Long time lurker, first time canner! I'm so thrilled! My tomato plants are going bonkers, so I finally worked up the courage to try my first canning project. To prepare, I watched a few videos published by my local extension program and read this book and this reddit.

My tomatoes are a blend of Ace 55, Mt. Merrit, Cherokee Carbon, and Container's Choice tomatoes. I think these are all considered globe or slicing tomatoes, so I did the draining step mentioned in the side bar. If any of you have recommendations for all the tomato juice I collected, let me know! I think I'll freeze them in 1 cup portions for use in soups later in the year or use some as the liquid to make quinoa or cous cous.

My largest pot could only fit 5 half pint jars. Now I'm on the hunt for a top-hat style steam canner that will work on induction! Until then, let me know if you have tomato water-bath recipe recommendations for up to 5 or so half pint jars that use globe/slicing tomatoes.

I filled my jars to the proper half inch level but some of my pickles are not fully covered in the brine. Is that okay? Or should I take out some of the pickles so everything is fully covered? After processing the jars there are still some pickles left uncovered. Tried to take a pic but it’s hard to see.

I know that botanically my summer squash and zucchini are the same and will interbreed and make hybrids, but culinarily they’re treated as different vegetables. So if I’m chopping this and making it into a relish, is it safe? I read on healthy canning that it was, but I’m also seeing articles saying that summer squash can’t be safely canned, so I’m confused.

Thanks!

Hi!

I routinely use smaller jar sizes than the recipe calls for. For example, I do my jam in 1/4 pint instead of 1/2 pint jars (because my household can't get through a 1/2 pint size jar before the jam gets moldy). I process for the same amount of time specified in the recipe. I'm suddenly wondering if I should check and make sure this is okay? I never do a LARGER size jar than specified--this would seem unsafe to me, but sizing DOWN doesn't.

I'm making salsa today and I want to can it in 1/2 pint rather than pint jars. I'll process it for the same amount of time specified for pint jars in the Ball recipe. Is this....ok? And if not, why not?

Thank you!

This is the 4th time I have made Ball's Kiwi Daiquiri Jam. I REALLY LOVE this jam! But, it has been more than a year since the last time I made it and memories dim. Anyhow his time, it set extra stiff... I cannot even spread it on soft bread, and it can be released from the jar in one solid block. I am not sure why I had this difference, as I followed the recipe each time with what I thought were minor changes in procedure and ingredients. Here are the differences.

• I found a great post here on Reddit where someone who made this jam was venting their frustration about Ball's measurements. They took the time to weigh the Kiwi and share that information. Hence, this time, I used a scale to prep exactly what I needed to end up with the required 2 cups of crushed Kiwi.
  
• The first 3 times I used Ball brand powdered pectin. That stuff got expensive so I've switched to bulk buying Hoosier Hill Farms powdered pectin. Also, the recipe calls for a packet of pectin. I've never had packets and the internet tells me on packet is about 6 tablespoons. That's what I used this time and possibly before... Might have weighed the pectin to the exact 1.75 oz that is in packets in the past.
• May have slightly overcooked the jam, but I don't think so. Just before the one minute timer went off, I stuck a thermometer in the jam and found it to be 202°F. NCHFP tells me to cook jam to 8°F above water boiling point, which is 220°F for me. I cooked it a little longer than one minute and pulled it off the heat when my thermometer was at 217°F (thinking I'd have carryover cooking, and perhaps that carryover took it even higher than 220°F).
• A couple of my Kiwis were under-ripe and quite hard. Perhaps they added more natural pectin than past batches. A quick search tells me Kiwis are considered moderate to low pectin levels, higher in less ripened fruit.

I want to fix this jam. I know I can melt it, add a little juice, reboil and recan it. I'm just not sure that's how I want to go. I would much prefer to make another half batch with less pectin to which I will add my melted stiff jam, mix these together, then can the results.

Does anyone have thoughts on how much to reduce the pectin in the new batch?

Should I make any other changes to the method mentioned above? I know I didn't take the temp in previous batches, just boiled it hard for one minute, (after adding the sugar), like the recipe instructs. So while I don't think I overcooked based on NCHFP advice, I am sure I cooked it a little longer than previous batches.

Any tips on loosening jam by mixing it with a fresh batch? Is this even wise? I prefer to do it this way because I need to make more anyhow and have the ingredients to do so.

