Top products from r/Canning

I'd highly recommend a canning book from a reputable source, for instance the Ball Blue Book or Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving are some very, very good places to start. I'd also recommend starting with water bath canning, and after you're comfortable with the mechanics venturing into pressure canning if you feel like it. Until you are very confident, don't deviate from the recipes at all. No extra ingredients, no halving or doubling recipes (especially jam, pectin's a finicky thing), and no subbing different sized jars. Once you get the hang of it, you can start to fudge a little bit, but at first I'd definitely play it safe and stick straight to the recipe; this is more fussy than regular cooking. Water bath canning is only for high-acid foods, and even tomato sauce recipes for canning require extra lemon juice, so definitely follow your recipe.

As far as equipment, technically all you really need are a pot to hold the jars as they boil, something to pull the hot jars out of the water with, and some kind of rack to keep them off the bottom of the pot (extra canning rings placed along the bottom, a cake rack, whatever works). Nothing else is technically needed, though I tried this method with just the extra rings and with spring-loaded tongs and made quite a mess, then immediately sprung for some toys.

I'd recommend this kit, the polypropolene basket doesn't melt even during long canning sessions and it's small enough to use in an eight or ten quart pot, which a lot of people already have at home. To make sure your pot's big enough, put a jar in the pot and make sure it could be covered with at least an inch or two of water. Taller pots are obviously more helpful than lower, wider ones. The kit comes with three jars, which is okay, and the recipe book it comes with scales down a lot of their most popular recipes so you can just make a few jars to test them out.

I'd also recommend a canning funnel, and a jar lifter. Something to measure headspace is also handy, there's a little plastic doohickey for that (looks like this) but if you don't mind keeping a plastic ruler around, it's not required. A set like this would definitely cover all your bases.

Keep in mind that while the jars and rings are reusable, the lids with the sealing compounds are not. If you feel a canning binge come on, be sure to buy an extra little box of just the lids because you'll be upset if you run out!

Good luck!! I'm still a novice canner myself, and I've only ever done water bath canning, but I've already got taco sauce, jams, jellies, pickles and canned fruit (I love canning pears!) under my belt so I've got at least a little bit of a clue!

What people usually refer to as "quick pickles" are pickles that are not water bath preserved, but rather refrigerated. Because you usually aren't "cooking" these by soaking them in boiling water, they tend to come out crisper than a water bath preserved pickle. You usually boil a vinegar based brine with some salt and spices in it and then add it to the vegetables. You let them cool to room temp and then stick them in your fridge (or, if your brine has an acceptable acid level, process them via boiling water bath... these are not longer "quick pickles," but processed via boiling water bath.) There are also directions for a lower temp (like 180degF) pasteurization process that I have never played with. These supposedly result in crisper pickles. You are adding acid in the form of vinegar to create a safe environment for food preservation for these pickles.

Fermented pickles are cured in a brine (usually a room temp) for a lengthy period of time, usually from a week to a few weeks, depending on the vegetable and your final goal. You are creating an environment that favors a certain type of bacterial growth which causes (hopefully) predictable changes in the taste of the pickle. These bacteria out-compete everything else and create an environment hostile to other bacteria that are dangerous for you to eat. The by product of the bacteria you are trying to grow is lactic acid, which lowers the pH enough to create a safe environment- instead of adding vinegar to make a safe environment, you are "growing your own" acid. Obviously, this can be a tempermental process. It's a world onto it's own, with lots of variations steeped in culinary history of different areas of the world. Check out /r/fermentation for some more info on this process.

My suggestion is to ask yourself what you love in a pickle. Sharp "dill pickle" flavor? (probably fermented) Super crisp, fresher tasting? (quick pickles, most likely) Stable, room temp storage and a predictable process? (boiling water bath pickles) These are broad generalizations of course, but those are my opinions of the strengths and characteristics of each style.

