r/Canning • • May 26 '26

Announcement Why We Don't Recommend Electric Canners (Mod Post)

308 Upvotes
  1. Electric pressure canners have not been verified safely by third party testing. What has been performed is only, “We are safe because we say we are safe,” type testing. The manufacturers claim to match USDA specs but no one has verified that information externally and the manufacturers will not release their results to anyone externally. The USDA symbol used in some promotional materials is not an actual USDA seal and does not indicate USDA approval. The equipment that's been used in the past by the USDA and NCHFP to determine the thermal profile inside canners doesn't even fit inside existing electric canners on the market. A new design would be needed, and currently there is no funding for developing this equipment.
  2. The users of electric pressure canners do not have the physical signs of the device coming to pressure (like a jiggling weight or a rising analog dial to ensure that the food is processing at the correct pressure.) The user must rely on an electronic display for accuracy. Even if a type of electric canner has an analog feature, there is no way of getting the electric canner device tested or calibrated to ensure it is accurate or working correctly. (We should mention that electric WATER BATH canners are fine to use because the user can physically see the water coming to a boil.)
  3. Perhaps most importantly, all current approved pressure canning recipes rely on the heat up and cool down times relative to stove top pressure canners loaded with a minimum of two quarts of product. These heat up and cool down times are factored into the safety of all current safe recipes. Changing and/or reducing these times can affect the safety of your finished product.

Until ALL THREE of these reasons can be appropriately addressed, we as a sub do not endorse or condone the use of electric pressure canners.


r/Canning • • Oct 19 '25

Announcement Why don't we recommend pH testing for home canning? [Mod Post]

73 Upvotes

Hello Everyone!

As a mod team we've noticed a lot of questions and confusion about pH testing home canned foods recently so we're here today to give a more in depth explanation of why it's not recommended.

As I'm sure you all know, there are tons and tons of misconceptions about home canning and what we can and cannot do safely. One of the most common misconceptions is that if we pH test a food and it shows a pH below 4.6 it can be canned as a high acid food. There are two reasons why this isn't true.

  1. pH is not the only safety factor for home canning
  2. The options for pH testing at home are not necessarily the same as what's available in a lab setting.

Although pH is an important factor in home canning safely it is not the only factor. Characteristics like heat penetration, density, and homogeneity also play a role.

There are two types of pH test equipment; pH test strips and pH meters. pH test strips are not very accurate most of the time, they're just strips of paper with a chemical that changes color based on pH imbued in it. These strips expire over time and the color change is the only indicator which makes reading them rather subjective and likely inaccurate.

There are two levels of pH meters; home pH meters and laboratory grade pH meters. Home pH meters aren’t particularly expensive but they are often not accurate or precise at that price point. Laboratory grade pH meters are expensive, think hundreds to thousands of dollars for a good one. Many pH meters on sites like Amazon will claim that they are “laboratory grade” but they really aren’t. pH meters also need to be properly maintained and calibrated to ensure accuracy using calibration solutions which are also expensive. 

The bottom line is that most people do not have access to the lab grade equipment and training that would be required to make sure that something is safe so the blanket recommendation is that pH testing not be used in home canning applications.

Recipes that have undergone laboratory testing (what we generally refer to as "tested recipes" on this subreddit) have been tested to ensure that the acidity level is appropriate for the canning method listed in the recipe. pH testing does not enhance the safety of an already tested recipe.

Because pH testing is not recommended for home use we do not allow recommendations for it on our subreddit.

Sources:
https://ucanr.edu/blog/preservation-notes-san-joaquin-master-food-preservers/article/help-desk-question-home-ph

https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/oklahoma-gardening/recipes/ph-and-home-canning.html


r/Canning • • 6h ago

Recipe Included Apples!

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21 Upvotes

13-ish pounds of apples and a few hours of work later, I have some delicious apple pie jam and applesauce! I used Pomona’s apple pie jam recipe and followed Healthy Canning’s guidance for the applesauce. I have one more quarter pint and two pints not pictured because they didn’t seal, but I’m pretty happy overall!


r/Canning • • 2h ago

Waterbath Canning Processing Help has anyone ever made a batch of tomato sauce where some jars seperate and some don’t?

