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Step 1
Sterilize everything. The most important factor in preserving foods is to ensure that the food that is canned is safe for the people that will be consuming it. There are many ways that the contamination of the food can occur. Contaminated foods provide a breeding ground for bacteria and very easily can end up in spoiled food but even worse, with food poisoning occurring.
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Step 2
Wash something again if there is a chance that it touched something that wasn't sterile. Keeping a very organized work area will benefit you in a number of ways. Making sure that everything has a place and you are not in a hurry will help you keep your wits about you and not panic or make snap decisions that have long reaching effects.
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Step 3
Choose only the best produce for canning. Pick your produce at the peak of ripeness and process it immediately. Don't use fruit or vegetables that have bad spots or spoilage on them. Cut away the bad parts and then thoroughly wash the good parts.
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Step 4
Consult books or sites that explain canning and glean from them all the information that you will need for the foods that you will be canning. Methods of preparation before canning, canning time and pressure of the canning pot are all important to know.
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Step 5
Consider canning some of your favorite foods. Canning is not only a way of preserving fresh fruits and vegetables but is also a way to put away homemade soups, chili, or stew for the winter. For these kinds of foods there are also suggested pressures and times for the canner. You can also can meat all year round. Can fresh deer, beef and pork anytime. If a farm animal dies unexpectedly and was not diseased when they died, you can preserve the meat by canning it.
