’s still not a good idea to quickly can items without sterilization even if you intend to eat them in a few days’ time.

Sterilizing effectively removes the chance of bacteria, fungi, mold, and more from spoiling your food and therefore potentially making you ill. It’s a process that’s worth following purely for the sake of your health, not just the flavor of what you’re canning. Therefore, proper sterilization is a must.

Sterilizing is more than simply cleaning or sanitizing your jars. Sanitization merely reduces bacterial populations – whereas sterilization completely eradicates any organic growth. To keep your food well-preserved, be sure to choose a sterilization method that’s convenient for you.

TIP: Make sure to sterilize your jars straight after purchase, too. Yes, your jars should be clean from the factory, but there’s still ample chance for bacteria or other microbes to have built up a community in transit. Don’t ever skip sterilization. Unless…

When can I avoid having to sterilize my canning jars?

As the NCHFP states, the only occasions when you can avoid sterilizing canning jars will be if you’re working with a pressure canner, or if you are setting up a water bath (at boiling point) for at least 10 minutes. Any less than this amount of time, or canning by any other method, will require pre-sterilization.

By pressure canner, I’m referring to the specialist equipment you can buy that tracks the temperature during the canning process. If you’re tempted to use a pressure cooker, don’t – it won’t have the same effect.

My way of thinking is this – if in doubt, sterilize. It won’t take much time out of your day, and what’s more, it helps to keep your food tasting great, and anyone eating it can enjoy without getting ill.

Can I sterilize canning jars in the dishwasher?

Hypothetically, yes, you can sterilize your canning jars in your dishwasher. However, you’ll need to make sure that you can run at a high temperature and on a long cycle. This is to make sure that all bacteria is killed. You really can’t take any chances – believe me!

Bacteria will generally die at temperatures of around 150 degrees Fahrenheit, or what equates to 66 degrees Celsius. That means even if you’re used to washing your dishes at a much lower temperature, you must make an exception for your canning jars.

A simple wash won’t be enough to fully prepare your jars for canning. You’ll know if you haven’t sterilized your canning jars enough if your preserves start to develop mold, yeast, or other natural nastiness.

If your dishwasher can run at the temperatures listed, great – it’s simply a case of loading your jars upside-down, and the running at your chosen heat. Make sure to choose a drying cycle, and once finished, you can add hot food straight into the jars (if your jars are cold, there’s a risk of breaking glass). The same applies to adding cold food into hot jars – it’s the same science, and the same risks!

Can I sterilize canning jars in the oven?

Yes – it’s also possible to sterilize your canning jars effectively in the oven at a high enough temperature. Again, you’ll need to keep in mind that bacteria will die at 150 F – but our ovens normally heat up to much higher than this!

So, to begin with, make sure you preheat your oven to at least 275 F, or 130 C. This is the highest your canning jars will withstand before breakage can occur, so trust me – this is the limit to the heat!

You should then double up newspapers on each of the shelves of your oven cavity. Placing any on the floor of the oven isn’t a good idea – and if you’re using a model with an open flame, you should naturally place your newspaper far away from the source.

Prepare yourself a heatproof surface or mat to one side, as you’re going to need this for transferring canning jars over once they are completely sterilized.

Then comes the slightly tricky part – you’ll need to arrange your jars. Be sure to set them up evenly on your chosen shelf inside the oven, but don’t let them touch. You’re going to want to keep them sterilizing for 20 minutes, minimum – but try not to go too far beyond this.

Put on your oven gloves and carefully remove the jars one at a time. Place them onto your heatproof surface and fill with hot produce if it’s available.

Can I use boiling water to sterilize canning jars?

You can also sterilize jars using boiling water if you wish, though it may not be the most effective way to ensure your canning its completely germ-free.

To effectively boil your sterilize canning jars, make sure to perform a water bath. For this, you’ll need a canning rack and canner – or, alternative, a large pot. You must make sure your jars are stacked the right way up, and then fill your pot up to an inch of boiling water above them.

