WisconsinSafeFood PreservationSeries Canning … · BarbaraH.Ingham Canning Vegetables Safely B1159...

Barbara H. Ingham

CanningVegetablesSafely

B1159

University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension

Wisconsin Safe FoodPreservation Series

Late autumn findssome pantryshelves stocked

with row upon row ofhome-canned vegeta-

bles. High quality home-canned veg-etables can add nutrients and enjoy-ment to family meals all year long.For safe food unlikely to spoil, followthe directions in this publication forcanning vegetables.

Acids naturally found in foods canhelp limit or control the growth ofmany disease-causing microorgan-isms. However, most vegetablescontain relatively low amounts ofacid.You can only prevent spoilageand possible foodborne illness byprocessing canned vegetables attemperatures to destroy harmfulbacteria.

Over the years, botulism fromimproperly home-canned foods hasreceived a good deal of public atten-tion. Botulism is a potentially fatalpoisoning resulting from consumingfood that contains toxins producedby Clostridium botulinum, bacteriawidely distributed in soils around theworld. In the absence of air and inlow-acid foods, the heat-resistantspores of this organism can growand produce lethal toxins in food.This can happen without any sign ofspoilage in the sealed jar. Even ataste of food containing this toxincan be fatal.

Low-acid foods that would supportthe growth of C. botulinum includemeats, milk, eggs, and vegetablessuch as peas, carrots, corn andpotatoes.These low-acid foodsmust be processed in a pressurecanner to destroy any C. botulinumspores that might be present.

Foods with sufficient acid — fruitssuch as apples, peaches and pears —will not support the growth ofC. botulinum spores and can be safelyprocessed in a boiling water canner.The acidity measure of a food thatdivides low acid (pressure canning)from high acid (boiling watercanning) is a pH of 4.6 (see the pHchart in the box on page 2).

C A N N I N G V E G E T A B L E S S A F E L Y 1

To destroy C. botulinum spores, low-acid foods must be processed attemperatures higher than the boilingpoint of water (212° F at sea level).This can only be achieved by sur-rounding the jars of food with puresteam under pressure, using a steampressure canner. Under pressure,water boils at a higher temperature.

Use pressure canners to processlow-acid vegetables.Do not useboiling water canners for low-acidfoods.

A pressure canner is not the sameas a pressure cooker. Pressurecookers or pressure saucepans areused to rapidly cook meats, vegeta-bles and other foods for a familymeal. But they may not maintainadequate pressure, and they heatand cool too quickly to ensure safefood. Do not use pressure cookers orpressure saucepans for homecanning.

Pressure canners may have dialgauges or weighted gauges. Pressureis measured in pounds per squareinch (psi). When pressure is applied,water boils at a temperature above212˚F. Food can be processed in apressure canner quickly and safely atthese high temperatures. For homecanning, use pressure canners thatmaintain pressures up to 15 psi.

2 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series

A pH number

measures acidity

and alkalinity on a

scale from 1 to 14.

A pH of 7 is neutral. As the pH drops

below neutral (pH < 7), a food becomes

increasingly more acidic. As the pH

increases from 7 (pH > 7), a food

becomes increasingly more basic or

alkaline. In general, the foods we eat

have a pH below 7.Very few foods are

alkaline; egg whites are the notable

exception (pH = 8).

Here are some common foods and

their pH values.

For boiling water canning:

pH 3.0 to 4.0—apples, berries, cherries,lemons, oranges, peaches, pears;pickles

For boiling water canning orpressure canning:

pH 4.0 to 5.0—tomatoes withadded acid *

For pressure canning:

pH 5.0 to 6.0—carrots, beans, onions,peppers, potatoes, squash; mostmeats

pH 6.0 to 7.0—corn, mushrooms,peas; chicken

* Tested recipes for canning tomatoes can be found in Tomatoes Tart and Tasty (B2605),available from your county UW-Extension office or order from Cooperative ExtensionPublications (learningstore.uwex.edu).

Processing times must belong enough to:� allow heat to penetrate to the

center of food or the coldest spotin the jar, and

� reach temperatures needed todestroy harmful bacteria and bac-terial spores.

How quickly heatpenetrates depends on the:� size of the jar, and

� contents of the jar:

– ratio of solid to liquid, and

– kind and size of food pieces.

Processing methods in this publica-tion take these factors into accountand must be followed precisely toensure safe home-canned food. Useonly the jar sizes and packing styleslisted for each vegetable. Process forthe full time listed for each veg-etable. Follow directions in theVegetable Canning Guide beginningon page 15.

Select high qualityvegetablesFor high quality canned products,use fresh vegetables at the peak ofeating quality. Ideally, vegetablescommonly grown in home gardensshould be canned the same day theyare harvested. If this is not possible,refrigerate the vegetables until youare ready to can them. Refrigerationwill slow the rate of quality loss.

Green beans, peas, sweet corn andgreen leafy vegetables can losequality very rapidly. Carrots, beets,potatoes or winter squash can bestored for a relatively long timewithout much quality change.


