CANNING. Although I do canning year round, it's Autumn now and it's coming into canning season. If you haven't canned before but you're interested in trying it... please do!
Admittedly, and honestly, home canning is not my first choice for food storage. I also don't do as much home canning as a million other women around the globe do. When it comes to food storage there is 'short term' and 'long term'. My favorite is long term food storage; freeze dried and dehydrated foods. I also love my deep freezer. But home canned foods have their place as well!
Personally, I think the easiest canned food to start with is salsa. (Others might have other opinions. This is just mine.) It's the time of year when tomatoes and peppers are plentiful in gardens and if you've ever wanted to try canning, I think this is the way to go.
As a matter of fact, years ago, the first thing I ever personally canned, I believe, was a 'freezer' jam or jelly. Not 'real' canning. The first REAL canning I did was... salsa! And salsa is much easier than even jam or jelly! Your jelly and jam doesn't always set up and can be persnickety but I've always found salsa to be almost fail-proof.
Tomato products can be canned in a water bath so other than your jars, lids and rings, along with a large stock pot, no special equipment is needed.
If you find you like canning, you can always invest in a pressure canner later and start to can other items like potatoes, carrots, meats, poultry, green beans and such. But for a beginner? Canning tomatoes or salsa is a easy learning curve!
Below these random photos I've plucked off various posts from my blog, you'll find an equally random list of canning blog posts from over the years..... some as far back as 2007!
LINKS
Random links from previous posts on An American Housewife that involve the search phrase "canning" - linked here. Some of these posts are from 2007! Ha ha!
Oh my goodness... back then there weren't too many bloggers in general and even fewer posting recipes. My really early photos from 1999-2003 were taken on a regular camera, printed at the store or on a home printer (expensive and rare in those days), scanned on my desktop scanner and uploaded to my computer. Later, (2004+) the photos had to be taken on my digital camera, and then plugged into my computer and uploaded... so many steps back then.
In no particular order, and some very, very dated by now..... random posts regarding 'canning'.
Re-posting my REUSABLE CANNING LIDS post - Tattler Lids - reusable - NOT one time use like the newer metal lids. Hints and Helps to use Tattler reusable lids for canning
Home Canned Pickled Beets - an old Amish recipe
Homemade Canned Salsa and How to Quick Dry Fresh Basil
Home Canned Butter - a taste test after almost 18 months (2020 canned - testing 2022)
From my Instagram Photos: Try Canning Potatoes! It's really not hard, I promise! (And top 3 pressure canner picks)
Home canned butter: another update taste test at almost 2 years (canned October 2020 and updated again today, June 21, 2022)
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Using Tattler lids and gaskets with a canister attachment and food sealer
Tips to Ensure your Tattler Canning Lids Seal Perfectly! (Canning onions with Tattler lids for photos)
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What I did this past weekend... I had a pity party... errr... a pitting party! Yep, I canned some cherries. 9 pints of fresh cherries home canned
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce - no sugar added
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All About Shelf Stable Foods and Food Safety: Including Emergency Food Storage
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How to Make Homemade Salsa - Canned
Homemade, Canned Salsa
Homemade Canned Plum Jelly
Homemade Salsa - Canned Salsa
Home Canned Apple Slices in a Simple Syrup
Home Canned Pickled Beets - An easy Amish pickled beet recipe using roasted beets to preserve bright color
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Need canning jars? Lids? Recipe books on home canning foods?
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