January is also called “Canuary” by some of us homesteaders.  There are two ways to look at this celebration.  You can either can something every day in January.  Or, you could try to eat something out or your pantry or “cantry” every day.  Or both of course.

If your resolution is to eat more healthy in 2026, why not start by learning (or relearning) to can, so you know exactly what is in your food.  When I go to my cantry for a jar of chicken there is exactly one ingredient in the jar – chicken.  No salt.  Also no flavor enhancers.  No potassium sorbate to preserve freshness.  Not even any water – the chicken itself releases the moisture when it is canned.  Once you taste this home made delight you will never buy the store bought canned meat again. 

Cover image above is jujube jam.

Types of Canning

So let’s start Canuary by looking at the types of canning that there are.  I grew up with three types of canning.  Open kettle (OK), Water bath (WB) and Pressure (PC).  As you can see there are more than that, and there are nuances.  This is a guest post from the moderator of a Facebook canning group that I follow. Caroline Nielsen Dillabough offers these words of wisdom on the many types of canning that are out there.   (We have another guest post on Canning Your Food.)

Open Kettle Canning

“Used for jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, chutneys, and other high acid foods.

“Open kettle canning is simply pouring boiling hot food into hot, sanitized jars. Usually allow a 1/2″ headspace. Cover the filled jars with a hot lid. Screw the lid down snug. Place the jar on a towel and under a towel on the counter to seal. Some people flip the jars for the first hour or two. Some people cover the jars with a towel to slow the cooling process.

“The important thing to remember is there is no additional processing and this method really is not suitable for anything with a pH higher than 4.6. In other words – it is not for things that have a low acid content.”

Editors note. My grandmother did not use jars with lids and rings for “simple food” until the late 60’s. She would fill hot jars with hot jam, jelly, or pickles, and top the food off with hot paraffin. Everything was then let to cool.  The paraffin was pried off and saved when the jar was “opened.” This was the way her family did it. “Meal food” like tomato sauce or meat were pressure canned with the “fancy” jars with lids and rings. Lids were reused time after time. 

I am doing a whole series of canning videos on my TikTok and will adapt them for our YouTube channel, to join the canning video that I already have up there.

Back to Caroline’s words.

Water Bath Canning

“Anything can be water bath canned. High acid foods only need short processing times. Low acid foods need up to three hours. The times vary, depending on the density of the food in the jar and the type of food.”

“Vegetable stock with no solids will need less time than a dense soup with solids in it. Meat stock should be processed at meat times even if there is no chunks of meat in it.

“North American guidelines say that jars should be covered by at least an inch of water at all times, during water bath processing, so keep another pot of water at the ready so you can add boiling water as needed, during the processing time. European guidelines say water to the neck of the jars and put the lid on when it starts to boil and then no peeking until the processing time is up. Both versions appear to work just fine.”

Low Acid Water Bath

“Low acid foods need from 2 to 4 hours of water bath canning, again, depending on the density of the food in the jars – and your elevation. You really should consult a good canning time chart to determine the time your specific food needs.

“Low acid foods canned this way also need another step, before eating the food. It needs to be dumped into an open pan, brought to the boil and boiled for 10 minutes before eating, to neutralize any botulism toxins that might (I say MIGHT) have built up, while on the shelf. The reason for this is the water bath can only reach a temperature of 212F, the boiling point of water at sea level.

“Botulism spores are killed by higher heat – 240F – 250F sustained for a full 3 minutes – and that’s at the center of the jar. Depending on the density of the food, it can take quite a while for the stuff at the center to get up to that high temperature and it can only be achieved in a pressure canner.”

Pressure Canning

Low Acid Pressure

“Pressure Canning is primarily used for low acid foods, like vegetables, meats, seafood, and some low acid fruits. Like water bath canning, you CAN pressure can anything. You should consult a Canning Time Chart to determine how long the processing should be for your elevation. If you’re not sure what your elevation is, just search your location and the word ‘elevation’ and it will come right up.

“Consult your particular pressure canner manual for specific instructions on how to use it. If you don’t have a manual, most of them are available free, online, or ask in your favorite online canning community.

High Acid Pressure

“These only need 5 pounds of pressure, and the processing times are very short. The pressure you need for high acid foods is also determined by your elevation.

Steam Canning

“This method is similar to Water Bath Canning, except it uses far less water and can only be used for foods that require less than 45 minutes water bath processing (because of the lower amount of water). You use water bath times in steam canning.

“There are several good steam canners on the market, but you can also use your pressure canner, either stove top or electric, as a steam canner. You put the usual amount of water in it that you would use for pressure canning plus one quart. Put in the rack and your filled jars of high acid foods. Close and lock the lid and slowly bring the temperature up until you see and/or hear a good stream of steam coming out of the vent. At that point, start your timing.

“For steam canning only, DO NOT PUT THE WEIGHT ON. You can adjust the heat so it’s not trying to be a pressure steam washer. You want it to just keep steaming. When the time is up, turn the stove off and wait for it to stop steaming before removing the lid, then wait about 5 minutes before removing the jars to a towel on the counter to seal.

Oven Canning

“Primarily used for dry goods, although some people use it for many other foods, as well. Some of the old time charts give canning times for oven canning. This is not a method I personally use, so I can’t comment further, other than to suggest standing the jars in pans with water in them, to help prevent thermal shock in the jars.

Charts are Your Friend

“We may be canning rebels, but we don’t pull processing times nor head spaces out of thin air. We use charts to inform our decisions about processing. I use charts from the Kerr company – 1936, 1946, and 1965.

“For waterbath canning, there is a handy chart from the Klarstein Electric Water Bath Canner manual. That one gives you the accepted waterbath (WB) times in Europe.

“Then there is the Lorain Oven Canning Timetable, for that method.

Be Safe!

“The most important thing to remember is canning is both a science and an art. It is vital to adhere to the science for successful canning. If the recipe you’re canning doesn’t include processing times, then process it for the ingredient that requires the longest time.

“Finally, if you’re water bath canning low acid foods, like meats, seafood or vegetables, you need to boil the contents of each jar, in an open pan, for 10 minutes before eating it. That one little extra step ensures that any botulism toxins that MIGHT be present are neutralized and the food is safe to eat. For more information on this subject, check out Diane Devereaux’s book, ‘Beginner’s Guide to Canning‘. It’s well worth the money for a comprehensive, common sense approach to getting started on your new adventure (addiction).”

Thank you Caroline for this wonderful tutorial!

There is Also This Guide

Ball Brothers has been publishing their “Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving Recipes” for many years. The copyright on this edition is expired, and many of the practices mentioned here are no longer considered valid by the USDA.  However, if you are an experienced canner there are some tasty recipes in here to make.  I love the Poached Pears.  The Carolina Cole Slaw is also quite good.  Disclaimer: This information is provided for your for entertainment purposes only.

This is sold as a downloadable PDF on my Gardening With Soule classes site.  You may see some other classes in there that interest you.

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The authors of this website have researched the edibility of the materials we discuss, however, humans vary in their ability to tolerate different foods, drinks, and herbs. Individuals consuming flowers, plants, animals, or derivatives mentioned in this blog do so entirely at their own risk. The authors on this site cannot be held responsible for any adverse reaction. In case of doubt please consult your medical practitioner.