Avoiding 10 Canning Mistakes

[@jannettedozier6390]

Great Video. Thank you for sharing. Can you tell us were we can get the pressure gauge checked?

[@ceces8947]

I’d venture to tell that our ancestors who arrived here in the New World way back in the 1600’s fared very well before “Science” entered with their rules. Mistakes may have happened but botulism was never entered on any of my ancestors death certificates.

[@lindamcneil711]

We can learn from history. The people that arrived in the new world were woefully unprepared. They knew nothing about nutrition. They didn't know how to garden or preserve. They tried to live off of rice and beans they found (didn't even bring). The only reason that they lived was because the Native American's actually took pity on the first group. "Many settlers died of scurvy and malnutrition during that horrible first winter. Of the 102 original Mayflower passengers, only 44 survived. Again like in Jamestown, the kindness of the local Native Americans saved them from a frosty death. The Pilgrims' remarkable courage was displayed the following spring." US Hx Org. As for proper canning, the USDA has been making recommendations for more safe canning since the early 1900s. Botulism outbreaks were identified since the 1700s. In 1919-1920 a series of deadly outbreaks occurred. Proper canning is about eliminating the risk...

[@ceces8947]

@@lindamcneil711 Your history lesson is well taken but you can’t just go by the exaggerated story of the famous little ship called the mayflower. Remember the many of the French who arrived in the new world much earlier. The Natives and the French lived together in harmony as they leant from each other. Many died as they adjusted to this life, yes... what irks me is my heroic ancestors who have been left forgotten from your history books, so you need to go beyond what you’ve learnt from reading only the history of your cherished little mayflower boat.

[@lindamcneil711]

​@@ceces8947 What happened with the Mayflower was much the same in a general sense as other explorers. No historical new settler seemed to be much different the first few years. Most new settlers, French, Italian, Norsemen, Inuit... were not prepared for the elements nor the food supply. Disease, partially from malnutrition, killed off many new settlers. I am not a big believer in elitist historical preferences. My lineage is also French and Italian on one side. So please don't sell others short in their knowledge or expect that only your perspective is correct here. We can ALL learn from history. :-) All of us. Have a GREAT DAY!

[@lindamcneil711]

@Cece S are you anti science? Do you not believe that Botulism is an issue?

[@ceces8947]

@@lindamcneil711 Agreed. That’s why you can’t single out the mayflower or make it bigger than any other early settlers in North America or Nee France

[@Yellow-Rose]

Wow this is more complicated than I thought. I need to keep learning.

[@chevypreps6417]

Its not too complicated but very easy to poison yourself if you don't follow proper procedure. If you do it right you can, can food for a 1000 years and never get sick.

[@357pls]

Every one of these mistakes is easily avoided by simply FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS!! Canning is safe, it is not hard, and modern pressure canners are safe and easy to use. Just follow instructions for YOUR canner and use the Ball Blue Book or the USDA canning guide book which are easily obtained online or in most places where you can buy jars. If you aren't sure about your canner because you got it for $5 at a yard sale or someone gave it to you, Turn it into a Flowerpot and Buy A New One!!! I would highly recommend getting a canner with a gauge AND a weighted regulator. The weighted regulator is mechanical and virtually foolproof and does not need to be tested. The gauge just becomes a visual backup to monitor pressure, but the weight regulates automatically. Just make certain the exhaust vent is not blocked! A gauge is very helpful for the pressurizing and cooling stages, but with a weight to regulate the actual canning pressure you really don't have to worry about getting the gauge tested or calibrated. I want to add...the only advantage to a gauge regulator (as opposed to a weighted regulator) is that they are more precise for elevations over 1000'. You can bump the pressure up in increments for higher elevations, whereas with a weighted regulator you only have a choice of 5, 10 or 15 pounds. The major disadvantage being that you do have to get the gauge tested regularly.

[@freakinfrugal5268]

I have started with jam (yes, made my own recipe) and I don't put that much sugar in because the fruit is sweet enough - i that an issue? Is the sugar necessary as a preservative or is it just for taste? It horrifies me to see al this white sugar dumped into pots with the fruit. The jars all sealed fine, but I put them all in the fridge because I just ddn't want to risk losing the food - it's a lot of work picking mulberries!

[@mermer58]

It shouldn't affect the safety as long as the jam is the right pH. There's a low sugar/no sugar pectin. You can also freeze jam.

