Family & Consumer Science News
Preserve Your Sanity during Canning Season
By Terri Black County Extension Agent

If you've preserved any type of food before, you know how easy it can be to lose your sanity during the ordeal. You have probably wished that you were born with extra hands as sinks overflow, timers beep, pots boil, and counter space vanishes into thin air. At times, it is enough for you to exclaim that maybe stuff from the grocery store doesn't taste that much different after all. While it is unlikely that you will sprout an extra set of hands anytime soon, it is a relief to know that many planning and preparation steps can be taken care of ahead of time. Making sure you have the proper equipment and supplies and checking that they are in good condition can go a long way to help ensure that your canning experience is a success.

If you plan to can your garden's goodies, have the right type of can- ner for the product. Canning lowacid vegetables, meats, fish and poultry requires the use of a pressure canner. There are two types of pressure canners available: a dial gauge type and a weighted gauge type. Dial gauge canners use a dial gauge to show the pressure inside the canner. It is necessary to have the dial gauge tested for accuracy before each canning season. If your canner has a rubber gasket, make sure it is flexible and soft, not brittle, sticky or cracked. Also, check the openings on any small pipes or vent ports to be sure they are clean and clear of any debris.

A boiling water canner can be used for canning foods that contain acid like fruits, pickles, jellies and jams. This can be any pot deep enough to cover your jars with one to two inches of water and has a lid that fits securely. Pressure canners and boiling water canners should both have a rack in the bottom used to keep jars off the bottom of the canner.

Ensure that you have all of the ingredients you need and don't forget to check dates on labels ahead of time to see that products are fresh. Do not use out-of-date ingredients in your preserved foods just hoping for the best. If the directions you will be using call for specific products like ClearJel®, a special modified food starch for canning pie fillings, don't start canning and then run to the store for more. You won't find it there. Some products, like ClearJel®, must be ordered ahead of time. Don't forget the lemon juice or citric acid to add to your tomatoes! Also, don't assume that products are interchangeable. For example, in most recipes, liquid pectin cannot be used to replace powdered pectin. Be sure that you know the specific details of recipe ingredients.

Canning jars should be inspected every year for nicks, cracks or chips. When inspecting the jars pay careful attention to the condition of the top sealing edge. With time and repeated use jars can weaken and break under pressure and heat. If jars are very old or damaged replace them. Purchasing new jars is a better investment than buying used jars from yard sales or flea markets.

USDA guidelines recommend jars with two-piece self-sealing metal lids. The best types of jars are mason-type jars that are specifically designed for home canning. The flat lid component of the two-piece self-sealing metal lids MUST be replaced every canning season. The screw band component of the two-piece lid system can be reused from season to season as long as they are not bent, dented or rusted.

The Burke County Extension Office can provide you with proven canning directions that are safe and up-to-date. You may also obtain canning information from the National Center for Home Food Preservation website at www.uga.edu/nchfp.

Finally, don't forget to wash your hands, tie back your hair and wear sensible closed-toe shoes, clean clothes and a clean apron. You won't have time to go to the emergency room for your broken toe in the middle of freezing your squash. Wear sturdy shoes that can withstand that dropped pot. Keep bacteria out of your food by washing your hands and forearms under warm running water with soap while rubbing them to help remove bacteria. Do this for at least 20 seconds before you touch food and utensils, after you take a bathroom break, tie a shoelace, wipe a nose, remove your curious pet from the kitchen, or do anything else that may increase the likelihood of spreading bacteria to your food.

Please contact us at (706) 554- 2119 with canning questions or concerns, to learn how to order canning products that are unavailable locally, or to locate safe, upto date canning recipes.