Important: Safety Warning
This page describes home-canning methods from before the causes of botulism were understood. Canning low-acid foods without a pressure canner, as described here, can allow the growth of Clostridium botulinum, whose toxin is among the deadliest known. Follow current USDA home-canning guidelines instead.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Canning with a Saucepan
as When canning food with a saucepan, the food, prepared by directions previously given or under the special recipe, is cooked until tender. Sometime before the food is set to cook, the jars, covers, and all utensils, spoons, ladle, and funnel that are to be used, are set into a saucepan of cold water, on the bottom of which is a rack or many folds of clean cloth; the jars are filled with water, and the whole is brought slowly to the boiling point and kept at just about this point for ten minutes or longer. When the food is cooked and is actually boiling, turn the water from a jar, set the jar on a folded cloth near the saucepan, and fill it with the hot food; dip the rubber ring (which must be new and pliable), in boiling water and set it in place; take a silver knife from the boiling water and move it around in the jar to break up bubbles of air that may be present; add more boiling liquid to fill the jar to overflow; lift the cover from the boiling water, set it in place, fasten securely, and lift the jar to a board. Do not let a draught of air blow on the hot jar, or it may crack. Store when cold in a dark place.