I have posted a couple of recipes that I "canned", or more properly, put into jars and processed in a boiling hot water bath for 15-20 minutes until when the jar is removed from the water bath canner, the snap lids on the jars pop meaning they are sealed.
First things first, if you have mason or bernardin jars left to you from an aunt, or grandma, wash them in the dishwasher, or boil them in a tall stock pot to be sure they are sterile. Purchase new snap lids to fit, they are available at most grocery stores, Walmart, hardware stores, not expensive. The second part of the lid is the threaded ring that goes over the snap lid to hold it down until it is processed,it should be free of rust, if not, you can also purchase them, either separately or in sets with the snap lids, again not expensive.
Second is the recipe, there is a science involved here, you need to make sure that there is enough acid or enough sugar, to keep your product viable, not go bad in the jar, to find out what that is, go to www.bernardin.ca for the specifics. I have canned/processed sweet yum yum style and/or dill pickles, beets, all different types of jam, corn relish, chow chow, red pepper jelly, crab apple jelly, peaches in light syrup, spiced pears, etc..... Most of those I used a vinegar/sugar mixture, straight sugar/fruit or with lemon juice, most recipes can be found on the bernardin website, along with the reasons why you shouldn't can meat or fish unless you follow strict instructions.
Third, keep everything very clean, utensils, pots, strainers, funnels, tasting spoons, use once only, don't taste with your main wooden spoon. Use stainless steel pots and utensils to fill hot jars with product, they don't carry germs that may spoil the contents of the jar.
In the old days, they used to cover the jam or jelly with a layer of paraffin wax, which worked, but it too can introduce germs into your product that will spoil in the jar, keep an eye on your canned product, watch for bulging snap lids, green mold or any discoloration that should not be there, if you see it, dispose of that jar right away, don't just scrape off the offending bit and carry on.....don't laugh, in the old days these things happened, they used the product anyway as the saying went "waste not want not!"
Fourth, the procedure: you have made the product, you have the hot jar ready to be filled, your snap lid is waiting in boiling water to be slipped onto the filled jar, so using a wide mouth funnel, fill the hot jar with hot product until 1/2 inch "headspace", a little space between the lid and product that allows for expansion during processing and then allows the snap lid to compress or pop, sealing the product from air, but before the snap lid goes on, you must wipe the edge and threads of the jar to make sure the snap lid makes a good seal. Then the hot snap lid goes on, the rubber on the lid is activated by making it hot with boiling water so it makes good gripping contact with the edge of the jar, then you put the ring on, tighten, finger tight only, then immediately place filled jar in water bath canner, or tall stock pot with enough boiling water in it to cover the filled jars, process according to type of product and size of jar, again the list is on the bernardin website. I hope this is informative enough for you to feel confident to can your first jam, jelly or pickle! Don't forget to label the product, you might forget what it is or the date you made it, most home canned product is good for a year.
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