For a list of recom-

mended vegeta-

bles to plant,

request the publi-

cation Vegetable Cultivars and Planting

Guide for Wisconsin Gardens (A1653).

Other helpful information can be

found in Harvesting Vegetables from

the Home Garden (A2727).These are

available from your county UW-

Extension office or order from

Cooperative Extension Publishing

(learningstore.uwex.edu).

Canning vegetablesPreparing vegetablesWash all vegetables thoroughlyunder running water or throughseveral changes of water. Lift the veg-etables out of the water to drain sothat dirt washed off will not settleback on the food.Trim or peel asneeded, depending on the veg-etable.

To limit nutrient loss: If directionscall for cutting up vegetables forcanning, do so just before you areready to pack them into jars. Cut into

uniform size pieces. Specific sugges-tions are stated in the VegetableCanning Guide beginning on page 15.

Optional ingredientsPickling or canning salt can beadded to canned vegetables toenhance flavor. However, you canomit or use less salt without riskingspoilage in low-acid vegetables.

Spices or herbs may be added insmall amounts before processing.Heat treatments in this publicationare sufficient to render these addi-tions safe.


Yields for canned vegetablesPounds for Weight & About how

Vegetable 1 quart jar measure many quarts

Asparagus 31⁄2 31 lbs./crate 7 to 12

Beans, green, wax or Italian 2 30 lbs./bushel 15 to 20

Beans, lima (in pods) 4 32 lbs./bushel 6 to 10

Beans or peas, dry 31⁄4 25 lbs./bushel 6 to 7

Beets (without tops) 21⁄2 to 3 52 lbs./bushel 15 to 20

Carrots (without tops) 21⁄2 to 3 50 lbs./bushel 17 to 25

Corn, sweet (in husks) 4 to 5 35 lbs./bushel 8 to 9 as kernels

Peas, green (in pods) 4 to 5 30 lbs./bushel 6 to 8

Potatoes, white 3 60 lbs./bushel 15 to 20

Spinach or other greens 4 20 lbs./bushel 5 to 8

Squash, winter or pumpkin 2 40 lbs./bushel 16 to 20

The yield of canned product from different vegetables varies greatly. The chartbelow will help you estimate the amount of canned food you can get from eachvegetable.Weights per bushel or crate are approximate.

Do not add butter or fat to home-canned products unless specificallyallowed in a recipe tested for safety.Adding butter or other fats to home-canned food may slow the rate ofheat transfer, and result in an unsafeproduct.

Do not thicken, add rice, barley orpasta to canned vegetables. Thesestarchy ingredients absorb liquidduring processing, and slow the waythe vegetables heat. Under-process-ing and unsafe food could result.

Filling jarsUse standard canning jars free ofcracks or chips. Do not reuse com-mercial mayonnaise jars for process-ing in pressure canners, since the riskof breakage is great. Wash and rinsethe jars.You do not need to sterilizejars before filling when pressurecanning.

Do not use jars larger than 1 quartbecause safe process times are notavailable for larger jars. For somevegetables, even quart jars are notrecommended for the same reason.

Check the Vegetable Canning Guidefor recommended jar sizes for eachproduct. If you use 11⁄2 pint jars, usethe process time for quarts.

Vegetables may be packed raw orpreheated and packed hot, as indi-cated in the guide. A few vegetablesshould be hot packed only.

Hot packing usually produces a higherquality canned product and improvesshelf life because it helps removetrapped air from the food tissues,shrinks food, reduces floating, andincreases vacuum in the sealed jars.

Follow instructions for loose- ortight-pack filling. Some vegetablesexpand during processing, or will notheat evenly if packed too tightly.


For high quality

canned products,

use fresh vegeta-

bles at the peak of

eating quality. Ideally, vegetables

commonly grown in home gardens

should be canned the same day they

are harvested. If this is not possible,

refrigerate the vegetables until you are

ready to can.You may add small

amounts of salt, spices and herbs to

canned vegetables. But do not add

butter or fat, or thicken these items

with rice, pasta or starch.

Leave the amount of headspace —between the top surface of the liquidand the top rim of the jar — recom-mended in the Vegetable CanningGuide. Usually 1-inch headspace isrecommended for foods processed ina pressure canner.This space allowsfood to expand during processingand form a vacuum as the jars cool.Overfilling jars could lead to under-processing or cause sealingproblems.

Use enough liquid — boiling wateror cooking liquid — to cover raw-and hot-packed food. If uncovered,vegetables at the top of the jar maydarken.

Use hard water, because the calciumsalts in hard water will help vegeta-bles maintain a firm texture.This isparticularly important for greenbeans. However, if your water is highin iron or copper salts, you mayprefer to use soft water in canning tokeep vegetables from discoloring.

After filling, remove air bubbles fromjars by sliding a rubber spatula orbubble freer between the food andthe side of the jar in several places.Wipe the jar rim carefully to removefood particles.

