Are Old Canning Recipes Safe to Use?

Reader Contribution by Robin Mather
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I found a treasure trove of my grandmother’s canning recipes and am eager to use them. They use some interesting techniques, such as canning in the oven and flipping the hot, filled jars instead of using a water bath canner. Are there reasons why I shouldn’t use these canning recipes?

When it comes to safe methods for canning foods, this is one instance in which modern advice is better than old-time techniques. The best way to be sure your home-canned foods are safe is to use only recipes that you know have been tested and verified safe by food scientists, who have learned a lot about food preservation over the years.

Two top publications are the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture publication, So Easy to Preserve (fifth edition), which includes 184 tested recipes along with complete details for safe home canning, and the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Another excellent source is Fresh Preserving, a website hosted by the Ball Corp., which manufactures jars and lids for home canning. This website includes more than 200 tested canning recipes.

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