[@leelaural]

folks, doesn't anybody remember when our mothers used parafin wax on top of freshly jarred up jam or jellies?....

[@cm9743]

Never alter the sugar when making jams or jellies, as the sugar is there for a reason, as it is a preservative. You can get the low sugar pectin and at that follow very carefully that recipe as well. The instructions on the package of pectin will tell you exactly what you need to do. Follow it to a tee. Hope that helps.

[@C2yourself]

US Food Preservation website, Go, read, study, take notes

[@marinadoerksen8107]

@@cm9743 the reason so much sugar is used is in order for the pectin to set. I don't think as a preservative.

[@mikecrane6096]

I have read and heard of the ban on adding starches and flours to canned foods due to heat transfer problems. Why then are there approved recipes which contain high starch ingredients such as potatoes and beans? When I can beef stew per Ball recipe, the finished food is cloudy from the starches, broken down from the potatoes.

[@mwolfe7883]

They were tested with potatoes diced a certain way and certain amounts of those things.

[@judichristopher4604]

EXCELLENT Video Thank you for sharing this video.

[@lindamcclellan8434]

If you follow USDA guidelines there is no reason to fear....

[@freakinfrugal5268]

When in doubt, can you just put it in the fridge and use as fresh?

[@leelaural]

with any canning jars that do not seal I do put them in the refrigerator or I might do another canning run....but I always check my jars for the seal.

[@LoriLeeSurfCityTemptations]

This scares the hell out of me. Im so bummed ,I really wanted to start learning how to can.

[@lovemila08]

Same here=( I just received my pressure canner today and after this video I change my mind on using it. Might have to return it. I Will Stick to freezing my tomatoes 🍅 and some other garden veggies.

[@chevypreps6417]

Watch how to videos on youtube.

[@anniekochera]

The top two KZbin channels i can recommend to you to watch is OurHalfAcreHomestead and SuttonsDaze. They are both the best I've seen, explaining things step by step in each and every video. Get a new Ball Complete Guide To Home Canning And Food Preservation and the National Center For Home Food Preservation books. These are great resources to follow.

[@ThesmartestTem]

Them: "get your pressure canner dial tested annually" Me: "Ok let's figure out where to do that..." Internet search results: "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Yeah right, lady!"

[@andrewhushek3917]

self test gauge, first batch of the season just bring up to 15 lbs and so weight starts to jiggle gauge should read 15 psi. If it reads 14 when weight jiggles then will only be at nine when gauge reads 10 so you know your a pound low. I always run mine a little high; it does not hurt the food the difference between 10 psi and 15 is about 13 degrees.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

Check with your county extension agent. If they don't do it there then they should be able to direct you to someone who does it. In my area the local Ace hardware and an independent hardware store both do that for you.

[@jeanined.7272]

Thank you for a great video. Can you please tell me why citric acid must be added when PRESSURE canning tomatoes, but not when pressure canning, say, beans? That’s something that has never made sense to me. Thank you.

[@sinnahsaint7869]

Acidifying tomatoes is needed for waterbath canning. I hope this helps.

[@purdueextensionhhssouthwes7839]

When you see the tomato product recommendations in USDA canning directions that offer both boiling water and pressure canning options, those pressure processes are still only the same amount of heat treatment as the boiling water option. (Higher temperature=shorter process time.) Those pressure processes are not the amount of heat and time that would be required for canning a low-acid food to control for botulism. There has not been a properly researched process for pressure canning of low-acid tomatoes without added acid, so the available process times still require the addition of acid as if they are being processed in boiling water. Source: nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/acidifying.html

[@mermer58]

Tomatoes are a medium acid food with a pH around 5.0. Lemon juice is added to increase acidity to below 4.5 for safe waterbath canning. Anything with a pH above 4.6 should be pressure canned.

[@mermer58]

Its also the timing. Tomatoes process for less time than beans.

[@danbev8542]

I think most people water bath tomatoes, instead of pressure canning. I think water bath canning preserves the flavor better. You certainly can pressure can tomatoes, but I suspect it is overkill. However, to insure the tomatoes are acidic enough (must be pH of 4.6 or lower), they recommend adding citric acid. This only applies to just tomatoes. If you add other ingredients, you are raising the pH and then they should be pressure canned. The USDA has a limited number of tested recipes because they are no longer funded.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

I just tried to watch a woman who was a poisoning survivor. She was listing off everything she did wrong. I am sorry but at her age she should have realized you need to learn how to use your canners before doing any canning. You just can't fix stupid.