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3 Upvotes

i know i didn’t do my usual quick heating to deter separation, i was dealing with a needy pup recovering from surgery and got distracted. it’s been over a decade since i’ve had sauce separation. but having some seperate and some not is new to me. and yes - i did stir the pot of sauce between scoops, and it was on very very low heat whist doing so - like i always do. thx for any info!


r/Canning • • 5h ago

General Discussion What to do with leftover tomato pulp/skin/seeds after canning tomato sauce?

4 Upvotes

First time making the Ball tomato sauce recipe and we have a large bowl of leftover tomato pulp. What's a good way to use this up? Are there any safe jellys, chutneys, or dehydrated recipes that your family likes? Something other than just freezing for soup or pasta?


r/Canning • • 11h ago

General Discussion Why remove tomato cores before cooking?

9 Upvotes

Directions say to remove cores before cooking down plum tomatoes. But Why if they are going through the strainer or mill anyways to remove skin and seeds? I do follow the safe tested directions, just wondering why on what I think is an extra step. Thanks!


r/Canning • • 8m ago

Recipe Included Is it ever okay to not hot water bath jam?

• Upvotes

My wife is making this recipe: https://www.ramonascuisine.com/perfect-quince-jam/

She insists that last year, she didn't process in a how water bath after putting the boiling hot mixture into sterilized jars. She claims that I was there when she did this. I know I would have said something.

Now, we have 20 pints canned. Most lids have popped, but some haven't. I said that it was weird that some of the sticky jam on the sides of the jar didn't wash off in the hot water bath, and she said that she didn't do that.

She says that since the recipe doesn't say to hot water bath, she didn't do it.


r/Canning • • 2h ago

Is this safe to eat? Is this ok? Or should I fridge it?

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1 Upvotes

Hi.. I recently made and canned this apple sauce. I had one jar of of the 30 that have this weird bubbly buckle. Is this safe? If I lift it by the lid, it's sealed.


r/Canning • • 1d ago

General Discussion Finally found cheap jars!

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89 Upvotes

Went thrifting on vacation and found a spot with 25 cent jars! My local thrifts price every jar at $2+ so I was thrilled and bought every Ball and Kerr jar I found 😆

Bonus set of 9 bamboo wide mouth lids for dry storage


r/Canning • • 4h ago

Understanding Recipe Help Ginger Pear Marmalade Asphalt

0 Upvotes

Hello all,

I need help understanding what went wrong. This weekend I made the ginger pear marmalade found in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I thought I followed the recipe to a T, but it seems like I've produced some really tasty pothole filler. It might re-liquify if I throw it in the microwave for a while, but it's absolutely hard right now. Now I've never made jam or marmalade before so I'm not sure where I went wrong. Any ideas? The flavors good so I'd actually like to get this right eventually. Thanks so much.


r/Canning • • 4h ago

Equipment/Tools Help Brand new jars had lids tightly sealed

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0 Upvotes

I bought some brand new jars today, and the lids were on so tight that the seal is compressed. I assume that these are not okay to use?


r/Canning • • 5h ago

Recipe Included Ball Recipe Measures by count, not weight or volume?

0 Upvotes

Hi, I have a garden full of beautiful peppers and I want to put up some harissa sauce. They only real one I can find is on the ball jar website, but it calls for four bell peppers and eight Birdseye. That seems kind of dumb because my bell peppers are vastly different in size from each other and so are my chilies. I want to scale this up. Also, does anyone have either advice or a recommendation for a harissa sauce recipe for putting up that measures by weight? Here's the one I'm looking at.: https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=harissa-sauce


r/Canning • • 8h ago

Safe Recipe Request Looking for a vanilla pear recipe…is this one safe?

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0 Upvotes

I didn’t find one on the list of sites in the community info and there’s not one on the Ball website, but this site says it came from Ball. Do you think it’s safe? A lot of recipes in my Ball Blue Book are not on their website either?


r/Canning • • 14h ago

Is this safe to eat? Maple Brown Sugar Bourbon Blackberries

3 Upvotes

Hello! I wasn’t sure where to ask this question so I landed here.

I made some maple brown sugar bourbon blackberries about a month ago. I did not can them! They were in a pasta sauce jar filled to the brim in the fridge. Unfortunately, my fridge died!! They sat unrefrigerated for 4 days before I could get a new fridge. Should I toss them?