Some resources: The Joy of Pickling for an array of styles and anything by Sandor Katz for the fermented styles. I also loved Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon for a whole new range of pickles unfamilar to a lot of people.

What I always suggest is to first decide what you're going to can, how much you will be canning at one time and what size jars you will be canning in.

These are important to know because, as others have said, jellies, jams, fruits, pickles and properly acidified tomatoes can be done in a water bath canner, while vegetables and meats must be pressure canned.

Knowing what size of jars you are going to be using makes a difference in what size of canner(s) you will need. If you're canning for a family, you will likely need to use quart sized jars. But if you are a single person or a couple, you will probably only want to do pint jars.

Too, it's customary that jams or jellies are canned in half-pint jars although it is perfectly acceptable to do them in pints if you will use that much jam in a reasonable amount of time once it's been opened. Large mouth jars (both pints and quarts) and their lids are more more expensive than the regular mouth jars. However, meats and things like whole pickles or pickle spears almost require large-mouth jars.

The jar size also matters because some canners don't work with larger sized jars. Also, very large canners will accept two layers of jars which is great for canning many jars at a time but time and energy wasting to use for small batches.

To get started water-bath canning, the only must haves are:

1. Jars
   
2. Lids and rings
   
3. Stock pot or canner (with lid) at least 3" deeper than your jars
   
4. Jar lifter
   
5. Trivet to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the pot (a layer of extra jar rings works brilliantly for this)
   
   The most affordable places to buy these supplies are going to be somewhere local to you. None are very expensive at all. Some water-bath canners come with a rack inside them, which is both a trivet and a jar lifter itself. New boxes of jars come with lids and rings. The rings (also called bands) are reusable, the lids are not, but anywhere that sells the jars will have more lids. Walmart, Target, K-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware and places like that will have nearly everything you need for water-bath canning.
   
   As for pressure canning, you will need:
   
   
6. Jars
   
7. Lids and rings
   
8. Jar lifter
   
9. Pressure canner (equipped with lid, gasket, weight, gauge & trivet)
   
   I highly recommend that you read up and shop around before buying a pressure canner. They are somewhat of an investment at between $70 and $400. When you're ready to select a pressure canner, come back and ask and I know everyone around here will help you decide what's right for you. The inexpensive canners are very good but there are also very good reasons to buy a more pricey one and it takes a whole post in itself to discuss them!
   
   Something inexpensive and very nice to have is a little canning set like this no matter which method of canning you do. These tools will be safer to use rather than winging it and will save you infinite amounts of time and frustration. I've seen these same sets at Walmart for something like $8-$10.
   
   I hope this helps!

I would start with reading about safe canning from this site. Make sure since you do not have a pressure canner, you are only doing things that are high acid, like pickles and jams. That site has a ton of info on all that sort of stuff.

You can can with any large pot you can fit your jars in with something under (can be a canning rack, some rings put together, or people have even used a folded towel) just to keep the jars from the bottom to prevent breakage, and 2 inches over the top of the jars with a bit of room for the boiling water. Anything to pick the jars up out of the hot water is very helpful. If you can spend another 10 bucks or so, you can get a kit like this one that has the lifter, lid magnet, and funnel. You can usually find them at places like Ace hardware, wal-mart, Tractor Supply....if not, a butter knife works good to get the bubbles out of jars, and just a good ladle and steady hand works in place of the funnel. You might have to make something work with grill tongs or something to pick the jars out of the water.

I started with Pickles. Salsa is a good one to start with too. Lots of people do jellies and jams and such, but I have never due to not really being able to use sugar due to a diabetic.

Please read up on safety though especially since you do want to gift a lot of these, make sure you do the times properly for your elevation.

It seems daunting at first, but it is so much fun and very addicting.

Hi! The easiest way to get started canning is to read over the National Center for Home Food Preservation's site (they even offer a self-study program you can do at home!) or the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving . It's VERY important to know what you are doing when you are canning, as while canning is easy, you can also improperly can items, which can lead to botulism, which can make you very sick and can kill you.