Jar lidsFollow the manufacturer’s directionsfor pretreating two-piece vacuumseal lids. Fill hot, clean jars with veg-etables. Remove bubbles. Be carefulnot to leave any food on the jar rims.

Wipe jar rims with a clean, damppaper towel. Put on pretreated lidsand screw on metal bands until youbegin to feel resistance, then turn theband until it is firmly tight.

Caution: Porcelain-lined zinc capsand rubber rings have not beenmade for years and are no longer rec-ommended for home canning.


Follow these steps for successfulhome canning of vegetables:

� Loose- or tight-pack vegetables injars, as instructed.

� Leave the proper amount of head-space, usually 1 inch.

� Add boiling water or cookingliquid to cover food. Cooking liquidis often preferred because of theadded vitamins,minerals andflavor imparted.

� Process vegetables for the correcttime and at the correctpressure setting.

Processing in apressure cannerLow-acid foods must be processedfor the correct number of minutes attemperatures between 240° and250° F to destroy harmful bacteriaand bacterial spores.These tempera-tures are attained using a pressurecanner. At these temperatures, ittakes from 20 to 110 minutes todestroy bacteria and bacterial sporesin low-acid foods.

Wisconsin elevations range from 580to 1,953 feet above sea level. Using theprocess time for sea level may lead tospoilage if you live at higher eleva-tions. Water boils at lower tempera-tures as elevation increases. Increasingcanner pressure compensates for thelower boiling temperatures.

Therefore, when you look up theprocess time for a particular veg-etable, select the canner pressure foryour elevation.

If you do not know the elevationwhere you live, consult the map onpage 8, contact your local countyLand Information office, or process asrecommended for the higherelevation.

Remember: If you share recipes withfriends and relatives, be sure toinclude adjustments for changes inelevation.


Pressure is measured

in pounds per square

inch (psi).When

canning low-acid vegetables at all

Wisconsin elevations, unless otherwise

specified, operate:

� dial gauge canners at 11 poundspressure (11 psi).

� weighted gauge canners at

10 psi at elevations up to 1,000feet above sea level, or

15 psi above 1,000 feet elevation.

If you do not know the elevation where

you live, consult the map on page 8 in

this publication, or process as recom-

mended for the higher elevation.


Check the canner andpressure gaugeBefore you start canning, be sure thecanner is in good operating condi-tion. Have a dial pressure gaugetested each canning season to besure it measures pressure accurately.Contact your county UW-Extensionoffice for dial gauge testing.

Canners with weighted pressure reg-ulators do not require testing. But theregulators and vent pipes must bekept clean, and gaskets need to be ingood condition. Replace any rubbergaskets that are old or leaking.See Using and Caring for a PressureCanner (B2593) atlearningstore.uwex.edu.

Process in a pressure cannerWhen you are ready to process veg-etables, put 2 to 3 inches of boilingwater in the bottom of the pressurecanner. Set filled jars on a rack in thecanner so steam can flow freelyaround each jar. Fasten the cannerlid in place.

Elevation mapRemember to adjust for eleva-tion above sea level whenpressure canning vegetables.Consult the elevation map, or callyour county Land Informationoffice (listed under county govern-ment in your phone book). If youshare recipes with friends and rela-tives, be sure to include adjust-ments for changes in elevation.

Elevation above 1,000 feet

Elevation below 1,000 feet

Source:Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

Vent the canner for 10 minutes todrive air from the canner. If air istrapped in the canner, a lower tem-perature will result and cause under-processing.

To vent the canner: Leave the ventport uncovered, or open the petcockby hand. Heat the canner so thewater boils and generates steam.After steam flows from the cannervent for 10 minutes, close thepetcock or place the pressure regula-tor on the vent pipe and let thepressure rise to the desired level.

Start counting process time whenthe correct pressure is reached.Maintain the pressure at a steadylevel by regulating heat under thecanner. Fluctuating pressure cancause jars to lose liquid and damageseals, or lead to under-processingand unsafe food.

If at any time during processing thepressure drops below the processlevel, bring the pressure back up andretime for the entire process period.

When the process time is up, turn offthe heat and remove the cannerfrom the burner, if possible. Let thepressure drop on its own. Do notforce-cool the canner. Force-coolingwith cold water will cause the jars tolose liquid and may damage theirseals. Forced cooling will also lead tounder-processing.The cool-downperiod is part of the lethal processthat destroys harmful bacteria andbacterial spores.


Follow recipes pre-

cisely and process

all vegetables in a

pressure canner.

Open kettle canning,microwave

canning and oven canning are very

unsafe and not recommended. Boiling

water canning is also very unsafe and

not recommended for vegetables.

Vent all pressure canners for

10 minutes before beginning pressure

processing. Failure to vent canners can

result in under-processing and unsafe

food.

Start counting process time when the

correct pressure is reached.Maintain

the pressure at a steady level by regu-

lating heat under the canner.

Fluctuating pressure can cause jars to

lose liquid and damage seals, or lead

to under-processing. If at any time

during processing the pressure drops

below the process level, bring the

pressure back up and retime for the

entire process period.

