Tag: preserving

Image of jar filled with apple butter and a spoon with apple butter on it.

How to Can Apple Butter – No Added Sugar

This apple butter is absolutely delicious and the best part is that it doesn’t contain any added sugar!

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product following my link, the price will not change, and I only recommend products that I use and love.

Supplies to Make Apple Butter

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this apple butter easier!

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Recipe Video

How to Make Apple Butter with No Added Sugar

Recipe adapted from the National Center for Home Food Preservation recipe.

Instructions

  1. Core and slice 9 pounds of apples.
  2. Add apples and 2 1/4 cups apple cider or apple juice to a roaster or slow cooker and cook on medium high heat.
  3. Once apples are very soft and falling apart, strain using a food strainer.
  4. Add apple mixture to roaster or slow cooker.
  5. Add 1 cup sucralose (optional), 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice to apple mixture in roaster or slow cooker.
  6. Cook until apple butter is a deep brown and the sugars have caramelized.
  7. Add additional apple cider or apple juice if needed to thin mixture.
  8. For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend the apple mixture.
  9. Store apple butter in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    10. Canning Instructions

  10. Fill clean, warm jars with apple butter, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  11. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more apple butter, if needed.
  12. Clean jar rim off to ensure no apple butter is on it.
  13. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  14. Put in water bath canner.
  15. Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone. About 10 half-pint jars.
  16. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  17. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  18. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  19. Wash jars and store without bands on.

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Image of 3 mason jars filled with a red, clear jelly.

How To Can Red Bud Jelly

Red bud trees are in bloom, and it’s time to make Red Bud Jelly! Red Bud Jelly is a beautiful pink jelly with a sweet, light, almost-grape flavor. The hardest part of making Red Bud Jelly is carefully removing the blossoms from the stems. Once you have removed the blossoms, it’s a super easy, quick canning project! Check out my video below for a visual aid.

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product following my link, the price will not change, and I only recommend products that I use and love.

Supplies to Make Red Bud Jelly

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Recipe Video

How to Make Red Bud Jelly

Recipe adapted from the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service Dandelion Jelly Recipe.

Instructions

  1. Fill a quart jar with red bud blossoms.
  2. Cover the red bud blossoms with 4 cups of boiling water.
  3. Let cool, then set in the refrigerator overnight to steep.
  4. The next day, strain the red bud “tea” into a large pot or Maslin jam pan.
  5. Bring tea to a boil.
  6. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 6 tablespoons (or one packet) of pectin to tea.
  7. Bring mixture back up to a boil, then add 4 cups of sugar.
  8. Bring to a boil again, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
  9. Store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    10. Canning Instructions

  10. Fill clean, warm jars with jelly, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  11. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jelly, if needed.
  12. Clean jar rim off to ensure no jelly is on it.
  13. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  14. Put in water bath canner.
  15. Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone. About 4 half-pint jars.
  16. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  17. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  18. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  19. Wash jars and store without bands on.

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Image of a jar containing fermented cabbage or sauerkraut. An un-pictured individual is holding a fork above the jar with some sauerkraut on it.

Easy Homemade Sauerkraut

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and that means cabbage will be going on sale at grocery stores! This is a great opportunity to purchase a couple of extra heads of cabbage and make sauerkraut! Homemade sauerkraut can be canned, but it can also store in your refrigerator for months. I prefer to store mine in the refrigerator if possible to avoid heating and potentially killing the naturally-occurring probiotics.

Why Make Homemade Sauerkraut?

Homemade sauerkraut differs from store-bought in three important ways:

  1. Pasteurization/canning – most store-bought krauts are treated with heat to eliminate bacteria culture before being canned and are heated during the canning process. Both of which compromise the naturally-formed probiotics that make sauerkraut so good for you to begin with!
  2. Preservatives – synthetic preservatives (i.e., chemicals) that are added into foods have been linked to heart issues and other health concerns.
  3. Pickled vs. fermented – another thing to watch out for in store-bought sauerkraut is sauerkraut that isn’t actually fermented but is pickled instead! The ingredients in a fermented sauerkraut should be cabbage, salt, and maybe water, but definitely no vinegar.

Because sauerkraut is so easy to make, you won’t go back to store-bought!

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What Do I Need to Make Sauerkraut?

You will need jars, lids, cabbage, salt, a tool to tamp the kraut down, and a weight that will fit into your jar(s).

