Home Canning 101 Favorite Supplies

I love home canning.  I guess it started when I was young.  I use to help my grandmother can hundreds of jars of fruits and veggies every year.  That was just what she did.  My grandparents never bought a jar of peaches or green beans or corn.  She canned everything.  They always grew a garden and preserved everything. I learned early on how to do these things.  Then as I got older we did less and less.  Until I was married and had kids of my own.  I decided I wanted to can a few things for my kids.  Knowing what is in our food is so important to me.  So I called up my Granny and wrote down everything she told me about canning.  I purchased a book on preserving the harvest and started my canning collection.  My first piece of canning equipment was my grandmothers water bath.  I think it's about 50 years old.  Each year or two I added a piece to my collection based on what I wanted to can that year.  I so far have collected most of my canning supplies and I can can most anything.  So today I am going to share my favorite canning supplies and a few canning recipes!

A great canning and food preservation book

The ball canning book is the bible of all canning books.  There is a reason they have been in business so long. This book is amazing. Chock full of information and recipes. I have also gathered canning recipes from around the internet.  You can find them {Here} on my Pinterest Board. 

  

Water Bath/ Steam Bath Dual Canner:

 This was my very first Canning item.  I used my grandmas water bath canner she was no longer using.  It is very old and still works great.  A couple years a go my mom bought me a new one, so I have two.  My new one is a dual canner that can do steam as well as a water bath.  I use this canner for most everything I can. 

 Fruit juices, jelly's, applesauce, berries, corn, and fruit

Dehydrator:

What to look for in a Dehydrator: Temperature control, size for your family, where the fan is, what do you want to make. 

 My current dehydrator is small and inexpensive.  I bought it to dry apples from my Mom's 7 apple trees.  I started with apples and pears.  {FYI Dried pears taste like candy.}  I tried peaches but they were just okay.  Now that I have been dehydrating a few years, I wish I had a larger dehydrator.  One where I can control air flow, temperature and is larger. With my growing kids I find I go through these foods faster.  They love to eat fresh, dehydrated foods for snacks and I like it that way. Maybe some day I can get the Excalibur of dehydrators!! Then I can dehydrate to my heart content.

With my dehydrator I have made: Dried apples, peaches, pears, fruit roll ups

Sauce maker / Food Strainer: 

What to look for in a Sauce Maker: Sturdy, how many parts, replaceable parts

I love my sauce maker.  Remember all those apples?  Well I make Apple sauce too.  Fresh apple sauce is the best. I find that I use it for eating, baking and making homemade fruit roll ups. I have yet to venture out to other amazing sauces. Maybe this year is my year?..

 With your sauce maker you can make pumpkin puree, seedless jelly, salsa and so much more. You can purchase different sizes of grinding filters to change the consistency of your sauce. Like your apple sauce chunky?? They have a grinder for that.

With my Sauce maker I have made: Apple Sauce, Flavored apple sauces, Pumpkin Puree

Steam Juicer:

What to look for in a Steam Juicer:  Size of juicer, Stainless steel, Replaceable parts

My steam juicer is awesome.  I love making homemade grape and apple juice for my kids.  We drink it more for a treat on holiday more than anything.  Just add a quart of home made juice and some sprite and you have sparkling juice for a special night for pennies a glass. I started using mine to steam my apples and then use them for apple sauce.  I add a small amount of juice back to the sauce and can the rest a s juice.  Delicious!

I love the stainless steel version.  It is super easy for clean up. The only part that may need to be replace on my steamer is the silicone hose.  I have had mine for 5 years and so far so good.  I think this one will last me years.  I use the 9 1/2 Quart size steam juicer.  I find it works for me.  I don't can tons of jars at a time.  I usually make 20-30 jars of juice total each year.

  

With my juicer I have made:  Cherry Juice, Cherry limeade, Apple Juice and Grape Juice as well as steaming my apples for juice and to make apple sauce.

Pressure Canner

What to look for in a Pressure canner: How many jars can you do all at once, replaceable parts, stainless steel.  

With a pressure canner you can, can anything.  Meats, veggies, fruits, sauces.  My favorite is canned Chicken.  The flavor or home canned chicken is the best and so much less expensive than store bought canned chicken.  I have been canning Chicken with a girlfriend for a few years.  But I finally got a pressure canner of my own.  Now I am just waiting for the chicken to go on sale.  

Another great tip if you are canning a ton is to take it outside.  We have a Camp Chef stove that we hook up in the garage (with the door open) and do all the cooking outside.  Just set up a few tables and you are ready to go.  Last summer I spent the day with some neighbors and we canned 90 jars of corn jelly, corn salsa and bagged frozen corn.  We had a great time talking, laughing and canning our food for the winter together.   Canning is so fun together.  I learned so much from them.  Find a few ladies and venture into something new this summer.

Here are a few of my favorite products on Amazon.  I have either tried these specific items or own them myself.  I have been very happy with all of them.  Some were just meant to be starters but I have used them for many years.  Start small and just pick one or two things to can.  Each year build from there.  I started with my grandmas old canner and did peaches, pears and raspberries my first 2 years.  I worked my way up to apples sauce, grape juice, dried fruits and finally I am able to can chicken and veggies.  There is a whole world of canning and preservation out there. I can't wait to dig and a get canning!! 

Leave me some feedback.  What do you like to can??  Are you new to canning??  I want to hear all about it!

For more canning tips from the experts check out these websites

National Center for Home Canning

USDA Guide to home Canning