[@allengrant]

Yep. After a few minutes of watching her, the word "clueless" popped into my mind almost immediately.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@allengrant Agreed. I also watch a man who did everything wrong. I guess some people just don't understand how important it is to learn how to do some things the right way before attempting it.

[@leelaural]

she was delightfully honest and she woke up a lot of nonchalant canners....I appreciate her.....we can learn from other people's mistake.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@leelaural That is a good way to look at it.

[@Recoveringred]

The lady who pressed down the not concave lids? I think that was propaganda. It was so bad. Call me what you want this world is that crazy.

[@beaverdog5590]

But the fda approves McDonald's.

[@ivykeawe9669]

This is probably one of the best videos ans responses I have seen online. Thank you!

[@crazyldy002]

Thank you so much,very helpful information :-)

[@jessicawellington292]

I understand not increasing the amount of ingredients but what about omitting? For example salsa recipes with cilantro? Can the cilantro be omitted with affecting the safety of the recipe?

[@chevypreps6417]

I would say yes you can omit ingredients.

[@beatpirate8]

Omg I’m so scared to make canned food

[@chevypreps6417]

In most case you can simmer your canned food on the stove for 10 minutes, which will deactivate the toxins if you did have live botulism inside the jar. It is the toxins that make you sick. Watch youtube videos you can learn a lot. Just make sure the people you watch know what they are doing. In all of the united states there are only about 100 confirmed cases per year and only 30 percent of those are from home canning.

[@mwolfe7883]

Don’t be. Just follow safe procedures and recipes. Ball has a couple of great books of tested recipes.

[@debraconner3884]

Is there a basic spaghetti sauce recipe that doesn't require peppers? My boyfriend can't stand them, and it seems like all the approved recipes use them.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

This is a good question Debra. I don't know if you have found your answer but what my county extension agent told me is that you can cut down on the amount of veggies but never add more veggies so I would just leave i out or replace with exact amount of something that you do like. I have done that before.

[@wardrobelion]

Good advice👍

[@ourcrazylife2952]

I have a question. I was canning tomatoes and they had already sealed and the middle was sucked in the middle. Is this ok? And question 2. I added water to the first line but it didn’t cover all of the tomatoes at the top these sealed but I’m just making sure that this is t going to kill me and my family it make me sick. Sometimes when I look at then it kinda has a little different color like a darker red/brown but then again it could be my eyes playing tricks on me bc I’m scared to give it a try. Please can someone help me? I have looked everywhere for these questions thanks so much. And this is from last years canning not this years.

[@earlethebutcher8947]

I added lemon juice to my sauce, not each jar is it shelf stable?the sauce has balsamic vinegar in it as well

[@marinadoerksen8107]

Botulism is very, very rare. Especially rare in home canning. I hate that the "professionals" always dump so much fear on us!

[@bakokat6982]

Yes! She has just about put me off the idea of canning. I have never canned for just for that very reason of I might poison my family with botulism. I recently have been looking into canning, now I am having reservations again.

[@marinadoerksen8107]

@@bakokat6982 Nobody stops driving even though the risk of having an accident is involved. There's a a much higher risk of losing a family member in a car accident than by food poisoning.

[@357pls]

@@bakokat6982 All you have to do is follow the instructions. It's NOT hard!!!

[@SarahMacDonald1991]

They want to do it properly that’s all.

[@calebchristensen360]

You talk so tough, but once you've had a family member die or come close to dying because of poor canning methods, all of a sudden you'll be very willing to follow safety standards to the letter, and you'll want to share the importance of following those guidelines with everyone you know that cans.

[@beatpirate8]

Is kimchi canned vegetables? And what about kombocha

[@pollyjazz]

I am allergic to tomatoes and peppers so I make my own "Nomato" sauce using beets and carrots as a base. It also takes onions and garlic, sugar, vinegar, and some spices like bay and oregano. Optional a little bit of wine and some bacon. Everything is boiled down and made into a puree. I usually freeze it in ice cube trays so I can use small or big servings as needed but it would be very very convenient to me to be able to can some in jars. I didn't know canning also required special recipes. Does anyone have an approved canning recipe for Nomato sauce or how do I make sure my recipe is canning safe? Is it only a question of pH? If i measure the pH and it's a correct level would that be ok? Where can I get information on this?