You will normally need to boil them for at least ten minutes for complete sterilization, but believe it or not, the altitude you live at can dictate having to add more minutes onto the boil time! If you live more than 1,000 feet above water level, you’re going to need to add an extra minute for every 1,000 feet above that. Strange but true – but the science speaks for itself!

Be sure to use a jar lifter or similar tool to safely get your jars out of the soak.

Other sterilization tips to consider

Sterilization is a breeze once you’ve got the knack of the process! However, there are a couple of further points you’ll need to be aware of before you get too deep into the cleaning process.

• There’s no need to worry about boiling or sterilizing your jar lids or even the rings. Providing your lids and rings are cleaned over with dish soap and warm water, they are safe to use.
• If you’re sterilizing your jars and aren’t ready to can just yet, wait until you are good to go – as the cooler your jars get, the riskier it will get placing hot food inside.
• Never place hot goods in cold jars, and cold goods in hot jars. That glass is highly sensitive – cold goes in cold, hot goes in hot – period!
• You can also sterilize canning jars in the microwave, but naturally, you’ll need to avoid using metal-rimmed models. Standard jars can be sterilized in under a minute in the microwave, but the oven and dishwasher methods are perhaps the most well-trusted.

Sterilizing jars in the dishwasher – final recap

To summarise, it’s absolutely safe to sterilize your canning jars in the dishwasher, and in many ways, it’s recommended. However, it’s crucial you make sure to run canning jars on a wash that’s at least 150 F. Otherwise, you’re at risk of the process doing very little at all.

Many canners recommend the oven sterilization method as heat can rise that little bit higher – meaning you’ve got extra confidence in bacteria being killed off. It really does pay to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to cleaning your canning jars properly.

I’d recommend you sterilize as many jars as you can when canning for the first time – even if it doesn’t seem as though you have much produce, it’s easier to work with too many jars than too few!

I hope you’ve found this guide informative and helpful – now get canning with confidence!

Originally posted 2022-05-25 21:52:08.

The post Can You Sterilize Canning Jars In The Dishwasher? first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

If you’re completely new to canning, there’s likely one element that might cause you some confusion. It’s salt! With so many guides and methods out there recommending different types of salt for the best canning results, it can be hard to work out which is right for your needs.

In this guide, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about the difference between canning salt and kosher salt. What’s more, I’ll show you a few other types of salt you may wish to consider – as well as some you’ve probably already been recommended!

Not got time to read the full guide right now? Let’s cut to the chase – is canning salt the same as kosher salt?

Canning salt and kosher salt are completely different, but can be used for similar purposes. Canning salt is finer and is – as the name suggests – perfect for canning and pickling. Kosher salt, meanwhile, tends to be coarser and more uneven. Both types of salt are commonly used in canning and pickling, as they don’t contain added chemicals such as iodine – which can spoil the process.

While it’s possible to interchange the two depending on your canning process, it’s good to know the main differences between the varieties and what they’re used for. So, keep reading – and I’ll break it all down for you.

What is canning salt?

Canning salt is finely granulated and is – essentially – raw sodium chloride. It’s completely natural and contains no preservatives or additives. You may find canning salt available in stores or online under the name ‘preserving salt’, too. People use canning salt to both pickle and can, mainly thanks to the fact it’s so finely granulated.

The fine granulation of canning salt actually helps to make pickling and canning more efficient. It’s simply easier to break down, and what’s more, a lack of additives means your food stays safely preserved. For example, if you’re pickling, canning salt will help prevent cloudiness in the brine. This will help you to see whether or not your produce is still good to eat.

Believe it or not, canning salt is widely used to help preserve flavor instead of actually preserving the food itself. This is a little different in pickling and fermentation – when you’ll need the salt to help your food last for longer.

Zero additives also means your vegetables or other canned goods won’t turn a different color in the water or brine. Again, this is great for keeping an eye on anything likely to turn bad. You may have done a fantastic canning job, but it’s always a good idea to have a window into your jars just in case.

