Category: Canning Basics

Pressure Cooker vs. Pressure Canner

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

It is time to can green beans, which must be pressure canned for safety. So you may be ask why a pressure cooker or a pressure saucepot cannot be used as a pressure canner. To be classified as a...

Canning Vegetables to Prevent Botulism

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

What is Botulism? Botulism is a food poisoning caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum and its spores are everywhere. It is prevalent in soil and water...

Canning on Smooth Top Ranges

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Clemson Extension does not make recommendations for pressure canning on smooth top ranges. We do recommend that consumers with smooth-top ranges contact their range manufacturer for recommendations...

Why Can’t Old-Time Recipes Be Used for Canning?

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

The Question: People have been canning for a long time, and it appears that not too many people died from it. Why can’t the old-time recipes be used? If the recipes were passed down from...

Canning Reminders

Jun 23, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Remember that vegetables, meat, fish, and poultry (low-acid foods) should be pressure canned for safety. Fermented vegetables and fruits (acid foods) can be canned in a boiling water bath. Note:...

Revisiting Botulism

May 19, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Although botulism is most often associated with improperly home canned foods, improperly stored commercial or home-preserved products have the potential for causing botulism. Botulism is caused by a...

Canning Tools

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

Lid Lifter/Lid Wand The canning lid lifter/lid wand is a magnet attached to a short plastic stick and is a useful tool for lifting metal lids from hot water. Lid wand brands include Back to Basics,...

Say “No” to Old Pickle Recipes

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

The Question “I recently made homemade dill pickles by my grandmother’s recipe; I have made pickles by this recipe for a very long time. This year the pickles were bubbling when I opened...

Pressure Canning Revisited

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

A frequent question to the Home & Garden Information Center: “I canned my green beans in a water bath canner. Are they safe?” Often this question is prefaced by “My mother and...

Why Mason-type Canning Jars

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

The major reason we recommend Mason-type canning jars is our experience with them and their decreased rate of breakage compared to mayonnaise jars, salad dressing jars, spaghetti sauce jars, or...

Watch the Headspace

Apr 14, 2023 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Food, Preservation, Tasty Bites

Headspace is the unfilled space between the food in a jar and the lid of a jar. General canning headspace recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture are as follows:  Leave ¼...

Filling Formula: Don’t Pack Too Tight

Apr 24, 2018 | Canning Basics, Canning Tips, Tasty Bites

Directions for filling canning jars are included in the canning recipes recommended by USDA and Clemson. Following these directions carefully is critical. The safety of a specific process has been...