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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How to Proceed
Vegetables. Prepare vegetables by blanching and cold dipping. Pack jars to within an inch of top. Add one level teaspoonful salt to each quart jar. Fill with boiling water. Process according to time-table for sterilizing.
Fruits. With some exceptions, as shown in the time-table on page 323, fruits should be blanched before canning. When fruits are intended for table use, syrup should be poured over them to fill the jars. Consult time-table for length of time to sterilize. Syrups. Three grades of syrups are used in canning, according to the degree* of sweetness desired:
Thin........1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
Medium.....1 part sugar to 2 parts water.
Thick. 1 part sugar to 1 part water.
Boil until all the sugar is dissolved.
Use thin syrup with sweet fruits.
Use medium syrup with sour fruits.
Thick syrup is used in preserving.