We're trying a new style of weekly thread here. The idea is that it will stay stickied for a full week and we will invite discussion throughout the week.

We're hard upon the end of summer and preserving the last of the harvest is a good idea if you want to keep things throughout the winter. There are many options, freezing, dehydrating, root cellars, and not to be missed Home Canning!

I can answer most questions on this topic and will cross post it soon to /r/canning (which you should visit and be a member of!).

Canning is the process of preparing food in a vacuum sealed jar such that no bacteria can live or grow in the product, and it is shelf stable for up to a year. It's a great way to preserve things when it can't all fit in your fridge or you'd like to prepare it in such a way to make it easier to consume later.

The seal on a canning jar is generated through vacuum. The jars have a lid with a rubber gasket placed over top of them and a designated amount of air or 'headspace' is left in the top of the jar. As the jar heats, the air expands and pushes it's way out of the gasket. When the jar is later cooled then the air that is left contracts pulling the lid of the jar down onto it. A good seal does not require the threaded ring to stay on the jar. You should store your jars without rings so that if any spoilage ever does occur, a failed seal is obvious.

DANGER! You still need to make sure that the product you are canning is properly processed and is going into clean or starilized jars.

Food come in two varieties, high and low acid foods. High acid foods can be processed in a boiling water bath - that will only ever get to 212 degrees F. Low acid foods, however, must be canned in a pressure canner that can reach much higher temperatures. You should ALWAYS follow an approved recipe with proper processing times.

Examples of high acid foods would be pickles, jams, jellies, fruits, and tomatoes (with added lemon juice). Low acid foods would be green beans, meats, stocks, most greens, and all dried beans.

I'll leave it at that for now and wait for questions.

Is there something specific you want to know how to can?

Do you can at home? Show us your haul!