The pantry shelf in my basement is noticeably more empty.
Which only means one thing…
It’s time to fill it back up!
I’m ready, y’all.
Like so many of you, I’m feeling the pull to stock up and squirrel away food, even more than I usually do. There’s so much I can’t control about this crazy world right now, but I CAN control how I’m feeding my family.
And oddly enough, that does indeed makes me feel better.
I’m seeing a surge of interest in food preservation right now (jars are sold out everywhere!), which I think is fabulous.
If you are a canning newbie, I just revamped my Canning Made Easy course and it’s ready for YOU! I’ll walk you through each step of the process (safety is my #1 priority!), so you can finally learn to can confidently, without the stress. CLICK HERE to have a look at the course and ALL the bonuses that come with it.
For those of you who are ready to dip your toe into the water of home-canned food, but are feeling a wee bit apprehensive about investing a bunch of cash in canning equipment, I have some good news for you:
You already have almost everything you need to start canning in your kitchen right now.
There is a preconceived notion that in order to start canning, you have to have an entire closet full of special canning equipment.
And while that is certainly the case if you are planning to pressure can, if you’re planning on water bath canning, you can absolutely get away without having special equipment or tools for water-bath canning.
With these tips, you can start your journey into the world of preservation and canning without buying tons of equipment.
How to Start Canning with ZERO Special Equipment
1. The Canning Pot
Odds are, you likely remember those old graniteware or enamel canning pots from your grandma’s kitchen. While they are designed to be big enough for a bunch of jars and tall enough to hold enough water for water-bath canning, you do NOT have to have a special canning pot in order to water-bath can.
A normal large stock pot and lid from your kitchen can totally work for canning purposes. The only kicker is that it must be deep enough to cover the canning jars with at least two inches of water.
Simply fill your mason jars as directed by whatever repine you’re using, put the lids and rings on, and place the jars into the stock pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover your jars by at least 2 inches. As long as your stock pot is deep enough for that, you are ready to can.
A word of warning: I am a stickler for canning safety (read more about canning safety here) because botulism ain’t no joke, friends. Please follow a safe recipe for water-bath canning. You can find high-quality, safe water-bath canning recipes here on my website, in my Canning Made Easy System, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and other FDA-approved websites and books.
REMEMBER: If you are canning low-acid foods such as vegetables, broth, and meats, you WILL need a pressure canner.
However, if you are canning high acid foods like jams and jellies, fruits (like canning peaches), applesauce, pickles, etc., you can use safely and confidently water-bath canning.
In fact, if you are a beginner to the canning world, high-acid foods (especially jams and jellies) are some of the best introductory canning foods anyway, so they are a perfect place to start.
2. The Canning Rack
Because you are putting glass jars on the bottom of a pot with a strong heat source underneath, a rack is a crucial piece of equipment in your canning toolkit. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with broken jars and a major mess. A rack will elevate the jars off the bottom of the pot just enough to prevent breakage and to allow the water to circulate properly.
If you get a waterbath canning equipment set, it usually comes with a rack. However, if you’re using my stock pot tip, you can make an alternative rack by taking extra canning jar rings and wiring them together so they fit like a rack under the jars in the pot. You can use any type of wire or string to hold them together as long as it won’t melt in the heat or dissolve in the water. Easy peasy, right?
3. Canning Tongs
You’ll learn quickly that canning tongs (aka jar lifters) are one tool that you don’t want to be without, as it’s not exactly easy to lift a boiling-hot, wet, slippery jar from a pot of water with your bare hands. However, if you don’t have a jar lifter yet, you can improvise with a regular pair of tongs from your kitchen.
By themselves, kitchen tongs are too slippery to grip the canning jars in the water, so we’ll make a quick modification. Simply grab 6-8 rubber bands and wrap them around each of the grabbing ends of the tongs. This will provide just enough grip for the tongs to grab the slippery jars, and you won’t have to worry about burnt fingers.
4. Canning Funnel
Canning funnels are designed to fit snugly into the mouth of both wide and regular jars to prevent spills. They come in plastic or stainless steel and aren’t expensive– however, what if you are ready to tackle your first canning project and don’t have one?
