Featured Resource on Food Preservation & Canning

Canning Timer & Checklist App

Canning Timer & Checklist App

This app provides abbreviated checklists and a timer to guide users in canning vegetables, fruits, meats and fish. Intended for people with previous canning experience, the app provides reminders of essential steps in the canning process. Download the free Canning Timer and Checklist app: Get the...

By Jeanne Brandt | OSU Extension Catalog

Fruits and Vegetables

• Canning Vegetables: Canning can be a great way to get full benefit from your garden vegetables. When prepared properly, foods will retain their nutrients and flavor. Done improperly, they can kill, cause serious illness,...
• Guardado de vegetales en conserva: Guardar en conserva puede ser una estupenda forma de obtener el beneficio total de los vegetales de su jardín. Cuando se preparan correctamente, los alimentos retienen sus nutrientes y sabor. Si se...
• Canning Fruits: This publication explains how to ensure both safety and quality when canning fresh fruits. Details covered include selecting and preparing equipment; preparing apples, apricots, berries, cherries,...
• Guardado de frutas en conserva: Esta publicación explica cómo garantizar tanto la seguridad como la calidad de las frutas frescas guardadas en conserva. Los detalles cubiertos incluyen la selección y la preparación del equipo; la...
• Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products: Covers how to select equipment, prepare equipment and tomatoes, pack jars, add acid and salt, close jars, cool, test for a seal, store, and check jars for spoilage. Outlines steps for processing in...
• Elaboración de conservas de tomates y productos de tomates: Se deben usar métodos seguros para el envase de tomates o productos de tomate. Como resultado de nuevos hallazgos de investigación y cambios en las variedades de tomates, las recomendaciones para su...
• Salsa Recipes for Canning: This popular publication has been updated with 5 new scrumptious-yet-simple salsa recipes and enough approved variations to please even the pickiest salsa makers. We've added detail on key ingredients...
• Recetas para el Envasado de Salsas: Esta famosa publicación ha sido actualizada con 5 nuevas recetas de salsa fáciles y sabrosas con suficientes variaciones aprobadas como para complacer hasta a los más exigentes preparadores de salsa....

• Canned Fruits and Tomatoes: Problems and Solutions - SP50-743: Publication describes common problems and solutions when canning fruit and tomatoes.
• Canned Vegetables: Problems and Solutions - SP50-742: Publication describes common problems and solutions when pressure canning vegetables.
• The Laws of Salsa - SP50-1003: Guidelines for preparing and preserving safe, healthy salsa.

Meat, Poultry, Game and Seafood

• Canning Seafood: This publication provides research-tested processing recommendations for various types of seafood. It gives step-by-step instructions for canning tuna, all other fish, whole and minced clams, crab,...
• Canning Smoked Fish at Home: This bulletin gives instructions for lightly smoking fish in preparation for canning and for the canning process itself. Fully smoked fish, in contrast, is too dry and strongly flavored after canning....
• Canning Meat, Poultry, and Game: Canning meats is made more simple using this easy-to-follow guide! Wonderful and tasty recipes within.

• Canning Soups - SP50-931: Information on how to safely can soup, including procedure and processing times. Includes recipe for clam chowder base.
• Summer Sausage Tips - SP50-735: Publication includes tips on making summer sausage - including ingredients, nitrates/nitrites, cooking, and storage.
• Curing and Smoking Poultry Meat - SP50-693: Publication includes information on curing/smoking poultry and meat, including types of cures, preparation, smoking/cooking, and storage.
• Canning Tuna Fact Sheet - SP50-1002: Fact sheet on canning tuna - including handling, processing/pressure canning, and storage.
• Canned Meats, Poultry and Fish: Problems and Solutions - SP50-741: Publication provides information about common problems and solutions when pressure canning meat, poultry, and fish.
• Filleting Tuna for Canning - SP50-739: Publication provides step by step instruction for filleting tuna for canning.