Water bath canning is a great for getting your feet wet in the canning world (ha ha! Feet wet. Water bath. I slay me). Water baths are for items like fruit and tomato products. All you need for this is a pot tall enough to cover the canning jars that sit on a towel or some kind of rack with 2 inches of water and a lid for the pot. I use a stock pot, and when I went to buy it I took along a jar and measured it in the pot to make sure I was getting the right size. Then you need jars, lids, and rings. If you get the jars new in a box, they come with the lids and rings.

If your budget can swing it, or if someone else would like to go in on it with you, a canning kit is really nice to have. It makes canning a lot easier and less frustrating.

When your sister has gotten the swing of water bath canning, and if she wants to try canning meat or vegetables, your family might be interested in getting her a pressure canner for the holidays. The nice thing about a pressure canner is that it can also be used as a water bath canner.

If you get her the Presto canner linked above, get the three piece weight to replace the mushroom looking weight. This way she won't have to relay on the dial gauge (which can be unreliable), all she has to do is listen for the steam escaping and the rocking.

The FDA states that inversion canning is not safe and should not be practiced. I get the appeal of not having to water bath process jars because it is a pain, but personally I would never do it, why risk it? If you don't want to fully process your jars you can do refrigerator recipes, most will last in the frig for several weeks. Please practice safe and approved canning methods!

If you need help with proper canning and approved recipes, this book is fantastic!

https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537971010&sr=8-6&keywords=ball+canning

My favourite book is:
https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314
I initially just borrowed it from our local library then went out and bought it for myself since I used so many of the recipes! :)

When I first started I spent a lot of time on YouTube watching other people canning. Some good stations to check out would be:
Linda's Pantry,
our half acre homestead,
living traditions homestead,
homesteading family....and lots of others really.

I would usually decide what I wanted to try canning and search for that...I'd watch a few different videos to give me the confidence to try it.

A website I like is: https://www.healthycanning.com/
I find the material is written in a really approachable format. I really appreciate their explanations in what is safe and what isn't...and some of the reasons behind it.

Sometimes it's hard to trust website recipes, so I tried to stick with safer, known sources rather than some blogger with a great looking product but no info into the safety.

Anyhow, welcome to club!! It can be a lot of work but I find it oh so rewarding!!

If money is no object a copper pot for making jams and jellies is lovely. Something similar to this.

If you live in a hot environment it's nice to have a propane stove for canning outdoors in the Summer.

This food mill/strainer is great for making tomato juice and sauce.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorio-VKP250-Strainer-Sauce-Maker/dp/B001I7FP54/ref=sr_1_1

If you don't have a dedicated water bath canner that comes with a jar basket, finding a stainless steel rack that fits into the pot you plan on using is also a very useful thing to have. It elevates the jars off the bottom.

A steam juicer is also a nice piece of equipment.

A conical food press is also useful.

http://www.amazon.com/Mirro-9605000A-Canning-Accessories-Wooden/dp/B00002N5ZQ/ref=sr_1_12?

A good metal ladle that portions food in 1/2 or 1 cup measures makes things easier.

Cloth jelly bags are useful.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-615-Jelly-Strainer-Piece/dp/B001FBEHFC/ref=sr_1_1

A canning lid rack can be useful, I like mine but most don't use them.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-605-Canning-Lid-Rack/dp/B0000CF39X/ref=sr_1_8

Tattler lids are always useful since you can reuse them.

http://www.amazon.com/Tattler-Reusable-Regular-Size-Canning/dp/B0051PDXCQ/ref=sr_1_3

