# Canning



## Hubie1110 (Mar 18, 2012)

Hello! I am fairly new on the forum (been leaving comments here and there etc.) but I have a question that hopefully you guys can help me out with. I cant to start to get into canning so I can food for prep. How long do they last? What all can I safely can? What do I need to start canning? Any information would help, thanks! 

Strive to Survive.


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## Kellog (Mar 3, 2012)

Hi Hubie1110, Here's a very good place to start. It's the Ball canning website and they have a downloadable "getting started" guide that's very helpful for beginning canners.

http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started.aspx

This is also a helpful site from the University of Georgia:
http://nchfp.uga.edu/

Those two sites should get you started with background info, terminology, etc. Then if you have specific questions or need clarification on the info you read, holler back.
Canning is not difficult, but it's important to understand the hows and whys for safety's sake. Good luck!


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

There are tons of threads about canning in the Food section here on the forum! You'll have a great time reading through them and finding answers to all your questions. And we're always happy to help answer any questions you don't find there! 

You'll also be surprised to find out you'll be able to can not just fruits and vegetables, but meat, butter, cheese, and a host of other things! Canning is interesting!


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## HillbillyPrep (Mar 24, 2012)

Canning has been a big part of our life for generations. There's nothing better than cracking open a jar of cubed venison or homegrown chicken on a cold day and filling the house with the smells of them cooking. 
If a person could can everything instead of freezing them it's a comfort knowing that the power could be out and your food would not thaw out and spoil. In 2002 we decided we would try it like my great grandmaw did it, on an open fire in a wash tub. We finished the last of the green beans this past October and they smelled and tasted like we had just grown them. Ok...now I'm droolin. Good luck. You're gonna love canning.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Kellog, is right, get the Ball Blue book and follow their dirrections, don't can things you see being canned on the internet, many are just not safe. It's like loading shotgun shells, get the right reloading manual and follow the recipe exactlly to keep from being hurt or worse.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Properly prepared, there's no reason that it won't last decades. Apparently will lose some of it's nutritional value, but still be perfectly safe to eat.


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## Hubie1110 (Mar 18, 2012)

But if you have much of it canned and stocked, you could probably go quite awhile on canned foods that have lost some of its nutritional value. I look forward to start canning, some of my relatives and friends can, but it's mainly jelly, jam, apple butter, etc. anyone have a good site for safe recipes for a beginner? I would love to start canning meats, chili, etc. thanks for all of the info too you guys, it's really been helpful!


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Hubie1110 said:


> But if you have much of it canned and stocked, you could probably go quite awhile on canned foods that have lost some of its nutritional value. I look forward to start canning, some of my relatives and friends can, but it's mainly jelly, jam, apple butter, etc. *anyone have a good site for safe recipes for a beginner*? I would love to start canning meats, chili, etc. thanks for all of the info too you guys, it's really been helpful!


 Read the threads above you, they've already mentioned the BALL BLUE BOOK and SITE


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Hubie1110 said:


> But if you have much of it canned and stocked, you could probably go quite awhile on canned foods that have lost some of its nutritional value. I look forward to start canning, some of my relatives and friends can, but it's mainly jelly, jam, apple butter, etc. anyone have a good site for safe recipes for a beginner? I would love to start canning meats, chili, etc. thanks for all of the info too you guys, it's really been helpful!


As said, ball blue book...

If it contains meat, pretty much qts get pressure canned for 90 minutes. Follow the heat up and pressurization times, and well as natural cool down.

Some products canned may not have the expected taste immediately after canning. Several months later, you may find them to be completely different. We make our own V8, and it takes almost 6 months for it to "blend" the flavors and mello out.


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

I was told about sleeves of lids at lehmans. I priced them out into dozens and my local walmart beats their prices by approx .40cents both sizes, and thats without adding in the freight. Thats a big difference. I'm going to start picking them back up at walmart everytime we go.


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## mike01 (Mar 9, 2012)

Google USDA canning recipes. I have the Ball books but some of their recipes are a little too fancy for me. I just want to can simple things, like meat. The USDA stuff gives you simple isntructions and trustworthy timetables. Don't forget to factor in elevation (the tables make it easy, as do the recipes in the Ball books).


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## ms_a2gwus (Feb 27, 2012)

neldarez said:


> I was told about sleeves of lids at lehmans. I priced them out into dozens and my local walmart beats their prices by approx .40cents both sizes, and thats without adding in the freight. Thats a big difference. I'm going to start picking them back up at walmart everytime we go.


Hi Neldarez,:wave:
These have been mentioned in several prepper sites. I haven't tried them yet, but if they are as good as advertised then might be a good investment with being reuseable. Just sayin...

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I'll second what Mike said. I don't use the Ball book (though I have it), but I use the USDA book all the time (got it off Amazon). I like recipes, but I also like just plain canning one item. Plain old chicken stock, or plain chicken cuts, or plain tomato sauce, or plain potatoes). The USDA book is my go-to reference for simple canning. I know the times/weights for the items I can all the time, but if I'm canning something I don't can very often, the book is set up logically so that it's easy to flip to the information I need.


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