Yesterday we talked about the eco-friendly benefits of doing your own canning, however if you've never attempted it before, the mere thought might be intimidating. Let's be realistic for a minute (but only for a minute): yes, canning will involve some work and time, but just think of it as short-term pain for long-term gain. And honestly, it's really not even that painful, especially when you consider the satisfaction you'll feel the first time you crack open a jar of your favorite fruit and realize you can take credit for it.

That of course is the final step, so to get to that point, here are some things you need to know to help you get started. This is by no means the be-all-and-end-all guide to canning, but should give you an idea of the process involved and help you realize how simple it really is.

Methods of cooking

Canning fruits and vegetables typically involves a cooking process either using a boiling water bath or a pressure canner. The reason behind both methods is the need to kill decay and bacteria. The process is similar for both methods: both require exposing sterile airtight jars to high temperatures in order to stop decay and bacteria. The main difference is the achievable temperatures: the water bath can heat the contents of your jars to a maximum of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas a pressure canner is able to heat them to a higher temperature. It is generally recommended that a pressure canner be used for all vegetables because of their low acidity, with the exception of tomatoes. Because of the low acid content, it is impossible to make vegetables hot enough to destroy the bacteria that causes botulism. The boiling water approach is best for fruits and pickles.

Necessary supplies

Canning using boiling water requires a deep canning pot with a tight-fitting lid, while a pressure canner with a steam vent will be needed for the alternate method. Both require solid canning jars, easily identifiable by their thick glass, as well as manufacturer's name and pattern blown into the glass. You can typically find these jars, as well as extra lids and rings (also knows as bands) in most supermarkets or online. If you're using the water bath to can, you can use old jam or mayonnaise jars from the supermarket, however these are typically made from thinner glass and may break under the heat of boiling water. The initial investment of actual canning jars could save the pain of broken glass, spoiled jar contents and a massive headache. Keep in mind that the "flat" and the rubber rings will be the only part that will need to be replaced every time; the jars are completely reusable if kept in good condition.

Additionally you will want a wire rack to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the pan, tongs that are capable of grasping the jars around the lids, oven mitts, a cooling rack (or racks) large enough to hold at least a few jars at a time and a timer.

Food preparation

If you are picking your own produce, make sure to do so at their peak time, typically early in the morning before the temperatures start to rise for the day. If buying produce to can from your local farmers' market, make sure the food is not overripe or damaged as it may spoil. It is recommended you only pick or purchase as much produce as you can prepare in a two to three hour window.

Your produce should be washed or thoroughly rinses prior to canning to remove any dirt, sand and chemicals that may linger. The bacteria found in dirt can be some of the hardest to kill, so the cleaner your produce, the safer your food will be. Typically vegetables grown above the ground will have thinner skin and can be cleaned using cold water and your fingers to gently rub off dirt. Root vegetables on the other hand may require a brief soaking in cool water following a rinse. A stiff brush such as a (new) toothbrush can be used to clean the surface of the vegetables to remove any dirt.

If canning larger fruits or vegetables, cut them into smaller pieces so they fit properly in the canning jars. Small fruits or vegetables such as apricots or tomatoes can be canned in their full form if they fit easily into your jars.

The exception to several of these rules is if you are making pickles. Cucumbers can be store in your refrigerator for up to a week before being made into pickles. They should also be run under cold water to wash and then soaked in ice water for an hour to an hour-and-a-half if you like your pickles to have a firm, crisp texture. The size of the pickles is entirely open to debate. Some prefer to use cucumbers from early in the season for their smaller size since often no cutting is required. If you use slightly larger cucumbers, you will want to slice them to your preferred size, keeping in mind, the bigger the pieces, the longer they will need to be in the canner.

Jar preparation

Check jars for any nicks, cracks or rough edges and recycle any with the aforementioned qualities. Using them could prevent you from achieving an air-tight seal.

Clean all jars in hot, soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. Once cleaned, the jars should be kept hot either in a dishwasher or by placing them in the water heating your canner. If the jars cool too much, you run the risk of them breaking when filled with hot contents and placed in the canner for processing.

If any item that you are making will be processed for less than 10 minutes, jars should be sterilized. Place them standing upright in you canner, then fill the canner and jars with hot water to one inch above the tops of the jars. The jars should be boiled for 10 minutes. If you are at an altitude of more than 1,000 feet, boil for one additional minute per each 1000 feet of elevation.

Types of Liquid

A number of liquids can be used to fill your jars. Canned fruits typically use syrup, fruit juice or water. Sugar syrup - a combination of sugar and water - is the most common liquid and is recommended to help maintain the flavor, color and texture of the fruit you are using. However, for a healthier option, fruit juice including apple, white grape or pineapple juice can be used, or alternatively, the juice of the actual fruit you'll be canning can be used. To make this, boil equal amounts of fruit and water, then simmer and cook until soft, while mashing consistently. Finally strain the mixture. It can be kept for up to three days in the refrigerator and will need to be boiled prior to pouring over fruit in jars. Boiling water is another option, though the fruit will not retain as much flavor or color as it does when canned with sugar syrup.

When pickling vegetables, typically a salt brine or spicy vinegar solution is used. The salt-brine acts as a preservative and gives pickled vegetables flavor and a crisp texture by drawing out sugars and juices and producing lactic acid, a known preservative. Only certain salts such as pure granulated salt and pickling salt should be used, as table salt and iodized salt contain additives that can make your brine cloudy.

Filling Jars
Fruits and vegetables use either the cold packing or hot packing methods when the jars are being filled. As it's name would suggest, cold or raw packing ind simply refers to produce that is canned while still raw. Typically these jars can be packed more tightly since raw produce tends to shrink during the processing. The extra room may still cause produce to float in the liquid. The other disadvantage is potential discoloring after two to three months on the shelf.

Hot packing indicates fruits or vegetables that are cooked or heated prior to the canning process and is usually reserved firmer produce such as beets or carrots.

Processing
Be ready to process your jars immediately after filling them to prevent microorganisms from entering them. Check to see the correct processing time for each type of food and either place closed jars in the pressure canner until the required pressure is reached or place in boiling water until the top is covered by one to two inches of water, bring the water to a robust boil, place lid on the canner, reduce heat to bring water to a gentle boil and set the timer for the required processing time.

Once processing is complete, remove jars with the tongs and place on a cooling rack. Let them cool naturally, undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

Voilà! There you have it, a winter's supply of local fruit and the only trip required at this point is one to the basement!

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