By Angel King

Guest Contributor

Around 40 years ago, I ran with the task of canning several bushels of tomatoes from our family garden. The plants were overflowing, and we were swimming in tomatoes. 

The perfect thing for me to can, the project sparked a love for food preservation. No matter the technique, I find it to be a rewarding task and borderline hobby.

My mom’s extension office canning bulletins were dog-eared and stained, showing how often they were used. Our favorite recipe was bread-and-butter pickles. And then came the full-color, glossy pages of the Ball Blue Book publication. It was stunning and had all the details needed on canning and freezing every food imaginable.

Right in the middle of the book was a two-page spread showing the steps on canning whole tomatoes. It made one feel confident that if the steps were followed, it was possible to have safely canned tomatoes on the shelf. The front section of this book had pages devoted to explaining the science behind food preservation. Reading that made the updated methods feel trustworthy.

When talking with friends, I often encounter different schools of thought behind canning. Some fear pressure canning, a method needed for low-acid foods like green beans and chicken. Others like to use recipes passed down for decades instead of checking to see if recommendations have dramatically improved.

But the one issue that can be the most contentious among those who can food is whether mayonnaise jars can be used instead of Mason jars. Unfortunately, mayo jars are too thin to handle the high temperature reliably and can break, something no one wants after investing time to, for instance, pick, wash and snap green beans.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation and the current Ball Blue Book are the two primary resources and contain a tremendous amount of information. When it comes to canning, trusted resources matter more than a recipe found online.

It all comes down to the right method and the right acid level. Just because people used to can in half-gallon jars for decades does not mean it is safe.

I am a stickler for following the canning recommendations. The stakes are too high to cut corners. For example, over the years the instructions have changed with the need to add a touch of lemon juice to the jar of tomatoes prior to water bath canning.

In the end, there is no need to fear the process. Following recipes in canning books greatly reduces the risk of spoilage. And there is so much satisfaction in opening a jar of canned tomatoes on a frigid winter evening to make beef stew. ■