Home canning

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Preserved food in Mason jars
Preserved food in Mason jars

Home canning, also known as putting up, is the process of preserving foods (in particular, fruits, vegetables, and meats) by packing them into glass jars and then heating the jars to kill the organisms that would create spoilage (a process called "processing").

Home canning is usually done using mason jars, which are more resistant to heat and breakage than ordinary glass jars. Unless the food to be preserved has a high acid content (for example, pickles), the filled jars are also processed under pressure, in a canner. A canner is a cooking tool used to boil large quantities of water for home canning. Canners often incorporate racks to hold mason jars, and pressure canners include lids to maintain the canning pressure needed to avoid botulism.

While it is possible to safely preserve many kinds of foodstuffs, home canning can expose consumers to botulism and other kinds of food poisoning if done incorrectly. Because of the high risk (including death) associated with improper canning technique, the US USDA considers it critical that consumers who intend to home can obtain proper and up-to-date information from a reliable source. [1]

A 1914 ad for a combination steam canner and roaster. The described method will not protect against botulism.
A 1914 ad for a combination steam canner and roaster. The described method will not protect against botulism.

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