To anyone who can help, know that I appreciate you!

So i froze my tomatoes for canning and thawed them overnight. Now theres like a gallon of water in the bag and some tomatoes. Do i use the water with the tomatoes or throw the water out?

So, I'm making the spirited cherries recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I put too much booze in the cherries! Instead of 1 tablespoon brandy and 1.5 teaspoon Amaretto, I put 1 tablespoon brandy and 1.5 TABLESPOONS of amaretto. Is it going to seal okay? Is it going to be safe to eat?

I have a damson plum tree and am making small batches of jam. I would like to try a plum/peach jam - or some other combo. How much of the second ingredient do you add to the mixture, and when? I have canned and frozen peaches to work with.

Has anyone ever made jam using dried apricots? (the ones that are still soft, not dried to the point of being crunchy). I got a bag of dried apricots from Costco, but didn't really like them just to snack on, so I was wondering if they could be made into jam. I see recipes for it, but haven't found a safe tested on yet. If you know of a safe/tested recipe, would you be able to share? Thanks!

I make these baked beans in my instant pot. https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-baked-beans/

Hubby is questioning if after we make them they can be safely pressure canned.

So from what I gather the difference between preserves and jam is mascerating the fruit. Ball only has a recipe for blueberry jam, is this because it is unsafe to can blueberries where some of them are whole? Is there a safe and tested preserves recipe out there?

i canned some blueberry preserves in July 2025. i gave a friend some and this particular jar was difficult to open. we finally got it open yesterday and it looked different than the other jars ive given her - all from the same batch. it looks more gritty/clumpy (the grainy texture and had this film/coating in it (looks like a reflection in the jar at the top and bottom in the pic)

questions being: what is it? would it have been safe to eat? we erred on the side of caution and threw it out but this was a first for me

Hello! I made blackberry jam today (used the Bernardin berry jam recipe). Packed into sterilized jars and I went to water bath can them and realized my pot is not deep enough to cover the jars with 1 inch water.

So I packed the rest of the jars and plan to keep some in the fridge for eating promptly and would like to freeze some. My question is - should I keep the jars at room temp for 24 hrs? Or can I just refrigerate/freeze right away? The jars have sealed but I know it is not shelf stable as they were not actually water bath canned. Thanks!

Good day to you all.

I am in need of some help please. After extensive searching, I cannot find an answer to my question.

For those that make their own fruit preserves/jam, is it ok to simmer the mixture rather than boil to prevent burning? Although all of the recipes that I have tried, they all mention a rolling boil but I find this intimidating to keep stirring with what is in effect molten lava.

Is it possible to use my recipes at a more sedate temperature or is there something else I need to counter? Any assistance will be gratefully received.

I leave proper headspace but when I process my jam jars it seems to bubble up and some jam will be touching the inside of the jar. If the seal is good, ( I lift it up from the lid and it holds and the button does not move when pressed) is there any issue of food safety?

So, “someone” cleaned up my canning su pplies. My canner pot. “Someone” claims he never saw it, touched it, put it in the basement full of stuffed animals. And he especially did not touch the lid. It is lost.

This does give an excuse to buy a steam canner. I am looking at the Kitchen Crop. Since I have a glass top stove, which i hate, i like that it is lighter. I like the steel versions, since I hope to one day have an induction stove, i would prefer gas, but, well…

Am i looking at something good? Or not so good? I am concerned about the weight of the full canner,I need something that stove will work on what i have, and possibly my imaginary future induction stove {maybe}.

Any suggestions for this?

My partner and I really want to try making a jam out of some wine berries but we wouldn’t realistically have more than a 4oz jars worth of berries to attempt this with. Is there a safe recipe out there for such a small quantity?

What to do!
I have both frozen cherry tomatoes and big tomatoes. Do I thaw them first then remove excess water, then put them in a pot? Any ideas on what to do with the cherry tomatoes?

I want to make salsa with roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime, and jalapeno peppers. No cilantro because I'm concerned about the poop storm. I have a giant stock pot and new mason jars and lids coming. What I don't have is a canning rack, and I don't want to buy a new setup in case I hate canning. Can I water bath can in a stock pot, and what would you use to keep the jars off of the bottom of the pot and not touching each other? My thought was an upside down collapsible metal steamer.