Equipment You Need For Canning
Canning is a food preservation method that involves putting foods in glass jars with metal lids, saturating them in boiling water to create a vacuum seal and destroying any dangerous microorganisms that could grow to a lethal amount. Canning is easy, but it's important that it's done properly. This is an amazing way to save money, reduce food waste, be more self sufficient and prepared and create good quality, customized food where you know exactly what you will be ingesting.
We’re talking about the water bath canning method, as that is what I am most familiar with and currently the only method I use. You can can (no, that’s not a typo) a wide variety of foods. The shorter list is, what can’t you can? You can preserve sauces, salsas, fruits, veggies, pie fillings, jams and more. Properly sealed cans should be stored in a cool, dark place. Your foods will be of highest quality if eaten within a year. Come late summer, my recipe section will be filled with great preserve recipes.
If the lid of the jar is raised, bowed out or there is mold (obviously) forming in the jar - throw it away. Lids should be clean and rust, dent and crack free. As should the jars. If you will be processing the jars for less than 10 minutes after filling them, you must sterilize the jars and their lids before using them. You can do this by submerging them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Proper canning equipment is so important for your safety as well as food safety. You’re working with hot glass, hot metal, hot food and boiling water. You also need to work smart, especially when working with food preservation. Below you will find equipment that is absolutely essential for canning, as well as tools that are just nice to have and make the job a little easier. We still want to be cost effective!
If you want to save some time, there are absolutely amazing water bath canning kits that have virtually all of the essentials. It looks super cute too.
Glass Jars and lids - of course.
Clean jars and lids that are in good condition are a must-have. You can find mason jars at your local grocery or home supply store and even online. It’s helpful to have a variety of jar sizes on hand depending on what you will be preserving.
Large stockpot with pot rack or water bath canning pot.
A large stockpot (or water bath canner) that will allow jars to be fully saturated in water is essential. A water bath canner really is handy because it already has a wire rack on the bottom to keep your jars off of the direct heat.
Funnels
We want to avoid spills, mess and waste. It’s handy to have a variety of funnels on hand with different spout sizes depending on what you will be canning. Metal funnels are ideal as you’re working with hot foods.
Steel Ladle
You need to transfer your food to the jar somehow…
Bubble popper and magnetic lid remover
Using a bubble popper is great for jams and jellies, basically to remove air bubbles before processing from thicker preserves. A magnetic lid lifter helps you safely remove hot lids from boiling water after sterilizing.
Jar Wrench
Jar wrenches are great to tighten and loosen jars that may have sealed a little too tight.
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