Canning and preserving seem more appropriate for June Cleaver types than our current 30-minute-meal society. But if everyone’s curing meat and making moonshine, shouldn’t canning also be an urbanite hobby?
Preserving—in jars or cans, but often called simply canning—is a cooking paradox. It’s simultaneously simple (a food’s life span is extended) yet complicated (it requires a precise amount of acid and heat). Get it right, and you’ll have flavorful whole fruit and tasty spreads for a full year; get it wrong, and you’ll have a jar of mold and funk. In fact, that’s all preserving is: just a method to destroy active bacteria and make your canned goods shelf stable.
The USDA advocates two methods to preserve produce: the boiling water method and pressure canning. We used the boiling water method, in which all the food gets packed in jars, then placed in boiling water for a specific amount of time. This method is safe, easy, and doesn’t require that you buy a steamer. For more information, see our section on canning resources.
The boiling water method should only be used for high-acid foods (meaning they have a pH lower than 4.6) such as fruit and tomatoes. (We used low-acid vegetables in our pickle, but the pickling process makes them stable before canning.) If you’re not sure about the pH of your produce, test it with some litmus strips à la high school chemistry. This may seem overcautious, but it will ensure you don’t have unwanted occupants multiplying once the food is processed. If you feel the need to dork out on more canning terms, check out this website.
We chose four recipes that are representative of four common methods of preserving: whole fruit, sweet spreads, condiments, and pickles. Just select your produce and the type of preserves, and go from there.
For additional inspiration, watch preserving authority June Taylor in our Obsessives video.
Before You Start
We’re assuming that you already have basic tools lying around (like cutting boards, bowls, a zester, and measuring cups), so here’s the special equipment you’ll need:
Wide-mouth canning jars (number and size determined in the recipes)
Lids with sealing compound for wide-mouth jars
Bands for wide-mouth jars
Boiling water canner or 15- to 20-quart pot with a tightfitting lid
Canning rack that fits inside the boiling water canner or 15- to 20-quart pot
Thin, flexible rubber spatula
Deep-frying/candy thermometer
Sanitizing the Jars, Lids, & Bands
Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse them well. Dry the lids and bands, and set them aside.
Place the jars in a boiling water canner or a 15- to 20-quart pot fitted with a canning rack and a lid. Fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Keep the jars in the hot water until you’re ready to use them, removing one at a time as needed.
Four Different Methods to Pack and Process [ Choose a Scenario ]
Rinse the tomatoes and cut a shallow X shape just through the skin into the bottom of each.
Fill a large pot (6 to 8 quarts) with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice water bath. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water until their skins loosen and start to pull back, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to the ice water bath, and reserve the blanching water.
Peel the tomatoes, cut out the cores, and return the peeled tomatoes to the blanching water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil for 5 minutes.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, remove the jars from the hot water using a jar lifter, letting the excess water drip off. Bring the water in the canner back to a simmer (about 180°F) for processing the packed jars.
Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to each sanitized jar.
Distribute the tomatoes and basil leaves among the jars, crushing the tomatoes if necessary to fit, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace.
To remove any air bubbles, slide a clean rubber spatula down the side of each jar and press inward on the tomatoes while rotating the jar; repeat 3 to 4 times for each jar.
Processing the Packed Jars
Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a clean, damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, checking that the sealing compound is centered. Fit the jars with bands and tighten just until resistance is met.
Do not retighten the bands; let the jars cool at least 12 hours.
Check that the water in the pot or boiling water canner is at a simmer (about 180°F), and set the jars in the canning rack. (The jars must be covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Add additional boiling water as necessary.)
After the jars have cooled, check for a seal by pressing the center of each lid. If the center is concave and does not flex, remove the band and try to lift off the lid with your fingertips (don’t pull too hard). If you cannot lift the lid, there is a good vacuum seal. If the lid pops off, your jar did not properly seal. Eat the preserves within the time indicated in the recipe.
Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Process the jars at a gentle but steady boil for the time indicated in each recipe. (Begin calculating the processing time once the water is at a rolling boil. Check occasionally that the water remains at a steady boil.)
To store properly processed jars, wipe each lid and jar with a clean, damp cloth (the bands don’t need to stay on for storage); label the jars; and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Unopened jars can be kept up to a year when stored properly. Once opened, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within the time indicated in each recipe.
Once the jars are processed, remove them with a jar lifter and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel.
Place a plate in the freezer to chill for testing the jam.
Place the blueberries in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon until some of the berries are broken up and they start to release their juice.
Add the sugar and apple peel to the crushed berries and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil vigorously, stirring frequently, until the jam reaches its setting point, about 15 minutes. (Bubbles will rise to surface of the pan; if they get too high, just stir the jam until they decrease.)
Once the jam reaches 228°F, start checking if it is properly set.
To test if the jam is ready, put a spoonful on the chilled plate, and place it in the freezer until the jam reaches room temperature, about 1 minute. Draw your finger through the jam. If it immediately runs back together, it is not ready.
Once the jam is ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Remove the jars from the hot water with a jar lifter, letting the excess water drip off. Bring the water in the canner back to a simmer (about 180°F) for processing the packed jars.
Fill the sterilized jars with jam, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. (If you have a half-full jar, place it in the refrigerator and eat the jam within 5 days.)