No prob- you can use a red solo cup instead.
Grab a standard-sized red solo cup (if you use a cheaper knock-off version, make sure it can handle hot food without melting).
Hold the red solo cup up to a mason jar and see where the tapering of the cup hits the mouth of the jar. Use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom of the red solo cup and it will fit right into the jar and act like a funnel.
Not all canning recipes need a funnel, but sloppy foods like salsas, jams, and applesauce often make a huge mess without the help of a funnel. (Ask me how I know.)
One Thing You Should NEVER Improvise:
Once you have these four items, you are set up to start canning high-acid foods at home. The only other items you need are canning jars and lids.
And this is one time where it’s wise to NOT improvise: You can NOT safely can with old spaghetti sauce jars or random glass jars from your cupboard.
They aren’t rated for heat like a mason jar is, nor do their lids fit in a way that will allow for a strong, safe seal on the finished food.
Fortunately, it’s pretty darn easy to find mason jars at almost every store these days (although they might be in short supply during these current times).
Hunt for on mason jars at garage sales, thrift stores, and online local selling websites. (I recently snagged an incredible deal on MANY jars on my local Facebook listings.)
If you can’t find good prices for mason jars locally, you can purchase them online.
Also keep in mind that while you can definitely refuse mason jars and their rings over and over again, you will need to purchase new lids each time you are canning. If you really become a canning extraordinaire, you can purchase lids in bulk.
You cannot use the lids repeatedly because there is a sealing compound on the lid that helps create a strong seal. After one use, that sealing compound loses its integrity and will no longer be dependable for future canning recipes. Therefore, use a lid one time only and then purchase extra lids for future canning adventures.
I’ve recently started using reusable canning lids and I’m absolutely in love with them. Try my favorite reusable lids for canning, learn more about FOR JARS lids here: http://theprairiehomestead.com/forjars (use code PURPOSE10 for 10% off)
(You can absolutely reuse your spent canning lids for other purposes though– I draw an X on them with a sharpie so I know they are used, and then use them for pantry storage, etc. And speaking of pantry storage, if you want to make your mason jars even more functional, I’m using reCAP lids like crazy right now for ALL THE THINGS and I love ’em.)
And of course, once you catch the canning bug, you’ll very likely want to upgrade your improvised canning equipment with some official canning supplies. However, in the mean time, don’t let a lack of “proper” equipment stop you. Dive in, my friend. You’ll be glad you did.
More Canning Tips:
- My Learn How to Can ebook and videos will make canning quick and easy.
- Ultimate Guide to Canning Safety
- Canning Apple Slices
- How to Safely Can Tomatoes At Home
- Canning Cherries with Honey
Check out my homestead mercantile for a full list of my favorite homesteading supplies.
Prefer to listen in? Listen to episode #134 of the Old Fashioned On Purpose Podcast:
EXCELLENT information! I did my first batch of violet jelly this year using what I had at home, of course with new jars/lids/rings. And THEN I went and bought a ‘real’ water bath canner cuz I have definitely got the ‘bug’! Pressure canning is in the horizon, but not quite ready for that yet!
Dear Grammyprepper, I would just love to get the recipe for your violet jam. It sounds so good! It reminds me of these old fashioned violet candies I used to get at the newspaper stands you would find in the lobbies of some of the older buildings in Chicago. If you see this I would greatlly appreciate your recipe. Thanks!
I have followed all the instructions for water bath canning and now that all the filled.jars are in the hot water, how long do the jars stay in the water?. All the info I have read say check your recipe for how long they remain in the boiling water. I am canning fig preserves. The recipe says all say it’s up to the canning instructions. Can you advise me?
A good-quality canning recipe should have those instructions for you. You can probably check some similar recipes via a google search and find an answer. In the future, we suggest you use good-quality and SAFE canning resources for your canning projects. Learn more about that here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2020/07/the-best-canning-resources.html
I canned for the first time a few days before this post. I think the substitutes are great! But I was wondering how do you make sure the headspace is right without that gadget? I mean I guess maybe a plastic ruler. How important is the headspace ?
