Canning Supplies Q & A - Which Canning Supplies Can I Use From Last Year?

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Q. Which Canning Supplies Can I Use from Last Year?

A. You can safely use canning jars and bands year after year. However, always use new lids when home canning to get a proper seal.

Canning jars can be used again and again. You will want to inspect them before each use for any cracks or chips, especially around the rim of the jar. If you have any old canning jars that are colored do not use them for canning. They probably have lead in them because that is how they used to make the colored glass.

Canning bands or rings, as they are sometimes called, can also be used from season to season. You will want to make sure they have not been bent. Test each one to make sure it screws on to a canning jar properly and it will be good to use again this year.

Canning lids should never be reused for canning. You will always want to use brand new lids when doing your home canning. You can, however, use old used lids when dry-packing in jars that you use for vacuum sealing.

Reusing your canning supplies is a great way to save money. Saving money is one of the main benefits of preserving your own food. If you give some of your canned goods to family and friends for gives throughout the year, don't be afraid to ask for the jars back when they are finished. They will certainly understand and they probably won't use them anyway unless they do home canning themselves.

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And if you would like more information about canning and canning supplies please visit our website at http://www.jrkfamilyoutdoors.com/canning You can receive 18 free videos that answer many questions about home canning just by signing up for our newsletter.

By: Rhonda Percell - Wife, Mother of 3, and Owner of JRK Family Outdoors

10 Uses For Used Canning Lids

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Since it is unsafe to reuse a used canning lid to seal another canning jar, what to do with all of the used lids? It may not seem like a big problem for the occasional home canner who puts up a couple of batches of tomatoes, jelly and a jam each year.

If you get into the habit of canning a lot of stuff you will end up with a pile of used lids. Instead of throwing them into the trash and adding to our landfill problems, here are ten creative ideas for repurposing used canning lids.

1. Mobile
Spray paint the lids bright colors. Drill a hole through each lid about a 1/4 of an inch from the edge. Tie the string to the lid and then to the coat hanger.

2. Matching game
Create a matching game. Print out two of each letters, numbers, pictures of animals, shapes, colors, characters, etc. Cut out the items and glue them to one side of the lid.

3. Wind chime
Drill a small hole near the edge that is wide enough for the string to fit through. File off any rough edges that the drill bit created while boring through the lid. String them together at different levels but close enough so that they will touch each other. Optionally you can spray paint the lids different colors before assembling.

4. Children's toy
Drill a small hole near the edge that is wide enough for the string to fit through. File off any rough edges that the drill bit created while boring through the lid. Use string ribbon or string to tie the lids together. Don't use any rusted lids or paint them. The paint could flake off.

5. Scarecrow
Polish the lids with #0000 steel wool to give them a nice bright shine. Hang them with string around the garden to keep the birds away.

6. Refrigerator magnets
Print out family pictures. Cut them to fit the lid. Glue the picture to the lid and a small flat magnet on the back side of the lid. They make great Christmas, birthday and grandparent's day gifts.

7. Mixes in a jar
Put together the dry mix for a family favorite recipe (cookie, cake, baked beans, etc.). Discount retailers sell inexpensive canning jars. Fill the jars with the dry mix seal with the used canning lid and ring.

8. Dry Goods Storage
The used lids work well for sealing mason jars filled with dry pasta, sugar, flower, noodles, etc. You don't need a vacuum seal, just enough of a seal to keep the dust and weevils out.

9. Christmas Yard Art
Drill or punch two small holes on the ends. Spray paint or buff the lids. String them together into strands. Another idea is to create garland with drop downs of 3-5-7 from the main strand.

10. Christmas ornaments
Make a series of Christmas ornaments out of the lids by punching different patterns into the lid. Be creative by punching in patterns such as snowmen, snowflakes, Santa Claus, Christmas tree, cross, etc. Take lace and glue it to the outside circumference of the lid.

I hope these ideas will provide you with some creative uses for used canning lids. Don't have enough canning lids to make these crafts?

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Home Canning Equipment

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The public outcry over the food practices in our country is spurring a renewed interest in home canning...and for good reason! Canning your food at home insures nothing toxic goes into the food you and your family consumes. And it also tastes better! That's a win/win in my books.

