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A Beginners Guide...
What You’ll
Need
• Favourite Recipe
• Mason Jars with
tight fitting lids
• Pot large enough
to cover all jars for
Water Bath
• Pressure canning
must be done with
a certified, safe,
functional and
accurate pressure
canner and cannot
be homemade
Plan Ahead
What will you be preserving?
The type of food will determine
the way you jar. For
example: High acid foods can
be ‘Waterbath Canned’. Low
acid foods must be ‘Pressure
Canned’.
Low Acid Foods:
• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish and seafood
• Soups and stews
•Vegetables
Photo: Melody Charlie
High Acid Foods:
• Fruits
• Jams, jellies, spreads,
sauces
• Pickles, relish, salsa,
and tomatoes
The Basics
Home canning and jarring
is a fun and easy way to preserve
and store many different
types of foods with secret
recipes and special techniques
being passed down over generations.
Dad’s jarred moose
meat, Mom’s salted fish and
Granny’s special jam recipe are
yearly treats that are healthy
and keep food fresh through
the seasons.
Many First Nations communities
have been preserving food
for generations in a variety of
ways. Along with canning, you
can freeze, dry, cure, smoke,
pickle and ferment to keep
food fresh. Almost any type
of food can be preserved, including
fish, game, vegetables,
jams, sauces, fruits, pickles,
soups, stews and more.
Home canning is picking up
steam as many families are
returning to traditional harvesting
techniques. For the
first-timers here’s a quick introduction
to the many joys of
jarring.
1.
Get
Recipe
Granny’s best recipe. Safely
2.
combine, cook, and prepare your
food.
Fill your jars with room for food expansion. Ensure
a clean seal with no food residue between the lid
and the threads. Tighten lids only ‘finger-tight’ so
air can escape during the canning process.
Do not screw on over-tight!
Tighten lightly
Expansion Space
10 - Spirit Fall 2012