By Kari Svenneby
Canning is a great way to preserve our harvest and it also is a fun activity to do together as family. In our family we get together washing, peeling and preparing for canning. It is not just for grown ups children can be great little helpers. An added bonus is canned goods look great as a display in your kitchen and is also a great hostess or Christmas gift.
There are a lot of ways to can foods; it can feel overwhelming at first. As always, start small in the beginning. When you have got the hang of it then you can expand into larger batches or changing recipes.
The most important thing when it comes to preserving is that everything is very clean; good hygiene is critical.
Prepare jars for canning
Use standard Mason Jars making sure they don’t have any cracks
Lids (You should use new lids every time.)
Rings
Optimal to have
Jar tongs for lifting jars out of boiling water
1 large pot (at least 8-quart size or larger)
Large spoons and ladles
Racks
Canning process
Start with thoroughly washing your jars, either in the dishwasher or by hand. Sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 min. Let them sit in the hot water until you fill them with the hot item you are preserving. Let the lids be warm as well, but not in boiling water, need to be in hot water for 10 min before they are used.
After filling wipe off the rim and affix lid and ring.
Placed filled mason jars in rack in large pot for boiling for about 20 minutes
Remove jars and let cool
Apple sauce
8-10 apples
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Wash. peel, core and slice apples and put them in cold water with some 2 tea spoon lemon juice (so they don’t get brown.
Boil apples for 15 -20 minutes or until soft. Use a potato masher to mash the apples, or for smoother apple sauce a food processor or emergent blender.
Fill and wipe off the rims of jars and screw clean rings over the lids. Place jars in boiling water, which the level should be a inch or so higher than the jars, for 20 minutes .
Remove the jars with tongs and let them cool. Make sure the lids are sucked in and don’t make a popping sound when you push them in.
