Food Preservation - Little Wife in the Woods

How to Make Strawberry Jam: Just Three Ingredients

August 13, 2025

This sweet strawberry jam recipe is tangy and delicious- made with just three simple ingredients! No pectin or canning is required. Enjoy learning how to make this guilt free jam!

Guilt Free Jam- Simple Ingredients

This strawberry jam is as guilt free as it gets! Made with organic cane sugar, lemon juice, and fresh berries. You can rest knowing your jam is pure and free from preservatives!

Many store bought jam labels have six plus ingredients. This doesn’t sound bad until you look at what they are. Many include high fructose corn syrup and some even include red dye!

These ingredients are harmful to the body and absolutely unnecessary. It takes just 15 minutes to make in your own kitchen with clean ingredients!

Everything You Need for Strawberry Jam

You truly do not need much to make strawberry jam! Just a few utensils and three ingredients…

one large stock pot
pint jars (amount will vary depending on the amount of strawberries you are processing)
blender or food processor
lemon juice
strawberries
sugar- I prefer organic cane sugar

Lemon Juice. The purpose of the lemon juice is to preserve and keep the vibrant color of the strawberry. It replaces the “citric acid” in many store-bought jams.

Strawberries. You will want fresh, washed berries with the tops removed. You do not need to slice them, the food processor or blender will do that for you.

Cane Sugar. Sugar is necessary to get the “jam” texture and sweetener. You can use less sugar if you prefer, however, your jam will be a more runny texture.

I prefer to get my organic cane sugar and other clean ingredients for from scratch recipes from Thrive Market. Thrive provides thousands of products for cleaning, pantry staples, snacks, and so much more! All their products are certified organic, with only clean ingredients. For just $5 a month you can get access to ship to your door, only organic products! All month get 25% off + a free gift worth $60 when you use my link below!
Click Here to Learn More

How to Make Strawberry Jam

Making strawberry jam is so simple and honestly, fun! Here are a few things to note before making it…

Each pound of medium to large berries will make about 1 pint of jam.
You will need to store your jam in the refrigerator unless you follow canning instructions.

Step One: Wash and Blend

First, you will need to wash your berries well. Strawberries make the dirty dozen list- meaning they are one of the most sprayed and exposed to toxic chemicals. Even organic and local produce should be washed to remove dirt and other particles that can contaminate the jam.

Wash your strawberries in lukewarm water with 1 cup of white vinegar and 2 tsp baking soda.

Cut the tops off and place in a blender or food processor (I have had this one for years and use it every week in the summer!). Add lemon juice (about 1 tsp per pound of berries).

Blend on low speed until there are no chunks. You do not need to remove the seeds for jam.

Step Two: Cook the Jam

Place strawberries and sugar in a large pot on medium-high heat. Cook until boiling, stirring constantly to keep from burning. After boiling for one minute, turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Step Three: Jar and Store

Carefully place the hot jam into clean pint jars. Leave about a one inch headspace. Screw lids on tightly and leave to seal on the countertop for about 8 hours or overnight.

The jars will be sealed but not fully processed. They will not be shelf stable unless canned. However, they will last for about six months kept sealed in the refrigerator. Unsealed they will last up to one month. Discard immediately if any mold is growing or there is a rancid smell present.

Click here to read our Home Canning Guide for Beginners.

How To Use Strawberry Jam

You can use your jam so many ways. It makes a delicious filling for donuts and pies. Use it on biscuit at breakfast time. However, we use it every week for peanut butter and jelly on our homemade sourdough bread! It does not get any more homemade than that!

Want more from scratch recipes, natural wellness, and more? Don’t forget to join the email list so you never miss a post!

Join our Mailing List

Go back

Your message has been sent

By submitting your information, you`re giving us permission to email you. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Three Ingredient Strawberry Jam

Deliciously sweet strawberry jam made with just three ingredients and three easy steps!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 6

Total Time 9

Servings 4 pint jars

Equipment

Large stock pot
Food Processor or Blender
4 pint jars

Ingredients

4 lbs strawberries
8 tsp lemon juice
3-4 cups cane sugar SEE NOTE

Instructions

Wash all your berries in a lukewarm bath with 1 cup white vinegar and 2 tsp baking soda. Remove all the tops and fleshy, white centers. Place in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Mix strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a large pot at medium-high heat. Stir constantly to keep from burning. Allow to come to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for three minutes on low-medium heat.
Place jam in clean, sterilized jars (SEE NOTE 2). Screw lids tightly on jars. Allow to rest for 8 hours on the countertop. Place sealed jars in the refrigerator to store for up to six months.

Notes

NOTE ONE: One cup of sugar per pound of strawberries is recommended. However, if you prefer less sugar you can reduce it by one cup. Your jam may be slightly more runny.

NOTE TWO: To sterilize your jars, boil them, fully submerged in water for about 2 minutes. Remove carefully.

