Canned food makes an excellent addition to any kitchen. Not only is it convenient, but it’s also a great way to store and preserve food for later use.
However, if you don’t properly seal canned food, the contents can spoil quickly or worse, become contaminated with bacteria. Here’s what you need to know about safely sealing canned food.
Step 1: Clean the Canning Lids
The first step in safely sealing canned food is to clean the canning lids. This helps prevent contamination of the food and ensures that the lid will form a proper seal. Before you place the lid on top of the jar, make sure that it is clean and free of any dirt or debris.
Step 2: Place Lids On Jars
Once you have cleaned the lids, you can place them on top of your jars. Make sure that each lid sits tightly against the rim of its corresponding jar. If there are any gaps or air pockets between the lid and jar, your food may spoil.
Step 3: Heat Process The Jars
The next step in sealing canned food is to heat process the jars. This involves submerging them in boiling water for a period of time – usually around 10-15 minutes – which helps to create a vacuum seal inside each jar. This vacuum seal helps preserve the contents by preventing air and bacteria from entering.
Step 4: Allow Jars To Cool
After heat processing your jars, allow them to cool before opening them. This ensures that a proper vacuum seal has been created inside each jar, which will help keep your food fresh for longer.
Conclusion:
Sealing canned food is an important part of preserving it for later use. By following these steps – cleaning lids, placing lids on jars, heat processing jars and allowing them to cool – you can ensure that your canned foods stay safe and fresh for weeks or even months!