Time for depressurizing will vary, butin most cases will be 30 minutes orless. When the pressure reaches zero,wait a few minutes, then slowly openthe petcock or remove the weightcontrol. Unfasten the cover and tilt itaway from you as the steam escapes.If you delay opening the canner forseveral hours, it may be very difficultto remove the lid, and foods will coolmore slowly than desired.

Cool jarsRemove jars from the canner andplace them upright on a towel orrack away from drafts. Do notretighten the screw band. If someliquid has boiled out during process-ing, do not open the jar to add more.

� If only a small amount of liquidboils out (less than half) andthe lid seals properly, the foodwill be safe to eat.However, foodthat is not covered with liquidmay darken during storage.

� If more than half the liquid hasbeen lost, either reprocess thevegetables with added liquid,or freeze the contents of thesejars. Liquid is necessary foradequate heat penetration.Losing too much liquid duringprocessing can lead to under-processing and unsafe food.

Check sealsAfter the jars have cooled com-pletely, check the seals. Press thecenter of flat metal lids. If the lid ispopped down and does not move,the jar is sealed. After 24 hours, youcan remove metal bands, wash andstore them for re-use.

Storing canned vegetablesWipe sealed jars clean, label anddate. For best quality, use home-canned food within one year.Properly home-canned food willremain safe for years, but quality willsuffer from extended storage. Storejars in a cool, dry place to retain thebest eating quality and protect thelids from rusting.


For best quality,

use home-canned

food within one

year. Properly

home-canned food will remain safe for

years, but quality will suffer in

extended storage. Store jars in a cool,

dry place to retain the best eating

quality. And remember to rotate jars,

using the oldest first, and then those

more recently canned.

In an unheated storage area, protectcanned food by wrapping jars inpaper and covering them with ablanket. Move them to a heated areawhen the temperature drops tofreezing. Freezing will not causecanned vegetables to spoil unlessthe seal is damaged when the jar’scontents expand. But the food mayhave a softer texture, and the flavormay change.

If jars fail to sealIf properly processed jars fail to seal,you can do one of the following:

� Refrigerate the jar of vegeta-bles and use it within 2 or3 days.Once cooled to roomtemperature, jars of vegetablesthat did not seal should be refrig-erated until used, or reprocessedwithin 24 hours.

� Freeze the contents of jars thatdid not seal. Package in afreezer-safe container (glass jar orplastic container), label and date.You may need to transfer the veg-etables to a new container if:

– there is not room for vegeta-bles to expand on freezing inthe original canning jar, or

– you want to use a different(non-breakable) container inyour freezer.

� Reprocess vegetables within24 hours. Empty vegetables fromjars, heat (if directions called forhot packing), and place intoclean, hot jars. Process as if youwere canning fresh food.Reprocessed vegetables may besofter, but will be wholesome.

� If more than 24 hours haveelapsed, safely dispose of thejars and their contents. Followthe directions on pages 12-13.


Jar seals may fail for severalreasons:

� Nicks or chips on the jar rim

� Not enough or too much head-space

� Food particles on the jar rim —Wipe the rim before placing the lidon the jar. Overfilling may forcefood particles under the lid.Fluctuating pressure or a suddendrop in pressure can also drawfood particles under the lid.

� Incorrectly pretreating lids —Follow the manufacturer’s direc-tions.

� Reusing single-use lids, or using oldlids with dried-out sealingcompound

� Defects in the lid itself: flaws in thesealing compound coating, ortoo little compoundon the lid

Dispose of spoiledfoods carefullyDo not taste food from a jar with anunsealed lid, or food that shows signsof spoilage.You can more easilydetect some types of spoilage in jarsstored without screw bands. Growthof bacteria and yeasts produces gasthat pressurizes the food, swells lids,and breaks jar seals.

As you select canned food from yourcupboard, examine each lid for tight-ness and vacuum. Lids that arepopped down in the center have goodseals. Next, hold the jar upright at eyelevel.Turn the jar and examine all sidesfor streaks of dried food from the topof the jar. Look at the contents forrising air bubbles and unnatural color.

While opening the jar, smell forunnatural odors and look forspurting liquid and cotton-like mold(white, blue, black or green) on thefood and under the lid.

If the seal is broken or you detectsigns of spoilage, treat canned veg-etables carefully — they may containC. botulinum toxin.

Even if the vegetables show noobvious signs of spoilage, dispose ofthem in one of these two ways:

� If the suspect jars are still sealed,place them in a heavy garbagebag. Close and place the bag in aregular trash container or bury itin a nearby landfill.

� If the suspect jars are unsealed,open or leaking,detoxify the jarsand their contents before discard-ing. Detoxifying the jars and theircontents will destroy any poisonsthat might have formed.

To detoxify food:Carefully place the filled suspect jarsand lids on their sides in an 8-quartor larger stock pot, pan, or boilingwater canner. Wash your hands thor-oughly. Carefully add to the potenough water to cover the jars by2 inches. Avoid splashing the water.