Keyword easy jam, jam recipe, no pectin jam, strawberry jam, strawberry jam recipe, strawberry preserves, three ingredient jam, three step jam

*This post contains affiliate links from companies we use and only ones we love!

Recipes

Easy Soup Recipes: Dinner Ideas for Soup From Scratch

littlewifeinthewoodsOct 17, 2025

Simple Fall Dessert Recipes: a Dessert for Every Autumn Occasion

Oct 10, 2025

Simple Fall Homemaking Ideas for a Cozy Fall Season

Oct 3, 2025

The Best Apple Pie Recipe: Processed Sugar Free Dessert

Sep 19, 2025

[jetpack-related-posts]

Easy Salsa Recipe and How to Can It From Home

August 28, 2024

Learning to make and can your own salsa at home is a great way to create the perfect recipe for your family! These instructions are curated for beginners learning to at home. Learn simple canning techniques and how to make your own salsa in this post!

Already a pro canner? Skip on down to the end for a great salsa recipe to try!

Why Salsa is Great for Beginners

Salsa is a prime starting point for beginners who want to learn how to can their own food in their own homes! It is simple, yet involves all the steps of canning just about any food so it is the perfect place to dip your feet in.

Salsa is also completely customizable to your taste preferences. You can make it spicy or sweet, thick or thin. Add things like specialty fruit or peppers is a breeze and makes customizing such an enjoyable process!

It is also a great option because it does not require the use of a pressure canner (which intimidates many people). However, if you want to venture into the world of pressure canning it is a great place to start as well because it is very simple and streamline.

This mini canning guide is your new best friend and cozy place to come back to for all things home canning! Learn how to preserve ANYTHING with these simple step-by-step instructions you can apply to any recipes. Click the link below to get your $5 download in the Etsy shop!
Get Your Guide

Choosing the Right Produce

Most salsa recipes are comprised of three main vegetables as the base- tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Other things such as seasonings, herbs, and other fruits/vegetables are added. However, these three make up the main part of salsa. Any variety of these vegetables can be used but the results will vary. Here are some basic tips when picking out produce for your salsa…

Roma tomatoes. You cannot get better salsa tomatoes than the Roma variety in my opinion. When boiled for canning the skins can be easily removed. This is not the case with other varieties that may require more diligent peeling. They are also a sauce variety- this simply means they are not quite as watery so more of the tomato is usable. Any sauce variety is great for salsa but none surpass Roma.

Onions. The onion variety you choose will mostly depend on your taste and not the functionality. They basically all function the same except in the area of taste. My go to is yellow onions because they are not quite as strong as white onions, however they are not as sweet as some other varieties. If you are going for a more fruity, sweet salsa a sweet variety would probably be best. If you are reading this and you have no clue, maybe just start with yellow or white!

Peppers. One of the best parts about canning your own salsa is that you get to customize the heat and flavor brought in by the peppers. If you are a beginner and do not know much about peppers or salsa I would recommend starting off with a basic jalapeño pepper. However, if you like more heat and you know what you are getting into when it comes to peppers playing around with the flavors can be fun!

Pick quality produce. This is optional of course, but I decided that if I am going to do all the work of baking and canning my own salsa I am going to use quality, organic ingredients! Most are grown from local gardeners, or in the past from our very own garden (hopefully next year from our own garden). I highly recommend getting out in your community to find and support local gardeners, homesteaders, and farmers!

Water Bath Canning vs. Pressure Canning

One of the main reasons salsa is a great place for beginners to start is that you do not need to use a pressure canner to can salsa. Water bath canning is the method that uses heat to preserve food instead of pressure. It is much safer and simpler than pressure canning- making it the perfect place to start your journey!

Let’s be clear- pressure canning is not unsafe! Many people have an unnecessary fear of canning explosions and mishaps involving pressure canning that are 99.9% avoidable when following safe calling practices. However, of the two methods, water bath and pressure canning, water bath canning is safest.

Water bath canning is also the simplest canning method. It simply involves boiling water, placing your jars in, and putting the lid on. There are way less parts and pieces to deal with and a few less steps.

The main difference is in the taste of the salsa. I find that water bath canned salsa tastes much fresher than pressure canned salsa. This is due to the fact that it is less cooked down when pressure is not used in the process. You are still cooking the salsa to some degree in the water canner but the use of pressure seems to be more intensified.

Salsa made in the pressure canner seemed to be more runny, even if the texture was just right before canning. Water bath canning keeps the salsa looking and tasting fresh while also keeping a thick, consistent texture.

Click here to learn how to use the water bath canner to can pickles!

The Steps to Canning Any Salsa Recipe

My goal in these beginner canning posts is not to just give you all the basic “abc” recipes but to leave you with a knowledge that you will be able to use to can and preserve any food! Learning a new skill set does not just involve getting the main idea but also grasping the knowledge you need on the whole subject. As always, the best place to begin is to just start doing it! Here are the basic steps to canning any salsa recipe.