Don't let the thought of canning intimidate you. It's not as hard as you may think. You also won't have to invest your life savings to start a home canning operation in your home. In fact, most of the equipment you need you probably already own. Here's a list of both the basic essentials as well as a few other things you might want to pick up as time goes by:

Essentials:

Mason Jars

You can often find these glass canning jars at garage sales for cheap. Run your finger around the rim of the jar (when buying used) to make sure you don't feel any chips or dents. Even the slightest chip will keep your jars from sealing. Most grocery stores sell jars in various sizes by the case during the summer and fall canning seasons. (NOTE: Don't use recycled mayonnaise and other condiment jars for canning--use only mason jars created for the purpose of canning.)

Seal able Jar Lids

While you can buy the jars used and re-use them over and over, jar lids need to be new. These little metal lids have a rubbery band around them that once hot, create the seal between the lid and the jar. If you're buying new jars by the case, these lids will be included. If you're re-using old jars, the lids can be purchased separately and are inexpensive.

Jar Bands or Rings

These metal rings screw down on the jar to create a snug fit between the jar and the lid. They can be re-used and don't have to be purchased new each time. If you find your running short on rings, you can take them off totally cool jars that have already been canned and sealed. You don't have to store them with the bands screwed on. Again, if you're buying new jars by the case, the rings will be included in the package, but you can purchase them separately as well.

Boiling Water Canner

This doesn't have to be as intimidating as it sounds...you can use a big stockpot or other large, deep sauce pot you already own. I canned my own jams and jellies for YEARS before I invested in a water canner (that I found at a yard sale for $5!) The pot you use needs to be large enough to have the jars you're canning completely submerged (with about 2 inches or more of water above the jar tops) and with enough room around the jars that water can move freely).

If you're using a saucepot from your kitchen, it needs to have a properly fitting lid to go with it. You will also need to either buy a wire rack (you can buy them separately in the same section as the jars in most stores) or create a homemade solution yourself so that your jars are not sitting on the bottom of the pot unprotected.

A great homemade solution I used was placing as many jar rings side by side on the bottom of the saucepan as would fit. The jars then sat on top of the rings, creating space between the pot and the jar bottoms.

Kitchen Utensils

Things like measuring cups, wooden spoons (long handled ones work best), ladles, funnels, spatulas, etc.

Non-essentials (but very helpful additions):

Jar Lifter

This tongs-like simple contraption is designed especially for safe jar lifting from boiling water baths when the jars are too hot to touch. Although it's not an essential, it's hard to can without it (I've used regular kitchen tongs before, which are tricky. The wet jars tend to want to slip from your grip and dropping a glass jar full of boiling hot food is something you definitely want to avoid!)

Lid Lifter

This is a little plastic stick with a magnet on the bottom for ease of lifting your jar lids out of the warm water you've got them sitting in while you're canning. This little lifter is totally NOT essential, but very inexpensive and quite slick. I didn't have one for years, but after I got it, I wondered why I didn't spring the 2 bucks a long time ago. I love it!

Bubble Remover and Headspace Tool

If you want to be sure about the headspace you're leaving, there's no better way than measuring it with a specially designed device to get the job done. Some people swear by them, but it's never been something I've used.

Pressure Canner

This is the most expensive investment of the whole canning process, but you can pick one up for less than $75.00 and it will last forever, at least! (I have one passed down from my grandma).

Although I didn't put it in the MUST HAVE section, it is a must have if you plan on canning low-acid things like most vegetables, meats, etc. However, there are many, many recipes you to can that don't need a pressure canner, so it's not essential for all canning. My suggestion is that if you're new to canning, try your hand with the water bath method of canning first before you dive into recipes that require pressure canning.

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Kerrie Hubbard lives in Portland, Oregon with 9 chickens, 1 cat and several small raised bed gardens. Her website, City Girl Farming ( http://www.citygirlfarming.com ) is an urban guide to raising and growing your own food in small spaces.

Canning - How to Make Homemade Apple Chutney Plus a Recipe

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During the fall season, we love to visit our local fruit orchard and pick our own apples so that we can make some homemade apple chutney.

We enjoy using this chutney as a sandwich spread or as an addition to our homemade chicken, turkey and tuna salads. If you are using it as a salad spread, cut your mayonnaise or salad dressing in half and replace the other half with the chutney.

This recipe requires the basic home canning equipment: half-pint or pint-sized mason jars, water bath canner, jar lifter, seals and rings, ladle and a funnel.

Apple Chutney Recipe

2 quarts apples

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 lbs. seedless raisins

4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup sweet red peppers, finely chopped

2 red peppers, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 1/2 tablespoons mustard seed

2 tablespoons ginger

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons table salt

4 cups white vinegar

Apple Preparation: Wash, peel, core and chop your apples, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to prevent darkening; set aside.