  • Stainless Steel Sauerkraut Tamper – I love this tamper! It is stainless steel, so it won’t retain flavors or harmful bacteria and is dishwasher safe! You can also use a wooden spoon to tamp the kraut down, but I really recommend investing in a tamper.
  • Lids for wide-mouth jars – Standard, two-piece mason jar lids will work, but you will need to open your fermenting jars daily to “burp” the jar and allow the fermenting gases to escape. That’s why I like using lids designed for fermenting! I can truly set-and-forget because the lids will allow gases out without allowing contaminants in.
  • Weights for wide-mouth jars and weights for regular-mouth jars – If you’re packing your sauerkraut into a wide-mouth jar, you can use a clean, water-filled, quarter-pint jar to act as a weight. However, if you’re using a regular-mouth jar or if you’re going to be fermenting very often, I really recommend purchasing weights designed for fermenting. They’re so easy to use, easy to clean, and don’t require using a jar that you could be canning in!

Recipe Video

Instructions

  1. Remove outer cabbage leaves, reserving a couple. Wash the reserved leaves and the cabbages well.
  2. Chop 5 pounds of cabbage into chunks that will fit in your food processor chute.
  3. Attached your shredding plate to your food processor and shred all 5 pounds of cabbage.
  4. Add cabbage to large bowl.
  5. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of canning and pickling salt onto cabbage.
    NOTE: You can use any salt you have on hand–just make sure it isn’t iodized and doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents.
  6. Massage the salt into the cabbage until the cabbage begins producing a liquid.
  7. Let sit for 15 minutes.
  8. After 15 minutes, pack cabbage into glass mason jar(s).
  9. Using a pounder or tamper, tamp down the sauerkraut after a few handfuls to ensure it is well-packed and does not contain any air bubbles.
  10. Fold the reserved cabbage leaf to about the size of the largest part of your jar and pack it on top of the shredded cabbage.
  11. Place a weight on top of the cabbage leaf to keep it and the shredded cabbage under the brine. You may use a glass weight, like the one linked above, or fill a clean, quarter-pint jar with water to act as a weight.
  12. Screw on a lid of your choice and let sit on a countertop for 7-10 days.
  13. If you’re using a two-piece lid, unscrew the lid to “burp” your jar every day to ensure gases don’t build up. If you’re using a lid designed for fermenting, you can let your jar sit undisturbed.
  14. After 7 days, remove the lid, weight, and cabbage leaf and taste your sauerkraut.
  15. If the taste is to your liking, can according to the instructions in your canning book or on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website or store in your refrigerator.
  16. If you prefer a more sour kraut, put the cabbage leaf and weight back in, put the lid on, and let sit out on your countertop another 7-10 days, tasting every 3-7 days until desired taste is reached.

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Image of silver, Mylar bags. Labels on bags indicate that they are filled with dehydrated mushrooms, carrots, and green bell peppers.

How To Store Food Long-Term

When it comes storing food long-term, the best course of action is to store them in sealed Mylar bags! Dry goods that contain very little moisture can be successfully stored for up to 25-30 years or longer, including sugar, oats, white rice, dry beans, ground coffee, and wheat berries.

NOTE: If storing sugar, do NOT add an oxygen absorber. It will make the sugar extremely hard.

Long-Term Food Storage Materials

To store food long-term in Mylar bags, you need Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and an impulse sealer or another way to seal your Mylar bags. Some people report success using a hair straightener or a clothes iron.

When it comes to Mylar bags, you want quality! You can find cheap Mylar bags, but they are often thin or not durable enough to store food long-term. One of my favorite brands to purchase Mylar bags from is Wallaby. They often have discounts, bundle packs, and even free oxygen absorbers with purchase! I’m not sponsored by them nor do I receive anything in return for promoting the brand. I just love the products!

Help! My Mylar bag is full of air!

If you have a Mylar bag that you filled with dry goods, added an oxygen absorber, sealed, and it is still puffy, have no fear! This is completely normal!

Oxygen absorbers only absorb, you guessed, it, oxygen! And the air we breathe is only about 21% air. So your sealed Mylar bag may be completely free of oxygen but still contain air, and that’s okay. To prevent this, press as much air out as you can before sealing. Some people even go as far as to use a vacuum to suck out excess air!

Is it enough?

