Canning for Dummies: How to preserve food without losing your mind (or your lunch)

Baseline: Where I Started

Before I dive into the details of my journey into the world of canning, it’s important to lay the groundwork for where I am starting from. My knowledge of canning techniques can be summed up in one word: basic. Sure, I’ve heard about water baths and pressure canning, but my understanding of the process is minimal at best. Let me explain; I’ve used a pressure canner once, and the thought of botulism and possibly dying (yikes!) has been enough to keep me from ever really attempting to preserve food aside from pickling vegetables. To mark the start of this learning process, allow me to describe my current lack of experience, which is essential for capturing the progress I hope to make over the coming weeks.

So, not that long ago, I began to feel my children slipping away because of social commitments, sports, and, well, mom is BORING! This is when I decided to give gardening a go, which was a fun experience, and I did rather well at it. It was at the end of the season, and I realized I had an excess of cucumbers, beans, and beets. Being worried it would go to waste, I decided to try my hand at pickling. It’s important to understand that the bulk of my experience comes from hanging out with friends, drinking wine and watching them prepare jams, fruit, and sauces for canning. So naturally, I thought I was a master and pickling would be easy. Reminding myself about food safety and being crippled with the fear of poisoning my family, I prepared the jars by first soaking them in boiling water that contained bleach—then putting them through the dishwasher a couple of times on disinfectant mode. Anyone who has pickled before knows this is unecessary and a huge waste of time! The next part was putting the prepared vegetables into the can and adding the brine. Now I did look up a recipe specifically for pickling, and did about a five minute read on the gyst of what to do so I thought I should be good. Once all the jars were filled and sealed this is where I really messed up! I decided to pressure cook all the jars, for about sixty minutes, there was no way I was going to poison my family. Suffice it to say, all the pickling I did with all my beautiful vegetables was a huge waste!! There was no crispy texture, and as soon as you tried to take a pickle out of the jar it basically disintegrated into a brine that tasted like the sea with a hint of bleach!!

I admit, I do feel a bit vulnerable as I openly share my EPIC FAILURE, but it’s essential for capturing the progress I’ll make over the coming weeks. My story highlights a lot of “I don’t knows” and moments I really didn’t know what I was doing, especially regarding pressure canning. If nothing else, it’s a great starting point that will make the progress more satisfying to me later on.

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First Steps: Laying the Foundation
As I begin this project, the first step is to understand the basics: what canning is, why it’s done, and most importantly, how to do it safely. A huge part of this is wrapping my head around the two primary methods of canning: water bath canning and pressure canning.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I’ve learned so far:

Water Bath Canning: This is used for high-acid foods like fruits, jams, and pickles. It’s a bit more beginner-friendly because it doesn’t require specialized equipment beyond a large pot and canning rack.

Pressure Canning: This method is for low-acid foods, like vegetables and meats. It involves using a pressure canner to achieve higher temperatures, which kills bacteria that can thrive in low-acid environments.

This week, I’ve focused on gathering resources— YouTube tutorials, blogs, and guides—to prepare for the hands-on experience ahead. The learning curve feels steep, especially around pressure canning, and anything with meat, but I’m excited to tackle it.

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The Plan: What’s to Come

This project is structured to span 10 to 13 weeks (give or take). Here’s how I’ve broken down the learning path:

Week 1: Establish a baseline of my knowledge and familiarize myself with safety precautions, tools, and the basics of canning.

Weeks 2-5: Start with water bath canning, which feels more approachable. I’ll begin with simple recipes like jams and pickles, then progress to more advanced ones like sauces and relishes.

Weeks 6-10: Move on to pressure canning. This part is going to push my comfort zone since it requires more precise techniques and equipment. I’ll work on canning vegetables, meats, and possibly soups.

Week 11 (Optional): Experiment with specialized canning techniques for dietary needs (low-sugar, low-sodium, etc.).

Weeks 12-13: Finalize and publish my canning manual and complete the final assessment with a reflection on my overall progress.

Throughout this process, I’ll be documenting my progress in weekly blog posts, possibly a video or two (depending on how brave I feel), photos, and reflections. I also plan to critique the learning sources I use along the way, noting what worked well and what didn’t.

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Reflection on the Process So Far

In just this first week, I’ve realized how much there is to learn about the science and art of canning. I’m equally excited and nervous about moving forward, especially when it comes to handling the pressure canner and preparing meat. But, I’m committed to the process and eager to document the journey.

The next step is diving into water bath canning— I’ll be starting small, with possibly a simple jam recipe, and documenting the entire process from start to finish.

Feel free to follow along and share your own canning experiences in the comments!

Links to Resources Used
Water Bath Canning VS Pressure Canning
Canning 101
Home Preserving 101 Book
Complete Guide to Pressure Canning Book
Supplies