Canning salt also arrives without anti-caking agents, which can break down the nutritional content of some food. Anti-caking agents are popularly used to help keep salt and other powdered foodstuffs safely inside packaging – but when it comes to canning and pickling, they can prove to be highly frustrating.

Crucially, canning salt is perfect for the job it’s labeled to do. What’s more, it’s also very easy to come across in grocery stores as well as online. I’d recommend canning salt brands such as Ball, Selina Naturally, and Morton.

What is kosher salt?

Kosher salt serves a little bit of a different purpose to canning salt ‘on paper’, but it’s just as pure and therefore just as useful in preserving and pickling.

Kosher salt may also be known as cooking salt, flake salt, or rock salt. It’s not your average table salt or that which you’d serve as a condiment at dinner. Instead, it’s commonly used as a seasoning or ingredient in several recipes.

This type of salt is commonly used in dry brining of meat. Despite its name, however, it’s not actually produced under Jewish guidelines – it’s simply part of the koshering process.

Kosher salt is much less refined than canning salt, meaning you’ll often find it dispersed as spiky pyramids or even as flattened cubes. As well as in canning, kosher salt is fantastic for helping to abrasively clean. For example, you might use kosher salt with a little oil to clean down cast iron pans or skillets, as opposed to standard dish soap.

Kosher remains a popular choice in cooking, canning, and meat preparation as it tends to arrive completely natural. Like canning salt, it’s primarily sodium chloride, though it pays to check any that you buy in case of anti-caking agents. As mentioned, these agents may be useful in packaging and producing salt, but not so much when it comes to preservation.

Why is kosher salt so popular?

It’s easy to assume that all types of salt taste the same and do the same job. However, kosher is particularly popular thanks to its unique style of granulation, as well as its traditional lack of additives and chemicals (such as iodine).

Kosher salt is extremely useful in cooking based on two main factors – for flavoring and for reducing bacterial growth. It’s why kosher salt is commonly used to prepare meat – though there’s another reason behind this.

The larger crystals available in kosher salt help to get blood from meat much cleaner than finer granules. This makes it ideal for the koshering process, as mentioned above.

But, let’s also focus on the flavor. Kosher salt is popular with chefs and diners alike thanks to its distinct taste. It also has a coarseness to its texture, and many food professionals prefer the ease of sprinkling onto dishes and into pots.

That said, kosher salt is not produced for canning purposes, and therefore, isn’t always going to produce the best results for preservation.

Canning salt vs kosher salt – which should I use?

You can use either canning salt or kosher salt for canning tasks. Kosher salt makes for a fantastic alternative if you’ve been unable to find a specific canning salt brand that catches your attention.

But, there are a few points you’ll want to consider when substituting. For one, again – be sure your kosher salt doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents. Always read the packaging carefully, as it’ll save you plenty of canning headaches later down the line (you can trust me on this!).

Beyond this, you’ll need to be careful with measurement and use. Kosher salt is much less dense than the canning speciality, meaning that regardless of the canning procedure or recipe you follow, you’re likely going to need to use more of it for identical results.

If you want to avoid any doubt, it may be worth investing in a salt grinder. This way, you can easily twist and process kosher salt into a finer powder, and therefore measure the same as the canning variety.

There’s also a matter of being careful with brands. Some brands of kosher salt may vary in terms of weight and compaction. That means you’ll need to be exceptionally careful not to choose a variety that’s too heavy or too light. It’s issues like this that mean people stick with canning salt. Honestly, I’d advise sticking to that variety if canning’s your sole purpose for the salt.

Can I just use table salt for canning?

No – it’s never a good idea to use standard table salt for canning or pickling, and that’s generally thanks to the fact it arrives with various additives in the mix. Extra chemicals such as iodine can leave preserved food to change color, and may even spoil the process (depending on which one you follow).