*These steps are designed for the water bath canning method.

Wash all your produce well and sterilize jars/lids/rings.
Boil tomatoes for about 15-20 minutes in a large stockpot.
While tomatoes cook chop other produce by hand or in a food processor (I personally prefer the food processor for chopping peppers to avoid pepper burn! If you are chopping by hand use gloves and follow the safety steps in the next section of this post.)
Allow tomatoes to cool (takes about 30 minutes) then remove skins, tops and rotten spots. (Rotten spots can be removed before boiling but I find it is much cleaner to do it after.)
Run tomatoes through the food processor to the desired thickness.
Combine tomatoes and onion/pepper mixture in food processor. This step may need to be done in batches if your processor is small like mine.
Add in other ingredients like seasonings, herbs, etc. Mix well. You will want a bag of tortilla chips handy to taste test before canning!
When salsa is just right fill quart or pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace (the space between the salsa and the lid).
Fill water bath canner 3/4 the way full and place on high heat. Allow water to come to a full, rolling boil.
Once water is at a good boil add full jars with lids screwed on tightly.
Adjust water level to 1 inch above the jar lids. You may need to add or remove water.
Place the lid on the canner and begin processing time as soon as the water begins to boil steadily once again.
Processing time is 20 minutes for pints jars and 25-30 minutes for quart jars.
After processing time is complete turn off the heat. I prefer to let my canner and jars cool on the stovetop versus having to move the heavy canner while hot. Simply turn the heat off and allow to come to room temperature after several hours or overnight.
Place jars on the counter for 24 hours after processing time. Check seals by pressing the middle of the jar lid. If there is any give or popping your jar is not sealed. If things are tight and no popping sound is heard your jars are successfully sealed!
If the jars have sealed properly they are safe to store for years in a cool, dry place- freshest date is within one year of canning date. (*If jars do not seal correctly simply place in the refrigerator and use within two months of canning date.)

Have you heard of my friends over at Earthley Wellness? They are dedicated to providing 100% natural products for the whole family! They have everything you need from hormone support, vitamins and mineral supplements, herbal remedies for colds, fevers, headaches, and so much more. I have been using their products in our home for nearly a year now and we love them! Go check them out and save 10% when you use my link below and the code LITTLEWIFE10 at checkout!
Click here to Shop

Canning Salsa Safely

Despite popular belief, canning is completely safe when following proper procedures and safety tips. You have absolutely no reason to fear explosions, botulism, or other incidents that have made us scared to preserve our own food at home.

You can read more about this here in another post about canning and preserving but here are a few main safety tips to practice when canning salsa…

Wash produce well and remove rotten spots. Botulism is avoided when food is properly cleaned.

Clean and sanitize jars and lids/rings. Sterilize jars and parts by boiling them in water for a few minutes. At very least, wash them well with warm water.

Use gloves when handling peppers. Even non-spicy varieties of jalapeños can sometimes cause what is known as pepper burn when they come in contact directly with the skin for longer periods of time. Because you will be chopping serval peppers you will want to wear gloves or use the food processor. Avoid contact with eyes and face until hands have been thoroughly washed.

Open canner lid away from your face. Water bath canners create a lot of steam. When opening the lid, open the lid to the side or opposite where your body/face is. The lid will also be hot so be sure to use a dry towel or oven mitt.

Place jars in gently. Your water bath canner has already been on high heat by the time you add the jars of pickles. Be mindful of this and place jars in carefully by hand or use a jar lifter to lower them in.

As mentioned before, water bath canning is much safer. You do not need to fear explosions and jars rarely brake because you are not using pressure, just heat and water. Your biggest concern should be burns and practicing safety when dealing with the hot water and hot jars.

What You Need

The essential equipment for canning salsa is simple and inexpensive. Most home cooks already have some form of these utensils in their kitchen. If you do not they are readily available and easy to find online or in stores near you!

Water bath or pressure canner.
Large stockpot for boiling tomatoes.
Food processor (optional but highly recommended!)
Quart or pint mason jars with lids and rings
Jar lifter (optional; can wait for them to cool)

You do not need fancy gadgets or expensive equipment to begin learning the art of canning. I suggest starting with the basics and learning what you like best!

Thrive Market is my one-stop grocery store for all things organic and clean label products! Sick of trying to weed through products with junk ingredients at your local grocery store? Go check out Thrive! They offer thousands of products from hundreds of companies that offer only healthy options on snacks, cleaning products, pantry staples, and more! Get groceries at great prices shipped right to your door! Click my link below to get $60 in free groceries!
Click Here to Shop!

Tips for Canning Salsa

Canning salsa is simple and a great place to learn how to can your own food in your own home. It does not have to be complicated or even time consuming once you get the hang of it! Here are some tips to remember when canning your salsa….

