canning

[Honey693]

If all I'm going to can is tomatoes, strawberry jam, applesauce and apples do I need a pressure cooker or can I use a water bath? I bought the Ball canning book, but I'm too tired to look at it now.

[Llyra]

You can use a water bath canner to safely can fruits, fruit juices, jams and jellies, pickles, and anything pickled or preserved in vinegar like relish, chutney, sauces, or salsas. You can certainly do tomatoes, but the current recommendation is to acidify them by adding a tablespoon of bottled lemon juice for each pint, and two tablespoons for a quart. This is because many varieties of tomatoes aren't acidic enough on their own to completely insure against botulism toxin. You use bottled lemon juice because the level of acidity of it is more consistent than if you just squeezed a lemon.

I get this from my own Ball Blue Book. You'll want to take a close look at it before you start, of course, and read the general instructions in the front as well as the recipe you want to use. The recipes have been tested for adequate acidity and correct processing times, so that you know you'll wind up with a safe product.

[Honey693]

Thank you

[gardenmommy]

Yes. I only use my pressure canner for green beans and beets. I would also use it if I was canning spaghetti sauce, salsa, or meats. I am pretty careful about making sure the water bath pot is very full, and I process it for the full amount of time. I've never had anything spoil from being water bathed; there have been occasional jars that didn't seal, but that happens when you pressure them, too. I am also scrupulously clean, and try to make sure all the air bubbles are out before I seal them.