Place a lid on the pot and heat thewater to boiling. Boil for 30 minutesto ensure detoxifying the food andjars. Cool. Discard the jars, their lidsand food in the trash, or bury in soil.

Wash with soap and water allcounters, pots and equipmentincluding can opener, clothing andhands that may have contacted thespoiled food or jars. Discard any


Vegetables that

failed to seal

may be safely

reprocessed within

24 hours. Empty vegetables from jars,

heat (if hot packing), and place into

clean, hot jars. Reprocess again for the

full time. If more than 24 hours have

elapsed, safely dispose of the jars and

their contents.

sponges or wash cloths that mayhave been used in the cleanup. Placethem in a plastic bag and discard inthe trash.

Follow directionscarefullyWhen you can mixed vegetables,check the process time for eachvegetable and use the longesttime. Food quality will be better ifyou combine vegetables that havesimilar process times. For example, ifyou include corn in a mixture, theprocess time is going to be very longand will greatly overcook vegetableslike green beans, carrots or peas thathave shorter process times.

Use only research-tested recipesfor home canning. Extension bul-letins and the USDA Complete Guideto Home Canning are sources oftested recipes (see page 23).

Items prepared with untested recipesshould not be canned, but most canbe frozen. Canning foods at home isnot a time to experiment withrecipes — the safety of you and yourfamily could be at risk.

Be sure you follow filling instruc-tions, so the amount of solids ineach jar is not greater than stated.The guidelines in this publicationassure heat penetration for specificcombinations and proportions offoods, so any changes may result inunsafe or under-processed food.

Do not thicken, or add rice, barleyor pasta to mixed vegetables.These starchy ingredients absorbliquid during processing, and changethe heat transfer characteristics ofthe product. Under-processing andunsafe food could result.


Safely discard

vegetables that

are spoiled or that

became unsealed.

Even if the vegetables show no

obvious signs of spoilage, dispose of

them in one of these two ways:

� If the suspect jars are still sealed,place them in a heavy garbagebag. Close and place the bag in aregular trash container or bury it ina nearby landfill.

� If the suspect jars are unsealed,open or leaking, detoxify the jarsand their contents before discard-ing. Place suspect jars in an 8-quartor larger pan. Carefully add waterto cover by 2 inches and boil for30 minutes. Cool and discard in thetrash, or bury.


Process vegetables in a pressure canner� Dial gauge canners at 11 pounds pressure (11 psi)

� Weighted gauge canners at10 pounds pressure (10 psi) at elevations up to 1,000 feetabove sea level

15 pounds pressure (15 psi) above 1,000 feet elevation

All recommendations in the Vegetable Canning Guide are for

the higher elevation— above 1,000 feet. If you are certain

that you live below 1,000 feet, you may safely process at

10 pounds pressure (10 psi) with a weighted gauge canner.

The processing time remains the same at any elevation.(See the Wisconsin elevation map on page 8.)

Use only tested recipes for home canning, such as the followingguidelines, other extension bulletins, or the USDA Complete Guideto Home Canning available from the National Center for HomeFood Preservation: www.uga.edu/nchfp/.

Freeze food if you do not use a tested recipe. If you change testedrecipes, the safety of you and your family could be at risk.

Note: lb. = poundmg. = milligrampsi = pounds per square inch (pressure)tbsp. = tablespoontsp. = teaspoon1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups

Weighted gauge Weighted gaugeCanner Dial gauge up to 1,000 ft. above 1,000 ft.pressure 11 lbs. pressure 10 lbs. pressure (10 psi) 15 lbs. pressure (15 psi)

Vegetable Type of pack, preparation, process time

Asparagus; Wash, trim and cut into 1-inch pieces or can whole. Pack tightly intoraw pack hot jars without crushing, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.*

Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove airbubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 30 minutes — Quarts: 40 minutes

Asparagus; Wash, trim and cut into 1-inch pieces or can whole. Boil in waterhot pack 2 to 3 minutes. Loosely pack in hot jars and cover with hot

cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.*Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 30 minutes — Quarts: 40 minutes

Beans or Use kidney, navy, soybeans, great northern, or any other dry beanpeas, dry; or pea. Sort and wash dry beans and prepare using one of thehot pack following methods:

1) Place the beans in a large pot, cover with water and let standin a cool place for 12 to 18 hours. Drain.

2) Cover beans with water, bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, removefrom heat and soak for 1 hour. Drain.

Take drained beans soaked by either method and cover with freshwater. Boil for 30 minutes. Pack hot beans into hot jars, leaving1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Cover with boiling water, leaving1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims.Adjust lids and process.Pints: 75 minutes — Quarts: 90 minutes

* Use canning or pickling salt.Unless otherwise stated, add 1⁄2 tsp. salt to pints and1 tsp. to quarts.You may use less salt or no salt in canned vegetables.