Canning salsa takes a bit of time at first. Once you practice you will find your flow and it will become a streamline task. However, at first you will want to block out a couple hours from start to finish as you get the hang of things. Turn on a podcast or movie and make it an enjoyable experience in the kitchen! Get your kids involved so they can learn too!
Play around with flavors. Make notes on what you add in the way of spices and herbs! experimentation makes salsa so fun! If your salsa does not turn out exactly how you want this time you can go back and make adjustments in the future. Soon you will be making salsa that is perfect for you and your family!
Make your salsa in batches if you are using a food processor.
Allow the canner to cool where it is with the jars inside instead of trying to move the heavy canner with very hot contents.
If a jar breaks do not be alarmed, you can safely continue the processing time so the. other jars can finish undisturbed. Simply allow the processing time to continue. Turn the heat down a bit if you constantly experience breaking jars while canning.

I hope you enjoy learning to can salsa at home as much as I have! It has turned into a real family ordeal in our house and we love making the perfect flavors come together. If you are new to canning and want more canning tips and recipes be sure to subscribe and be on the lookout for my mini e-book canning guide for beginners coming soon!

Learn How to Can Anything!

Home Canning Guide for Beginners

Get the full mini-guide to learn everything you need to know about how to preserve anything in your own kitchen!

Get the Guide

How to Can Salsa for Beginners and Salsa Recipe

One of the best places to start learning how to can your own food is with salsa! Follow my simple, from scratch instructions and check out my go to recipe for a basic, delicious salsa.

Prep Time1

Processing Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: beginner canning, canning, canning salsa, preserving food, salsa, salsa recipe

Yield: 8 pints

Materials

Water Bath Canner
Food Processor optional but recommended
Pint or Quart Mason jars with lids and rings

Salsa Ingredients

3 dozen Roma tomatoes
5 yellow onions
10 jalapeño peppers *See Note One
2 ½ tsp garlic
1 ½ cup fresh cilantro or one whole bunch minus stems
3 tsp oregano fresh or dried
3 tbsp salt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, lime, or lemon juice *see note two
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for added heat
2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Wash all produce and sterilize jars/lids/rings.
Boil tomatoes for 15-20 minutes.
While tomatoes are boiling chop onions, jalapeños, and cilantro by hand or throw everything in the food processor. Place chopped veggies in a large mixing bowl. *See note three.
Allow tomatoes about thirty minutes to cool then remove skins and tops (where stem is). Make sure to strain off extra water and juice.
Blend tomatoes in the food processor or a blender until they are the consistency you desire.
Mix tomatoes and chopped vegetables together.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Bonus Step: Taste test the salsa to see if you need to add anything!
Fill canner to 3/4 full and allow water to come to a steady, rolling boil while you fill jars leaving ½ inch headspace between salsa and jar lid. Place lids and rings tightly on jars.
Once water in canner has come to a complete boil add jars one at a time to the canning wrack.
Adjust water level in the canner to approximately one inch above the jar lids. Remove or add water as needed.
Processing time begins when the water has come back to a complete boil. Processing time is 20 minutes for pints and 25-30 minutes for quarts.
After processing time is complete, turn off burner heat and allow the canner and contents to cool.
After cooling for several hours, place jars on the counter and allow to seal for 24 hours.
If jars have sealed completely they are ready to store in a cool, dry place for several years. Best freshness is within one year of the canning date. *See note four for unsealed jars.

Notes

Note One: This recipe is for a mild-hot salsa. If your tolerance to heat is low start by using five peppers instead of ten. You can always add more when you taste test. Use gloves if you are chopping peppers by hand to avoid pepper burn. Avoid contact with face and eyes!

Note Two: Some acidity is required for preserving your salsa. Salt alone will not fully preserve it long term. Each of these ingredients will be very subtly tasted in the salsa so keep this in mind. Apple cider vinegar is my go-to.

Note Three: A food processor is not required but makes the salsa canning process much more streamline! Use it in batches to make the perfect salsa with just the right consistency. If you ask me this is one of the best investments I have made in kitchen products hands down- and not just for making salsa!

Note Four: Should you have a jar fail to seal (the lid still makes a popping sound when pressed in the center), you can still use this salsa but it will need to be stored in the refrigerator and used within two months of the canning date.

Recipes

Easy Soup Recipes: Dinner Ideas for Soup From Scratch

littlewifeinthewoodsOct 17, 2025

Simple Fall Dessert Recipes: a Dessert for Every Autumn Occasion

Oct 10, 2025

The Best Apple Pie Recipe: Processed Sugar Free Dessert

Sep 19, 2025

The Best Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Sep 16, 2025

[jetpack-related-posts]

A Complete Guide to Canning Pickles for Beginners

August 19, 2024

This is a complete guide for canning pickles for beginners and newbies! Learn all you need to know about preserving pickles. Hang around for a free pickle recipe at the end of this post!

