Canning Pickles

The tradition of pickling is believed to be started in Mesopotamia around 2030 BC. From that period, pickles of various types have been relished by people across the globe. This tradition has been carried forward throughout the centuries, and nowadays many people prefer to make pickles of their own rather than buying the ready-made ones. But the art of pickling is not complete unless you preserve the pickles through the process of canning. Canning enhances the shelf life of pickles by preventing the entry and proliferation of microbes in this food item. Most people avoid the canning process because they think that it is a very complicated task. Scroll down to get a comprehensive view about home canning pickles.

Methods of Canning Pickles

The process of canning started with the efforts of the humans to preserve and store food materials for use during adverse conditions. Although various methods were adopted by people, there was no single method which enjoyed universal acceptance. The history of the canning process can be traced back to the initial stages of Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815), the French Government announced a reward for those coming up with the best method to preserve food material for a long time. The government had to store large amount of food material in order to supply them to the army. This led to the invention of the method of canning by a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert. As he was aware of the fact that food cooked inside a jar did not spoil unless the seals leaked, he developed a method of sealing food in glass jars to increase their shelf life. With time, this method became advanced with the introduction of special canning equipment and machinery, which were designed separately for both commercial and household purposes. Various methods were also developed for canning pickles.

The most widely used among the methods of canning pickles at home are the boiling water bath method and the pressure canner method. Both of these methods aim to destroy the microorganisms that spoil the food item through the process of heating. The difference between these methods lies in the utensils used for heating and the temperature. The pickles in air tight canning jars are heated to a particular temperature which kills the microorganisms. The air inside the jar is driven out during the process. Once the jar and its contents get cool, a vacuum seal is formed inside which prevents the re-entry of air back into the jar which may contaminate the food. Thus, the process of canning pickles helps to preserve the pickles for a longer time as compared to those that are not canned. Above all, it is safe to consume canned pickles than those which are not canned.

Canning Low Acid and High Acid Foods

The method of canning is different for foods with low acid content and those with high acid content. Those food items with high acid content can be canned safely by the boiling water bath method of canning, which cooks the food material at a temperature of 212°F. High acid foods include tomatoes and most of the fruits. Even though vegetables like cucumber, beet, beans, etc., are low in acid content, the pickled versions can be canned by the boiling water bath method, as the pickles contain vinegar which is acidic. Food items with low acid content like carrots, corn, peas, un-pickled vegetables, meats, poultry and seafood should be canned by the pressure canner method, which allows to cook at a temperature of 240°F. The steam trapped while cooking by this method allows the high temperature to reach the food material. This high temperature is necessary for the safe preservation of low acid foods. Compared to the boiling water bath method, the pressure canner method is a little bit complicated and expensive.

Boiling Water Bath Method of Canning Pickles

The home canning equipment required for the boiling water bath method are canning jars - which are specially made for the purpose of canning, a large covered water bath canner (with a capacity to hold and immerse the pickle jars with 1 to 2 inches of water covering the top of the lids), a wire basket or rack to fit inside the canner and hold the jars, a jar lifter to take out the processed pickle jars, a wide mouth canning funnel to fill the contents in the jar, and a non-metallic spatula. While selecting the jars, make sure that you are choosing the wide-mouthed ones without any scratches and breaks. It is always better to use these specially-made jars for canning and preserving pickles, as they can be reused. It is not advisable to use the bottles of some commercial products like mayonnaise and jams, as these jars are not tempered enough to serve the purpose of canning.

The first and foremost thing to do is to sterilize the pickle jars along with the lids, using hot, soapy water. Rinse and air dry the canning jars and lids. Now prepare the pickle of your choice and fill it in the jars, which are already sterilized, with the help of a wide-mouthed funnel. Use a non-metallic spatula to run through the contents of the jar in order to release the air bubbles trapped in it. Make sure that the content is one inch below the level of the rim. Now you have to clean the jars with a clean cloth and close them with the lids. Don't make the lids too tight. Pour some water to the canner and place the rack that holds the canning jars in it. Add more water so that the water level is one to two inches above the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the canner tightly, simmer the heat and start the timer. Most recipes provide the timespan for boiling and for pickles, it will be around five to ten minutes. When the processing time is completed, turn off the heat and remove the jar rack from the canner using a jar lifter. Keep the rack with the jars over a clean towel and let it cool for about 24 hours.

Once the jars are cool, you have to check the vacuum seal. It can be done by tapping the lid with a spoon lightly. If it is a good seal, you can hear a bell tone instead of a 'clunk'. Make sure by pressing the top of the lid. Good seals do not move down when you press with your fingers. Now you can store the canned pickles, but the canning jars which are not properly sealed should be right away stored in the refrigerator. Those which are sealed properly can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place, like the basement or a cupboard.

Pressure Canner Method for Canning Pickles

Pressure canning is considered to be a safe method of preserving low acid food items like vegetables, meats, poultry and seafood. A special pressure cooker is used for the purpose of canning pickles. Pressure processing is necessary to kill a microorganism called Clostridium botulinum which are destroyed by heating the food items at a temperature of 240° F. Though most of the microbes are killed at boiling temperature, the spores of Clostridium botulinum can withstand these temperatures and continue to grow in the food item. As they grow, they release botulinum toxins which can be detrimental for the health of those who consume the food item. Hence, it is very much necessary to use the pressure canner method for low acidic foods.

The method is same as that of the boiling water bath method until you fill the canning jars with pickles. You have to keep the jars in the special pressure cooker which is meant for the purpose of canning, and add water to the cooker so as to fill two to three inches (the amount of water to be added should be as the per the instructions of the cooker manufacturer). Unlike the boiling water bath method, in this process you don't have to immerse the jars in water. Allow the water to boil on a high heat setting with the cooker closed with the lid, but the vent should be open. As the water boils for ten minutes, the steam inside the cooker pushes out the air inside, and the cooker is filled with steam and boiling water. As per theory, the temperature inside the cooker will be around 240° F at that time. Now simmer the heat, close the vent and check the pressure gauge. As the gauge shows the desired pressure, simmer the heat and cook for around 10 to 15 minutes (time varies with the size of jars and the food items). Turn off the heat and allow the cooker to cool and the pressure to vent. Once the cooker is open, take out the canning jars and the rest of the process is the same as that of boiling water bath method. However, to ensure best results, you have to be very careful in following the instructions of the manufacturer while using this special pressure cooker.

These methods of canning pickles are very popular and are used widely as per the food items to be processed. Canning pickles is a process which is aimed at the safety of the pickle consumers, as the pickles which are not properly canned may become a breeding ground for disease-causing microbes. These microbes can cause diseases like botulism and other types of food poisoning. Therefore, it is very important to have awareness about the proper method of canning pickles to avoid health problems.