Canning - Good for the Soul

I'm a firm believer in the saying "a family that eats together, stays together."  It seems that in today's society we get so busy that all too often that important hour of sitting around a table with the ones you love is lost to various activities and fast food that can be gobbled on the go.  Along the same line of sharing a meal is the activity of canning...at least in my book.  There is something special about taking a raw ingredient and morphing it into something yummy that can be canned and eaten later.  What's even better than eating what you canned is the fun discussion remembering the evening you spent working on the project.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO CAN! - Yes we have all been there, and trust me....canning is not difficult.  With this new fangled thing called the internet, you can find all kinds of guides, recipes and directions on how to can...so the basics are super easy to find.  If you like old school methods...buy a book, there are plenty out there that are great for beginners.  I'm fortunate to have a canning book that was written in the 1940's left to me by my grandmother that gave me the basics.  You will have to make an investment in the basic equipment, and being the nice guy I am...here's a link:

https://www.lehmans.com/p-1188-beginners-home-canning-kit.aspx?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&utm_campaign=1188&gclid=CPuc8bae17gCFUkV7Aod_QsAXg

Once you have the basics, try your hand at Jelly or Jam.  Pickles in all forms are very easy and only get better the longer they sit!

There are two types of canning methods, Hot Water Bathing and Pressure Canning.  I can items that can be canned in the Hot Water Bath method.  Items that work for this are jams, jellies, pickles etc.  Basically anything that is packed in sugar or has a high acid content will work well in the Hot Water Bathing method.  Pressure Canning requires different equipment, but will allow you to can items that are not high in acid like meats, beans, etc.  To be sure what items require what type of canning, refer to your basics book or the recipe you are following.

So last nights canning project was Peaches.  This is the time of year when they are in season and super inexpensive to buy.  So for a dollar a pound, we canned these:

I really encourage you to try your hand at canning.  It's not only good food for the taste, but for the soul as well.  Make some memories with the ones you love!