Pickling

• Pickling Fish and Other Aquatic Foods for Home Use: Preserving seafood with vinegar or citrus juices is one of the easiest food preservation methods known, but can yield a dangerous product if not properly prepared. Fish with high oil content (Chinook...
• Pickling Vegetables: Describes the equipment and ingredients needed for pickling, and how to pack jars, process vegetables, and store the pickled results. Includes 17 recipes, processing times for various altitudes, and a...

• Using Steam Canners - SP50-1005: Naturally high acid foods maybe processed in either a boiling water canner or a steam canner; i.e., fruits, jams, jellies, and pickles. For years steam canners were not recommended but recent research...
• Fermentation - UC Davis 2015: Information on Lacto-fermentation, ingredients, safety, types of ferments, brine, salting, and 2 recipes.
• Low Salt Pickles - SP50-533: Information on how to make low salt pickles, including recipes, preparation, and processing.
• Canned Sauerkraut: Problems and Solutions - SP50-745: Publications describes common problems and solutions when making and canning sauerkraut.
• Pickles and Relishes: Problems and Solutions - SP50-744: Publications describes common problems and solutions when making pickles and relishes.
• Flavored Vinegars - SP50-736: Information on making flavored vinegars - includes recipes and facts regarding food safety issues.
• Fruit Pickles and Chutney - SP50-757: Publication includes information about fruit pickles and chutney, including ingredients, equipment, preparation, processing and storage. Also several fruit pickle and chutney recipes included.
• Analyzing Pickle Recipes - SP50-464: Fact sheet that describes the things to look in a safe pickle recipe.

Jams, Jellies, Preserves

• Fruit Pie Fillings - SP50-616: Canned fruit fillings are a time saver for year around pie making. The fillings may also be used as toppings on desserts.
• Jams, Jellies, and Preserves with No Added Pectin - SP 50-777: When making jams, jellies, and preserves from fruits that contain natural pectin, it’s not necessary to add additional pectin. This publication provides basic steps for making fruit spreads without...
• Low Sugar Jams & Jellies/Fruit Spreads - SP 50-765: Low and no sugar jams and jellies are becoming very popular as people are changing their diets and reducing their intake of sugar. This publication gives tips on how to make low sugar jams, jellies...
• Uncooked Freezer Jam - SP 50-763: Freezer jams are prepared without cooking. The consistency of the jam is not dependent on the cooking process. They are easy to make and use little equipment.
• Canned Lemon Curd - SP50-922: Information how to make, can, and store lemon curd.
• Pectin Facts - SP50-808: Pectin facts - including manufacturer contact information.
• Jams and Jellies: Problems and Solutions - SP50-746: Publications provides information on common problems and solutions when making jam, jelly, and fruit preserves.
• Making Berry Syrups at Home - SP50-632: How to make berry syrup - includes tips on fruit preparation, cooking, processing, and storage.
• Remaking Soft Jellies - SP50-604: What to do when jam or jelly is too soft? Includes recipe to remake jam/jelly, processing, and storage.
• Fruit Butters - SP50-304: Publication includes information on making fruit butters - including making the pulp, a basic recipe, cooking, and processing.

General Canning

• Using and Caring for Your Pressure Canner: Pressure canning is the only safe way to can meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. This booklet explains how to keep your pressure canner in top condition and use it safely.
• Safely Canning Foods: Pressure Canners, Pressure Cookers and Electric Pressure Cookers: This illustrated fact sheet explains the difference between pressure canners, pressure cookers and electric pressure cookers. Pressure canners are recommended for food preservation but pressure...

• Using Steam Canners - SP50-1005: Naturally high acid foods maybe processed in either a boiling water canner or a steam canner; i.e., fruits, jams, jellies, and pickles. For years steam canners were not recommended but recent research...
• Guidelines of Using an Atmospheric Steam Canner for Home Food Preservation: Information on how to preserve high-acid foods in steam canner.
• Canning Checklist Bookmarks: Canning Checklist OSU Bookmarks.
• Pressure Canner Use and Care - SP50-649: Information about the different types and uses of home canners.

