INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Food may be canned in glass jars or metal containers.  Metal containers can
be used only once. They require special sealing equipment and are much more
costly than jars.
Regular and wide-mouth Mason-type, threaded, home-canning jars with
self-sealing lids are the best choice (Plate 1). They are available in 1/2
pint, pint, 1-1/2 pint, quart, and 1/2 gallon sizes. The standard jar mouth
opening is about 2-3/8 inches.  Wide-mouth jars have openings of about 3
inches, making them more easily filled and emptied.  Half-gallon jars may
be used for canning very acid juices. Regular-mouth decorator jelly jars
are available in 8 and 12 ounce sizes. With careful use and handling, Mason
jars may be reused many times, requiring only new lids each time. When jars
and lids are used properly, jar seals and vacuums are excellent and jar
breakage is rare.
Most commercial pint- and quart-size mayonnaise or salad dressing jars may
be used with new two-piece lids for canning acid foods. However, you should
expect more seal failures and jar breakage. These jars have a narrower
sealing surface and are tempered less than Mason jars, and may be weakened
by repeated contact with metal spoons or knives used in dispensing
mayonnaise or salad dressing. Seemingly insignificant scratches in glass
may cause cracking and breakage while processing jars in a canner.
Mayonnaise-type jars are not recommended for use with foods to be processed
in a pressure canner because of excessive jar breakage. Other commercial
jars with mouths that cannot be sealed with two-piece canning lids are not
recommended for use in canning any food at home.
JAR CLEANING: Before every use, wash empty jars in hot water with detergent
and rinse well by hand, or wash in a dishwasher. Unrinsed detergents may
cause unnatural flavors and colors. These washing methods do not sterilize
jars. Scale or hard-water films on jars are easily removed by soaking jars
several hours in a solution containing 1 cup of vinegar (5 percent acidity)
per gallon of water.
STERILIZATION OF EMPTY JARS: All jams, jellies, and pickled products
processed less than 10 minutes should be filled into sterile empty jars. To
sterilize empty jars, put them right side up on the rack in a boiling-water
canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch
above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000
ft. At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minute for each additional
1,000 ft.  elevation. Remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a time.
Save the hot water for processing filled jars.  Fill jars with food, add
lids, and tighten screw bands.
Empty jars used for vegetables, meats, and fruits to be processed in a
pressure canner need not be presterilized. It is also unnecessary to
presterilize jars for fruits, tomatoes, and pickled or fermented foods that
will be processed 10 minutes or longer in a boiling-water canner.
LID SELECTION, PREPARATION, AND USE: The common self-sealing lid consists
of a flat metal lid held in place by a metal screw band during processing.
The flat lid is crimped around its bottom edge to form a trough, which is
filled with a colored gasket compound. When jars are processed, the lid
gasket softens and flows slightly to cover the jar-sealing surface, yet
allows air to escape from the jar. The gasket then forms an airtight seal
as the jar cools. Gaskets in unused lids work well for at least 5 years
from date of manufacture. The gasket compound in older unused lids may fail
to seal on jars.
Buy only the quantity of lids you will use in a year To ensure a good seal,
carefully follow the manufacturer's directions in preparing lids for use.
Examine all metal lids carefully. Do not use old, dented, or deformed lids,
or lids with gaps or other defects in the sealing gasket.
After filling jars with food, release air bubbles by inserting a flat
plastic (not metal) spatula between the food and the jar. Slowly turn the
jar and move the spatula up and down to allow air bubbles to escape. Adjust
the headspace and then clean the jar rim (sealing surface) with a dampened
paper towel. Place the lid, gasket down, onto the cleaned jar-sealing
surface. Uncleaned jar-sealing surfaces may cause seal failures.
Then fit the metal screw band over the flat lid.  Follow the manufacturer's
guidelines enclosed with or on the box for tightening the jar lids
properly.
Do not retighten lids after processing jars. As jars cool, the contents in
the jar contract, pulling the self-sealing lid firmly against the jar to
form a high vacuum.
* If rings are too loose, liquid may escape from jars during processing,
and seals may fail.
* If rings are too tight, air cannot vent during processing, and food will
discolor during storage.  Overtightening also may cause lids to buckle and
jars to break, especially with raw-packed, pressure-processed food.
Screw bands are not needed on stored jars. They can be removed easily after
jars are cooled. When removed, washed, dried, and stored in a dry area,
screw bands may be used many times. If left on stored jars, they become
difficult to remove, often rust, and may not work properly again.
======================================================= === * USDA
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) MM by km
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“God will let you get away with it until suddenly . . .”