Start here · No experience needed
Home canning,
for the first time.
Canning lets you preserve seasonal food and build a pantry that lasts through winter. If you are new to canning, start here. This guide covers both methods, what equipment you need, and which recipes to try first.
New to canning?
Always follow a tested recipe from USDA, Ball, or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Home canning is safe when done correctly. The most common cause of problems is modifying recipes or using the wrong method for the food type.
Why people can
Three reasons.
01
Use what you grow
Garden tomatoes, cucumbers, and berries come in all at once. Canning lets you preserve the surplus instead of watching it go to waste.
02
Save money
A flat of strawberries in June costs a fraction of what jam costs at the store. You get more jars for less money, and you control what goes in.
03
Build a pantry
Properly canned food lasts 1 to 5 years. Knowing you have a full shelf of tomato sauce, pickles, and jam feels good.
Two methods
Water bath or pressure.
The method depends on what you are canning. This is not a preference. It is a food safety requirement.
Start here
Water bath canning
Uses a large pot of boiling water. Works for high-acid foods only: jams, jellies, pickles, fruits, and tomatoes with added acid. Easier and cheaper than pressure canning.
Equipment costs about $30 to $50. You can be canning your first batch within an hour of starting.
After basics
Pressure canning
Uses a pressure canner to reach 240 degrees F. Required for low-acid foods: vegetables, meats, beans, soups, and stews. Without pressure canning, these foods are not safe to store at room temperature.
A quality pressure canner costs $80 to $150. Learn water bath canning first before adding this method.
Beginner equipment
Six items, around $60 total.
You do not need much to get started. This is everything for water bath canning.
Item
Price
Note
Water bath canner kit
~$30
Comes with a pot, rack, and sometimes a jar lifter. Granite ware is common and affordable.
Ball Mason jars
~$12 / dozen
Start with pint jars. They work for most beginner recipes and are easy to fill.
New lids and rings
Included with jars
Never reuse lids from a previous season. Rings can be reused if they show no rust.
Jar lifter
~$8
You cannot safely pull hot jars from boiling water without one. Do not skip this.
Canning funnel
~$5
Keeps food off the jar rims. Dirty rims cause seal failures.
Bubble remover or thin spatula
~$4
Slides around the inside of the jar to release trapped air pockets.
Ball canning kits at Walmart, Target, and Amazon usually include the pot, rack, and jar lifter together.
Start with these
Three beginner-friendly recipes.
Strawberry jam
Water bath · Easy
High in natural acid. Short processing time (10 minutes). Forgiving if you get the headspace slightly off. A great first batch.
Dill pickles
Water bath · Easy
Vinegar brine controls the acidity, so safety is straightforward. No cooking required for the cucumbers. Results are ready to eat in 2 weeks.
Tomato sauce
Water bath · Moderate
Requires added lemon juice or citric acid (do not skip this step). Widely used and great for clearing a garden harvest. Follow a USDA recipe exactly.
Beginner safety rules
Six rules. Memorize them.
Use only tested recipes from USDA, Ball Blue Book, or National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Do not reduce vinegar, lemon juice, or acid amounts in any recipe. These control safety, not just flavor.
Never water bath can vegetables, meats, beans, or anything low-acid. Use a pressure canner for those.
Check seals after 12 to 24 hours of cooling. Press the center of the lid. It should not flex.
Discard any jar that spurts liquid, smells off, or has a bulging lid. Do not taste it first.
Label every jar with the recipe name and date canned.
Get the app
Log your first batch in CanningLog.
CanningLog records each batch: recipe, date, jar count, processing time, and seal results. Keep a record from day one. Free to download.