I would never say it's complicated but it is more involved. First off all jellies are made using the boiling water bath method (which can be as simple as having a pot large enough to have at least 1" of water covering the top of your jars at all times). Where the science comes in is when to determine if pectin is needed, what ratio of fruit to sugar is needed, and what jar sizes are safe (you can always process in a smaller jar but never a larger jar). If you have yet to purchase a Ball book of canning I strongly recommend it.
The first two books I bought were (http://amzn.to/2uyqAYA) and (http://amzn.to/2uIsZ33) however Ball just released a brand new Basics book (http://amzn.to/2tfdw6l) that discusses jams, jellies, butters and pickles.
I know this may not have been the answer you were looking for but I would gladly help you walk through the process of making a jam

Fleet Farm if you have one near you has the best prices on jars. If no fleet farm Kmart, Walmart, Target, grocery stores and hardware stores all have jars. The jars will be cheaper at the "Big Box" stores jars come with lids and rings. You can reuse the rings as long as they are not rusty or dented. The lids you can only use once. The first thing I would recommend canning is a jam. You don't need a pressure cooker for jam. Usually use pint size jars are used for jam. I prefer wide mouth jars.
I use quart size jars for everything. They make good drinking glasses and can be used like Tupperware. I own countless jars. I would recommend buying these storage lids for use after you open up canned food for storage in the refrigerator. I also love my cuppow it makes any jar a spill proof drinking glass. Nothing says "classy" like drinking out of a bell jar!

I just bought the Presto 23 Quart, which I haven't used yet, but will tomorrow.

It was cheap ($85) and was large enough to do bigger batches. It doesn't come with a very good 2 level rack, which I'm still looking for, but I did pickup this rack which fit pretty good.

The type of jar you used is not recommended for canning by some authorities. If you're worried about food poisoning, keep the pickles in the fridge and consume soon, rather than allowing them to sit on a shelf somewhere until you are ready to consume them. Most of the cooperative extension agencies in the United States have particularly good information about safe canning practices. Also, the Ball Blue Book and the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving provide an excellent guide for safe canning practices, as well as wonderful recipes for someone new to canning.

I've had rave reviews using the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and the recipes in there for salsa. I don't have it on hand, but I gotta say, everything in there is a winner. To be fair, I also boost the cilantro, and sub half the white vinegar for cider vinegar. That gives is a very unique sort of bite.

Also, there's Cowboy Candy that was recommended in another thread?

Here's a recipe for corn salsa that I like from "Put 'em Up" by Sherri Brooks Vinton. I have the Kindle version (It was on sale for cheap), so I'll copy and paste it here. I think this falls under fair use, but if it doesn't, mods: give me a message and I'll take it down.

EDIT: Makes about 8 Pints

INGREDIENTS

12 ears corn, shucked

3 cups distilled white vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

5 pounds tomatoes, diced

1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARE

1. Bring a large nonreactive stockpot of water to a boil. Add the corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
   
   
2. When the corn is cool enough to handle, stand the cobs on end and slice vertically to cut off the kernels, being careful not to cut into the cobs. Empty and wipe out the stockpot.
   
   
3. Combine the vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt in the stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, jalapeños, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, to allow flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and return to a boil. Remove from the heat.
   
   
   Refrigerate: Ladle into bowls or jars. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
   
   Can: Use the boiling-water method. Ladle into clean, hot half-pint or pint canning jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on jar bands. Process for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
   

Yes this....Please be very cautious about using random recipes from the internet. There is no guarantee they are safe to can. Another good source for great, safe recipes is this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407688157&sr=8-1&keywords=book+of+canning

My wife and I started two years ago. Buy a basic canning book, or even better, check the library. We bought this one from Ball as a starter, and has served us well. Now we're pretty comfortable with the basics and looking to branch out. People are always giving away jars on Craigslist or Freecycle. Lids are pretty cheap and you're not supposed to reuse them, but you can get new ones at most grocery stores. The rings you can reuse. I would start with a water bath canner, and if you dig the process, then get a pressure-canner. I don't know about anyone else here, but it gets pretty hot in our kitchen on canning days at the end of summer, so have a plan for that.