[@colliecoform4854]

What I have done is look up all the canning times on each individual ingredient and then use the longest time to process. It has worked for me with good results but obviously there is no "approved" time. I wish they would give instructions for these type of issues. I live with picky eaters and also Italian which means there is the family recipe for sauce and other dishes that cannot be deviated from. Luckily they are pretty basic and I will just do tomato puree and peeled tomatoes and they make their own. I am going to try to put up some sauce again using my recipe which should be fine as I use fewer ingredients than the approved recipe. I do put up pizza sauce and salsa.

[@sueciviero3866]

Be careful to use an approved recipe and method for your safety's sake.

[@357pls]

Remember that food consistency matters too. My understanding is that pureed foods are unable to reach adequate temperatures in a pressure canner, because pressure canning principles rely on the circulation of hot liquid in and around the food as well as the jars. I would just keep freezing it, which honestly probably better preserves the nutrients as well. Another possibility is to can the beets, carrots and other ingredients separately and make the puree as you need it. Canning beets and carrots is easy.

[@sornthanh7212]

Watch from Cambodia southeast Asia 🇰🇭 thanks for sharing

[@yankeechef3979]

I have so much fear I am so afraid to eat anything that I canned. I have questions and no one to ask. 😟

[@ItsRealyReall]

Ah, me too. 😳

[@ItsRealyReall]

I'm trying to do some dry canning and even though it seems like that's harder to mess up, I'm still nervous.

[@IJustWantToUseMyName]

Do you use Reddit? There is a really good group there that seems knowledgeable. I asked a question recently and had very detailed answers given. I hope it helps. www.reddit.com/r/Canning/

[@Jomama02]

@@ItsRealyReall dry canning is not a approved method.....

[@stillwatersfarm8499]

I like the recipes that came with my canner best. I read the recipes and the canner instructions every time and follow them exactly. Every single instruction has a purpose. Don’t add to and don’t take away, just follow exactly, and you will be fine. :)

[@ivykeawe9669]

Hello I was wondering if you could tell me where I could get my pressure canning dial checked. I live in Hawaii. Please respond. Thank you.

[@lindamcneil711]

The extension office. Cooperative Extension Service College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources University of Hawaii at Manoa

[@manongatmanangchannel5900]

My pressured canning got burned halfway of cooking is it safe to consume it or it is okay to replaced the lid and canning it again ? I hope you can reply on this question, TIA

[@Donkeydreamer]

Be slaves to science! This is fear porn

[@cindyeastbourn7642]

How much citric acid in tomatoes

[@BlackKettleRanch]

They have a coffee machine.

[@catwoman923]

I added lemon juice

[@lotlot40]

I didn't know there's so much that goes into fermenting and pickling food. I just made my first batch yesterday of pickled onions and radishes and I already failed all the necessary rule from the get go. Now i gotta throw out 2 big jars 😭😭

[@Cracksoda]

Keep in in the fridge then

[@leelaural]

pickling and fermenting have different less stringent rules....

[@elizabethezell8749]

I can't find anyone to help me know what weight to use on my pressure canner. I live in northwest Florida according to my altitude which is 102 .......🤷 I'm stuck

[@Mostlyharmless1985]

You should be good with the 10 pound weights and times.

[@elizabethezell8749]

@@Mostlyharmless1985 ...... thank you, I called our local .......blank....lolo brain fart and they told me how to read the recipe and weights 😴🤦🤷. I appreciate your response, going back to bed now to find the rest of me

[@cynthiarigdon4157]

I in SC. Usually 10 to 12 for me. So you probably good i. FLORIDA

[@thomashopkins9995]

Great video thanks

[@donnastormer9652]

Thank you

[@lotlot40]

HELP - This might be a dumb question but I really don't want to waste the food I just made yesterday..I didn't sterilize the jars in a pressure canner nor boiled it in for 10 mins in another pot. I simply washed it with soap and placed boiling hot water inside the jar for 2 mins and rinsed. Then I put the food and the brine afterwards..is this still edible by any chance? Also i put the lid on kind of right away while the brine cooled down and placed it in the fridge after 5 hours.. 🥴 Can anyone help me with this situation please?

