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Which Method to Use for Processing

Foods to process via water bath canning

Fruit (with the exception of bananas and melons, they can’t be safely water bath canned by
themselves. Some recipes exist for using them in a combination recipe with other acidic fruits in
jellies and jams, but only used a recipe from an approved and tested source like the Ball Book of
Canning or USDA website, etc.)

Fruit spreads and sauces

Jams and Jellies
Chutneys
Marmalades
Preserves (made from fruit)
Pickles
Pie fillings
Relishes
Salsa (only with recipes specific for canning)
Tomatoes (with added acid)

Foods to process via pressure canning

Beef
Chicken (with and without the bones)
Clams
Duck
Fish
Lamb
Pork (including pork chops and ham, but not bacon by itself)
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Rabbit
Shrimp
Soup and Soup Stocks (aka broth)
Turkey
Vegetables (including vegetable sauces like spaghetti sauce and combination recipes like
soup, stews, and chili)

Foods that can be processed both in a water bath or pressure

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You may successfully can your fruit in the pressure canner as well, just be careful to
follow the processing time carefully as fruits are easier to overcook while canning them
in the pressure canner and they’ll be mushier.
One of the advantages to using a pressure canner for some of the typically water bathed
food is you use less water and my pressure canner heats up faster than my fully loaded
water bath canner.
Applesauce (this is a sauce to begin with, so I don’t worry about it over cooking and I
prefer the pressure canner due to time)
Apple Pie Filling
Fruits
Tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Tomato Juice

The DO NOT Can at Home List:

1. Dairy products

2. Grain and wheat products (including pasta and noodles)

3. Fats (no canning bacon *except a small amount in approved pressure canning recipes* or
butter, despite what someone on Pinterest says)
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4. Eggs- even pickled (these are for your fridge and cold storage only)

5. Mashed or pureed vegetables (no pumpkin butter or pumpkin pie filling canned at home)

6. Sage (it turns bitter when canned)

7. Thickeners such as flour, cornstarch, tapioca, or arrowroot. Either use approved canning
products like Cleargel or add your thickener when cooking or baking.

8. Dry beans that have not been prepared properly for canning