V E G E T A B L E C A N N I N G G U I D E


V E G E T A B L E C A N N I N G G U I D EWeighted gauge Weighted gauge

Canner Dial gauge up to 1,000 ft. above 1,000 ft.pressure 11 lbs. pressure 10 lbs. pressure (10 psi) 15 lbs. pressure (15 psi)


Beans, dry — Add 3 cups water for each cup of dry beans in a large pot. Soakwith tomato overnight, or cover with water and boil 2 minutes, remove fromor molasses heat and soak 1 hour. Drain, cover with fresh water, and boil for 30sauce; minutes. Drain and save liquid for sauce. Fill hot jars 3⁄4 full of hothot pack beans and cover with boiling sauce (see below), leaving 1-inch

headspace. Add a 3⁄4-inch cube of pork, ham or bacon to each jar, ifdesired. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 65 minutes — Quarts: 75 minutes

Tomato sauce Molasses sauce3 cups tomato juice 4 cups cooking liquid1 cup tomato catsup 3 tbsp. molasses3 tbsp. sugar or sorghum2 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. vinegar1 tbsp. chopped onion 2 tsp. salt1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves 3⁄4 tsp. dry mustardHeat to boiling. Heat to boiling.

Beans, baked Soak and boil beans and prepare molasses sauce as directed above.Place seven 3⁄4 -inch pieces of pork, ham, or bacon in an earthen-ware crock, large casserole, or pan. Add beans and enough molassessauce to cover beans. Cover and bake 4 to 5 hours at 350˚F, addingwater as needed every hour. Fill hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 65 minutes — Quarts: 75 minutes

Beans, green, Wash and trim. Leave whole or cut into 1- or 2-inch pieces. Packwax or tightly into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* CoverItalian; with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.raw pack Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.

Pints: 20 minutes — Quarts: 25 minutes

Beans, green, Wash, trim and cut as above. Cover with boiling water, boilwax or 5 minutes. Pack hot beans into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.Italian; Add salt.* Cover with boiling cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch head-hot pack space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.



Beans, fresh Shell and wash. Fill hot jars loosely with raw beans. Do not shakelima (shelled); or pack down. Add salt.* Cover with boiling water, leavingraw pack headspace below for small or large beans:

Small beans: Leave 1-inch headspace in pints, 11⁄2 inches in quarts.Large beans: Leave 1-inch headspace in pints, 11⁄4 inches in quarts.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 40 minutes — Quarts: 50 minutes

Beans, fresh Shell and wash. Cover beans with boiling water; bring to a boil,lima (shelled); and boil 3 minutes. Loosely pack hot beans into hot jars, leavinghot pack 1-inch headspace. Do not shake or pack down. Add salt.*

Cover with boiling cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 40 minutes — Quarts: 50 minutes

Beets; Small, 1-2 inches: Pack whole.Medium, 2-3 inches: Cube or slice.hot pack Beets larger than 3 inches are often too fibrous to can. Remove tops,

leaving 1-inch stem and tap root. Scrub well. Cover with boilingwater. Boil until skins slip off easily, about 15 to 25 minutesdepending on size. Cool, remove skins and trim off root and stem.Can small beets whole; cut larger ones into 1⁄2-inch slices or cubes.Fill hot jars with hot beets and cover with fresh boiling water,leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Remove air bubbles. Wipe jarrims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 30 minutes — Quarts: 35 minutes

Carrots; Wash, peel and rewash. Leave small carrots whole; slice or diceraw pack larger carrots. Pack hot jars tightly, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add

salt.* Fill jar with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Removeair bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 25 minutes — Quarts: 30 minutes

Carrots; Prepare as above. Cover carrots with water, bring to a boil andhot pack simmer 5 minutes. Fill hot jars with hot carrots, leaving 1-inch

headspace. Add salt.* Cover with boiling cooking liquid, leaving1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lidsand process.Pints: 25 minutes — Quarts: 30 minutes






Corn** — Note:Hot pack using pint jars only. Canning in quart jars is unsafe.cream-style; Husk, remove silks, and wash. Blanch ears 4 minutes in boilinghot pack water. Cut corn from cob at center of kernel, and scrape cobs. Add

1 cup boiling water to each 2 cups corn in a saucepan. Heat toboiling. Use pint jars only. Fill hot jars with hot corn mixture,leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Remove air bubbles.Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 85 minutes — Quarts: UNSAFE

Corn** — Husk, remove silks, and wash. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water.whole kernel; Cut kernels from cob 3⁄4 the depth of the kernels. Do not scraperaw pack cob. Pack corn loosely into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Add salt.* Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 55 minutes — Quarts: 85 minutes

Corn** — Prepare as above. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup boiling waterwhole kernel; for each 4 cups of corn. Heat to boiling; simmer 5 minutes. Pack hothot pack corn loosely into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.*

Cover with boiling hot cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 55 minutes — Quarts: 85 minutes

