How To Can Without A Canner Or Pressure Cooker?

Canning is a very reliable food preservation technique. However, the process needs certain specific equipment to be fulfilled properly. What can you do if you do not have them? Is it still possible to can the food?

Well, the answer is yes. But only if you do not have a canner or a pressure cooker. Canning can be made possible with a specific water bath canner or a pressure canner. You will still need the other equipment for safe canning.

And the best part is apart from these canners, you might already have all the other equipment in your kitchen. Canning jars are widely available in stores, so you need not worry about them. All you have to worry about is how to can without a canner.

Equipment You Need To Can Without A Canner

Here is a small list of all the important equipment you need to can your food at home. Check them out below:

canning jars- pint-sized jars, mason jars, or quart jars.
specific canning lids and bands.
a ladle and a pair of tongs.
Small canning racks.
paper towels or dry towels.

These are some basic equipment you need for canning. Now, you need to think about how well you can your food without a canner. Do not worry, this article will guide you through the steps to achieve maximum canning results.

What To Do If You Do Not Have a Water Bath Canner?

You already know that canning food is easier with a water bath canner, while it takes some technicalities to use a pressure canner. But what can you do if you do not have a water bath canner? Can you use any other large utensils instead?

Yes, you can any large utensil that can serve the purpose of a water bath canner. For example, you can go with a large pot or saucepan. Luckily these utensils are easily found in every kitchen, which means you can start with water-bathing food any time.

You might not have an actual water bath canner, but just pour water in a large pan and begin with the process. The steps and results will be the same as you would normally do with a canner, so there is nothing to worry about. Just follow the steps correctly.

Also, make sure that the pot you are using is large enough to hold the cans. Because the cans need to be completely submerged in the process, choose the utensil wisely. This process works perfectly for high-acid foods, such as jams, jellies, tomatoes, apricots, and more.

Note: While canning food, be very careful through the steps and follow a safe recipe, otherwise, botulism will spoil your food.

What To Do If You Do Not Have A Pressure Canner?

A pressure canner is suitable for low-acid foods such as vegetables, broths, or meat. The mechanism of a canner differs significantly from a water bath canner. Therefore, it might not be possible for you to can food if you do not have a pressure canner.

While the water canner can be accomplished with a large pot, the pressure canning method might not bring out the expected results without an actual pressure canner. So, it will be safe to say do not try pressure canning at home without a pressure canner.

Can You Reuse Old Glass Jars From The Kitchen For Canning?

You might have a lot of old unused glass jars on your kitchen shelf, right? For example, old sauce jars, jam jars, or any random glass jars with a proper lid. If you are thinking of using them in your canning process, you should immediately stop.

This is because these jars are not made to tolerate the heat during the canning process. And the sad part is, they will probably crack. Also, the lids might not as well seal tightly upon heating. Therefore, always avoid using old jars.

It is suggested that you always use specific canning jars (as mentioned in the equipment list above) for canning at home. These jars will also preserve the food better and seal tightly upon canning.

Can You Reuse The Canning Jars?

Yes, you can definitely reuse the canning jars, but you cannot reuse their lids. You will always have to use a new lid when you can food. This is because the sealing compounds of the lids will only seal adequately once. Their sealing property degrades after one use.

Therefore, the canning lids will no longer be reliable after one use. If you can your food frequently, you can buy multiple lids at a time. The jars are anyway going to be used for all your subsequent canning processes.