This One

The link is to a "Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner". This is a better alternative to the "Dial Gauge Pressure Canner."

Weighted Gauge Canners are self-regulating--they do not need to be watched every second of operation. Dial gauge canners need to be watched closely every minute to prevent OVER-PRESSURIZATION.

Get good info from the USDA Guide to Canning Meat, Poultry and Fish

Good luck and Happy Canning!

My wife and I use the attachment for our KitchenAid stand mixer and it's always worked great for us.

That said, we can a lot and tend to do double, triple, quadruple batches, etc. Having a powered mill makes things a lot faster and easier. The cost over a hand mill was worth it for us, especially since we already had the mixer.

YES! Winter canning! Canned soups, chili, beans, and chicken stock are my favourites. My garden isn't quite large enough that I need to can green beans and whatnot, but when it is, I'll be canning those too! I got this one two years ago and it has more than paid for itself already. You'll never go back to the commercially canned soups and chili etc after making your own. There's no comparison with respect to the quality of the finished product. I also find it's more fun. If you enjoy cooking, you'll like pressure canning things. Making vats of chili or chicken stock is so different from hunkering down with 50 lbs of apples.

I feel your pain re the pears. I put up around 100 half-pints for our lunch pails last summer.

No! This is not a safe canning method, "open kettle canning" should not be used! It's especially dangerous for the types of sauces you want to make! As stated in the post above from lissabeth777:

http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2014/avoid-open-kettle-canning

"You'll want to get bottles that have been tested to seal in home waterbath canners like these or you can use the super small 4 oz jars with the two piece lids like this.

Also, you need to use an approved safe recipe such as this ketchup or this BBQ sauce"

I'm in the States so I can't answer most of your questions but I do have a 23QT Presto pressure canner and love it. I actually much prefer to pressure can than to water bath can.

HOWEVER. The Presto does not come with a weighted gauge. Not a problem for me as I could just order one from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HMBVQ8/?coliid=ILCJ9R3SFOVUQ&colid=30HUE8KJHVFZT&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) but I don't know how difficult it would be for you to get your hands on one.

You don't absolutely need the weight to can but it makes it much, much easier.

I'd recommend finding the original instructions in the book this person references. These instruction say that the original method was altered for "convenience" while respecting the safety of the original, but they also say you don't need to sterilize the jars, which is a terrible idea when canning. I'd be willing to bet that's one of the things they changed because they don't actually have a good a good understanding of canning safety.

Both I guess. This is the model I bought.

Thanks for the tips. I'll use the recommendations for plain fish and then I'll be sure to be safe since it will have vinegar as well. It was 1 hr 45 minutes if I remember correctly.

According to the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving you don't need to pressure can tomatillo salsa, just water bath can it with enough vinegar for acidity. If you wanted to pressure can it you certainly can, but it just isn't necessary for safety.

Recipe is on p. 212, makes about four half pint jars or two pint jars:

> 5.5 c chopped cored husked tomatillos

> 1 c chopped onion

> 1 c chopped seeded green chili peppers

> 0.5 c white vinegar

> 4 tbsp lime juice

> 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

> 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

> 2 tsp ground cumin

> 0.5 tsp salt

> 0.5 tsp hot pepper flakes

If you don't have this book I would HIGHLY recommend picking it up :) It's about $13 on Amazon.

You might like this tool, as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Jar-Sure-Tight-Band/dp/B007CRHP4I

Ive used one for a couple years. Love it. Walmart also sells them.

The Blue Book is a great start! I got my Mennonite mother http://www.amazon.com/Canning-New-Generation-Flavors-Modern/dp/1584798645/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369176135&sr=1-1&keywords=canning+recipes this book for Christmas and she loved some of the more modern recipes.