Pickles: A Great Place to Start

If you are new to canning and are looking for an easy, great place to start pickles are a great option! They require very little planning and pressure canning is not necessary (keep reading) making it the perfect option for beginners. You can even get a pre-made seasoning packet that will set you up for pickling success!

You do not need to be an expert. No experience is required to start learning the art of canning and preservation! If you want my complete guide to canning and preserving for beginners go check out this post here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to our email list so you don’t miss my canning mini e-book for beginners coming later this month!

Growing Your Own Pickles

The only thing better than canning your own pickles is canning your own pickles that you grew from your own garden.

I will not spend a lot of time on this subject but grown cucumbers for picking is so easy! You do not need much space and they can be grown in just about every climate in the U.S.

If you are looking for an easy place to start your own from scratch, homegrown journey try growing your own cucumbers! If you are in the southern part of the U.S. there’s still time to grow a batch this summer/fall season.

Perhaps you cannot grow your own. I highly recommend sourcing cucumbers from your local farmers market. Produce grown locally is much healthier and is a great way to connect with your community!

The Best Pickles for Canning

Whether you grow your own or purchase them locally you will want to know the best varieties for what you are canning. Here is a brief overview of the best pickles for what you might be canning…

Large, smooth varieties are best for pickle chips. Smooth (not bumpy or seedy) varieties will not be as naturally crunchy. Best for hamburger chips, or sweet/bread and butter chips.
Medium/large bumpy varieties are best for spears. Bumpy varieties are best for a crunchy spear pickle. Large/medium varieties are great for spears.
Small/medium bumpy varieties are best for dill chips and relish. They give a great crunch and perfect size for a dill chip. They make the best relish because they are not quite as seedy and have the best texture.
Small varieties are perfect for canning whole dill or sweet pickles.

Try growing a mixture of sizes and varieties to try canning pickles and relish of all kinds!

Water Bath Canning Vs. Pressure Canning

One of the main reasons pickles are a great place to start is that you do not need to pressure Can pickles. They actually taste much better using the water bath method. This is the method that uses heat to preserve food instead of pressure. It is much safer and simpler than pressure canning- making it the perfect place to start your journey!

Have you heard about Earthley Wellness? As a mom of two under two I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for over two years. This means very limited options for cold/flu, cough, headache medications that are safe for my baby and do not effect my milk supply. Earthley’s Feel Better Fast offers relief from these symptoms that WORK! Feel Better Fast is completely safe for use during pregnancy/breastfeeding, is 100% toxin free, and is made completely from herbs/only natural ingredients. Use my link below and the code LITTLEWIFE10 to get 10% off your first order!
Click Here to Shop!

Canning Safer and Simply

Let’s be clear- pressure canning is not unsafe! Many people have an unnecessary fear of canning explosions and mishaps that are 99.9% avoidable when following safe calling practices. However, of the two methods, water bath and pressure canning, water bath canning is safest.

Water bath canning is also the simplest canning method. It literally involves boiling water, placing your jars in, and putting the lid on. There are way less parts and pieces to deal with and a few less steps.

The taste of your pickles is also much better using the water bath method. Pressure canning produces a much mushier, less crunchy pickle.

Refrigerator Pickles

Maybe you are reading this and it sounds a bit overwhelming (not my goal at all!). First of all, it’s so simple and the best place to start is to just start!! However, if you want to start even simpler try refrigerator pickles first. This will familiarize yourself with most of the pickle making steps just without actually having to can the pickles.

This is also perfect if you do not want to fully invest in a canner quite yet! (Although I highly recommend investing in the purchase of a water bath canner/stockpot.)

Click here to get my favorite water bath canner!

How to Make Refrigerator Pickles

Make your brine. Make the from scratch brine recipe below or a packet mix (Mrs. Wages makes the best in my opinion!).
Clean your jars.
Cut pickles in slices or spears.
Pack the jars.
Pour brine over pickles leaving about one inch at the top. Pickles should be completely covered.
Place lids on jars and store in the refrigerator.
Eat after 24 hours and store unopened for up to two months.

*Refrigerator picked are also great to make if you have a small batch of cucumbers that you need to use up.

Steps for Canning Pickles

Canning pickles is so simple! Here’s a step by step guide for canning them start to finish…

Fill up your canner 3/4 of the way full and begin boiling water. This can take a bit of time.
Wash your cucumbers and sterilize jars/lids/rings.
Cut cucumbers in desired size. (I like to chop them for relish in the food processor.)
Make brine.
Pack jars with cucumbers.
Pour brine over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch headspace- the space between the liquid and the lid. Make sure cucumbers are fully covered.
Place in canner (follow canning instructions on the recipe card below!)
Adjust water level. You want jars fully covered about an inch above the lids. You may need to add/subtract water.
Canning time begins when the water begins to boil after placing the jars in the canner.
After canning allow jars to cool inside the canner or pull them out to cool and dry on a dish towel.
Wait 24 hours then check all the seals. Store sealed jars in pantry for up to year after canning for best flavor.

