Essential Canning Equipment
Choose a quality Water Bath Canner or Steam Canner for canning high acid foods such as fruits. High acid foods can be safely processed at temperatures reached in the boiling water-bath or steam canners. To kill harmful molds, yeasts, and some bacteria, processing using the boiling water bath or steam methods ensures the safety of the preserved produce. Foods such as fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalades, and fruit butters/spreads fit into the high acid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or lower. Most tomatoes and tomato products also fit into this category provided current recommendations for acidification are followed.
Choose a pressure canner for low-acid meats and vegetables which require a higher temperature when processing than can be reached by using water-bath canners or steam canner methods. To kill harmful bacteria (such as those associated with botulism) the use of a pressure canner ensures the safety of the preserved food. Foods such as red meats, fish, poultry, milk, and all fresh vegetables with the exception of most tomatoes, fit into the low acid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. The temperature which must be reached and maintained (for a specified amount of time) to kill the bacteria is 240 F. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure in a pressure canner.
Add a Home Canning Kit and a Canning Lid Sterilizer to your canner and you will have all the essential canning equipment needed to process a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, and other food products.
Please let us know if there is any home canning equipment you desire that we are lacking.
