WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[Emerald]

I canned today for the first time. Canning really seemed overwhelming to me but I had bought some canning jars and there was a recipe for fruit juice jelly. So this was extremely simple but I think it turned out ok. I used cranberry juice.

I do have a question though. How do you sterilize your jars and have them hot and ready to go? I was trying to time the sterilizing with when the jelly should be done and ready to go. But it didn't quite work out. Do you use more than one canner? It seemed to take forever for the water to start boiling again. Also, how do you sterilize the lids and then not touch them? It was just confusing what should and shouldn't be done for sterilizing. Luckily the recipe only makes 5 eight ounce jars of jelly so if I messed up, not a big deal.

I just made several nice jars of cherry jelly from some juice that I got from a friend and I just use a smaller sauce pan to sterilize the jelly jars by pairs/fours and I don't worry too much about them cooling too much as I am only making about 6 to 8 jars of jelly at a time. as for the lids if you are picking them up by the magnetized little thingy and it is from boiling water and your hands are nice and clean, I wouldn't worry a bit about it.
I've done jam for years but this is my first time making jelly so I am hoping for a nice set as I still have enuf for two more batches.
so I am doing one now and the rest tomorrow!
But ya know-it seems I stress a bit about things and then when they turn out well and simple to do, I remember to relax and don't have a problem ever doing it again..

 

[sufficientforme]

I canned today for the first time. Canning really seemed overwhelming to me but I had bought some canning jars and there was a recipe for fruit juice jelly. So this was extremely simple but I think it turned out ok. I used cranberry juice.

I do have a question though. How do you sterilize your jars and have them hot and ready to go? I was trying to time the sterilizing with when the jelly should be done and ready to go. But it didn't quite work out. Do you use more than one canner? It seemed to take forever for the water to start boiling again. Also, how do you sterilize the lids and then not touch them? It was just confusing what should and shouldn't be done for sterilizing. Luckily the recipe only makes 5 eight ounce jars of jelly so if I messed up, not a big deal.

For small batches I use a second stock pan and sterilize the jars removing them right before filling, but for a decent size batch the easiest thing to do it use the dishwasher. I wash and leave them in the hold/sterilize heated dry until ready to fill. Easy peasy!!!

 

[ksalvagno]

Thanks, I did use the magnetized thing but I did end up touching the lids a little to get them off the magnet. I want to try it again. I bought some apple juice and some grape juice. I had really wanted to learn canning this year but taking the time to process fruit or tomatoes to can was just too much time to take for me. This went fairly quickly. It seemed like sterilizing the jars took the longest. But it makes sense to do it in another pan instead of the canner. For some reason I didn't think of it this time around. I guess I was too nervous about the whole canning thing.

I have an old dishwasher so there is no sterilizer option. Maybe that would be a good reason to get a new dishwasher even though the old one isn't broken down yet.

 

[TanksHill]

I put my water bath on first thing. Sometimes even while I am still getting the rest of my stuff together. When it starts to boil I put the jars in. After 5 min I turn in down a bit but keep a fire on. Then when whatever I am making is ready, jam sauce etc I take the jars out and set on a towel. Some of the boiling water gets poured over my lids and rings in a separate bowl.

Then I fill the jars, wipe the tops and put the rings on. Then they go right into the big pot. Which has been close to boiling the whole time.

Great job on canning. It will only get easier from here.

g

 

[Emerald]

Another friend on another forum does the water sterilize and then if she has tons of jars to can she has the oven on about 200 F and just puts them in there on a cookie sheet and then pulls out what she needs as she loads.
I also tend to water bath about 5 or so minutes longer than the time says only due to the fact that I am a bit slow loading the jars so that I am not slopping stuff all over. Nothing like trying to scrape off gunk from the top of the stove, and the counter and having the hubby move the stove from the wall to clean spilled jelly/jam from the side of the stove and the wall! lol

 

[Denim Deb]

I use the dishwasher too.

 

[Farmfresh]

Everyone has a different method. Here is mine.

I start my water bath canner full of water on the heat. Since it is so big it takes a while.

Next I fill a small roaster that I have with water and get it ready to start sterilizing the jars. (a few at a time)

When the jars are boiling I roll them over once and then lift them one at a time with a jar lifter to my big sheet pan where I fill my jars.

I fill the jars and then I place the lid in the ring and carefully drop it into the boiling water, lid still inside of ring, for just a short minute (you are not supposed to boil the lids)

I have practiced until I can use the jar lifter to lift ring and lid and then I use the ring to maneuver the lid on the jar and in place. I never had a magnetic lifter. :/

At that point I move another jar into the roaster to start boiling and move the filled jar onto the rack in the canner.

 

[VickiLynn]

I use my Nesco to keep the jars hot, and put lids and rings in a small saucepan. I also keep a teakettle full of water simmering, because sooner or later I always need some more water somewhere.

 

[Ohioann]

For jams and jellies I wash the jars and put them on cookie sheets in a warm oven. I put the lids and rings in a saucepan and keep them hot (simmer). I put two or three jars at a time on a towel on the counter. I put the boiling hot jam/jelly in the jar.I pick up the lids and rings with a pair of bbq tongs, put on lid and ring, tighten ring and turn the jar upside down. Leave the jars upside down for 5 minutes then turn upright and let sit for 24 hours. Check for seal, remove rings, wash jars and store. I don't hot water bath any jams/jellies. If the lids, jars and jam/jelly are HOT they seal just fine. I hot water bath tomato products, pickles and most fruits. I pressure can or freeze meats but freeze vegtables cause I don't like most veggies canned.

 

[TanksHill]

I used to do the inversion method for jam as well. My family wouldn't eat it. Now I just boil it to be safe. But I never had any problems. Heck, back then I even reused my flats.

g