How hard is it to can?

[HennysMom]

Okay, this spring we planted a ton of dwarf fruit trees and we just expanded our garden to twice its size (its now about 50 X 50 or therebouts).

I have never canned in my life and would love to learn how. I"ve watched my MIL can things but she does it the "old fashioned way" from what I'm told by a friend of mine who doesnt do it the way she does. (didnt know there were different ways until that moment.)

So - exactly how difficult is it to do and what method is the best? I know there is cold packing (my friend does this for most things) then there is the other way (boiling for sauces, soups, etc).

I'm so afraid something will explode on me in the glass containers. Can we just freezer pack everything with a foodsaver - wont that be the same thing basically?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

Frozen and canned sometimes taste different. Its not hard to can, a little time consuming. Do search here on BYC. We talked alot about canning last summer.

 

[cluckychick]

This was my first year of canning. In the beginning I used a water bath canner but that is time consuming and heats the house. Then my MIL said I'll show you but you do the work (she has a bad leg). I of course jumped at it. We used a pressure canner and it was soooo much easier and actually wasn't as hard as I thought. If I can do it anyone can do it, lol.

I canned whole tomatoes, salsa, spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, green beans, kosher pickles, sweet pickles, relish, dills, zucchini, and yellow tomato jam. I'm sure there's more I canned but can't remember it all. Everything sealed so I was impressed with my husband and I.

I say go for it, there are tons of good websites with recipes.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am a big fan of freezing. Canning is time consuming. I even use freezer jam pectin.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

My best advice to you is go buy you a copy of either the Ball blue book or Kerr canning guide. They are both very easily understood and have time tested recipes and directions for safe and easy canning. It's how I learned.

 

[panner123]

Canning is a snap for your DH. First, have him pull up a chair and sit in it. Next, open him a beer and tell him to keep his mouth shut. Remember to get him a beer every once in awhile. When you are finished canning have him put the chair up, and tell him to get his butt out and clean up the yard, feed the chickens and collect the eggs.

 

[JennsPeeps]

It's pretty easy but just time-consuming like the others say.

I've canned for 2 years. As I read your thread, I was finishing up some homemade tomato soup that I whipped up in less than 30 minutes after DBF said he was bummed we didn't have any tomato soup to have with grilled cheese sandwiches. Best thing about it was that there were no preservatives in it!

My fav book is the Ball Book of Complete Home Preservation. I actually bought the book, which I never do!

 

[zatsdeb]

I used to can, but now I freeze. I put up 30 quarts of applesauce this year. I have a strainer thing I just quarter the apples and cook them down, no peeling....
then run it through the strainer, has a handle to turn and a blade thing, I don't know what it is called but I love it!!!
then I add sugar, cinnamon, or for my diet applesauce splenda.
yummy stuff.

 

[redoak]

Canning is pretty easy if you have a good guide book. Read it, make a quick reference outline and get started. It's time consuming but there is alot of down time. So watch a movie while your canning and pause it when you actually need to do something.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Forgot these reliable & excellent resources:

http://uga.edu/nchfp/
http://www.pickyourown.org//allaboutcanning.htm