Simply put, everyday table salt is never likely to be 100% sodium chloride. In many cases, it may be advertised as 99.9% – but it’s that 0.01% that makes all the difference. Table salt is best left used as a simple seasoning once dinner is served – it has no place in canning if you really want to preserve properly.

Can I use Himalayan salt for canning?

You can hypothetically use Himalayan salt, or pink salt, for canning. However, it’s not always recommended.

Himalayan salt is, as you’ll see in stores, bright pink! It’s densely rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, and is derived from beneath the ground. It’s carefully washed before packaging and distribution, and for many people, it’s a viable choice when it comes to pure salt without any additives. That’s also what helps to drive the price up, too!

While Himalayan salt may seem perfectly reasonable for use in canning, there is still a chance it contains material that might spoil the process. It doesn’t have any added chemicals, but it may contain trace amounts of radioactive material. Don’t worry – this won’t be harmful, but all the same, it’s not the ‘pure’ sodium you receive with canning salt. The risk of trace elements can put some people off altogether – so be careful what you can with!

Are there other types of salt I should avoid during canning?

I can’t stress this enough – you should always use canning salt as a priority when preserving – and only ever consider kosher salt if you have no other alternative means. Other types of salt are likely to change the color of foodstuffs, the brine, or even turn food bad. They simply won’t preserve properly – unlike canning salt.

Some canners, for example, may feel tempted to use ‘lo salt’ or low-sodium alternatives to traditional canning salt. This is a clear no-no. Without sodium, your produce is at risk of spoiling, or developing nasty mold and bacteria. A low-sodium canning process is barely worth the effort – don’t feel guilty about investing in pure salt!

Other canners may advise using alternatives such as sea salt. There’s no massive harm in substituting canning salt for this variety, but it may make following recipes a little tricky. That’s because the weight of sea salt can vary wildly – and what’s more, you’ll often end up paying more for this type than any other.

On the other side of the spectrum, there’s iodized salts. As you will probably know having read this guide so far, iodine is a no-no for canning and pickling if you want to be able to see the color and status of your preservation clearly. Iodine and other additives will risk changing the look of your jar’s contents. That defeats the object of the process, in some ways!

When it comes to pickling sauerkraut, you normally won’t have to worry too much about the type of salt you use during the process. As a good rule, be sure to avoid table salt for its anti-microbial properties (i.e. through the presence of iodine). This may prevent fermentation and affect the cloudiness of the brine.

How long will salt last?

Given that you’re already invested in canning, it’s likely you’ll want to know how long salt is going to last on the shelf. The fact is, all salt is likely to last a lifetime. However, you’re going to need to be careful about how you store it in practice.

Storing salt for indefinite use means making the most of a dry spot in your kitchen or pantry. A cool, dry storage space is likely to be the best option for all kinds of salt. Moisture is a major concern when preserving salt for long periods, so be sure to avoid keeping it anywhere that liquid could spill or damp conditions could develop.

In addition, keep your salt in containers that aren’t made from metal – it’s best to keep them bagged, in their store-bought containers, or to put them in your own mills and dispensers as you see fit.

Do I really need to use salt during canning?

Here’s the odd part of the process – as the National Center for Home Food Preservation advises, it’s normally safe to can most food without salt. That covers both meat and vegetables you may wish to can for future preservation. However, there are a few circumstances where you will need to use salt during preservation.

Salt becomes a necessary part of the process when you’re pickling. That means if you are storing brine pickles, or are preserving sauerkraut, canning salt will do more than just lock in fantastic flavor. It’ll also help to keep your foodstuffs safe for later consumption.

Much of this is as a result of inhibiting the growth of potentially harmful bacteria and mold. What’s more, while it may seem easy and safe to cut down on salt used during the pickling and preserving of these items and recipes, it’s never considered safe to do so. If you are preserving sauerkraut or pickling vegetables, you must always use the appropriate salt.

You don’t need to worry about adding salt to particularly acidic vegetables or food otherwise, either – providing you’re following the standard canning process. As many canners will advise, adding salt won’t actually do much to change the preservation process – it’ll just help improve the taste of your goods once you come to enjoy them.