If you want to protect your food from pests, such as mice, it is a good idea to go the extra mile and store your sealed Mylar bags in food grade storage containers. Some people have reported mice chewing through even food grade containers, so, if you live in an area where mice are rampant, you may want to opt for a glass or metal option with a locking lid.

How many oxygen absorbers do I need to put in my Mylar bag?

The chart I use to help me determine how many oxygen absorbers are needed for any particular Mylar bag can be found at this link.

However, you can never add too many oxygen absorbers! It is always okay to err on the side of caution and add extra absorbers, as the recommendations on the list are intended for individuals at sea level altitude or lower.

How To Video

Instructions

  1. First, ensure you have Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, a way to seal your Mylar bag, labels, and the dry goods you’re going to fill your Mylar bags with.
  2. Fill your Mylar bag or bags with your dry goods. It’s a good idea to fill all of the bags you’re going to use in this step, as you’ll need to work quickly once you open your oxygen absorbers.
  3. Write your labels and label your Mylar bags. Make sure to complete this step before sealing!
  4. Working quickly, add suggested amount of oxygen absorbers to your Mylar bag(s). If using sealable Mylar bags, press any excess air out before sealing.
  5. Using your heat-sealing mechanism, seal each Mylar bag.
  6. Gently pull the top apart to ensure a good seal and to check for any gaps indicating that the Mylar bag did not completely seal.
  7. If there is no seal or if you see any gaps, use your heat-sealing mechanism to seal the bag until no gaps remain.
  8. Store sealed Mylar bags in a glass, metal, or food-grade container.

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Image of 6 mason jars sitting on a black and white kitchen towel with yellow filling. The filling is pineapple habanero jam. One jar at the front has a heart on it, marked in sharpie.

How To Can Low Sugar Pineapple Habanero Jam

This pineapple habanero jam is perfect for the spice-lovers in your life! You can also modify the heat if you’re not quite brave enough to use an entire 1/2 cup of habanero peppers, and I’ll explain how to do that later in the post!

One of my best sellers is Habanero Gold Jelly, which is a Ball recipe. While it is absolutely delicious, it is also chock full of sugar. One half-pint jar contains about 200 grams of added sugar! This recipe is great if you’re looking for a lower sugar option, with only about 67 grams of sugar in one half-pint jar!

Image of 6 mason jars on a black and white checkered kitchen towel. The jars are filled with a yellow and orange filling. One lid has a heart drawn with a Sharpie. Lettering says, "Pineapple habanero jam, low sugar, JamminandCannin.com".

How to Use Pineapple Habanero Jam

A very common way to use habanero jam is over cream cheese as a sort of dip/topping for crackers. But there are so many ways to use it! Here’s a list of my customers’ favorite ways to use pineapple habanero jam:

  • Over baked salmon
  • A baste for ribs or any kind of BBQ
  • A sauce for wings
  • A glaze for pork chops
  • On cornbread
  • A replacement chili sauce dip for egg/spring rolls–mix with a little vinegar to make it saucier
  • A mix in for a piña colada

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product following my link, the price will not change, and I only recommend products that I use and love.

Supplies to Make Pineapple Habanero Jam

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier! One of the products featured in the recipe is this awesome pineapple corer that not only cores your pineapple but slices it too!

You also need Pomona’s Universal Pectin for this recipe, which is formulated specifically for low- or no-sugar canning recipes. Since I use Pomona’s quite often, I purchase the pectin powder in bulk. You can find it here.

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Reducing the Spice

If you prefer a milder jam, swap a portion of the habanero for yellow or orange bell peppers. It is safe to swap pepper varieties. However, you must keep the amount the same. So, whatever peppers you choose to use, make sure you’re only using 1/2-cup-worth of peppers total in the recipe.

Recipe Video

How to Make Low Sugar Pineapple Habanero Jam

Recipe adapted from Pomona’s Universal Pectin Raspberry Habanero Jam recipe.

Instructions

  1. If using fresh pineapple, core 4-cups-worth of pineapple. Put in a food processor with the juice from the pineapple and pulse until pineapple is crushed consistency. If using canned, crushed pineapple, continue to next step.
  2. Measure 4 cups of crushed pineapple and put in large stockpot.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of finely diced habanero peppers, 1/3 cup bottled lemon juice, and 2 1/2 teaspoons calcium water (from the Pomona’s Universal Pectin packet).
  4. Bring mixture to a boil.
  5. While waiting for mixture to come to a boil, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder in separate bowl.
  6. Once mixture comes to full boil, slowly add in sugar and pectin mixture. Stir 1-2 minutes and remove from heat once the mixture comes up to a boil.
  7. Store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more mixture, if needed.
  10. Clean jar rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone. About 4-5 half-pint jars.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.

