Canning in the American Redoubt (tips for safe canning)

Canning is a wonderful way to preserve food and this ‘lost art’ is making a real comeback (mostly in the prepping community). Today I was watching some canning/prepping videos and came across a few that where showing unsafe canning methods and recipes. For anyone new to canning, they might not realize the importance of using USDA approved recipes when home canning food.  Just because the food sealed,  does not mean it is safe to eat.  The food must be processed correctly to ensure a safe final product.

Many of us have heard the horror stories of granny’s pressure cooker exploding.  Thankfully, newer canners have safety features making them much safer to use. If you are unsure what type of pressure cooker/canner to use, these are two I highly recommend:

All American 921 21-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner (Heavy Duty)

Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner/Cooker (Lighter Weight/Nice Canner)

If you have an older pressure cooker/canner in your preps or picked one up at a yard sale, take it to your local extension office. They will check it over and make sure it is working properly.  Our local extension office offers a complete canning guide booklet for under $10.   You will want to have a canning guide in your home library (printed copy is a must have) as it lists safe processing times and methods.

Canning Tips for Safe Product:

• Don’t thicken soups or sauces or add noodles prior to canning. Thickening and adding noodles does not allow for accurate process times. You can add noodles and thicken when preparing your meal after opening.

• Grandma always canned that way and it has been fine. NO! Might be a good idea to compare Grandma’s recipes to current up-to-date guidelines to make sure you are not putting your family at risk.

• Don’t take shortcuts. The venting, cooking and cooling times are taken into consideration as part of the complete processing time. Following the instructions for your specific pressure cooker/canner along with the approved recipe to ensure a safe final product.

Home canning can be very rewarding, help you save money and provide shelf stable food for you and your family. Just make sure you are doing it safely! Happy Canning!

Here is a video from when we canned Zaycon Chicken here in the American Redoubt!