Canning Safety Tips

You can read more about this here in another post about canning and preserving but here are a few main safety tips to practice when canning pickles…

Wash cucumbers well and remove rotten spots. Botulism is avoided when food is properly cleaned.

Clean and sanitize jars and lids/rings. Sterilize jars and parts by boiling them in water for a few minutes. At very least, wash them well with warm water.

Thrive Market helps me achieve my goals of providing my family with quality, from scratch meals! Thrive offers affordable pricing on natural ingredient pantry staples, snacks, cleaning products, and so much more. Shop thousands of products from hundreds of trusted, clean label brands that ship right to your door! For a limited time get a FREE gift up to $60 when you use my link.
Click Here to Shop and Save!

Tips for Canning Pickles

Canning pickles is very simple and can be done pretty quickly. Here are just a few tips to note….

What if a jar breaks in the canner?

It is rare that jars break inside a water bath canner but should it happen there is no cause for concern. You can finish canning the rest of your jars before dealing with the broken one. After the rest have finished processing time simply strain out the broken pieces of glass and cucumber. Discard and carefully clean out your canner.

Jars that do not seal.

Test the seal by pressing the middle of the lid after 24 hours. If there is no give and no popping noise your jars have successfully sealed. If there is give and it makes a popping noise your jar did not fully seal.

There is no need to toss them! Simple place them in the refrigerator and use within two months.

How to Can Pickles and My Favorite Basic Dill Pickle Recipe

A complete guide for the beginner on how to can and preserve pickles in your own kitchen!

Prep Time30

Active Time15

Total Time45

Keyword: beginner canning, canning, canning pickles, cucumbers, pickles, preserving

Yield: 8 pints

Equipment

Water Bath Canner
Jar lifter optional
Quart or Pint Mason Jars with lids and rings

Materials

Pickle Brine Ingredients

6 cups vinegar
3 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Pickle Seasonings

1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried or fresh garlic
1/2-1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2-1 tbsp fresh or dried dill or several sprigs

Instructions

Begin by filling your water bath canner ¾ of the way full and placing on high heat. Your goal is to bring the water to a soft, rolling boil.
While water is coming to a boil, begin sterilizing your jars in boiling water or wash them thoroughly in hot water.
Wash cucumbers well. Cut them to the desired shape (spears or chips) or chop them in the processor (for dill relish).
Pack cucumbers into jars tightly.

Prepare Brine

Prepare the brine by bringing vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil.
Mix the seasonings together then add to hot brine or add right into jars. (I prefer to add herbs/seasonings directly into jars rather than into the brine to equally distribute them versus them settling at the bottom of the brine. It is a bit more work but yields better outcome.)
Pour brine into jars packed with cucumbers. Be sure to cover the cucumbers completely but leave about ½ inch headspace between the liquid and the top of the jar.
Place lids on the jars and screw the rings on tightly.
By now your canner water should be at a nice rolling boil. Add jars in one at a time, be careful not to splash yourself with the hot water. Jars should be placed in a circular pattern around the canner with one or two jars in the center of the circle.
Adjust water level to cover the jars completely by at least one inch. This means you may need to add or eliminate some of the water in your canner. If you need to subtract water the best way is to remove it with a cup or container instead of lifting the heavy canner or having to remove jars you have already placed.
Place the lid on and allow water to come back to a steady, rolling boil.
As soon as boiling has begun processing time starts. Pint jars are processed for 10 minutes in the canner. Quart jars are processed for 15 minutes. If you have a mixed batch, quarts and pints, processing everything for 15 minutes is best.
After processing time has ended allow cans to cool in the canner or lift them out using tongs or a jar lifter. Allow to cool and seal for 24 hours then check seals by tapping the center of the jar lid. If the lid pops back up after pressing the lid did not seal and jars should be placed in the refrigerator to be used within 2 months.
If the lids have sealed they can be stored and used as needed. Use within one year for best freshness.

Notes

The brine recipe is designed to make 8 pint jars of pickles, or 4 quart jars. This is a great starter batch. The amount of cucumbers needed will largely depend on what size and how you are cutting them. I like to start with this amount of brine, if more is needed it is easy to make more brine quickly.

Leftover brine can be stored in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to six months to be used as needed for more batches.

I hope you enjoy learning how to can these pickles! If you have any questions please leave a comment. And if you are looking for more content like this be sure to subscribe! I’m here every week with more real food from scratch, homemaking, and natural mom life.

Recipes

Easy Soup Recipes: Dinner Ideas for Soup From Scratch

Simple Fall Dessert Recipes: a Dessert for Every Autumn Occasion

Simple Fall Homemaking Ideas for a Cozy Fall Season

The Best Apple Pie Recipe: Processed Sugar Free Dessert

[jetpack-related-posts]

Home Canning Guide: How to Preserve Your Own Food

August 6, 2024

Join me as I introduce beginners to canning and food preservation! This is a complete, but not complex, guide for those interested in learning to make real food last on the shelf. Come learn the simple art of food preservation the *simple* way.

