Serving You
The National Center for Home Food Preservation is your source for current research-based recommendations for most methods of home food preservation. The Center was established with funding from the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (CSREES-USDA) to address food safety concerns for those who practice and teach home food preservation and processing methods. Read More
How Do I?
Can
If you have not done home canning before or it has been a while since you last canned food, the General Information page can get you started.
Freeze
Freeze foods at 0°F or lower. Freeze foods as soon as they are packed and sealed. Leave a little space between packages so air can circulate freely. Read more freezing tips here.
Dry
Food dehydrators, small electrical appliances for drying foods, are available from many affordable sources. Read more about drying here.
Cure & Smoke
Historically, sausage is one of the oldest known forms of processed meat. Trimmings from beef, pork, lamb, birds make delicious and nutritious meals.
Ferment
The many varieties of fermented foods are classified by ingredients and method of preparation such as dill pickles and sauerkraut.
Pickle
The many varieties of pickled foods are classified by ingredients and method of preparation such as fruit pickles, relishes, chutneys, and pickled eggs.
Make Jam & Jelly
Jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are fruit products that are jellied or thickened. Most are preserved by sugar. Their individual characteristics depend on the kind of fruit used, the proportions of ingredients, and the method of cooking.
Store
Dried foods are susceptible to insect contamination and moisture reabsorption and must be properly packaged and stored. More information can be found here.
So Easy To Preserve
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension has now published a 6th edition of its popular book, So Easy To Preserve. The book is new as of September 2014. Chapters include Preserving Food, Canning, Pickled Products, Sweet Spreads and Syrups, Freezing and Drying. Ordering information is available on the So Easy to Preserve website.