To remove any air bubbles, slide a clean rubber spatula down the side of each jar and press inward on the jam while rotating the jar; repeat 2 to 3 times for each jar.
Processing the Packed Jars
Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a clean, damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, checking that the sealing compound is centered. Fit the jars with bands and tighten just until resistance is met.
Do not retighten the bands; let the jars cool at least 12 hours.
Check that the water in the pot or boiling water canner is at a simmer (about 180°F), and set the jars in the canning rack. (The jars must be covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Add additional boiling water as necessary.)
After the jars have cooled, check for a seal by pressing the center of each lid. If the center is concave and does not flex, remove the band and try to lift off the lid with your fingertips (don’t pull too hard). If you cannot lift the lid, there is a good vacuum seal. If the lid pops off, your jar did not properly seal. Eat the preserves within the time indicated in the recipe.
Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Process the jars at a gentle but steady boil for the time indicated in each recipe. (Begin calculating the processing time once the water is at a rolling boil. Check occasionally that the water remains at a steady boil.)
To store properly processed jars, wipe each lid and jar with a clean, damp cloth (the bands don’t need to stay on for storage); label the jars; and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Unopened jars can be kept up to a year when stored properly. Once opened, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within the time indicated in each recipe.
Once the jars are processed, remove them with a jar lifter and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel.
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Let cook, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, or until the chutney is reduced by one-third.
Continue cooking, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn’t burn, another 10 minutes until the chutney is syrupy.
When the chutney is ready, remove the jars from the hot water with a jar lifter, letting the excess water drip off. Bring the water in the canner back to a simmer (about 180°F) for processing the packed jars.
Remove the chutney from the heat, and fill the sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace.
To remove any air bubbles, slide a clean rubber spatula down the side of each jar and press inward on the chutney while rotating the jar; repeat 2 to 3 times for each jar.
Processing the Packed Jars
Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a clean, damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, checking that the sealing compound is centered. Fit the jars with bands and tighten just until resistance is met.
Do not retighten the bands; let the jars cool at least 12 hours.
Check that the water in the pot or boiling water canner is at a simmer (about 180°F), and set the jars in the canning rack. (The jars must be covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Add additional boiling water as necessary.)
After the jars have cooled, check for a seal by pressing the center of each lid. If the center is concave and does not flex, remove the band and try to lift off the lid with your fingertips (don’t pull too hard). If you cannot lift the lid, there is a good vacuum seal. If the lid pops off, your jar did not properly seal. Eat the preserves within the time indicated in the recipe.
Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Process the jars at a gentle but steady boil for the time indicated in each recipe. (Begin calculating the processing time once the water is at a rolling boil. Check occasionally that the water remains at a steady boil.)
To store properly processed jars, wipe each lid and jar with a clean, damp cloth (the bands don’t need to stay on for storage); label the jars; and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Unopened jars can be kept up to a year when stored properly. Once opened, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within the time indicated in each recipe.
Once the jars are processed, remove them with a jar lifter and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel.
Place the salt in a large nonreactive heat-resistant container and cover with water. Add enough ice to equal 1 gallon total brining liquid.
Stir to dissolve the salt; add the onions. Keep the onions submerged by covering them with a plastic resealable bag filled with water.
Refrigerate and let the onions brine for 12 to 24 hours.
Strain the onions and rinse them.
Bring the sugar, mustard seeds, vinegar, and red chile flakes to a boil over medium heat and whisk to combine.
Simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Keep the pickling liquid hot while packing the jars, but do not let it boil.
Remove the jars from the hot water with a jar lifter, letting the excess water drip off. Bring the water in the canner back to a simmer (about 180°F) for processing the packed jars.
Distribute the onions and bay leaves among the sterilized jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace.
Cover the onions with the hot pickling liquid, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. (If there is leftover pickling liquid, it can be used for a quick pickle. To do so, fill a clean jar with peeled onions, cover them with the pickling liquid, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before eating. Eat within 2 weeks.)
To remove any air bubbles, slide a clean rubber spatula down the side of each jar and press inward on the onions while rotating the jar; repeat 5 to 6 times for each jar.
Processing the Packed Jars
Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a clean, damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, checking that the sealing compound is centered. Fit the jars with bands and tighten just until resistance is met.
Do not retighten the bands; let the jars cool at least 12 hours.
Check that the water in the pot or boiling water canner is at a simmer (about 180°F), and set the jars in the canning rack. (The jars must be covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Add additional boiling water as necessary.)
After the jars have cooled, check for a seal by pressing the center of each lid. If the center is concave and does not flex, remove the band and try to lift off the lid with your fingertips (don’t pull too hard). If you cannot lift the lid, there is a good vacuum seal. If the lid pops off, your jar did not properly seal. Eat the preserves within the time indicated in the recipe.
Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Process the jars at a gentle but steady boil for the time indicated in each recipe. (Begin calculating the processing time once the water is at a rolling boil. Check occasionally that the water remains at a steady boil.)
To store properly processed jars, wipe each lid and jar with a clean, damp cloth (the bands don’t need to stay on for storage); label the jars; and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Unopened jars can be kept up to a year when stored properly. Once opened, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within the time indicated in each recipe.
Once the jars are processed, remove them with a jar lifter and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel.
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