Put food up safely, with the right gear.
Pressure canners, water bath canners, jars, lids, dehydrators, vacuum sealers and fermenting crocks, explained with the rules from USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Gear guides
Compared by what makers and listings actually state. No made-up test scores.
Presto, All American and T-fal stovetop canners and Presto's digital models, compared by capacity, gauge and seal.
Enamel, stainless, electric and steam canners for jams, pickles, fruit and acidified tomatoes.
Half-pints, pints and quarts, regular vs wide mouth, and which jars NCHFP says to avoid.
Why flat lids are single-use, whether to preheat them, and bulk vs reusable options.
Canner, jars, lids, jar lifter, funnel, headspace tool and a tested recipe source.
Hand mills, crank strainers, an electric strainer and a KitchenAid attachment for sauce and juice.
Regular vs low-sugar pectin, why you can't cut sugar, and NCHFP's times for jam.
Canning salt vs table salt, citric acid and bottled lemon juice, 5% vinegar and Pickle Crisp.
Excalibur, COSORI, NESCO and Presto compared by drying space, temperature range and airflow.
Lean cuts, 1/4-inch slices, the 160°F step, jerky guns for ground meat, and the doneness test.
FoodSaver, Anova, NESCO and Weston edge sealers compared, and what vacuum sealing can't replace.
When a chamber sealer beats an edge sealer, and Avid Armor vs VacMaster compared.
Jar sealer attachments, cordless sealers and chamber sealers for dry goods, and why it isn't canning.
FoodSaver, Wevac and Syntus rolls for edge sealers, chamber pouches, and when not to reuse bags.
How they work, the 10% moisture rule for safety, and bag and absorber kits compared.
Crock sizes by pounds of cabbage, water-seal lids, glass weights and mason jar airlocks.
Four ways to preserve
Canning
Pressure canners, water bath canners, jars, lids and tested how-tos, all checked against USDA and NCHFP guidance.
Dehydrating
Dehydrators compared, plus how to dry apples, fruit leather and jerky, and how a freeze dryer stacks up, all per USDA and Extension.
Vacuum Sealing
Edge sealers, chamber sealers and jar sealers, and what vacuum sealing can and can’t do.
Fermenting & Pickling
Sauerkraut, kimchi, refrigerator pickles and pickled onions, plus the crocks, weights and airlock lids, from NCHFP and Extension guidance.
Learn the basics
Tested methods, cited to the source.
Hot and raw pack steps and USDA pressure canning times by altitude. No water bath option.
How much lemon juice or citric acid to add, the crushed tomato steps, and times by altitude.
Pretreatment dips, slice thickness, drying at 140°F, doneness, conditioning and storage.
Moisture removed, shelf life claims vs data, safety, suitable foods, energy and packaging.
Puree amounts, 1/8-inch spreading, drying at 140°F, the doneness test and roll sheets.
USDA and NCHFP timelines for home-canned and store-bought cans, storage rules and spoilage signs.
Salting, how long to leave it at room temperature, when to refrigerate, and why it isn't canned.
The 3 tablespoons per 5 pounds salt ratio, shredding, fermenting times and spoilage signs.
Quick refrigerator onions and NCHFP's tested canned pearl onion recipe.
Sour and sweet quick brines, why the vinegar can't be cut, and how long they keep.
The pH 4.6 rule, why low-acid foods need 240°F, and which foods go in which canner.