[@Cracksoda]

Keep it in the fridge then, and eat fast

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

When using a pressure canner or a boiling water bath canner you do not need to sterilize your jars as they will be sterilized along with the food during processing any time you process over 10 minutes. To be safe I process everything I can for 15 minutes or longer even pickles. The best thing you can do is to go to your county extension office and buy their canning book. That is the best investment you can make. I don't know what kind of food you were preserving but it sounds like pickles.

[@mermer58]

Wait? Weren't you supposed to water bath your pickles? Before water bath canning, jars should be placed on boiling water for 10 minutes or run through the dishwasher sanitize cycle. After adding food and hot brine to the hot jars, you probbaly were supposed to water bath the pickles (completely submerged in boiling water) for 10 to 20 minutes depending on the recipe. Putting hot food in jars, adding the lids and letting them cool is never recommended for any food other than ghee. (I don't care how many times Granny didn't kill anybody.)

[@mermer58]

Do yourself a favor and get the new Ball Complete Book of Canning or order the USDA Canning Guide. Will save you a ton of worry.

[@mermer58]

@@icecreamladydriver1606 when water bath canning, you should sterilize the jars. And check the times for each food. Foods like tomatoes should be acidified AND water bathed quite a bit longer than 15 minutes, otherwise pressure can.

[@elizabethshaw734]

I see a ton of people dry canning potatoes with just butter salt and sometimes garlic in the jar with the potatoes. I am a master food preserver and try to explain to them that they won't listen.

[@fatman7817]

You mean, they do not use a pressure canner?

[@thomaswolf6507]

Ignorance is a killer.

[@Lee7699]

Dry canning is NOT a way to preserve food. I never heard of it until just a few years ago

[@ninababy8]

I do not understand rebel canners. I follow safety to the letter and still I worry a bit. Can’t imagine taking those chances.

[@lindamcneil711]

@@ninababy8 a lot of rebel canners rely on the 10 min boil or cook method to kill potential botulism after the processing fact. It increases the risk of getting botulism so much. Canning and preserving food is a game of probability... I believe in eliminating risk as much as possible if my job is to provide safe food for my family. The rebel canners are frustrating to me.

[@ninababy8]

I’ve been diligent as a new canner. My question is … if you boil the food 10 minutes before eating does that kill anything ? Or is that just something people say.

[@anileaatje]

Overall, the problem with botulism (low acid foods are more prone to this) is that the boiling temperature of 100 degrees C (for water) is not hot enough to kill the spores. To kill spores you need a higher temperature- hence pressure canning as higher temperatures can be reached this way.

[@genskitchenmagic2957]

Yes, boiling your canned food for 10 minutes just prior to eating will inactivate any botulinum TOXIN that may have developed while on the shelf. It’s an additional safety measure. Boiling food to process does not raise heat to a high enough temperature (it is only 212F at best not 240-250F) required to kill the clostridium botulinum spores which could then produce a toxin in your food during storage. If your food is properly processed in a pressure canner at the required pressure/temperature and for the required amount of time, the bacterial spores will all be killed and they won’t produce any toxin in your food, so you won’t need to boil it before serving it. But you can boil it if you want to as an additional safety measure.

[@leelaural]

@@genskitchenmagic2957 I do water bath canning of my tomatoes and always add the lemon juice.....however, even when I go to use them, I boil them for 10 minutes anyway...

[@t-bone6467]

@@genskitchenmagic2957 please forward a valid source for your recommendation.

[@GeneralAlex4]

@@genskitchenmagic2957 I agree with you!

[@mermer58]

Great video

[@jasonengelage2907]

if not canned right can the food contain the toxin just hours after canning or does it require time to grow thus giving you a grace period to eat it or do you need to assume it has it if not canned right and throw it out right away no matter how much time has passed since it was canned. heard that age of food has nothing to do with it just whether it was canned right or not when it was.

[@purdueextensionhhssouthwes7839]

If all other food safety procedures were completed properly and your lid just didn't seal (and you notice this within 24 hours!) you can refrigerate and use within a week (treat it as leftovers) or choose to freeze the item.

[@mchevalier-seawell4438]

Can melted butter be pressure canned in pint sized jars for 75 minutes

[@mermer58]

No. Do not pressure can or water bath butter. To make butter shelf stable, turn it into ghee. Boil the butter to remove the water and strain out the milk solids. Ladle into sterilized, hot jars and seal. Will keep for years.

[@cm9743]

Nope.