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Thumbnail image with "Canning Chocolate Low Sugar Cherry Preserves" in white lettering. Images behind the text are a bowl of halved cherries and a girl with long, dark hair using a jar lifter to lift jars of burgundy filling.

How To Make Low Sugar Chocolate Cherry Preserves

These chocolate cherry preserves are absolutely delicious and the best part is that they contain considerably less sugar than anything naturally sweetened that you can purchase in-store! My family loves these preserves in sweet rolls, as a yogurt mix-in, and as an ice cream topping!

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Supplies to Make Chocolate Cherry Preserves

If you have read my post about my favorite canning supplies, then you already know I’m going to mention my Cherry Pitter. If you make these chocolate cherry preserves, you will be so happy you purchased it! It pits 6 cherries at a time!

You also need Pomona’s Universal Pectin for this recipe, which is formulated specifically for low- or no-sugar canning recipes. Since I use Pomona’s quite often, I purchase the pectin powder in bulk. You can find it here.

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Recipe Video

How To Make Low Sugar Chocolate Cherry Preserves

Original recipe can be found here: https://pomonapectin.com/chocolate-cherry-preserves/

Instructions

  1. First, pit and halve 2.5 pounds of fresh, sweet cherries.
  2. Add cherry halves to a large pot. Add 1/2 cup water and sift in 1/3 cup cocoa powder.
  3. Heat cherry cocoa mix to a boil. Then, reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Keep 4 cups of cherry mixture in large pot, and reserve any extra for another use.
  5. Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional), 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 3 teaspoons calcium water to cherry cocoa mixture and bring back up to a boil.
  6. While waiting for mixture to come to a boil, combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder and mix well.
  7. Once mixture comes to a boil, add the sugar mixture slowly. Stir 1-2 minutes and remove from heat once the mixture comes up to a boil.
  8. Store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    9. Canning Directions

  9. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  10. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more mixture, if needed.
  11. Clean jar rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  12. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  13. Put in water bath canner.
  14. Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone. About 4-5 half-pint jars.
  15. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  16. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  17. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  18. Wash jars and store without bands on.

The Best Ways to Use Extra Jam and Jelly!

If you’re anything like me, then you have a refrigerator full of half-empty jars of jam and jelly, maybe even a preserve or two! After all, you can only eat so much toast with jam before you get tired of it!

If you have a large family, maybe this isn’t an issue. But, with just my husband and myself, we’re always finding ways to use our preserves in unique ways! Below is a list of my favorite uses for jam or jelly for when we’re tired of it on toast.

Image is a closeup of a hand holding a jar of what appears to be orange marmalade. The lettering says, "5 no waste ways to use leftover jam and jelly, JamminandCannin.com".

Do you have a favorite way to use leftover jam or jelly? Please let me know in the comments!

1. Turnovers

You can find my sourdough turnover recipe here! A turnover is basically a little pie, and extra jam and jelly is perfect for making turnovers because each turnover only needs a couple of teaspoons of filling! I typically make 4 turnovers at a time, so, if I open an entire jar of home-canned pie filling, some of it will likely go to waste. Turnovers are a great way to use up a couple of half-empty jam and jelly jars!

2. Sweet Rolls

Sweet rolls are basically cinnamon rolls with a different filling. Using leftover jam and jelly gives you a ton of options to personalize your sweet rolls! My family’s favorite fillings are blueberry jam and chocolate cherry preserves, but the possibilities are endless!

3. A Mix In

My personal favorite way to use extra jam and jelly is as a mix in for yogurt! Plain yogurt is absolutely delectable with a little swirl of my sugar free jam, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of granola! You can get my sugar free blueberry jam recipe here and my sugar free blackberry jam here! If you haven’t tried my sourdough granola yet, you must! It is heavenly!

4. Vinaigrette

One of the newest ways I have started using jam and jelly is in vinaigrette! It adds a delicious flavor and a hint of sweetness to the vinaigrette–it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted! You can find my blackberry vinaigrette recipe here. It contains instructions on how to make it your own!