What is Long Term Preservation?

The idea of long term food preservation is that it can last on the shelf for more than a year. Food preservation practices have been around for centuries. Some of the oldest methods being canning, drying, and fermentation.

The differences not only lie in the fact that foods last longer but that often the nutrition is better preserved using these methods. Take freezing vegetables for example… First you blanche them (the process of heating the food and cooling it very quickly). This depletes the food of nutrition. Then freezing/thawing. Then reheating on the stovetop. All of these steps deplete the food of nutrition. Canning and other methods of long term preservation eliminate unnecessary steps and preserve more nutritional properties in the food.

Another difference in long term vs short term preservation is that foods taste different. This is of course dependent on the person but I feel that some foods are just better canned vs frozen. Green beans just have a tenderness and flavor that they do not get in the freezing process. Some foods cannot be frozen well but can be preserved through canning with better results.

Long Term Preservation Methods

There are several long term preservation methods, some only used in certain cultures as ancient practices. Here we will discuss the four main methods of long term preservation used in our culture today…

Pressure Canning. This method is widely used in culture today. It is the process of using pressure to preserve food in jars for long term storage that can last several years on the shelf. Food is placed in jars with lids that have a seal. As pressure in the canning rises the air is compressed which causes the lids to seal and preserve the food.

Water Bath Canning. Water bath canning is the method of canning using only heat to preserve the food. Food is placed in a glass jar then into boiling water for a period of time which causes the lid to seal for freshness.

Dehydration. This method is the process of using dry heat from an oven or conventional dehydrator machine to dry foods. It removes all the moisture from the food which makes it shelf stable for years. Fruits can be dehydrated and ground into a powder for flavoring. Meat can also be dehydrated and made into jerky.

Click here to purchase our Dehydrated Sourdough Starter!

Freeze Drying. This is a method that is slowly becoming more available to homes in the US and other countries. It has been around for a while but only in mass production, large facilities. Companies have recently been working to make this method more available to the home cook, although it is still quite expensive.

In this post we will focus mostly on canning as it is the most efficient and available method at his time.

Fear Around Canning

A few mishaps, plus the unfamiliarity and culture today has been handed a fear of canning as a long term preservation option. While there have been incidents over the years, if you are following instructions there is NO REASON to fear canning your own food. Because of the fear around canning many women are intimidated by the entire process. Here are a few of the main reasons people fear canning and why you should not let these fears stop you…

Explosions. This is probably one of the main fears that have kept many from venturing into the world of canning. The data on this is seriously vague to say the least. Canning incidents are added to the total number of kitchen incidents involving any number of home appliances making it very inaccurate when trying to find actual numbers. Needless to say, if your equipment is in proper shape and you are following instructions you do not need to worry about your canner exploding.

Botulism and food poisoning. Another fear around canning and long term preservation is botulism and other types of food poisoning being contracted from preserving foods from home. There have definitely been cases of this throughout the years caused by canned foods that were not preserved properly or eaten out of date. As long as you have followed all the proper instructions (keep reading for those!) and are familiar with food safety you need not worry about giving your family botulism from home canned goods.

Have you heard about Earthley Wellness? As a mom of two under two I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for over two years. This means very limited options for cold/flu, cough, headache medications that are safe for my baby and do not effect my milk supply. Earthley’s Feel Better Fast offers relief from these symptoms that WORK! Feel Better Fast is completely safe for use during pregnancy/breastfeeding, is 100% toxin free, and is made completely from herbs/only natural ingredients. Use my link below and the code LITTLEWIFE10 to get 10% off your first order!
Click Here to Shop!

Unfamiliarity. I personally believe this is the root cause behind all the fears around canning and preservation. We just do not do it any more. One hundred, and even fifty years ago most everyone was at least familiar with the idea of canning, if they were not doing some form of it themselves. Today it is not practiced in the home kitchen and many of us Millennials and Gen Z gals did not grow up with mothers or even grandmothers who were canning things in the summer. If you did, consider yourself fortunate!

The only way to keep this tool and art alive is to learn it and use it ourselves! To a generation craving the simple and longing for the traditional ways that sustained generations- let’s bring it back and keep it alive!

Safety Tips

Knowing the proper safety involved with canning will eliminate unnecessary accidents and help you feel more confident. All canners come with a safety manual. I highly recommend reading that to know the specific safety features of your canner. Many of the newer models are equipped with safety features that reduce incidents. Here are a few other tips to help avoid incidents….

