If you’re like us, then there are probably tons of talents your grandmother had in her arsenal that you wish you’d personally adopted (ahem, there’s also a book for that!). Among these skills is the art of canning. Essential when preserving marmalade, marinara, applesauce and pickles, canning is a surprisingly simple process when you have the right tools. And once you’ve started canning, odds are you’ll be finding excuses to use the technique all year long. Keep reading to see our handy printable guide and the canning process in action.
Can you do the can-can? We think you can… (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)
Tools:
– magnetic lid lifter
– jar lifter
– canning rack
– funnel
– Ball brand ½ pint mason jars
– 20 quart stock pot
– our nifty printable canning guide (download here!)
Instructions:
1. Place the canning rack at the bottom of the stock pot.
2. Fill with water — just enough to cover the jars.
3. Place the jars and lids inside of the hot water bath and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove the lids with the magnetic lid lifter.
5. Remove the jars from the bath with the jar lifter.
6. When your preserves are ready, ladle them into the sterilized jars with a funnel.
7. Seal the jars by placing the lid on and screwing the lid ring tightly.
8. Place the jars inside the hot water bath again.
9. Boil for about 10 minutes, then remove the jars.
10. Let jars cool and dry before storing. You may hear a popping noise from the lids of the jars, which will signal that the jars are sealed.
We put the canning technique to use to make three types of boozy marmalade.
First up — download and print our handy canning guide here.
We need to sterilize the jars and lids by boiling them in hot water. Place the canning rack at the bottom of the stock pot. Fill with water — just enough to cover the jars. Place the jars and lids in the hot water bath and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove the lids with the magnetic lid lifter. Remove the jars from the bath with the jar lifter.
When your preserves are ready, ladle them into the sterilized jars using a funnel. Leave about ¼-inch of head space. Seal the jars by placing the lid on and screwing the lid ring tightly. Place the jars inside the hot water bath again. Boil for about 10 minutes, then remove the jars. Let jars cool and dry before storing. You may hear a popping noise from the lids of the jars, which signals that the jars are sealed.
Ta-daaah! Now you can confidently can candied carrots, Canadian cannelini beans, and cantankerous canola oil to your heart’s content!
Ready to put your canning talents into action? Check out our boozy marmalade tutorial or one of our favorite pickle recipes.