Freezing

• Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and...
• Home Freezing of Seafood: Explains how stiffening (rigor mortis) and oxidation of unsaturated oils and pigments in freshly caught fish impact frozen fish quality. Describes how to clean and prepare fish (dressed, pan-dressed,...
• Freezing Convenience Foods That You've Prepared at Home: How to prepare home-cooked foods for freezing, preserve food quality in frozen storage, and retain quality during thawing and reheating. Covers baked products and doughs, main dishes and meals, eggs,...

• Foods That Do Not Freeze Well - SP 50-766: This fact sheet provides a list of foods with usual use and condition after thawing.
• If Your Freezer Stops - SP50-470: Tips for keeping food safe when your freezer stops working, and guidelines for determining the safety of food in a freezer that has stopped working.
• Frozen Food Storage Guide - SP50-711: Publication includes a table with recommended storage times for frozen foods.

Drying

• Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using...

• Drying and Roasting Seeds - SP50-534: Information on safely drying and roasting sunflower and pumpkin/squash seeds, including harvesting, roasting, and storing.
• Drying Herbs - SP50-921: Information on herbs, including harvesting, drying methods, storage, and use.

Smoking and Curing

• Making Jerky at Home Safely: Traditional jerky preparation methods, in which raw meat is dried at about 140 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit won't kill pathogens present in the meat. Learn the steps in making tasty meat jerky at home,...
• Smoking Fish at Home Safely: This guide succinctly explains how to prepare and preserve any type of fish to use as part of a delicious, safe, and healthy meal. Specific temperatures, quantities, and timings are provided for...

• Summer Sausage Tips - SP50-735: Publication includes tips on making summer sausage - including ingredients, nitrates/nitrites, cooking, and storage.
• Curing and Smoking Poultry Meat - SP50-693: Publication includes information on curing/smoking poultry and meat, including types of cures, preparation, smoking/cooking, and storage.

Preserving Fruits (specific)

• Preserving Cranberries - SP50-929: Publication includes information on how to preserve cranberries, including selection, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for sauce, salsa, and chutney.
• Preserving Rhubarb - SP50-882: Publication includes information about rhubarb and how to preserve it - including canning, freezing, drying, pickling, and making jams.
• Preserving Plums and Prunes - SP50-586: Publication gives you information on how to preserve plums and prunes, including varieties to use, canning, freezing, drying, and making jams, jellies, and sauces.
• Preserving Asian Pears - SP50-694: Publication provides information on how to preserve Asian Pears, including selection/picking, canning, and drying.
• Preserving Pears - SP50-678: Publication covers how to preserve pears - including varieties, picking, canning, drying, pickling, and making preserves.
• Preserving Peaches - SP50-444: Publication provides information on how to preserve peaches, including varieties to use, canning, freezing, drying, pickling, and making jams, jellies, and chutneys.
• Preserving Kiwi Fruits - SP50-832: Publication covers how to preserve Kiwi Fruits - including storage, freezing, drying, and making making jam, jelly, and chutney
• Preserving Figs - SP50-648: Publication covers how to preserve figs - including canning, freezing, pickling, and drying.
• Preserving Cherries - SP50-883: Publications provides information on how to preserve cherries, including handling, canning, freezing, drying, and making jams, jellies, and pie fillings.
• Preserving Wild Berries and Fruits - SP50-536: Publication includes information about wild berries and uses, including pies, jam/jelly, and syrup. Some recipes included.
• Preserving Berries - SP50-780: Publication provides information on how to preserve berries, including harvesting, canning, freezing and drying.
• Preserving Fruit Juices and Apple Cider - SP50-455: Publication includes information on how to preserve fruit juices and apple cider, including preparing, pasteurizing, and canning
• Preserving Apples - SP50-446: Fact sheet provides information on how to preserve apples, including canning, freezing, and drying

