This is for a friend & I thought maybe someone might also find it useful.
For canning: the easiest vegetable is tomatoes and fruit is apples. Now let me type you through doing something with those apples - if you screw up & they go bad you WILL know it because there will be mold.
1. Fill your canning kettle to the top line or just slightly below. It will be a heavy mother so be careful carrying it or use a pitcher. Put on the lid and turn on the fire. Use a back burner if possible - kids safety - but your stove & physical build might not make this possible. Do this first as it takes forever to get to a good boil and if it starts before you need it just add more water once in a while.
2. Have a dish washer? put your clean jars in & the rings. Either turn on now (if you have heat dry wait if not) OR put clean jars & rings in a cake pan (sides).
3. Put lids in a sauce pan with some water to cover them. Set on the other back burner.
4. Peel & core your apples for your recipe - applesauce is my suggestion because it's smashed apples & some sugar (if you choose) Much easier than jelly and a bit easier than jam.
5. Start cooking
6. Now turn on dishwasher or put the jars in the oven at 200F for at least 15 minutes AND turn on saucepan with lids. According to the newest recommendations a clean jar that will be waterbath canned for at least 10 minutes does not need to be sterilized. I recommend heating the jars so it isn't hot food into cold jar which might mean a break (they just crack weird not explosively shatter). There is a good discussion at this site. www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=323599
7. Saucepan with lids boiling? Good turn off and leave until needed they are sterile and the hot water will keep the rubber soft.
8. Applesauce bubbly? Good turn off the heat.
9. Spread a tea towel on the counter to catch drips & as a pot holder for the jar bottoms. Set the jars on the towel and in one jar measure down a 1/2 inch. Look and see where that kinda is.
10. Dip your funnel in the boiling canning kettle for a minute. Put it on the closest jar & fill your jar. The 1/4 or 1/2 is more for fair competitions than an extreme safety thing. You want to get as much in a jar as possible without the food boiling out and possible messing up the seal during the water bath. SO fill to your previously measured line. For us & the old people in the family we stop close to where the spirals begin (unless it is a fair entry)
11. Jar full? Take the funnel out and set in next jar. Take that clear plastic thingy in the canning kit put it inside the jar next to the outside and go around the jar. This is to release air bubbles, I've used a metal butter knife but now have one of those thingies. Then with a damp rag wipe around the rim just in case any food got on the jar. Take the magnetic lid grabber and get a lid, set on top, get a ring and twist down but not muscle-guy tight, just on the jar.
12. All your jars full? set them in the canning rack. Don't be surprised if only 6-8 pints fit - it depends on the way the rack is made. Just one jar per section & one for the middle that way nothing touches. Now set the rack in the boiling water. Some tip over? Use the jar grabber to set upright. ummm...the curved end goes around the jar but it will work either direction, just saying.
13. Put the lid to the canner on - water about an inch over the top? Good, if not add some hot from the faucet and when everything is boiling like crazy again start the timer. If the lid makes the water boil over slide it over a bit as the lid really helps get that good boil going.
14. Timer finished? Turn the water off & replace the tea towel with a bath towel - not the spa type but a regular cheapie. Set the jars on the towel and leave them until cool - several hours at least. Hear the pings? That means they are sealing. When cool feel the top - it should not bounce up & down. Take the rings off and store jars in pantry, rings with canning stuff and put it all away. Set any that bounced up & down in the refrigerator
You can do this. See - it's even 14 steps - a good number any old day.
Applesauce varies in thinness/thickness due to growing conditions of the apples. If it is too thin for the kids use it in applesauce bread or cake. I
If you decide to try a spread try a jam first as there is less hassle with straining juice.
Gird up your loins and try at least once.
Your friend,
Steph
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