This is great news for those canners who may be looking to take advantage of the process but who are otherwise on low sodium diets. My advice would be to can for taste alone – for your health, it simply isn’t worth using salt for the sake of it.

Final points to remember

Remember, if you wish to use salt that falls outside of the canning variety, you’re going to either need more of it, or use a grinder to help make crystals smaller and finer. Canning salt weighs more en masse because it’s denser.

Do also think carefully about what you wish to can and/or pickle. If you’re new to canning and aren’t saving sauerkraut or fermented goods, you can go right ahead and preserve without the need for adding sodium. My advice would be to give it a try anyway – and to see what the flavor is like when it comes to consumption!

I hope this guide has helped to welcome you to the wonderful world of canning salt vs kosher salt. There’s not much between them that you should really worry about, but it pays to prepare accordingly if you want to make salt a key focus of your process. Why not try a few recipes out and see how you get on?

Originally posted 2022-05-24 19:14:38.

The post Canning Salt vs Kosher Salt: What Works BEST? first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

If you’re a complete newbie to canning, you may be wondering whether or not it’s safe to place your jars in the oven. Some methods of sanitizing jars actually call for putting them in the oven, for example – but is it safe?

In this article, I will examine whether canning jars are oven safe, if any jars can go in the oven, and how hot a mason jar can get in the oven before breaking.

If you’re in a hurry, are canning jars oven safe?

It is not safe to put canning jars in the oven simply because heating occurs unevenly, and the glass isn’t meant to withstand temperatures greater than that of a water bath boil.

While a good rule of thumb is simply not to try it, there are some nuances to the question of whether you can put any canning jars in the oven – or if it’s just certain brands that can’t withstand it.

Keep reading, and I’ll answer all of the above questions. Don’t preheat anything until you’ve read to the end!

Can You Put Mason Jars In The Oven?

For the most part, you cannot put mason jars in the oven – neither to sterilize them nor to can. Most mason jars used for canning are made of annealed glass, not tempered glass, and therefore will not withstand the heat.

Tempered glass is more expensive than the heat-resilient annealed glass mason jars are made out of. So, while annealed glass can withstand boiling temperatures, it may break in the oven or in your hand after being boiled or handled. It’s highly dangerous!

Glass type isn’t the only factor contributing to the danger of heating glass in the oven, however. 

As you’re most likely already aware, if you’re a canner, putting glass through a temperature shock will cause the energy from the heat or cold to distribute unevenly, forcing the glass to crack or break. Putting glass straight into a pre-heated oven is very risky, but even heating glass as the oven warms up is uncertain. Not all parts of the jar will heat evenly, either because of the density of the glass or because of the way the coils in the oven heat.

This uneven heating puts immense pressure on the glass, and there isn’t a great way to remedy that reliably.

In the same vein, uneven heating is not ideal for canning as it is not likely to bring the contents of the jar to a boil for long enough at its center. So, not only will the contents of the jar not reach a sanitizing temperature, but the recipes you’re likely to use haven’t been proofed and tested for oven canning. 

In other words, there’s no good reason to sanitize or can with mason jars in the oven. It’s not safe, nor will it produce sanitary food that can be kept for an extended period.

What Jars Can Go In The Oven?

Canning jars advised by the manufacturer to be tempered should be safe to put in the oven. The only problem is that tempered canning jars can be extremely hard to find.

Luckily, there are some tempered glass canning jars available at Lowe’s. I’m hesitant to accept this, however, as it seems to be nearly impossible to find tempered glass canning jars anywhere else online!

This glass manufacturer claims that the only way you can make a cylinder with tempered glass is with four pieces of glass put together.

Also, keep in mind that even Pyrex, possibly the world’s best-tempered glass manufacturer, is vulnerable to breaking with extreme temperature changes.