Use the rings on your jars as a guide. The bottom ring 1 inch 2nd ring up 1/2 inch top ring is 1/4 inch head space.
Can I can raw meats in a water bath for 90 mins of boil time.
A friend, calls this cold packing. Should I worry about the meats?? Chicken, beef or pork??
NO – meats and low-acid vegetables MUST be canned in a pressure canner in order to get the water temperature to 240 degrees F needed to kill botulism spores.
What if I took a pork roast out of oven at 350 f, put broth in quart jar right away and put seal and band on it, and put it into the refrigerator right away. It appears to have sealed, would that be a safe assumption?
No Carol. Just because something seals doesn’t mean the food inside is safe to eat. You are describing is what is known as the open kettle method canning (aka, no processing), which isn’t even good for high acid fruits, which need at least a water bath. (Sorry Vickie, doesn’t give me an option to reply to Carol directly.)
My Mom have me a recipe for a Green Bean Vinegar Bath . It worked really well. It was 1/2 gal of water to 1 gal beans, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup salt. I only filled hot jars and sealed. Will this work for squash also?
Check out our article here on safe canning resources and try to find a safe canning recipe for squash that you can follow: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2020/07/the-best-canning-resources.html
I hope you find a good and safe canning recipe for squash!
I like what you have done! I used the jar rings today because I didn’t want to have to get the big water bath canner for just 3 little jars!!
Very good information!
I’ve been canning for a few years now, so I already have the equipment, but these are great ideas and I might try them so I can cut my time in the kitchen with TWO pots going!
I got lucky and got a huge pressure canner from a family friend…free!! It works awesome, i used it for pressure cooking for about a year before i had the need arise to pressure can the other day. I had a boatload of zucchini and squash land in my lap and couldn’t let it go to waste. I had ordered a canning kit and jars etc from Amazon a few months back so it was very serendipitous! I grabbed a good recipe chopped up the veggies and filled with water leaving headspace, and jumped in! And holy cow it worked!!! I’ve got 12 wonderfully sealed jars ready and waiting. I’m so excited to do more. Jill i was curious what do you think of tattlers and the like? I’m going to look into them as they are endlessly reusable.
I’ve also been canning for years and never thought to use a big pot with rings on the bottom as a second canning pot! Great ideas in this article!
The rings keep the jars off the bottom of the pot but how do I keep the jars from bumping into each other?
Hi –
I’ve been canning with pressure cookers and hot water baths for 30 years. If the jar are slamming into each other a lot, sounds like you should reduce the heat. I’ve had plenty of jars break because I wasn’t careful about the heat stress on the jars. But I’ve never had any break by hitting each other sideways.
I thought the “wiring rings together for a rack” idea was great! But I can see how that might make the jars more likely to move sideways.
I quit canning for 5 years and just started up again (inflation hedge) and couldn’t find my rack. I tried the twisted aluminum foil trick but then I was searching my cabinets for the rack (again) and saw an aluminum pie tin. Hmm. So, I made cuts around the edges so it would lay flat and it was a perfect fit in my pot! Works like a dream and the crinkles in the pie tin seem to stop the jars from moving sideways much.
Maybe lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the rings?
Bob
I am having a hard time visualizing what you mean by cuts around the edges so it would lay flat. Don’t we want it to be up off the bottom surface of the pot?
I just canned peach butter from the peaches on my very own peach tree. This was my first time canning ever and this article was a lifesaver!!!!! I had jerry-rigged everything except the jar lifting tongs. Thank you so much!!!
Can all pressure cookers also pressure can? Or does it have to say that it is a “pressure canner” in addition to being a pressure cooker to be safe to pressure can foods?
I’ve been using a regular pressure cooker for years. The point is being able to get the jars up to the required pressure and the ability to keep it there for the required amount of time.
