with
Stacy Farrell

downward view from a woman's perspective as she cuts chunks of cooked beets into open jars on a counter

This year we wanted to give you practical help This year we wanted to give you practical help for creating a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle. A way to be a little lessdependent on circumstances and a little more dependent on Him.

It’s time for us all to get back to basics!

How to Get Started with Water Bath Canning
I

f you’ve ever marveled at rows of beautiful jars in your grandmother’s pantry or yearned to savor the taste of sun-ripened tomatoes long after the season has passed, it may be time to learn how to can.

Today, my goal is to walk you through the essential steps, equip you with the right tools, and impart the knowledge you need to water bath can with confidence.

Safety First: What You Need to Know
If there’s one thing above all others that keeps people from canning, it’s the fear of accidentally poisoning their families. But you can eliminate that risk by following safe canning procedures.

The first thing you need to know: not all foods can be water bathed. Some foods require pressure canning. What’s the dividing line? Acidity.

Simply put—harmful bacteria can’t survive in acid.

What Can Be Safely Water Bath Canned?
High-acid foods, such as fruits and pickled products, can be safely water bath canned. Low-acid foods, including most vegetables and meats, require pressure canning to counteract the more welcoming environment for bacteria.

We gauge acidity using the pH scale—a familiar, even if distant, concept from high school science class.

The critical “magic number” that distinguishes low-acid from high-acid foods is 4.6.

top view of a tomato
Any number below 4.6 is considered high-acid, while any number above 4.6 is deemed low-acid (or alkaline). To get started canning without concern, purchase pH strips from the fish or pool supply section at your local store.

You can dip the strip into your food and get a near-instant reading of its acidity level.

Here’s a list of the most common foods that are water bath canned:

  • Fruits and fruit juices
  • Tomatoes and tomato products (with added vinegar or lemon juice)
  • Salsas
  • Relishes
  • Jams and jellies
  • Pickled vegetables
  • Fruit preserves
  • Fruit pie fillings
A Note About Using Clean, Sterile Jars
For recipes with a processing time of ten minutes or more, clean your jars with warm, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. They will be fully sterilized during the canning process.

If your recipe requires a five-minute processing time, be sure to sterilize the jars first by submerging them in boiling water for ten minutes. Or you can simply extend the processing time from five minutes to ten minutes.

It’s okay to process jars for longer than necessary, but not shorter.

top view of a rack pan and a cook pot with its top removed and leaning on the side of the pot

Supplies You’ll Need to Get Started

Here’s what you’ll need to ensure safe and successful water bath canning:

Jars: Use proper canning jars, like Ball or Kerr Mason jars, designed to withstand the high heat necessary for canning.

Lids: Use new canning lids for each session to guarantee a proper seal.

Water Bath Canner: Use any heavy-bottomed stock pot deep enough to submerge your jars under two inches of boiling water.

Rack: Glass jars can’t sit directly on the bottom of the canner as they risk breaking. You can find canning racks online or canning baskets with handles for easy jar removal.

Jar Lifter: You’ll need this tool to lift boiling hot jars out of the canner without touching them.

Funnel: Funnels designed for canning have large openings that fit inside a pint or quart jar. They make the job much easier (and less messy).

Canning Kit: A few other items that are useful but not absolutely necessary include a de-bubble tool and headspace measurement tool.

Safe Recipes: Source safe canning recipes from reputable sources such as the National Center for Home Food Preservation or the Ball canning books available online. We also have dozens of canning recipes and tutorials on our website, FoodPrepGuide.com.

You will find a list of our canning tool recommendations here.

jar of pickles
1 tbs measure
A Beginner-Friendly Recipe: Dill Pickle Spears
If you’re new to canning, starting with pickles might be the confidence boost you need. Be warned, though—the satisfaction of homemade pickles may hook you for life.
Before you start, read Step 3 to determine which method you want to use to ensure crispy pickles. (The method you select determines when you need to start preparing your cucumbers.)
Step 1: Prepare the Brine

For approximately 16 pints of pickles, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • 3 quarts of vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup canning salt
  • 4 quarts of water

Whisk all together, and bring to a boil.

two rows of jars filled with cucumbers and dill weed sit on a kitchen counter, hot water from a teapot is poured into one of the jars
Step 2: Prepare the Canner
Place a rack (or canning basket) in the bottom of your canner. Fill the canner halfway with water. Add your jars so they can preheat while you prepare your ingredients. You may need to fill the jars halfway with water to keep them from bouncing in your stock pot. Turn your burner on low-to-medium heat.

Step 3: Prepare the Cucumbers

While the brine is heating up, slice up your cucumbers into spears, cutting off both ends to prevent bitterness. For crispy pickles, you have three options:

  1. Use “pickle crisp”—a powdered product from the store. (Follow the package instructions.)
  2. Place your cucumbers in an ice water bath overnight.
  3. Can them immediately after picking.
Step 4: Fill the Jars
Once everything is prepped, and the brine is boiling, it’s time to load the jars. Pack as many cucumbers as you can fit into your jar tightly to prevent floating. Add the following seasonings to each jar:

  • 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard seed
  • A tablespoon of dill

Ladle the hot brine into each jar to half an inch of headspace. (Alternatively, you can transfer the brine into a tea kettle for easy pouring.) Headspace is measured from the top of the jar to the top of the ingredients, so you want to add brine until it reaches a half-inch below the top of the jar.

De-bubble to eliminate trapped air. To de-bubble, use a wooden utensil, butter knife, or de-bubble tool to run along the sides of the jar, moving up and down.

Step 5: Seal & Load the Jars
After de-bubbling, wipe the jar rims with a damp rag or paper towel to remove any debris. Place new, clean lids on each jar, and screw on the rings to fingertip tight.

Fingertip tight means securing the ring using only your fingertips and stopping when you feel resistance. You don’t want to overtighten them as air needs to be able to escape during the canning process.

Step 6: Start the Canning Process
Load the jars into the canner, ensuring the water is at least an inch above the jars (preferably two inches). If you need to add more water to achieve this, do so.

Bring the canner to a hard, rolling boil, place a lid on the canner, and then start the processing time—in this case, ten minutes.

Step 7: Post-Canning
Once the processing time is up, use a jar lifter to carefully lift the jars out of the canner and let them sit undisturbed for twelve to twenty-four hours. If you hang around for a bit, you just might hear the satisfying “ping!” of the jars sealing!

After twelve to twenty-four hours, check to ensure each jar is sealed. The lid should be depressed in the center so that it doesn’t pop when you press down on it. If any jars didn’t seal, place them in the refrigerator and enjoy the contents within a few days.

If you would like to watch this process step by step, here is our Canning Dill Pickles Video Tutorial.

Happy Canning!

Stacy script typography
headshot of Stacy Farrell
S

tacy Farrell, was surprised by Jesus when she went from being an unmarried, childless, 30-something career woman to a Christ-following wife of 30+ years with two sons she homeschooled K-12. She’s the author of 20+ books—including the award-winning Philosophy Adventure, and Food Prep Guide: A Plan for Money-Saving, Self-Sustaining Abundance in Hard Times.

You’ll find helpful food preservation, pantry storage & gardening tutorials on the Food Prep Guide YouTube channel she produces with her amazing assistant Jordan, and food prep and homeschool resources at HomeschoolAdventure.com and FoodPrepGuide.com.