Home Canning Meat, Poultry, Fish and Vegetables

Book excerpt: What makes "Home Canning Meat, Poultry, Fish and Vegetables" unique is that it simplifies the procedures that are used by the canning industry to process low-acid foods (meat, fish, vegetables). This knowledge enables readers to safely can their products at home. There is a thorough discussion of metal cans, can sealers and their operation, double seam defects, and more, all supported with many images and diagrams. Pressure canners and canning in glass jars is covered in detail. In addition, there is a large collection of recipes, both for glass jars and metal cans. This work is based on the U.S. government requirements as specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, with all relevant links listed. Home canned products do not fall under the jurisdiction of government agencies so the rules are not enforced. Therefore, home canned products account for the majority of food poisoning cases. The commercial production of low-acid foods (meat, fish, vegetables) is highly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and rightly so, since people get sick and die from eating tainted food. After studying this book, a newcomer to the art of canning will be able to safely process foods at home in both glass and metal containers.