Water bath canning

dwbonfire

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I canned my first batch of pickles ever tonight! I used my cucumbers from my garden and have many more to do! I used a friends canner and basically saw that it was a large pot with a rack in it so the jars cant sit on the bottom of the pot. She paid a decent amount for it and money is tight right now. Im wondering if i can get a wire rack of some kind and use a big pot that i have?

Also, would love some recipes for water bath canning!! I have yellow squash ready and will have butternut squash and zuchinni soon. I would love to make salsa as well!
 

bonbean01

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Before water bath canning veggies, best to google what is safe...pickles have vinegar which is acidic which makes it safe to water bath can...but for many veggies, you can't safely use the water bath method...need to use a pressure canner. My sister in law gave me her pressure canner, but so far I'm afraid to try using it...sure I'll blow up the house!

I've used the water bath canning method for pickles, pickled squash, relish, jams, and tomatoes...adding lemon juice to the tomatoes to be up the acid. I've gone the freezer route for other veggies...but would like to learn to safely use the canner...a power outtage and canned jars don't thaw and spoil :/

If you can find a rack for a large pot...please post it, as the one in my water bath canner needs replacing and I can't find one.
 

bonbean01

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I'm hoping Redtailgal and Elevan post on your thread...they do lots of canning and know way more than me...I got a canning and preserving book at Christmas that was on my wish list by Jackie Clay and I'm going to have to do lots of reading soon!

Good luck and enjoy!!!! Growing and preserving your own foods is awesome!:)
 

dwbonfire

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Thats something i forgot to consider about the vinegar being a preservative. I dont have the funds for a pressure canner right now so ill have to stick to water bath recipes. That might get tricky unless i want to pickle everything lol.
I noticed RTG isnt on here anymore, does anyone know why?! Id love to hear more canning experiences and recipes!
 

promiseacres

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A good canning book is Ball's blue book of canning. Best resource I have found includes all types of freezing. I found mine at.the local farm store for about $10. Also check garage and craigslist for canning supplies. Bc of what we save in groceries we can purchase more supplies each year. Got a waterbath pot 3 years ago and 2 years ago a food processor...I make due without a pressure canner for now by freezing what needs the pressure canner. If u can find a rack go for it. Good luck and enjoy! I hope to make jam this year!
 

elevan

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Walmart sells replacement racks and I'm sure plenty of other big box retailers do too.

To be honest, I don't even use a rack. I've never had a jar break or crack...knock on some wood.

I love my Ball Blue Book and Better Homes & Gardens Can It! book they are both great for ideas and new or experienced canners.

You can add herbs and spices to any recipe without affecting acidity, so that's a good place to start when you want to get creative. Safe for water bath canning is jams / jellies, tomatoes (with added lemon juice or vinegar) and pickled products.

Have fun!
 

bonbean01

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Thanks Em...at our local Walmart, no canner racks...and I did have two jars break on me last week since my rack does need to be replaced...can probably find one online though. Any trick you have that no jars break without a rack?

I really do want to get over my fear of the pressure canner since there is so much I'd like to try to put up...right now I'm limited to the water bath canning, but have many jars of pickled eggs put up for this year's Christmas baskets...they are so simple to do, yet most people who love them have never tried it.
 

elevan

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No tricks...guess I've just been lucky. I hate those racks.

I had a lady tell me once that she wraps each jar in a tea towel and places them in and then pours boiling water over the jars and brings up to a full boil from there. Seems a bit much in the way of extra trouble to me.
 

BHOBCFarms

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they have a new rack made out of soft rubber/plastic that I have seen sold at wal mart. try it.
 
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