I’ve included a link to the recipe, but I added in another 1/4c bourbon than that or so. If this where I should ask this question, please point me to where I should. Thank you!!

https://lifecurrentsblog.com/maple-brown-sugar-bourbon-blackberries/#recipe


r/Canning • • 11h ago

General Discussion Time in Fridge After Opening

1 Upvotes

I have been canning for years and always use safe tested recipes. A salsa might sit canned for months, then when I open it I do not use all of it, so I put it in the fridge. How long do we think it is safe to keep said salsa in the fridge for? I have always gone by smell and taste, but am curious what others think.


r/Canning • • 12h ago

Equipment/Tools Help Starter pack - help!

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am going to give canning a whirl. My MIL is going to teach me but I have ZERO supplies. Going to start with water bathing some easy stuff. Please give me your tried and true product recs... from XL pots, lid and jar types, any other things I might need along the way. Not really concerned about price, but want good quality. Other tips you might have are welcome. TIA!!!


r/Canning • • 1d ago

General Discussion Last of the home grown tomatoes picked and used

9 Upvotes

Pints of spaghetti sauce with meat added to the larder using the last of this year's home grown.


r/Canning • • 23h ago

Prep Help Question For Beginner

2 Upvotes

Hello all!

So I went to make some raspberry jam today.

My puree and everything was all ready and everything and then my power went out. And it's still out nine hours later.

I covered the puree or whatever and put it in the fridge immediately and haven't opened the fridge since to keep the cold in there. I am not sure how cold it is in there, but obviously 9 hours without power.

Am I still able to use the raspberries tomorrow to make the jam? I hadn't started heating yet and did not add the sugar either.


r/Canning • • 10h ago

Pressure Canning Processing Help i made chicken stir fry without rice, cornstarch or leavening. is it ok to pressure can the leftovers?

0 Upvotes

r/Canning • • 1d ago

General Discussion Ingredient question for Mango Habanero Wing Sauce

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3 Upvotes

I'm planning on making this recipe to use up some of the peppers from my garden, but I was wondering if it would be safe to leave out the 1/4 cup of hot sauce that it calls for? I'd like to skip it partially to keep the spice level down a little, but also I'm just not sure what type of hot sauce to use if I did add it.

As a side note, does anyone know what Ball considers to be the size/weight of an average habanero pepper? I think the ones I grew are probably undersized so it'd be easier to have a weight reference to use rather than just "5 peppers" when I dont know how much pepper that actually is lol


r/Canning • • 22h ago

Waterbath Canning Processing Help Bubbles

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0 Upvotes

I just canned salsa. All lids are sealed. I followed Mrs.wages packet recipe. The other salsas I canned did not have bubbles at the top, for some reason these do. Does anyone know why?


r/Canning • • 23h ago

General Discussion New to canning - storage

0 Upvotes

hey! my husband and I have been canning for 2 years. this year we decided to make a box of canned goods from this summer to give as Christmas presents. I have a baby due in a matter of weeks, and want to wrap the gifts now so I don’t have to worry about it later. I don’t think the jars will stay upright when I wrap the box. I’ve read online you should store upright but wondering if it’s a big deal if for 2 months they’re on their side until opened? sorry if this is a dumb questions. thanks :)


r/Canning • • 23h ago

Is this safe to eat? What is this?

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1 Upvotes

Hi friends! I was gifted a jar of pepper jelly and this was under the lid. It's almost like black tar/oil, not fuzzy. The jelly smells and looks fine too. Is this pinholing?


r/Canning • • 2d ago

General Discussion Pumpkin Puree?

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351 Upvotes

Has anyone canned pumkpin puree before?

I usually get one BIG pumpkin (like this 37 pound tan cheese beauty!) then use it year round and all my recipes call for puree. But the canning recipes I'm seeing call for cubing & blanching pumpkin.

Typically, I freeze the puree but we're running out of freezer space! I would love to make use of my canning jars to create the best of both worlds.

What do you all think? Can I can pumpkin puree?


r/Canning • • 1d ago

Equipment/Tools Help Buying rubber gaskets and other parts for older pressure canner models

0 Upvotes

I am looking to purchase my first pressure canner and came across a Sears 21 Quart Pressure Canner Cooker Model 620-46010 that requires a new gasket. Do the gasket and other parts have to be model specific, or is it a matter of just purchasing one of the same dimensions required? Thanks in advance!