One thing, definetly don't can a ton of the same recipe IF YOU HATE THAT PARTICULAR FOOD. My first year in college I was so proud of myself for canning 20 jars of spaghetti sauce...then realized I hardly ever eat pasta and would have been way better off making salsa or green tomato jam or stewed tomatoes, even. ;)

Yeah, I've never heard of tightening them when you pull them out of the canner either. If you get one of these it will allow you to tighten the bands the perfect amount so that it is less likely your jars break and I haven't had a failed seal from over or under tightening since I bought this. You're generally looking for "finger tight" as opposed to hulk tight.

I like Canning for a New Generation. But I also have the Ball book, Putting Food By, and The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook, which is a million pages of good sweet stuff.

What are Missouri Wonders?

In terms of canning books, you should get the Ball Blue Book or Ball Complete Book of Preserving to start. Canning is pretty much an exact science and can have serious not-good results if done without following exact recipes.

There are tons of websites out there, and Canning Across America has a great resource list on their site.

I see an All American 21qt for $320 and a Presto 23qt for $83. Is there something I'm missing? Is the All American just extremely high quality?

I'm considering a Presto 16qt for $75 but I feel like it'd be silly to not get the larger for the slight increase in price...

That's the model I have, and I love it. If you think it will be limiting, they have a 30 quart model that will fit 14 quart jars.

I make the corn salsa from Put 'em Up!, and it is sooo good; spice to taste!

I often mush up an avocado and then stir in the salsa; easy guac!

Online version.

No, absolutely not, that cooker is not designed for canning.

You'd get more mileage and resale value out of a dedicated canning cooker. If you like it, yay! You have a real canner! If you don't no big deal, you resell it on ebay and lose maybe $50 over whatever price you paid.

Or for $20 more dollars over the one you listed you can get a real one from Presto for $70 right now.

Also, canning 3 jars at a time is a waste of energy, imo.

Get a canning book/guide. Much better to have a reference on hand to thumb back through rather than reading a web site and trying to remember everything at first.

Ball Complete Canning Guide

Ball Blue Book

Peels you'll want to remove for texture and gelling reasons (apple peels have a lot of pectin, and oddly sharp edges).

That said, I reccomend employing mechanical help with this. I like the squeezo for removing seeds and peels. I usually do a rough peel and chop/core, just to be tidy. But before this machine that was much more tedious and with it you can play it pretty fast and loose.

https://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Strainer-Sauce-VICTORIO-VKP250/dp/B001I7FP54

A couple of the regular books mentioned already here would be good. Jars and lids are always appreciated in my house. Other ideas....

one piece lids for storing the opened jar in the fridge.

plastic storage lids works for me too.

>Even in the sea level zone, every plain vegetable except tomatoes, every meat, every seafood that is canned at home--and almost every mixture containing these--MUST BE CANNED IN A PRESSURE CANNER.

pg.54 of putting food by

now, i'm sure someone will dust off the old chestnut of "but my mom/aunt/grandmother/neighbor cans everything en plen air using nothing but an open boiling water pot and they're just fine!"

you could buy some pH strips and test your soup and maybe the pH will be below 4.6, which would fall into the USDA category of 'high acid', not requiring a pressure caner, but i'd personally recommend spending the money for a pressure canner or borrowing a friends.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KHN602/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Cheapest set that I could find. I have it and have used it once. Seems pretty good for the price.

No no no no!!

This is called "open kettle canning" and it's dangerous and products will likely spoil. Read up on it starting here: http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2014/avoid-open-kettle-canning

You'll want to get bottles that have been tested to seal in home waterbath canners like these or you can use the super small 4 oz jars with the two piece lids like this.

Also, you need to use an approved safe recipe such as this ketchup or this BBQ sauce

Sure! I got my recipes from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

The syrup and blueberry butter recipes you make from the same set of blueberries. It is called "Blueberry Bonanza" and luckily, it's been copied word-for-word online here.

The blueberry-lime jam is also available online here. I included 2 oz. of orange liqueur (I used Cointreau) which I stirred in just after removing the jam from the heat.

