Water-bath canning is a traditional and easy method of canning. It allows you to keep tomato sauce, pickles, and jam. Using boiling water locks in the flavor of your food for the whole year. This can help you save money on some pantry essentials. Below are some important details about canning vegetables with the water-bath technique:
- Have the right cooking surface.
Do not use a dishwasher, gas, or electric stovetop as a canning surface. The USDA says that a smooth cooking surface made of glass is the ideal surface to use.
- Heat up the jars first.
Clean the jars and place them in a large pot first. Cover the jars with water and boil them for 10 minutes. The lids available today do not need heat activation anymore if they are clean and new.
- Heat the canning pot separately.
Make sure to simmer at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the water simmering until you have simmered each jar.
- Fill the dry jars.
Fill them with your prepared recipe while they are still hot. Using a wide-mouth funnel can help the most. Leave half an inch or a quarter inch of headspace.
- Clear the bubbles.
Do this by swirling the sides of the jar with a canning wand or spatula.
- Remove food residue.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp cloth. Place the lid on each jar and the band around each lid. Make sure that the lid is not screwed on too tightly.
- Boil the filled cans.
Do not let the jars touch each other. About one to two inches of water must cover the jars. Add more hot water if you need to. Boil them for 10 minutes or according to your recipe. Then, let the jar rest for about five to 10 minutes in the canner.
- Remove the jars.
Let them cool on a towel while keeping them apart. Leave them for 12 to 24 hours. Do not touch or re-tighten the jars while they cool.
Store the jars in a cool, dark, and dry place for up to a year. Once you see that the lid is broken or if the contents look or smell strange, do eat anymore. It is better to consume before the jars reach a year old.