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canned at boiling temperatures in a
water bath.
STEPS FOR BOILING WATER BATH
METHOD
Fill the pot about halfway with hot water.
Turn on the burner and heat the water.
Have the water in the canner hot but
not boiling to prevent breakage of the
jars when they’re placed in the canner.
Follow the same steps detailed in the
pressure canner method for filling jars.
When the water in the pot reaches a
rolling boil, begin counting the correct
processing time. Boil gently and steadily
for the recommended time, adjusting
the heat and adding more boiling water
as necessary.
Use a jar lifter to carefully remove the
jars as soon as the processing time is
up. Place the hot jars right side up on a
rack, dry towels, boards or newspapers
to prevent the jars from breaking on
contact with a cold surface. Leave at
least 1 inch of space between jars.
Do not tighten the lids.
Allow the jars to cool untouched for 12
to 14 hours.
Selecting the Correct Processing Time
To destroy microorganisms in low-
acid foods processed with a pressure
cooker, you must:
• Process the jars for the correct
number of minutes at suggested
setting (low or high pressure)
• Allow cooker to cool at room
temperature until it is completely
depressurized.
To destroy microorganisms in high-acid
foods processed in a boiling-water
bath, you must:
• Process jars for the correct number of
minutes in boiling water.
• Cool the jars at room temperature.
The food may spoil if you fail to use the
proper processing times, fail to vent
steam from canners properly, process at
lower pressure than specified, process
for fewer minutes than specified, or cool
the pressure cooker with water.
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Finishing Touches:
Testing the Lid for a Proper Seal:
Most two-piece lids will seal with a
"pop" sound while they’re cooling.
When it is completely cool, test the
lid. It should be curved downward and
should not move when pressed with a
finger. If a jar is not sealed, refrigerate
it and use the unspoiled food within
two to three days or freeze it.
If liquid has been lost from sealed jars
do not open them to replace it, simply
plan to use these first. The food may
discolor, but if sealed, the food is safe.
Unsealed Jars: What to Do
If a lid fails to seal, you must reprocess
within 24 hours. Remove the lid,
and check the jar-sealing surface
for tiny nicks. If necessary, change
the jar. Always use a new, properly
prepared lid, and reprocess using the
same processing time. The quality of
reprocessed food is poor.
Instead of reprocessing, unsealed jars of
food also can be frozen. Transfer food
to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
Single, unsealed jars can be refrigerated
and used within several days.
Always Inspect Canned Food Before
Consuming:
Just as you would avoid a foul smelling,
leaking or opened jar of food at the
supermarket, don’t taste or use home
canned food that shows any sign of
spoilage. Examine all jars before opening
them. A bulging lid or leaking jar is
almost always a sure sign of spoilage.
When you open the jar, look for other
signs such as spurting liquid, unusual
odor or mold.
Sterilization of empty jars
Use sterile jars for all boiling water bath
recipes. To sterilize empty jars, put them
right side up on the rack in a boiling-
water bath. Fill the bath and jars with
hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above
the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes.