In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients, one at a time and stirring in between each addition. Over medium heat, simmer the mixture for 60 to 85 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Use a nonstick silicone spatula to stir the mixture every 10 minutes.

Once mixture is done cooking, ladle it into hot and clean mason jars, leaving a 1/2" head space. Use a soft cotton towel and wipe the rims clean before placing the seal and ring onto your jar.

Process jars in your water bath canner for 10 to 15 minutes or according to manufacturers instructions. Once they are done, carefully remove them from the water and let them cool in a non-drafty area of your kitchen. After 2 hours have passed, recheck your jars to make sure they have all sealed properly.

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Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends and trying out new recipes. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes and cooking tips.

Home Canning - How to Make Homemade Pear Marmalade

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When it comes to home canning, one of the easiest recipes you can make is some type of fruit marmalade and this pear marmalade recipe is no exception.

You will need your basic home canning supplies: water bath canner, half-pint or pint-sized mason jars, seals and rings, jar lifter, ladle, silicone nonstick spatula and a funnel.

If you enjoy giving homemade food gifts during the holiday season, this is a nice one to make and give as a gift. If you seal your mason jars correctly, this marmalade should last for up to 1 year.

Pear Marmalade Recipe

4 lbs. fresh pears

8 cups granulated sugar

2 cups tap water

4 fresh oranges

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange rind

Wash and remove stems and leaves from pears. Peel off the skins and chop the flesh up into small pieces. Peel the skin off the oranges and discard the seeds and membranes. Reserve one small piece of the orange rind and finely grate it until you have 1 1/2 teaspoons of finely grated orange rind. Chop the flesh of the oranges into small pieces.

In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until the mixture thickens. You will need to stir the mixture every 8 to 10 minutes using a nonstick silicone spatula to keep it from sticking to the pot.

Wash and clean your half-pint or pint-sized mason jars. You will want to warm up your jars using your oven set at 200 degrees F. Remove jars from the oven, one at a time. Ladle the hot mixture into clean warm jars leaving a 1/2" head space. Wipe the jar rim clean with a soft cotton towel. Place ring and seal onto the jar.

Process jars in your water bath canner for 10 minutes or according to manufacturers instructions.

This recipe will make approximately 4 to 5 half-pint jars of marmalade.

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Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends and trying out new recipes. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes and cooking tips.

The Right Use Of Jars And Lids In Home Canning

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Glass jars are no doubt the very best way to proceed in home canning whether it be pressure canning or boiling water bath canning. I would never use metal containers because of the one-time use and most importantly the requirement and expense of sealing equipment in using metal cans.

The Mason jar with its regular and wide mouths with the open threaded neck for the ring and lids that Seal are definitely the best for home canning. Your Mason jar requires only lids each time of use in home canning.You must wash the jars before every use in hot water. The use of a mild detergent is necessary with a complete rinse after such a cleaning. This will not sterilize the jars but it does clean the jars for prolonged water boiling or pressure canning.

However if your are thinking about preparing jams,jellies or pickled items,then it requires sterilization of your jars in the home canning procedure. This is a simple procedure and easily accomplished by placing the empty jars into a boiling water canner. You fill both the jars and canner with hot,but not boiling water, to one inch above the jar mouth. This should be boiled for ten minutes at altitudes of less then 1000 feet and add an additional minute for every 1000 foot change in altitude. I will provide a reference at the end where you can locate a chart on this complete procedure.

The jar requires a good lid and sealing gasket. In the processing of foods the lid gasket seals the jar sealing surface but leaves enough space to allow air to escape from the jar allowing the gasket to form a airtight seal on your home canning jar. I would purchase only the number of lids that you will need in your home canning endeavors for one season. In this way you can be assured that you have fresh lids and gaskets.

Now you have your jars filled and in order to release the air bubbles using a flat plastic spatula,no metal please,insert between the food and the edge of the jar. Moving the jar slowly in a circle,push the spatula up and down to encourage the release and escape of air bubbles.You should clean the rim of the jar removing any particles that would prevent an air tight seal.

You are now ready for action! Proceed to place the lid gasket on to the cleaned rim of your jar and fit the flat metal lid into the metal screw ring and turn it slowly down on to the gasket being careful not to over tighten the lid in this procedure. It is time to process your filled jars and when this is done carefully remove home canning jars with a jar grip remover.