Always clean your food. Botulism and food poisoning can easily be avoided by properly washing your fruits and vegetables before canning. My preferred method is to soak them in baking soda and vinegar, then scrub them each by hand. As you are cleaning and cutting take notice of any bad spots on your produce. Remove these spots before canning and make sure all dirt has been removed.
Always sterilize your jars. Sterilizing your jars is just another preventative measure that will likely prevent bacteria growth in your preserved foods. Sterilizing sounds intimidating. It is simply allowing the jars to soak in boiling water for several minutes. This kills bacteria and guarantees safety.
Check your canner seal and other parts. Before using your pressure canner check the seal to make sure it is tight and there are no tears or flaws. The number one cause of pressure canning mishaps is an issue with the pressure not being contained to the canner (a seal issue).
Follow instructions in your manual. Many issues could be avoided if you simply read and follow all the instructions. This may seem like a hassle at first but the more you can the more confident you will become. Just like any skill you will retain more of the process the more you do it. For now read all the steps, double check yourself, and get familiar with the process.
Make slow temperature adjustments. Broken jars and canner explosions happen when quick adjustments are made to temperature. Have you ever accidentally poured boiling water over a cool glass? The glass breaks due to the extreme shifts in temperature. This happens in the canning process as well so be mindful that you are making slow adjustments as needed.
Do not open your pressure canner lid immediately! Steam burns hurt and can be extremely dangerous. Allow the canner to cool before opening the lid immediately. Due to the large size of the pot, often the lid can be right at face/neck level. If for some reason you need to open the canner before it cools, open the lid away from your face and use mits on your hands.

Steps to Canning and Preserving Food

Wash food well. Use 2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar in warm water. Allow food to soak then scrub with hands removing all the dirt.
Sterilize jars in boiling water.
Fill the canner 3/4 full of water and boil on high heat. This can take a little while.
Cut or process the produce as necessary. Make sure to cut out any rotten spots on your produce.
Fill your jars. Pack the jars following the instructions on your recipe. Many recipes call for an inch or 1/2 inch of headspace. This simply means space at the top between the lid and your food.
Screw on the lids. Make sure the rings are placed properly around the jars and that they are tight.
Place the jars in the canner. Try to space them evenly in a circle rotation (like you are making a flower). You can place jars in the middle as well. Keep the jars from touching each other. This reduces breakage.
Adjust water. Water should be about half and inch to one inch above the jar lids. Take out or add water as needed.
Place lid on canner and begin processing time. Processing time always begins when the water comes to a complete boil, or, for a pressure canner when the pressure weight on the top begins to shake.
Keep an eye on temperature and adjust as needed. You want a constant, steady boil or (for pressure canner) a steady shaking of the pressure regulator (the weight). If the boil gets too high or the regulator begins shaking violently slowly turn temperature down.
When processing time is complete turn heat off and allow canner to cool.
Remove jars after canner has cooled.
Allow jars to cool and seal (24-48 hours).
Check the seals by pushing in the middle of the lid. If it makes a popping sound the lid did not fully seal. If there is no give in the lid your jars are fully sealed and can be stored in a cool dry place for as long as your recipe calls for.

*For foods that are already cooked- skip step one and four.

Where to Begin with Long Term Preservation

After consuming all this information you may be wondering, “Where do I start?” The easiest place to begin is right here! Gathering information. Do not get overly consumed with this step. Get just enough info to get started then…

Decide which canning options right for you. I suggest starting with a water bath canner and learning to can things like pickles and salsa before stepping up to a pressure canner. They are safer, more cost effective, and a great place to begin! Get your water bath canner here then join our email list so you do not miss out on easy water canning methods for pickles and salsa coming later this month!

You will also need pint sized and quart sized glass jars with lids and rings. You will also need the ingredients for whatever you are preserving. That’s all! With just a little information and a bit of equipment you can start preserving your own food in your own home.

Looking for a great place to get quality, organic ingredients at prices you can afford? Try my friends over at Thrive Market! Thrive is dedicated to bringing you brands you can trust to have better ingredients delivered right to your door. Find things like cooking oils, cleaning supplies, snacks, drinks, and more! You can get 25% off your first order and a FREE gift up to $60 when you click my link below!
Click Here to Get Started!

The easiest way to begin is to pick one food you want to can and master that one food. You will be mastering the method as you go as well! Pickles are a great place to begin if you and your family are a consumers. They are made with simple ingredients and are just about the easiest things to preserve while also giving you the full preservation experience. They can be canned in the water bath which is also the easier of the two canning methods. If you are wanting to familiarize yourself with preservation but are not quite ready for a canner try refrigerator pickles!

What you Need to Begin Canning

This was vaguely stated in the section above. Here is a complete list of everything you need to begin canning…

Water Bath Canner and/or Pressure Canner
Quart glass Mason jars
Pint glass Mason jars
Pickling salt
Ingredients for what you are canning
Lid Tightener (optional; hands work just as well)
Jar lifter for warm jars (optional; can wait until the jars cool)

Join our email list so you don’t miss out on recipes, how to’s, and more on canning and preserving! Our new printable e-book all about canning and preserving will be available soon! Follow along on Instagram @littlewifeinthewoods for more content weekly.

Recipes