When I began canning, I had very little equipment: a large stock pot with a lid and mason jars.
Water bath canning was a new hobby. Our garden was blossoming into something wonderful and learning to preserve it was an important skill I was eager to learn. Initially, I was hesitant to invest in a full range of canning supplies, unsure if my newfound interest would continue long-term. Yet, food preservation became a simple living tradition that I anticipate each year. I discovered the essential canning supplies I needed, that I wished I had when I started and now, can’t preserve without.
My Canning Essentials
Mason Canning Jars
Suitable for water bath canning and pressure canning, canning jars come in different sizes. You can purchase them in regular mouth or wide mouth, depending on the need. Over time you will determine what your needs are, what you preserve most and what size jar you prefer to use for each canning project.
Did you know? Mason jars aren’t just for water bath canning and pressure canning! Use them to store leftovers, dehydrated herbs and spices, fermenting or even as a vase.
Mason Canning Jar Lids
You will always need to buy additional lids, in both regular mouth and wide mouth. Once a lid seals in the canning process, you cannot reuse it to can again. You can either store your used lids separately for other storage needs or discard them.
Water Bath Canner
The easiest and most convenient way to start out is water bath canning. Most everything that a beginner canner needs to preserve is high in acidity and is safe to water bath canning:
- Tomatoes – Whole, Crushed, Diced, Sauce, Salsa
- Pickles
- Jams and Jellies
- Apples and Applesauce
- Juice – Cranberry, Grape and Blueberry
- Fruit – Sliced Peaches, Cherries
Because vegetables, broth and meat are low in acidity, you must preserve them using a pressure canner, not a pressure cooker.
Canning Accessories
If you are water bath canning or pressure canning, these accessories are a must have to make any canning project efficient.
Ball Canning Resources
Canning is a science. Ball has tested tried and true recipes that are shelf stable and has shared them with all of us on their website (my favorite resource) and a few published recipe books, like the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Bonus! A List of Canning Ingredients
Low Sugar Pectin
Many jam, jelly and preserve recipes contain ALOT of sugar. Thankfully, there is a low sugar pectin option for low sugar recipes, which we much prefer.
Bottled Lemon Juice
A bottle of lemon juice, made from lemon juice concentrate, guarantees 5% acidity, essential to safely water bath can jams, jellies, preserves, sauce, salsa and diced tomatoes.
Kosher Salt
While not required in all canning recipes, having the appropriate salt on hand is helpful and will keep your canning projects from discoloring over time. Use any Kosher, Non-Iodized, Pickling or Canning salt, as these don’t contain iodine.
Pickling Spice
Whether it’s Refrigerator Dill Pickles or Kosher Dill Pickles, pickling spice is a must when growing cucumbers! Ball Mixed Pickling Spice is a perfect if you like a little spice. I much prefer McCormick Pickling Spice. The balanced mixture of spices doesn’t carry as much heat. And, it has cinnamon in it, which gives a whole new level of flavor.
