Using Your Home Canned Foods

First things first - you want to be sure your home canning experience was a success before you use them!

I have yet to have an unsuccessful canned item but because I am still so new at this, I am hesitant every time I open a new jar.  Unhappily (because we didn't preserve enough) I am nearly through all of my home canned goods (at the time of this writing it's January... A while to go before my garden grows!).  Every jar I've opened has been perfect to eat and I've been thrilled.

How to know you have a good seal: Follow directions to the letter.  Have all utensils and equipment clean, clean work surface, fresh fruits and veggies (don’t ever use anything with mold).  Once you’ve followed instructions and have taken all the steps, pull jar out and first thing you want to do with water bath canned products is listen for the “ping” that happens when your jar seals (it’s the vacuum that sucks the lid down and creates the seal).  Once the jar cools completely, check each lid by pressing down on them in the center. If they’re concave and no give, you have a good seal.  If there is give or you can push down, you can re-can or put in the fridge to use soon, don’t store.  Once perfectly cool you can take screw bands off and check to see if any liquid or food material has seeped through the seal.  Occasionally some liquid gets sucked out of the jar and it’s ok as long as there is no actual food.  If there is liquid loss, put a towel on the counter, set the jar on the towel and try to pick it up by the lid. If there is a bad seal, the weight of the jar will pull the lid off otherwise the lid will stay on.  If these tests go ok, food is safe to store.  Once food is in storage, there are more signs you can look for before use: any sign of mold – don’t use, bubbling or gassiness in the jar – don’t use, bad odor or food looks slimy or has gotten really dark – don’t use (safely discard – burn if necessary or flush down toilet to keep out of the reach of children or animals).

How to open the jars: You can undo the ring, if you kept it on (you can store your canned goods without the ring but I keep the rings on because I don't know what else to do with them and they look nice).  Then I take a dull butterknife and nudge the edge of it right under the cap and pull up and towards myself.  The lid will pop right up and keep your extra hand secure on the jar so you don't spill the contents. 

Once open: Take a good sniff.  Your food, soup, veggie, whatever should smell GOOD!  If your jar passes the sniff test, do a taste test.  If everything is a go, use that food!  You can use your home canned vegetables alone heated up or as a part of a recipe.  Fruits can be eaten alone out of the jar or used in a pie or other recipe.  You get the idea.  Ideally, food should be used within a year for best taste and quality however canned foods remain edible for quite a long time.  I've heard people mention canned goods never go bad, but we try to use ours up each year.