Home canning is one of the best ways to preserve and store food. It lets you enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables, and homemade recipes all year long. Whether you are a new canner learning the basics or have been doing it for years it is important that you are avoiding these dangerous canning mistakes. From improper sealing that lets bacteria grow to cracked jars that spoil entire batches of food, there are many mistakes that can turn a great recipe into a waste.
To help you can with confidence, Blain’s Farm & Fleet created this essential guide to help you practice safe home canning. We break down the most common canning mistakes and explain exactly how you can avoid them. With these tips you can fill your pantry with delicious, canned foods.
1. Skipping the Processing Step
Flipping hot jars upside down is myth to avoid the processing step but it does not seal the jar properly. You should use a water bath or pressure canner. This helps create a strong vacuum seal. It also ensures the food gets hot enough to kill harmful bacteria.
Skipping this step can lead to seal failures and potentially dangerous germs to grow putting your health at risk. Always allow your cans to process for the full recommended time to ensure a secure seal and safe, shelf-stable food.
2. Making up Recipes
While in cooking you can change and make your own recipes canning is not the same, it is science. Having the correct amount of sugar, acid, and heat crucial to prevent bacteria growth. You need a certain amount of acid to safely preserve food. If this amount is wrong, it could be harmful to your health making it important to use tested recipes.
It is also important to raise the temperature high enough to kill bacteria and mold spores that may be present. One of the types of harmful bacteria that can grow can go unnoticed without any smell or taste. A better idea if you want to make your own recipes would be to freeze them over canning.
3. Not Boiling Lids
It is important to heat mason jar lids before canning. This helps with sterilization and warms the rubber to ensure a good seal. Heating the lids before canning always the rubber to soften which helps create a tight and reliable seal. Heating the lids also helps with seralization and removing any dust or other contaminants.
4. Using Water Bath Canner for Low-Acid Foods
While water bath canning works great for high-acidic foods like fruit, jams, pickles, and tomatoes, it does not work for low-acidic food. Most vegetables, meats, seafood, and mixed foods have low acidity and require pressure canning. These low-acid foods require the higher temperature from pressure canning to kill dangerous bacteria.
5. Overfilling or Underfilling Jars
Filling jars is an important step in canning. Not leaving enough space in your jar can cause sealing problems and spoilage. Some foods such as jams expand after being canned and need a proper amount of space to do so.
Overfilling your jar can lead to food bubbling out effecting the sealing of the can. Underfilling your jar can prevent vacuum sealing from forming and lead to spoiled food and bacteria formation. The types of food you are canning will change how much space you need. Be sure to follow your recipe’s instructions.
6. Reusing Old Lids
Metal canning lids are designed to single use or only used a couple of times. Reusing them more than recommended can lead to improper sealing.
The rubber band on the lid compresses during the first use and may not reseal properly if used again. Using an old lead can lead to leaking or spoiled food. You can reuse your canning jars and bands just invest in new lids when canning.
7. Cooling Jars too Quickly
After finishing the canning process allow cans to cool at room temperature. Placing jars in refrigerator or cool area leads to rapid cooling rates which can cause jars to crack or warp. Fast temperature changes can also cause the seal to break. It is recommended to allow cans to cool on towel or drying rack for 12-24 hours.
8. Improper Jar Sizes
Processing times are based on the size of the jar you are using. Therefore, using improper jars sizes requires a change in the processing time. Using a larger jar than your recipe suggests can cause heat to not reach the food properly. On the other hand, using a smaller jar can overcook the food and change its texture.
Make sure you are checking your jars for any cracks, chips, or imperfections. These can cause the jar to break under the heat or prevent from proper sealing
9. Canning Dairy, butter, or Eggs
Canning dairy products, butter, or eggs at home are not safe for current standards. These products are too dense for heat to properly penetrate which creates a high risk for bacteria and toxins to grow. It is recommended to store butter, milk, and eggs in the freezer rather than canning.
10. Storing in Not Temperature Controlled Areas
Do not store your cans or jars in the garage, outdoor sheds, or other areas that have common temperature changes. Heat, light, and fluctuating temperatures can lower food quality and cause seals to break and loosen over time. It is recommended to store cans in a cool, dark, and dry place such as your pantry or basement.
Here are some common mistakes people make when canning. It is important to avoid these errors because they can be dangerous to your health.
For more canning tips and recipes check out our other Canning Articles.