Do you think 23 qt is too much for a starter pot? I saw that there was also a 16 quart pot, but it looks like it's roughly the same circumference, just shorter, so it would have the same heating problem as the 23 qt, if I understand correctly (though obviously less weight).

You can double stack them, but you need some sort of separator, and they need to be offset so that the jars on the top layer are resting on top of two jars below rather than stacked directly on top of one another.

I love these two books.

Ball Blue Book Guide To Preserving, 37Th Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OEJZSNW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_1-9JBbQN2ECKT

Putting Food By: Fifth Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0452296226/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_F.9JBb1D8E5JE

Check out the sidebar, it has all kinds of info! This is the go to website for all things canning, I only trust tested recipes (meaning I don't do some mashed potato recipe I found on someone's blog).

I have only water bath canned before, but I have heard that All Americans are the way to go for pressure canners though there are cheaper options depending on how much you plan to do.



There are a couple things I always suggest for people who show an interest in canning.

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

A small tool set

the ball blue book is great, so is this one: Canning For a New Generation


edited because balls

If you're on a strict budget, Mirro canners are the cheapest, but I prefer Presto. The 16 quart Presto is more compact if storage is an issue, but you can't double stack pints or water bath quarts with it. The 23 quart Presto is my go-to recommendation, but do yourself a favour and order the 3 piece weighted gauge along with it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HMBVQ8/

There are a few hot sauce recipes in the Ball Complete Guide to Home Preserving. I haven't tried them myself so I can't vouch personally for them, but at least you know they've been professionally vetted for safety.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0778801314

The weight unfortunately needs to be designed for the pressure cooker it's being used with. Using one made for a different cooker can result in over or under pressurization due to differences in the size of vent pipes.

Other than that, not much else to tell. The Presto weighted gauge has three pieces; the base is 5lbs, and the two additional weight discs add an additional 5lbs each, so you can configure it for 5lbs, 10lbs, or 15lbs.

Once you have the right number of discs on, you just put it on the same as you would put on your existing weight. The big difference at this point is that instead of having to precisely set your stove and watch over it to make sure it doesn't go up or down in pressure, you just set it so that it jiggles once in a while, and that's it.

Here is an excellent article on the Presto three piece regulator weight, with lots of photos, including an image of the instruction sheet. Hope this helps!

I have the same canner which I use on a glass top stove. In addition to the accessories others have mentioned, I would also get her a second canning rack which makes stacking a second layer of jars much more stable.

Is that the one currently listed at $199? How good of a price is that?

http://www.amazon.com/All-American-921-2-Quart-Pressure/dp/B00004S88Z

The other Ball book (Home Preserving) has an entire section on pie fillings, not just apple. Every fruit! Clear Gel! Wooooo.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314

http://amzn.com/B001I7FP54

Only used it a few times so far, but seems to work really well.

I own a LOT of canning books. This is by far my favorite:
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778801314/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cOPRBb3XEXCCG

I might have to look into that, do you have any links or anything like that? Also, my wife and I use our victorio food saucer when we process tomatoes and that thing is an incredible time saver.

I have this model and I like it a lot. I would recommend getting a pressure regulator so you don't have to sit there and stare at the pressure gauge while canning.

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778801314/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ElnuDbYWHSYHR

I highly recommend this book.

It depends on your canner. The 23 quart is capable IF you buy this it should be noted that it's PINT only.

That Squeezo thing looks cool! Anybody use a Kitchenaid mixer strainer?

I like this website: https://www.freshpreserving.com/recipes/

And this book: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

I haven't tried the Sofrito recipe yet (it's on my list for this year), I've done well with other recipes from this book:
Put 'em Up! https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1603425462/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fy30Cb5M5NYYR

Might also think about investing in a ring tightening tool. The handle gives way at the perfect tight for the rings. It’s actually way tighter than my ides of “finger tight” but will never be over tight. Ball jar ring tihtener

Place the ring on the jar (making sure the flat is still in position) and tighten until you just feel resistance... then go about 1/8 to 1/4 turn more.