5. Poptarts

These are similar to turnovers in the sense that they only use a tablespoon or two of filling each. And, unlike Poptarts that you’ll buy in the store, when you make them yourself, you control every ingredient that goes in them! I love making poptarts with sugar free jam and jelly for a healthier version!

Image of hand holding jam in a jar.

No Sugar Added Blackberry Jam

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No sugar added blackberry jam is so easy to make! And it’s even easier if you own a Ball freshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker (J&J Maker for short)! I LOVE my J&J Maker! But I was tired of being limited by the few recipes that come with the Jam & Jelly Maker, so I decided to experiment. This recipe is a Bernardin recipe and you can find the link here. But, if you want to learn how to make it in the Jam & Jelly Maker, keep reading!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Use the Jam & Jelly Maker?

The Jam & Jelly Maker is so easy to use because it stirs for you! It also doesn’t require that you use your stovetop, which is a bonus if you work full time and do all of your cooking, canning, and baking on the weekends like me! It is so nice to be able to keep a large burner clear for lunch, dinner, or whatever I’m meal-prepping!

If you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it, I highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker! The awesome thing about this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

What Do I Need to Can?

The simple answer is that you need jars, lids, bands, and a large pot that will allow water to cover your jars by 1-2 inches. However, I do have some favorite canning tools that make life easier. You can find the list here, and below is a list of the tools I use in the video.

How to Make No Sugar Added Blackberry Jam in Jam & Jelly Maker

Instructions

  1. First, mash 4 cups of rinsed blackberries.
  2. Prepare other ingredients–1 cup unsweetened fruit juice and 49 grams of Ball or Bernardin Low or No Sugar Pectin.
  3. Sprinkle pection on bottom of Jam & Jelly Maker, spread blackberry mash evenly over the top, and add in fruit juice.
  4. Press “Jam” and press “Enter.” The J&J Maker will start stirring.
  5. After 4 minutes, the J&J Maker will beep. If you are adding any sweetener, pour it evenly over the top of the mixture. If you’re not adding any sweetener put the lid on.
  6. For the remaining 17 minutes, watch the J&J Maker carefully. If at any time it looks like the mixture may overflow, take the lid off and allow the mixture to cool.
  7. The J&J Maker will beep again when it is finished. Take the lid off and either store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jam, if needed.
  10. Clean rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until jam mixture is gone.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.
Image of 6 jars filled with various color fillings.

Canning Supplies I Love!

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If you’re serious about canning, check out this list of my must-have canning supplies! Now, you don’t necessarily need any of these items (except maybe the jar lifter), but they sure make life easier and canning projects go by faster!

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What Canning Supplies Do I Absolutely NEED?

The simple answer is that you need jars, lids, bands, and a large pot that will allow water to cover your jars by 1-2 inches for water bath canning. That’s really all you need!

Video

But, after probably hundreds of canning projects, I have discovered a few canning supplies that are completely worth the investment if canning is going to be a part of your preserving plan. By “investment,” I don’t mean to imply that any of these canning supplies are necessarily pricey. But they do have a cost and take up precious space in your kitchen or wherever you store your canning items.

For me, these are the items that are worth spending money on and giving space up for!

  • Cherry Pitter – If you plan on using fresh cherries for a canning project, you’ll be so happy you bought this cherry pitter! It pits 6 cherries at a time! I love it for making Chocolate Cherry Preserves, which is one of my family’s favorites!
  • Jar Lifter – This might be the one canning supply you actually do need. It helps you put jars in and take jars out of boiling water. If you don’t have a jar lifter, I don’t know how you’ll be able to remove the jars after processing!
  • Heat Resistant Gloves – These aren’t really a necessity either, but I use them almost every single time I can and they have definitely kept me from getting burned! If you plan on using reusable canning lids, such as the Tattler reusable lids, then I really do recommend getting some of these gloves. Tattler reusable lids require you to tighten the bands after your jars have processed, and these help protect your hands from those hot jars.
  • Bottle for vinegar to wipe rims of jars – This one is definitely not necessary, but it has helped me save time, money, and a LOT of messes! Gone are the days of trying to carefully dump vinegar on a paper towel just to have half of of the bottle dump all over the countertop, the floor, and me!
  • Canning Funnel – This canning funnel is my favorite because it has headspace measurements on it! It’s also very heavy duty, which is a must if you’re not going to use stainless steel, as you’ll be working with super hot jams and jellies at times!