Canning Fresh Vegetables

If you grow your own vegetables you probably already know the joy of Canning Fresh Vegetables to have them available all year long. If you are new to canning there are some basic food canning tips you need to know.

The first tip we need to discuss is which method to use to do your vegetable or fruit canning.

It is safe to use a boiling water bath method for high acid foods but not for low acid foods. The best method for all kinds of vegetables is the pressure canning method which allows the food to reach 240 degrees. This kills the bacterium clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. Botulism can be deadly. So do not use the boiling water bath method for low acid foods such as vegetables because clostridium botulinum can live and thrive with this method.

So to properly can fresh vegetables first you need to safely learn the process of pressure canning. When cooking with pressure this allows the heat to more easily reach the 240 degrees necessary for preserving vegetables correctly. You will need a pressure canner.

This method is a bit more involved and expensive than that of the boiling water bath method. But as stated before it is the only safe way to can low acid foods such as green beans. So remember this one of the basic food canning tips.

Examples of foods that can be canned using the boiling water bath method are tomatoes and fruit. They have enough acid content to prevent the bacteria that causes botulism from growing. Only if you pickle vegetables first can you use this method for canning fresh vegetables. The acid in the vinegar is the reason for having to pickle the vegetables. They are safe with reaching a temperature of 212 degrees fahrenheit.

Green beans, other beans, corn carrots, unpickled beets, and peas need to be pressure canned. They need to reach a higher temperature which only pressure canning does. Pressure canning allows the vegetables to reach the required 240 degrees Fahrenheit for ultimate safety in canning fresh vegetables.

For the boiling water bath method you need Mason jars, which come in boxes of 12 and the two part lids that go with them. There are the sealing caps then the outside rings. The jars and the canning lids are reusable but we suggest you replace the sealing rings.

You need a large canning pot with a rack to keep the jars from sitting on the pot's bottom. You also need tongs, and a jar lifter to lift the jars out of the pot. You will also need a wide mouth funnel for filling the jars. Also a wooden or plastic spatula to insert into filled jars to release air bubbles.

Do not use other jars that you may have around the house. An empty mayo jar probably is not made from tempered glass like the Mason jars are. The mayo jar could crack or break during the process of canning. This is another bit of basic food canning knowledge that is important for your safety.

For the Pressure Canning method and Canning Food Basics feel free to visit our website at

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Take Care,
Carl C