Summer’s here and that can only mean that the harvests are soon to start and canning season arrives. Canning season used to be like the festive holidays in winter; you know they are going to happen every year but somehow I was never quite prepared and would often scramble around last minute to save my preserving efforts. Read on to learn from my mistakes. Caution this post contains adult language.
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Caution: this post contains adult language, reader discretion is advised.
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Confessions of an Unorganized Canner
I’m going to share a story with you about my disorganization when it comes to canning. Last year, I was in the middle of canning. Like elbow deep in a saucepan in the middle of making strawberry jam and I realized that we didn’t have enough jelly jars.
Well, shit.
I pulled the jam off the heat and poured what I could of my English strawberry conserve into a jar and off I headed to the grocery store to get more jars. They were out. So over I went to the big box store that begins with a W, they were also out. I went to the other grocery stores nearby. Also out. Finally, I went to the farm supply store. I must have been looking really stressed because people were diving out of my way as I walked through the store to the aisle where the canning supplies were.
I reached the aisle filled with clean glittering mason jars………………..it was empty.
W. T. F.
This was not turning out to be my day and although no amount of good old English cussing helped, a large glass of whisky helped to see my canning dilemma in a new light and that I had burnt the jam. I put the jam into some plastic food containers and popped them in the fridge to use in rice pudding, oatmeal, on toast, or in a good old fashioned jam tart.
Straight up confession here folks. Every year for the last 4 years, I have lived in Utah, July has arrived, and when the beans or the tomatoes would ripen and I would spot the first ripe fruit; my first thought would be “Oh Shit. I don’t have any canning supplies!”. In an attempt to help first-time canners or those of you new to gardening or homesteading, I want to share my mistakes with not being prepared for the canning season so you can get organized and not end up doing the mad dash around 3 different towns trying to find the supplies you need as I did!
Canning Season Mistake #1: No Jars
Ok, so the first mistake catching you with your pants down during canning season is starting to make jam, chutney, jelly, pickles or whatever else without the jars. Get the jars you need for the recipe and get an extra case if you can stretch to it. The reason I say to get a second case is sometimes, jars crack and break and it makes all the difference to how smoothly your canning session will run if you have spares on hand.
Canning Season Mistake #2: No Lids & Bands
The Eater Of Socks has a new pal in my laundry room and his buddy is the Eater Of Lids & Bands. Canning lids and bands are like socks disappearing in the laundry room. After the jars are used, washed and dried, put a lid and band back on them. Not only does this keep the dust, dirt, debris, and spiders out of the jars, it also keeps the lids, bands, and jars together.
Sometimes lids or bands will rust, get damaged or the rubber seal is no longer good. Don’t let that ruin your canning groove, have a box of spares ready to go for the sizes you typically use.
Canning Season Mistake #3: Ingredient Shortage
As you are stocking up on your jars, lids and bands stock up on the basics for making your planned recipes; for example, if you are into jams and jelly’s stock up on the sugar if you are a pickle fan stock up on the distilled white vinegar and pickling spice, chutney makers will need malt vinegar in bulk and brown sugar.
Sometimes your vegetable or herb ingredients don’t always plan out in the garden either. Last year, I had planned on making dilly pickles with dill from the garden and cucumbers straight off the vine. Unfortunately, the cucumbers were not ready when the dill was and vice versa and this sometimes happens. Luckily a friend had the dill when the cukes were ready and I substituted zucchini for the cucumbers. They were surprisingly good.
Canning Season Mistake #4: Not Using The Right Canner
Not a mistake I’ve made, I take food safety risks very seriously but I know people do not pressure can. You must pressure can foods like beans, asparagus, and other low acid vegetables, meat, poultry, or fish. Water bath canning just doesn’t cut it. Do not risk Botulism aka harmful bacteria which can lead to a serious case of being hospitalized or worse. Do yourself a favor, invest in a pressure canner. It’s cheaper than a hospital visit or a funeral and they are not the terrifying pressure canners today than they were years ago. Follow the directions that come with your canner or check out your model on YouTube to see how to use it.
Canning Season Mistake #5: Not Taking Altitude Into Account
I have made this mistake, unfortunately. If you live at higher altitudes, your canning time will increase. The amount you must increase it by is usually listed in the recipe book. I like to use the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Canning Season Mistake #6: Overfilling Jars
Follow the recipe guidelines on how high to fill the jars. The headspace is needed to create the right amount of steam and pressure inside the jar to seal it. It is also recommended to replace the lids each season as the inner seal will wear out.
Canning Season Mistake #7: Not Inspecting Jars Before Use
Inspect your jars for cracks and chips before use and check them again after sanitizing for any small fractures caused by the hot water.
Faulty jars will not seal or will break in the canner and hot murky water with broken glass isn’t fun.
Resources
With a bit of proper planning, you should be well prepared for canning season. This is the first year I have all the jars and lids ready to go along with all the ingredients I need for some of my regular canning recipes. I love to use dissolvable canning labels
To get the most out of canning season follow the recipes including using the correct type of canner and avoid overfilling the jars and always process your food in the canner for the required amount of time taking into account your altitude.
If you want some further reading about canning take a look at:
Canning a Year’s Supply of Food via Melissa K Norris
Never Canned? via The Domestic Wildflower
Ball Canning Back to Basics: A Foolproof Guide to Canning Jams, Jellies, Pickles, and More
What’s your biggest canning mistake? Let me know in the comments.
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