Do's and Don'ts of Canning
Return to the canning menu.|
From jams
and jellies to canning, preserving food at home is one way to enjoy throughout
the year the variety of high quality fruits and vegetables grown here in New
Hampshire. In a recent nationwide survey, 27% of the households responding reported canning food at home. The most common foods preserved at home were vegetables (71%), tomatoes and tomato products (60%), and fruits and fruit products (47%). About 48% of the home canners responding to the survey got their information and instructions from friends and relatives, while 19% used a cookbook. From the results of this nationwide survey there are many errors, misconceptions and myths about how to preserve food safely at home. Let's look at four of these common misconceptions in greater detail. |
Use Up to Date Canning Recipes |
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Misconception Number 1: I use my grandmother's favorite canning recipes,
or a canning cookbook that was published before 1992. Do This Instead: Preserving food safely at home is an evolving science, so tested recipes and recommended methods are constantly being updated based on current research. Older editions of cookbooks or books about canning are likely outdated. Whether you're a beginner or have preserved food for many years, contact your local Cooperative Extension service each year BEFORE you begin to preserve food at home. They can provide you with fact sheets or resources for the latest research-based information on canning, pickling, freezing and drying food. |
Use Up to Date Canning Methods |
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Misconception Number 2: My mom taught me how to
seal jars of jam using paraffin wax, she's been canning for years and knows what she's doing.
Do This Instead: This is a good example of learning an outdated method from a well- intentioned relative. Family members and friends may not use tested recipes and research-based methods. The use of paraffin wax to seal jars of jam is no longer recommended. You'll get a safer and higher quality product by processing jams and jellies in a boiling water bath canner. |
Follow recipes Exactly |
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Misconception Number 3: Recipes are just
guides, I like to add or substitute ingredients to suite my taste. Do This Instead: In preserving food safely at home, tested recipes must be followed precisely. Adding and substituting ingredients can change how, as well as how long, the food should be processed to keep it safe. It's never safe to change or alter a tested recipe unless the directions clearly state that the substitution is safe. |
Use Up the Correct Canning Process |
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Misconception Number 3: I don't have a pressure canner, but I've always
had good results using a water bath canner.. Do This Instead: |