I’ll stop preaching about the potential dangers of putting your jars in the oven in a moment, but as a final piece of evidence to persuade you not to do it, consider this discrepancy. The official Ball and Kerr website’s official stance is that these jars should not be used in the oven. Yet, Target sells Ball mason jars under the category of “oven safe” mason jars. Be careful!

The point is, even if a company claims to sell tempered glass or oven safe jars, nowhere else on the internet within the canning community suggests it is safe to put them in the oven.

How Hot Can A Mason Jar Get In The Oven?

It seems that anywhere from 300 to 400 degrees F is sufficient to break a jar in the oven. Water baths will not go above 212 degrees F, and jars can and do break during that process through thermal shock or imperfections in the glass – so why risk such high temperatures?

Another important note on the dangers of canning in the oven, if that’s why you’re wondering about putting them in there, is that the heat isn’t the only reason it’s dangerous. If you can with the lid on in the oven, can you imagine how much pressure is sitting inside that jar as temperatures rise?

Annealed glass, which mason jars are almost exclusively made out of, does not break safely – unlike tempered glass. If it explodes, not only are the boiling hot contents going to spill everywhere, but the tiny, razor-sharp shards will, too. It’s a recipe for danger.

How Many Times Can I Heat A Jar Before It’s Too Fragile?

Jars that are decades old and have been through dozens if not hundreds of cannings have stood up to the repeated heat and stress. Carefully inspect jars for cracks, scratches, or chips before heating to be safe.

Just because you can’t put a jar in the oven doesn’t mean it can’t withstand a lot. Some canning jars can last dozens of cannings – so how many times will they withstand the process before they aren’t safe to use anymore?

Honestly, that depends on how well the jars have been taken care of. Jars do weaken with repeated heating, especially the newer jars made with thinner glass. To be extra safe, never pressure can with old jars. Try them in a water bath to see how they hold up if you’re unsure.

According to South Dakota State University’s Food Safety Specialist, canning jars have a life expectancy of between 10 and 13 years. If you’ve had your jars for longer than that, you might want to go gently on them with the heat and consider retiring them into flower vases.

To the question, “are canning jars oven safe?” the answer, from me at least, is definitely not. Hopefully, in this article, I’ve convinced you that the only safe way to use these jars is according to the manufacturer’s directions – and not in the oven.

Originally posted 2022-01-31 04:17:05.

The post Are Canning Jars Oven Safe? (Max Temperature) first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

There is a little bit of a confusing overlap between canning and pickling. After all, pickled food is canned, isn’t it? But, not all canned food is pickled. If you’re unfamiliar with pickling or the difference between it and canning, you’re not alone.

In this article, I’m going to teach you about the difference between pickling and canning, how to make pickles without a canner, which method is safer, and which is easier.

What is the difference between canning and pickling?

Pickling ferments food, making it more acidic and less habitable to mold and food-borne pathogens. Pickling still does require some boiling, either of the brine or of the materials being pickled, making it a subset of water bath canning.

While that may answer your question on a basic level, there’s still a lot to come concerning how the processes and the end results differ between pickling and canning. If you want to know more about the subtle differences between these two methods and how you can get homemade pickles without the canning process, you may want to stick around until the end of the article.

Can You Pickle Things Without Canning?

You can pickle things without canning if your brine is of sufficient acidity. With this method, however, your fresh, pickled fruits or veggies are only good for up to a month in the refrigerator.

For this method, you’ll want to slice up your fresh food and divide it evenly into jars. Create a mixture of 1:1 water and vinegar. The vinegar must be at least 5% acetic. Into this mixture, you can add spices according to the recipe. Put on the lid and store in the refrigerator for several weeks! You may need to refrigerate them for somewhere between a day and a week before serving.

For a brine that’s safe for this method, try Eating Well’s recipe.

How Do You Process Pickles Without A Canner?

To make pickles without a canner, use a brine recipe that is highly acidic. Bring the brine to a boil and dump over the fresh vegetables. Seal with a lid and canning ring and leave in the refrigerator for up to three months.

