Canning: Part 1 - Introduction

I've had a few people ask me for my canning recipes this year. I haven't ever posted them for a few different reasons, but I decided I will post them this year with a few words of caution first:

1) Home canning requires exactness or it could prove very dangerous to whomever eats the home-canned product.

2) These really aren't my recipes - You should never use a recipe for canning unless it has been tested by people who know what they are doing (a.k.a. ball blue book, your local extension service, etc). All of the basic measurements should come from them. You can usually add spices to the basic recipes, but never change the main ingredients or processing times/pressures.

3) Canning times and pressures/etc. are based on elevation where you live. Make sure you google your town and find out what elevation you're at and follow the recipe accordingly.

4) If you follow the recipes exactly according and adjust times/pressure to your own elevation, home canning is very safe, and a great way to preserve your home grown produce. It also can save money (although it does take time).

Here's a couple of great sites with recipes:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html

http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/by=category/category=319