It will not be necessary to re-tightened the lids. The cooling of the jars results in the contents of the jar to contract which in turn pulls the self sealing lid firmly to the mouth of the jar resulting in a high vacuum being formed. The jars should be cooled for twelve to twenty four hours at room temperature in an upright position.

Then it is time to remove the screw rings from the jars and begin testing each lid for the proper seal. This is easily done by pressing the center of the lid to see if it is concave. Then lift the jar by its lid to see if it will come off and if you cannot accomplish and the center does not want to flex up or down you have a good seal and your home canning is concluded.

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An excellent chart detailing the exact altitudes and more information on boiling water bath canning can be found at http://www.gardenersgardening.com/boilingwaterbathcanning.html In addition if you want to be informed on the types of tools,jars and other equipment necessary for home canning go to http://www.gardenersgardening.com/homecanning.html

Home Canning Tips

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Home canning can be one of the most rewarding projects that you can do for your family. Knowing that the food that you are baking with is fresh and has not been filled with additives or preservatives can be very comforting and satisfying. With so many upsides to this process that our grandmother's used to do all the time, why is it that it has become a lost art in many homes? Simple, people tend to steer away from things they do not know how to do. Home canning is a process that is not hard for even the novice to learn and can end up saving you money in the long run, and with a few tips, who knows, you might even become an expert.

There are many different recipes from jellies, jams, preserves, whole fruits, vegetables, and much much more that you can preserve through home canning, and you can usually find many of these either from friends and family or online. The focus of our home canning tips will be on the process of canning itself and some of the problems that you might run into. The three areas that we will discuss is: Setting, Sealing and Storing. Many people are frustrated with these areas in one way or another, but I have a few tips that you might find helpful and it just might change your attitude toward canning at home.

Setting

How many of you have been so excited to make your very own strawberry jam only to be disappointed to find out that you made strawberry syrup instead? Learning how to tell if your jelly or jam will set can be tricky at first but hopefully with a few tips, you will get the hang of it. Whether or not your jam or jelly is going to set can be contingent on a number of factors.

Let's talk about Pectin, Baby:

There are several things that you will need to consider whenever you are adding pectin to your jam or jelly, the first being, whether or not you will be adding it. There are some recipes out there that you can use that do not add pectin if you would like to go this route, but as we will discuss later, ratio is important. So do not take a recipe that has directions to add pectin and decide that you will try to make it work without pectin, because it will not work. If you are using pectin, you need to make sure that the pectin you are using is recent and has not been sitting on your shelf for very long. Pectin can and will expire and this will affect the gelling process of your jelly or jam. I always just wait until I decide to make a jam or jelly before I go and buy my pectin.

Many different fruits have different amounts of pectin already in them so for instance, I usually do not have to use the whole bag of pectin when I am making blackberry jam, but when I am making strawberry jam I definitely have to use the whole bag. Usually fruits will have enough pectin in them to help you along in the setting process. The frustrating task is working with certain vegetables or peppers and getting them to set because they naturally have less pectin in them. A good rule of thumb is to look up online how much pectin might be in your selected fruit or vegetable before you start making the jelly. For instance, blackberry jam= 1/2 bag of pectin, strawberry jam = one bag of pectin, hot pepper jelly = 2 bags of pectin.

As if this is not enough to consider, let's throw another monkey into the wrench and look at dry pectin versus liquid pectin. In my experience I have had to use two bags of liquid pectin to get the same results of one bag of dry. I am sure that this probably varies from person to person. Also, there are different recipes for liquid pectin and dry pectin as you put them into the recipe at different times. Liquid pectin will usually go in after the sugar has been entered whereas dry pectin will be entered before the sugar. I know I know, you are probably ready to go to the store instead and just buy the jelly off the shelf. The trick is to find a process that works for you, and stick with it. I would suggest finding the process that works best for you and sticking with it for a while, so that you can really understand what you are doing whenever you do decide to try to switch it up.

One last thing about pectin before we leave it. There are some types of pectin products that you can use that do not require you to add sugar such as, Pomona. Again there are specific recipes that you will need to look at to get the right ratios, but these are usually very helpful for the diabetics out there that would like to can their own jelly or jam without all the added sugar.

Ripe or not ripe...that is the question

As my grandmother used to say, "Somewhere in the middle is good." The trick is, finding out where the middle actually is. If you get your fruit before they are ripe, it will not set, if you get your fruit late in the season, it most likely won't set. It is difficult to work with but knowing the age of the fruit and vegetables you are working with is very important. This is why work with produce that has been bought at a grocery store can be frustrating at best. If you do not have your own garden or fruit trees, I would suggest going to a farmer's market or an orchard where you know where your food has come from. I don't say this because of some biological scare or pesticides or hormone fears blah blah blah. It is just overall less frustrating in the end.