With this method, it’s essential that the brine you’re using is highly acidic. This will not only pickle the contents of the jar quickly so you can eat it soon after, but it will stave off the growth of harmful molds and bacteria that canning normally gets rid of.

First, separate your pickles or vegetables into your jar with the spices you’d like to use. Then, you’ll bring your brine to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Pour the brine over the pickles, drop a lid and a canning ring on, let the jars cool, then place in the fridge.

Depending on the recipe, your vegetables could be ready right away, as with this one from Mother Earth Living, or may take several weeks to really be edible, as with this one from An Oregon Cottage. 

How Long Do Canned Pickles Last?

Some believe that canned pickles will never go bad, but for the best flavor and to be completely safe, eat any sour pickles within a year and more mild pickles within two years. After opening a canned jar, make sure to store it in the fridge until the contents are eaten.

According to the USDA, canned food that’s been left in a cool, clean, dry place is potentially safe to eat indefinitely. This does not mean, however, that eating ten-year-old pickles would be an enjoyable experience!

Is Pickling Safer Than Canning?

Pickling by itself is not safer than canning. Pickling alone will create foods that are only safe for a few months. Combining pickling and canning, however, can create long-lasting foods that are safe to eat for years to come!

You may be aware that only certain foods are safe to can with water bath canning, such as foods of high acidity like tomatoes, salsa, and citrus fruit. The acidity of the contents is an added layer of security against the failings of water bath canning as opposed to pressure canning.

With pickling, you have similar limitations. You are more protected against spores and bacteria when you’ve dunked your veggies in a lot of vinegar, but the airtight seal canning process is what will make those foods last for more than a few weeks. In addition, most pickle recipes that aren’t canned as well have to be stored in the refrigerator. With water bath canning, you can safely store items at room temperature for months.

In short, pickling and canning together can create super-safe foods that can be stored on the shelf for a long time. Pickling alone can create safe foods that must be stored in a refrigerator for a short time.

Is Pickling Easier Than Canning?

Most would agree that pickling is easier than canning. When pickling without a water bath, all you really need is a clean jar, a pot for boiling the brine, and some fresh vegetables. Canning requires more time and more tools.

When considering the difference in time investment between pickling and canning, there’s not much to choose between. When running a water bath for your canning jars, you will probably only boil them for around 10 minutes. Using a boiled brine might take nearly that long to produce before pouring into the jars. The greater time investment with canning is in the preparation. 

I would personally attribute the difference in difficulty to the pressure of a positive result with canning. When canning, there is a lot riding on cleanliness, having the process timed just right, and making sure everything’s hot enough and sealed correctly.

With pickling, all you really need to make sure of is that you boil the brine long enough. In cases where you didn’t boil the brine, you should eat it fairly quickly. Having clean jars is important, but as you’re not sealing the food, the greater focus is on the acidity.

I hope you’ve gained a few ideas of what you can do with pickling and its limitations compared to canning. If you’re really dying for a jar of homemade pickles and don’t quite have the gumption to give them a water bath, all hope is not lost for you!

Originally posted 2022-01-31 03:47:52.

The post Are Canning And Pickling The Same Thing? first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.

If you’re new to canning, you may have already heard keeping your jars airtight is vital. After all, that seal is what keeps your food from going bad! Unfortunately, not all jars are built alike in terms of how they seal, how sturdy the seal is, and how they hold up over time.

Therefore, it really does pay to be careful with any jars or containers you wish to use during canning.

In this article, I’m going to teach you all about mason jars and other types of canning jars – and whether they’re truly airtight.

If you’re in a hurry – are canning jars airtight?

You can only be sure that a canning jar is airtight if you’ve used a brand new lid, the lip of the jar isn’t being obstructed by food, and the canning process has eliminated all of the air inside the jar.

In truth, the jar is only one aspect of the canning process that ensures an airtight seal (though it’s very important). If you want to know more about the integrity of the seal on a mason jar compared to commercial jars, the most reliable canning jars, and how you can tell if a jar is going to be airtight, stick around to the end of the article.