Ball does make a Sure Tight Band Tool that will nail the torque every time. Here is VIDEO showing it in action. And this VIDEO is a review and another look at "finger tip" tight.

It's the All-American 30 quart pressure canner. =) https://www.amazon.com/All-American-30-Quart-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0002808Z2

Edit:

The full kit needs the meat grinder:

KitchenAid FVSFGA Fruit & Vegetable Strainer Set with Food Grinder Attachment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SGFJ/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_1s2uDb7TMNKY3

KitchenAid FVSP Fruit & Vegetable Strainer Parts Attachment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SGFK/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_pq2uDbB4JTXCW

I looked into these. Decided to not mess around and got one of these instead.

https://www.amazon.com/Putting-Food-Fifth-Ruth-Hertzberg/dp/0452296226/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=putting+food+by&qid=1557986294&s=gateway&sr=8-1#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

This: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314

Links:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/044901665X

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0848746783

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0143191314

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Pickling-Flavor-Packed-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/1558323759

Link.

He just told you. 20qt. Here's a decent one

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/

This one isn't the biggest on the market, but will process 14 quart jars.

Here's the Presto one:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HMBVQ8/ref=pd_aw_sim_79_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QN89Y6WGNQNMJSVWJ2F3&dpPl=1&dpID=41jQrCY9ziL

I own the 23-quart Presto, works fine. I've got no complaints at all.

I don't remember if mine came with a 5-10-15 lb adjustable weighted gauge (this thing) or if I had to buy it separate, but it's a good addition.

If you don't have anywhere around where you can get the dial checked and calibrated every few years, then you should just rely on the weight instead since it'll always give you the correct pressure. Dials can give inaccurate readings over time, weights always work.

Check out these books:

https://www.amazon.com/Canning-New-Generation-Flavors-Modern/dp/1584798645/ (Mango and Peach Habanero Hot Sauce, p. 102)

https://www.amazon.com/All-Ball-Book-Canning-Preserving/dp/0848746783/ (Mango-Habanero Wing and Dipping Sauce, p. 178)

I can see both of those recipes in Amazon's preview. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to post the recipes here due to copyright.

This pressure canner can hold 19 quart jars.
http://www.amazon.com/All-American-921-2-Quart-Pressure/dp/B00004S88Z

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LQDOzb1KWHCPW

I started with the basics from the book Blue Ribbon Preserves. It goes through the terminology in the introduction and then explains why certain things must be done.

Any of the books by the Ball Company (the Blue Book, or The Complete Book of Home Preserving) are also great places to start. I would stick with these until you really get a handle on things. There are tons of websites and blogs out there but if you don't know the basics, you won't know when someone inadvertently tells you to do something dangerous.

I've used these bottles for canning bloody Mary mix! I got them at The Container Store, though.

http://astore.amazon.com/therunspo-20/detail/B0000CFPEY

The pressure canner I got was a presto brand and it came with an instructional booklet that contained info for anything I'd want to can and the pressures and times for what sizes.

This is the one I got. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000BYCFU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're not all that big. I just can a lot at a time.

I can't attest either way about the Kitchen Aid attachment, but I use this to make salsa and it's amazing. No peeling, coring, or anything more than cutting out rotten spots. They have a salsa attachment you can use to make it chunkier, too (it comes in a 4 pack with some other screens). It's seriously a game changer!

Deluxe Food Strainer and Sauce Maker by VICTORIO VKP250 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001I7FP54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ck20CbW5A9VP6

My pressure canner manual calls it a pressure canner/cooker. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S88Z/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do not use all in ones for pressure canning

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html

Pressure canners can be used to cook. But pressure cookers should never be used to can.

I bought this one back in December and I'd reccomend it:

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oflnDb0ZZT7BS