And finally if you are still having trouble with your jam or jelly setting, you might need to look at the ratio of ingredients you are using in your recipe. Compare it with other recipes that you may come across with. Try different recipes. When I made my first batch of jelly, I became so consumed with following the recipe to the letter that I was ignoring the process. I followed the directions, rolling boil, add pectin, stir one min, add sugar, stir, rolling boil for one min, put in jars. I did it perfectly, but, guess what. It didn't set. A couple tips that you can use during this process: Use a stainless steel slotted spoon and test your jelly on a cold plate. Stop worrying about 1 minute here 2 minutes here and notices the process. Before I even put my fruit on the oven, I will put a plate in the freezer. When I add the pectin in, I make sure that all of the pectin has dissolved and that none of it has clumped together. Then as I am stirring after I have added the sugar, I will take the cold plate out of the freezer and once all the sugar is dissolved I will put a small sample on the plate and set it aside and then continue to stir on a reduced heat. After a minute, I will run my finger down the middle of the sample of jelly or jam that I have put on the plate and there should be a clear mark down the middle of the plate with no jam or jelly in it. If the jelly runs back in, I know I need to add more pectin or cook for a little longer. Some will add more sugar, but I find that jelly/jam usually has plenty of sugar in it already and that by adding more this will usually make it too sweet.

Sealing

So you finally made the recipe, and you can tell your jelly or jam is going to set properly and now you want to make sure that it seals. One of the biggest mistakes that is made most commonly by many many people, including myself, is reusing lids. I know that this can be very tempting, and I understand that it is very hard to throw the other lids out and buy new ones, but trust me...it's better this way.

Reusing lids = not a good idea

In the end, it usually just ends in frustration. A good tip for home canning, if it could possibly lead to frustration later, don't do it. The markets will sell the lids separately so you can reuse the jars and the rings, but lids do need to be a reinvestment that you plan on making each year. Another mistake that is very commonly made is the idea that you can reuse food jars that you bought at the grocery store. You can make a small investment into mason jars that you can continually reuse each year and store easily. If you reuse the food jars, you will not be able to reseal the lids and the integrity of the glass was not made for continual heating and reheating that is needed in order to process the jars properly.

Before you use your jars make sure you check the top ring of your jars for any cracks or dings that you may find. Many might not think this is a big deal, but these dings and cracks can definitely affect the sealing of your jars and can cause your food to go bad. Another tip is to make sure that the food you are processing does not end up on the rim of the jar. You can easily avoid this by measuring and making sure that whatever you are storing in the jar is at least 1/8 of and inch from the rim, and then wipe any excess food off the rim before sealing. Make sure to warm your lids to almost boiling temp before placing on jars for maximum seal.

Storing

This may not seem like a very important topic when it comes to home canning tips, but I believe that these may be the most important tips of this entire article. Many people have different systems or shelves or pantries that they use to store their home canned goods and you can get many of these ideas online. There are some important things to remember whenever you are looking for a place to store your home canned goods.

A big tip for storing your home canned items is to label them, what they are, the date they were processed, etc. Also, be sure to store the older items at the front to make sure that you eat them first. Temperature is also a very important consideration in your choice of storage. It is important that you store your items in a place that can maintain a temperature between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people like to freeze their food. If you would like to do this, I would suggest looking into some of the freezable plastic containers that can be used to store food safely in the freezer. Do not use your glass jars to store in the freezer because it could lead to them being broken for starters. I can also break the seal that you had on the lid causing the food to become freezer burned or at best mushy. You also want to make sure that the area you choose is out of the sunlight and not near moisture. High temperatures can cause your food to spoil, and sunlight can cause your food to lose nutrition so it is best to keep them in a dry dark place. For these reasons many people choose to store them in a basement, but make sure that they will not be exposed to moisture down there because moisture can cause the lids to corrode and eventually unseal.

As you can see, there is much to consider when you are learning the fine art of home canning. The most important tip I can give you is to advise you to figure out your own process that works best for you and gets the best results. This will most likely mean that you will have to mess up some batches, and as frustrating as this might be, I have learned the more from some of the messes I have made than some of the successes. Those of you starting out on your home canning adventure, good luck to you, and enjoy the process of learning a dying art.

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