Canning 101

I can my own fruit jams and my own vegetables - big deal! I get a lot of weird looks when I tell people that, like their thinking, "That is so old school,"  or "I would never have the time or the patience for that,"  or even, "I'm scared to do that."

I got into gardening three years ago inspired by my grandparents' successes. Realizing how much more I could do if I could preserve some of this food to last longer than the three weeks its harvest is fresh, two years ago I bought Canning & Preserving for Dummies, Karen Ward. Literally, canning for dummies because I didn't have the slightest clue how to can food.  Thoughts of botulism and salmonella danced in my head as I dreamed of creating cute little Christmas presents for the secretaries at work. However, I rationalized to myself that canning has been a survival skill for over 100 years. If farmers could do it in the 1800s without a class - so could I. Thus, I set out on a journey to self-educate moi-meme about canning.

I quickly learned that there were two types of canning: water bath and pressure.  After reading the chapter about pressure canning, I decided that I was going to start off small and just focus on water bath canning. Water bath canning is placing the jar into boiling water to seal the jar. Simple - yes. The canners with racks can be purchased at Walmart for $30-40. With this process, you can preserve anything that has acid - fruit, salsa, pickles, tomatoes, and relishes.  This was a great way to start small.  I had so much fun that first year that last year I decided to take the plunge and begin pressure canning as well. This canner is a bit more expensive than the water bath and much more technical $70-85.

Now, my sister-in-law who has an exploding garden wants to also preserve some of her cucumbers with pickling recipes.  I am walking her through the very easy process. I think that America is having a renewed interest in learning the art of canning - proof is in the canning aisle at Walmart. It is fun, safe, and even easier with today's modern-day techniques. Here are some tips:
1. My biggest piece of advice is - Don't buy a canner if you know someone who has one.  Borrow It!!!  Why add another piece of equipment to the house if you don't have to. If there are of two of you in a circle of friends who want to start canning but don't know of anyone who has a canner, split the cost and share it. You only use it for about four-five times in a harvest.
2. Think of all of the cute, cheap Christmas gifts you can start creating.  Make cute little labels that say "From the Kitchen of Jane Doe 2011," and you have got yourself the best teacher, secretary, neighbor, step aunt, mailman, preacher, hair dresser, or swim coach gift ever.

I so don't have room in my kitchen for all of the extra cans, so I found room in my front living room to store them.  Magazine, picture frame, candle, ...... green beans?