Water Bath Canning Basics - Seasonal Recipe

Water Bath Canning Basics

🌍 Seasonal Difficulty: ●●●○○

**Type:** Preservation Method **Equipment needed:**

Ingredients

• Large pot with a lid, deep enough to cover jars by 2.5–5cm (1–2 in)
• Canning rack (or a folded tea towel to keep jars off the pot bottom)
• Mason jars (standard mouth or wide mouth) with new two-piece lids
• Jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, headspace tool
• Use only tested, approved recipes from trusted sources (USDA, Ball, National Center for Home Food Preservation). Do NOT invent ratios.
• Water bath canning is ONLY safe for high-acid foods (pH below 4.6): fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and acidified tomatoes.
• LOW-ACID foods (vegetables, meats, beans) require pressure canning. Using a water bath on low-acid foods can produce botulinum toxin — a potentially lethal, odourless, colourless poison.
• Never guess at processing times. Times are determined by food density and jar size. Use tested recipes exactly.
• When in doubt about a seal or jar appearance (spurting liquid, off odours, mould), discard without tasting.

Method

Tags: pot with a lid, canning rack, mason jars with new two-piece lids, jar lifter, use only tested · Source: Brittani's Almanac