Are Canning Jars Airtight?

Canning jars are only airtight after undergoing the canning process. However, if you intend to put things in a jar to keep them safe from dust or moisture, simply sealing them in with a lid should be enough. 

Canning jars are built to withstand pressure and high temperatures to help the air escape to create an airtight seal. Without the canning process, these jars are not airtight. To put it simply, do not put food, dry or wet, into a canning jar and expect it to stay good for any longer than a few days unless you’ve pressure canned it or given the jar a water bath.

However, if you’re interested in using canning jars to protect everyday items, simply screwing the lid onto the contents should keep them protected from dust. Some examples of things that might store well in a canning jar include yarn scraps, dried flowers, or non-perishable food items that will be used relatively quickly, like flour, baking soda, salt, or sugar. As a side note, using mason jars for flour and other packaged foods is an excellent form of pest control.

Do Mason Jars Have An Airtight Seal?

Mason jars are airtight after undergoing the canning process. To create the airtight seal, it must go through pressure or a water bath to help the air escape. I recommend Ball or Kerr brand mason jars, for example, as the best mason jars for withstanding the canning process.

Are Screw Top Mason Jars Airtight?

Screw-top mason jars are airtight after canning. The screw-top is not what makes a mason jar airtight. The lid’s rubber seal and “suction ability” are what conform the lid to the top to create that seal. The screw lid keeps the lid secure from knocks and movement.

How Do You Know If A Mason Jar Is Airtight?

Before canning, make sure you’re using a brand new lid, and there are no cracks in the jar. After canning, you can check the seal by gently picking up the jar by the lid and giving it a swirl. It should stay firmly sealed to the mason jar.

Even if you follow the canning process perfectly, there are a few things about the jar itself that could keep the seal from taking. For one thing, there cannot be any imperfections like cracks or chips in the jar, especially not on the lip of the jar. In addition to this, you must use a brand new lid every single time. The seal that the lid provides is compromised the moment you open it after the first use, so it won’t ever seal right again.

While canning, a few things can interfere with a perfect seal. Make sure the lip of the jar is clean before you put it through the pressure or water bath. If you happen to get liquid or crumbs onto the lip of the jar and go through the entire canning process, then air can get back into the jar through these spaces.

You also must make sure that the food you’re canning doesn’t have many air bubbles inside. Use a spatula to run around the rim of the canning material to help usher out any invisible bubbles in the food.

Finally, the seal will be airtight if the canning process goes well. If it’s done according to the instructions, you should be able to pick the jar up by the lid, and it should remain firm. Don’t pick it up more than a few inches off the table, though. If you can give it a small swirl while holding it by the lid, the contents of the jar are still airtight.

What Kind Of Jars Are Airtight?

Not every glass jar is suitable for canning and creating an airtight seal. The best airtight jars are made for canning and withstanding high heat and pressure. Mason Jars that were made for canning, therefore, are the safest choice.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, threaded home-canning jars with self-sealing lids are as secure as they get. Mason jars are the best choice for many reasons, including that they can withstand canning again and again, as opposed to commercial mayonnaise or salad dressing jars that may be used a few times with a new lid and a screw-top but are not guaranteed.

Those that definitely should not be used are commercial jars that can’t be sealed with a new canning lid and screw top. Not only will they not be airtight, but they are likely not tempered to withstand pressure or high heat.

Some of the most trusted brands of airtight mason jars include: 

• Kerr
• Ball Mason
• Bormioli
• Libbey
• Anchor-Hocking

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of the kinds of jars you should use for canning and how to get an airtight seal that will protect you from food-borne illnesses. If you’re just interested in using mason jars for displaying things or keeping them safe from dust, then any jar with a lid will do!

Originally posted 2022-01-31 03:37:10.

The post Are Canning Jars Airtight? (Mason Jars Sealing Tips!) first appeared on Becoming Homegrown.