Hi Jill, I was interested in your canning ebook. Not sure you can help me out. This question is not in your field of expertise. But, I do not know where to go to read it on my iPad. Everyone I asked can’t help me. Hope you can. Thank you. Love all you do….Kathy
Great – thank you, I have been stalling at the cost of buying equipment!!
Thanks. I just placed order for lids by using your link. Thanks again.
Can I can in the instapot without using sugar, a sugar substitute or flour? I want to can applesauce, blueberries and peaches.
I have cold packed peaches in apple juice with a lit of success. Just heat the juice and add to the peaches in the jar. Keeps the peach color without browning. I have heard that it isnt safe to can in the instapot. Would be nice if you could.
I’m new to canning and I just made my second batch of pear preserves. I had to reheat them after 24 hours because it was still a bit liquid. After reboiling, temp to 200, it gelled. I put pears back in clean, hot jars, up to the first ring of the jar, then put the jars in pots of boiling hot water for 10 minutes, turned off heat and left another 10, and still only 2 lids popped and seam to be sealed. I took rings off and checked all jars and the other 3 lids came off. Does this mean they are bad, just didn’t seal for some reason? Or? They were all new jars, rings and lids. I put all of them in the fridge this morning to be safe. Suggestions?
You have an instinct to can more this year because there will be a huge food shortage. Caused by the same artificial “these times” you speak of
My jars would not stay upright using those rings. They were all leaning over on each other in the water bath. Does that mean the final product isn’t safe? They seemed to seal and I don’t see any water in there…
Thank you SO much! You gave me the confidence to go ahead and use what i have instead of going out and buying all new, expensive, stuff-the-pioneers-never-had equipment. I just used what i had on hand which included at tamale pot, a dutch oven and a keurig thermos which up to this day had not seen one day of use!
(rest assured, I did buy new jars and lids, tho’ 😉
Thank you so much for giving us the information to helping us can with out having to go to town. You have been such a blessing.
Oh my goodness! I am so lucky to find your blog. Thank you so much for your substitutions. I wanted to dip my toes into canning jams and was about to buy a whole canning set and it was coming out expensive. You had a substitute for everything with things I already have. On to making jams!
How is it that my grandmother & mother used to can chicken in a water bath canner & no one got sick, but you are say that we MUST use a pressure canner for meat.
What has changed over the years????
Can I ask….If I want to can cooked sauces and stews, must I have a pressure canner or will the water bath method work?
So, if I prepare bolognese sauce, for instance, with beef….cook it entirely…then can it…do I need a pressure canner?
Thanks!
This was quite informative, I have been making jams for years but had gotten rid of my enamel pot and was using regular pots with the plastic insert Ball made awhile ago but can only do 4 at a time so I was looking at options. Thank you!
I have been canning for years but never had the money to buy a pot for the water bath. All I have done is place my jars in a pot of water that I boiled then turned down plus my lids in a small pot of boiling water. Then I put my hot food in the jars and sealed them and it worked. Nothing ever went bad. I’m 75 years old and going to start canning as soon as the vegetables come in. I’m on a fixed income so can buy big pots with the thing that goes into the bottom so will do as I’ve always done. LOVE your recipes.
Will a steamer pot work?
I was wondering the same thing. Did you try it??
Oh my gosh, I never thought you can do it this way! Awesome!
When I was in my senior year of High School many yrs back, my parents took us to visit my Aunt and Uncle who just built there home. When I got the my Aunt taught me how to make butter our of the cream on top of the milk they get from neighbors and canning. It was a lot of work and she canned alot of jars. I live in a apt. I don’t have room to buy a great big canning pots with racks. I only want to can a couple of jars maybe 3 jars. Your way I can do that!!!!
Thank you so very much! I really appreciate it!
And I just stumbled across your website, looking for some how to make only a couple of jars. : )
I have never sprung for the can lifter (single use gadgets aren’t my thing), and the rubber band trick was brilliant! Also the canning rings on the bottom – I think next time I will turn the rings over – it might keep the jars from tipping so much, but it still worked!
I make yogurt in a stock pot, and I put a washcloth on the bottom of the pot to prevent rattling.