Mushrooms, Caution: Can only domestic mushrooms.Do not can wild mushrooms,domestic; as safe processes have not been developed. See page 22.Hot packhot pack using half-pint or pint jars only. Canning in quart jars is unsafe.Trim

stems and discolored parts. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes andwash thoroughly in several changes of water. Leave small mushroomswhole; cut larger ones. Cover with water in a saucepan and boil5 minutes. For better color, add to each pint jar one 500 mg. tabletof vitamin C (crushed) or 1⁄8 tsp. ascorbic acid powder. Use half-pintor pint jars only. Fill hot jars loosely with hot mushrooms and coverwith fresh boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.*Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Half-pints or pints: 45 minutes — Quarts: UNSAFE

**Note: Supersweet corn is not recommended for canning. High temperatures causeunacceptable browning of kernels.




Onions; Use onions 1 inch in diameter or less. Wash and peel onions. Coverhot pack onions with boiling water; bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Pack

onions into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Fill jarswith fresh boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove airbubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 40 minutes — Quarts: 40 minutes

Peas, green; Note: Freeze Sugar Snaps or edible pods for best quality.Shell,raw pack wash. Pack peas loosely into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Add salt.* Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints or quarts: 40 minutes

Peas, green; Shell, wash. Cover with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boilhot pack for 2 minutes. Pack hot peas loosely into hot jars, leaving 1-inch

headspace. Add salt.* Cover with boiling cooking liquid, leaving 1-in.headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids, process.Pints or quarts: 40 minutes

Peppers, Note: Small peppers may be left whole; large peppers may be quartered.hot or sweet, Wash, core and remove seeds. Wear rubber gloves if working withgreen or red; hot peppers. Slash 2 to 4 slits in each pepper and remove skins ashot pack follows: Heat in 400° F oven or broiler 6 to 8 min. until skins blister.

Place in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. Let steam for 5 to 10minutes. Remove skins with a knife blade. Flatten peppers and packloosely in layers in hot jars. Add 1⁄2 tsp. salt to each pint jar, ifdesired. Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Half-pints or pints: 35 minutes — Quarts: UNSAFE






Potatoes, Small, 1-2 inches: Pack whole.Note: Potatoes must be peeled forwhite — process times given to produce a safe product. Wash, peel, and cutcubed or into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Keep in ascorbic acid solution to preventwhole; browning: 3,000 mg. vitamin C (crushed) per gallon of cold water.hot pack Drain. Cook cubed potatoes 2 minutes in boiling water, whole

potatoes 10 minutes. Drain. Pack hot potatoes into hot jars, leaving1-in. headspace. Add salt.* Cover with fresh boiling water, leaving1-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids andprocess.Pints: 35 minutes — Quarts: 40 minutes

Soups For information on canning meat-based soups or sauces, seeCanning Meat,Wild Game, Poultry and Fish Safely (B3345) availablefrom your county UW-Extension office or Cooperative ExtensionPublishing (learningstore.uwex.edu). Instructions for canningvegetable mixtures can be found on page 13, or consider themixed vegetable recipe on page 22.

Spinach or Can freshly picked, tender greens that are thoroughly washed.other greens; Cut out tough stems and midribs. Blanch 1 pound at a time in ahot pack cheesecloth bag or steamer for 3 to 5 minutes or until well wilted.

Pack hot greens loosely into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.*Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 70 minutes — Quarts: 90 minutes

Squash, Caution:Must be frozen. There are no guidelines for safely canningsummer— this product. See page 22 and Freezing Fruits and Vegetables (B3278),UNSAFE available from your county UW-Extension office or from

Cooperative Extension Publishing (learningstore.uwex.edu).

Squash, Caution: Do not mash or purée.Wash, remove seeds, peel. Cut intowinter or 1-inch cubes. Boil 2 minutes in water. Pack hot cubes into hot jarspumpkin and cover with hot cooking liquid or boiling water, leaving 1-inch— cubed; headspace. Add salt.* Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims.hot pack Adjust lids and process.





Succotash; 15 lbs. unhusked sweet corn or 3 qts. cut whole kernelshot pack 14 lbs. mature green podded lima beans or 4 qts. shelled limas

2 qts. crushed or whole tomatoes (optional)

Wash and prepare fresh corn/limas/tomatoes. Combine all preparedvegetables in a large kettle with enough water to cover the pieces.Boil gently 5 minutes and fill hot jars with pieces and cooking liquid,leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Remove air bubbles. Wipe jarrims. Adjust lids and process.Yield: 7 quartsPints: 60 minutes — Quarts: 85 minutes

Succotash; Fill hot jars with equal parts of prepared vegetables (listed above)raw pack leaving 1-inch headspace. Do not shake or press down pieces.

Add fresh boiling water, adjusting headspace to 1-inch. Add salt.*Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 60 minutes — Quarts: 85 minutes

Sweet Caution:Do not mash or purée. Wash sweet potatoes. Boil or steampotatoes; 15 to 20 minutes to slip off skins. Cool enough to handle andhot pack remove skins. Cut into uniform pieces. Pack hot sweet potatoes into

hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Cover with boilingwater or medium sugar syrup, leaving 1-inch headspace. Removeair bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 65 minutes — Quarts: 90 minutes

Medium sugar syrupDissolve 13⁄4 cups sugar in 1 quart of water. Heat to boiling.Yields 5 cups syrup.