Preserving Vegetables (specific)

• Horseradish - SP50-793: How to preserve horseradish, including harvesting, making relish, and drying.
• Preserving Tomatillos - SP50-768: How to preserve tomatillos, including harvesting, canning, and making salsa.
• Preserving Tomatoes - SP50-920: How to preserve tomatoes, including canning, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for ketchups and green tomato pie filling.
• Preserving Pumpkins and Winter Squash - SP50-767: How to preserve pumpkin/winter squash, including harvesting, storage, canning, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for pumpkin leather and dried pumpkin seeds.
• Preserving Summer Squash - SP50-447: How to preserve summer squash/zucchini, including freezing, drying, pickling, and canning. Recipes for zucchini pickles and relish.
• Preserving Peppers - SP50-454: How to preserve peppers, including canning, pickling, freezing, drying, and making jelly.
• Preserving Mushrooms - SP50-919: How to preserve mushrooms, including canning, freezing, drying, and pickling. Includes a recipe for Marinated Whole Mushrooms.
• Preserving Garlic - SP50-645: How to preserve garlic - including harvesting, storage, freezing, drying, and pickling. Recipe for Pickled Garlic include.
• Preserving Corn - SP50-443: Publication includes information on how to preserve corn, including freezing, canning, drying, and pickling. Corn Relish recipe included.
• Preserving Dried Beans - SP50-955: Publication provides information on how to preserve dried beans, including preparation, canning, and recipes.
• Preserving Green, Italian or Wax Beans - SP50-445: Publication includes information on how to preserve green, Italian, and wax beans, including canning, freezing, drying, and pickling.
• Preserving Peas and Edible Pea Pods - SP50-305: Publication includes information on how to preserve peas and edible pods, including varieties to use, freezing, canning, and drying.

Other Food Preservation/Food Safety Publications

• Making Garlic- and Herb-Infused Oils at Home: Describes safe and simple procedures for flavoring oils from spices in your own garden.

• Storing Food for Safety & Quality - PNW 612: This publication provides comprehensive information about home storage of food, including pantry staples, meats, vegetables, fruits, leftovers, home-canned food, and food stored for emergencies....
• Dates on Food Products: Dates on food labels help you judge how long the product will be at top quality (good flavor, texture, odor and nutritional value).
• Yogurt Made Simple - FS173E: Publication provides information on how to make yogurt at home.
• Should I Vacuum Package Food at Home? - SP50-603: Things to know about vacuum packaging food, including safety and potential for bacteria to grow
• Safety of Canned Food that Freezes - SP50-695: Guidelines for determining the safety of canned food that has frozen.
• Preserving for Special Diets - SP50-646: This provides the home food preserver information on reducing sugar and/or salt when preserving food for those with special dietary needs.
• Shipping Food Gifts - SP50-933: Instructions and tips for shipping food products as gifts.
• Using Preserved Foods Safely - SP50-494: Guidelines for using preserved foods safely.
• Home Pasteurization of Raw Milk - SP50-932: Raw milk can be a source of dangerous microorganisms that pose serious health risks. Home pasteurization is a good safeguard against possible risk of illness.
• Food Safety Tips for Older Adults - SP50-872: Food safety tips for older adults, who are most susceptible to foodborne illness.
• Food Safety Tips for Pregnant Women, Infants, and Young Children - SP50-838: Food safety tips for pregnant women, infants and young children, who are most susceptible to foodborne illnesses.
• It Must Have Been Something I Ate - SP50-784: Preventing and recognizing food poisoning. Includes a chart with types of foodborne illnesses.
• Sweeteners: Nutritive and Non-Nutritive - SP50-935: Information on a variety of sweeteners available, including natural and artificial sweeteners.
• Herbs and Vegetables in Oil - SP50-701: It’s important to keep food safety in mind when storing vegetables (such as garlic, mushrooms, chili peppers) or herbs in oil. These low-acid foods can be a source of Clostridium botulinum bacteria,...