cukes slicedThe first time I canned it was water bath canning. I used a canning pot I bought at a yard sale and did it without use of the proper kitchen tools, like tongs. I used some I already owned that weren’t meant for canning. It worked but it was dangerous. Do you know how hard it is to pick up a hot jar out of boiling water with regular kitchen tools? It’s not easy.
The next go around, I went onto the Big A and ordered a canning kit that came with the tongs. Talk about easier! The tongs open easily and fit easily around the tops of the jars. The tongs have a rubberized covering over the tong part making it even easier, less slippage.
Most canning kits these days, like this Presto 7 Function Canning Kit“>Presto canning kit, come with several handy tools. There’s a wide mouth funnel to make it easier to actually get the produce in the jar (trust me it’s easier than a piece of milk carton plastic taped together into a rough funnel shape), two kinds of tongs, one for pickin g up hot goods (like lid rings) and one for lifting jars. A magnetic lid lifter (you need this!), a bubble remover (for getting extra air out of tightly packed produce) and a jar wrench for sticky bands.
This canning accessory kit is a must for anyone starting to can. Quite affordable and worth every cent.
It’s that time of the year. Let’s make some food gifts this year!