Tomatoes For instructions on safely canning tomatoes, see Tomatoes Tart &Tasty (B2605), available from your county UW-Extension office orfrom Cooperative Extension Publishing (learningstore.uwex.edu).




Not recommendedThe following vegetables are notrecommended for home canning:

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts,cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi,rutabaga, summer squash (suchas zucchini, yellow squash,spaghetti squash), turnips, andwild mushrooms.

These vegetables develop strongflavors and usually discolor whencanned, or may be unsafe to can.Using them in vegetable mixtures isnot recommended for the samereasons.


For more informa-

tion, see Freezing

Fruits and

Vegetables

(B3278), Tomatoes Tart & Tasty (B2605),

Canning Salsa Safely (B3570), and

Using and Caring for a Pressure Canner

(B2593), available from your county

UW-Extension office or Cooperative

Extension Publishing (see back cover).



Vegetables, 6 cups sliced carrots, 6 cups cut, whole kernel sweet corn,mixed; 6 cups cut green beans, 6 cups shelled lima beans,hot pack** 4 cups whole or crushed tomatoes, 4 cups diced zucchini,

Optional mix — You may change the suggested proportions orsubstitute other favorite vegetables except leafy greens, driedbeans, cream-style corn, squash and sweet potatoes.Except for zucchini, wash and prepare vegetables as directedpreviously for each vegetable. Wash, trim, and slice or cube zucchini;combine all vegetables in a large pot or kettle, and add enoughwater to cover pieces. Boil 5 minutes and fill hot jars with hot piecesand liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt.* Remove airbubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.Pints: 75 minutes — Quarts: 90 minutes

** Instructions for canning other vegetable mixtures can be found on page 13.See below for vegetables not suited for canning in mixtures.


Wisconsin Safe FoodPreservation SeriesCanning Fruits Safely (B0430)

Canning Meat,Wild Game, Poultryand Fish Safely (B3345)

Canning Salsa Safely (B3570)

Canning Vegetables Safely (B1159)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables (B3278)

Homemade Pickles and Relishes(B2267)

Making Jams, Jellies and FruitPreserves (B2909)

Make Your Own Sauerkraut (B2087)

Tomatoes Tart & Tasty (B2605)

Using and Caring for a Pressure Canner(B2593)

Wisconsin’sWild Game: Enjoying theHarvest (B3573) andGuidelines for Making Safe Jerkyat Home (SUPL3573)

To start with the right ingredients,see also:

Growing Tomatoes, Peppers andEggplants inWisconsin (A3687)

Harvesting Vegetables from the HomeGarden (A2727)

Vegetable Cultivars and Planting GuideforWisconsin Gardens (A1653)

These are available from your countyUW-Extension office or order fromCooperative Extension Publishing(learningstore.uwex.edu).

ResourcesSo Easy to Preserve Bulletin 989 4thedition, by Elizabeth L. Andress andJudy A. Harrison (Athens, Ga.:University of Georgia College ofFamily and Consumer Sciences),1999:www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_uga.html

USDA Complete Guide to HomeCanning (Ag Information Bulletin539, 1994) is online via the NationalCenter for Home FoodPreservation:www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

You can also find more research-tested recipes on this web site(adjust recipes for Wisconsin eleva-tions, see page 8):

www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/nchfp/factsheets.html

Web sites: If you do not have acomputer, most libraries have oneyou can use.



N O T E S

Copyright © 2008 by the Board ofRegents of the University of WisconsinSystem doing business as the division ofCooperative Extension of the Universityof Wisconsin-Extension. All rightsreserved. Send copyright inquiries to:Cooperative Extension Publishing, 432 N.Lake St., Rm. 227, Madison, WI 53706.

Author: Barbara H. Ingham, professor andfood science extension specialist, Collegeof Agricultural and Life Sciences,University of Wisconsin-Madison andUW-Extension.

Produced by Cooperative ExtensionPublishing, University ofWisconsin-Extension: Erica Schock, editor; SusanAnderson, designer.

University of Wisconsin-Extension,Cooperative Extension, in cooperationwith the U.S. Department of Agricultureand Wisconsin counties, publishes thisinformation to further the purpose of theMay 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts ofCongress. An EEO/AA employer, the

University of Wisconsin-Extension,Cooperative Extension provides equalopportunities in employment and pro-gramming, including Title IX andAmericans with Disabilities (ADA)requirements. If you need this informa-tion in an alternative format, contactCooperative Extension Publishing orEqual Opportunity and DiversityPrograms, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 501 Extension Building,432 N. Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706,[email protected], phone: (608)262-0277, fax: (608) 262-8404, TTY:711 Wisconsin Relay.

This publication is available in Englishfrom your Wisconsin county Extensionoffice (www.uwex.edu/ces/cty) or fromCooperative Extension Publishing.Toorder, call toll-free: 1-877-947-7827(WIS-PUBS) or visit our web site:learningstore.uwex.edu.

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