Preserving and Canning

Don't let a single piece of produce go to waste when you can easily can or preserve it with our guide to canning and preserving. It's economical and allows home cooks to experiment with foods that might not be in the supermarket and know exactly where their ingredients come from. If you've never tried canning at home, review our basic, step-by-step instructions as well as tips on headspace, time, and temperature requirements to ensure food safety. We'll also help you learn about the various types of canning—boiling-water and pressure, for example—and discuss when you should can and when you should freeze. For handy reference, we offer charts with tips and instructions on both methods. We'll walk you through step-by-step how to preserve some of the most commonly used fruits and vegetables. Jams and jellies are great for preserving the delicious harvests for the coming year, and our experts explain tips and helpful information.

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More Canning Tips and Advice
How to Make Bread and Butter Pickles

See a chef demonstrate how to make popular bread and butter pickles.

Homemade Pickling Recipes

Check out all the produce you can pickle (including, of course, cucumbers).


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Everything in Preserving and Canning
Basics
  • General Canning Steps

    Step-by-step instructions for canning like a pro.

  • Canning Safety

    Safe canning depends on processing foods at a high-enough temperature for the correct length of time.

  • Leaving Headspace

    Leaving the correct amount of space between the food and the jar rim is essential when freezing or canning.

  • Using a Boiling-Water Canner

    Use this type of canner for fruits, tomatoes (with added lemon juice), pickles, jams, and jellies.

  • Using a Pressure Canner

    Use this type of canner for vegetables.

  • What Is Canning?

    Stock your pantry with home-canned pickles, preserves, jams, and jellies, adding summer freshness and flavor to you...

How To