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Newsflash
Low-acid additions can make your jams and jellies unsafe—Here’s why:
Low-acid additions can make your jams and jellies unsafe—Here’s why:
When it comes to home canning, safety is more important than flavor. Adding low-acid ingredients—such as jalapeños (and even pickled jalapenos) or other low acid ingredients—to jams or jellies that haven’t been tested with them can make the final pH unpredictable. These types of changes could raise the pH to a level where harmful bacteria can grow. While sugar in large amounts can help slow microbial growth, safe preservation depends on the exact ratio of fruit to sugar to low acid ingredients and sometimes added acid. Without a tested recipe that accounts for the peppers, there’s no guarantee the product will be safe for shelf storage.
When canning, it is essential to use only recipes that have been scientifically tested and validated for safety. Below are two pepper jelly/jam recipes that meet these standards.
Please note: do not substitute the type of fruit in these recipes, as safety testing has not been conducted for variations.
A safe way to add extra flavor to your jams and jellies is by incorporating a small amount (1 teaspoon or less) of herbs or other flavorings into a tested fruit recipe. For example, basil can be added to strawberry jam, or vanilla to cherry jelly, without compromising safety. For more safe substitutions, please check out this guide: https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2024-03/fn2102.pdf
August 2025
Newsflash
Revised recommendations for stock/broth concentrates – June 25, 2025
Broth or stock concentrates, such as bouillon cubes, powders, or base pastes, should only be used in home canning recipes when the recipe specifically calls for liquid broth or stock—and they must be fully dissolved in water according to the manufacturer’s instructions before being added.
Key Points:
Broth and stock may be used interchangeably in up-to-date pressure canning recipes from reliable sources. Research accounted for the differences in broth and stock composition.
Reconstitute broth or stock concentrates by dissolving them in water according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If the recipe does not include broth or stock as an ingredient, do not add any.
Do not add a bouillon cube or other concentrate that has not been reconstituted directly to a recipe.
Do not substitute broth or stock for other liquids (e.g., water, juice) in boiling water canning recipes.
Newsflash
Can I can ground turkey?
Can I can ground turkey?
Answer: The NCHFP does not have a process developed specifically for canning ground turkey. Ground turkey is approved for use exclusively in the Spaghetti sauce with meat recipe. This option does not appear in the USDA guidelines (last updated in 2015) because it was introduced after those revisions, so you will see this update in So Easy To Preserve and in our website but not at the USDA guide.
This is NOT a generalization that allows for other substitutions, like using the ground beef process for all ground turkey. This is a recipe-specific allowance and should not be generalized.
Newsflash
Is it safe for jars to be submerged in a pressure canner?
The National Center for Home Food Preservation advises that jars should not be fully submerged in water during pressure canning. Steam is more efficient at transferring heat when jars are not submerged, as it releases latent heat when it condenses on cooler surfaces. Too much water reduces steam, slowing heat transfer and potentially causing inadequate heating inside the jar. Tested recipes are designed for steam-dominant processing, and deviating from this could affect safety and effectiveness.
Note: Regular and wide-mouth Mason-type, threaded, home-canning jars with self-sealing lids are the best choice. Always follow the recipe. Some foods (e.g., smoked fish) may require more water, so adhere to USDA guidelines for specific foods.
Newsflash
Can I Double the Recipe?
The National Center for Home Food Preservation advises against doubling recipes for home canning for several important reasons:
Jams and Jellies: Doubling recipes can disrupt the balance of ingredients, potentially preventing the batch from setting properly. It also increases the cooking time, which may result in undesirable textures such as rubberiness or even burning of the jam or jelly.
All Recipes: Doubling a recipe can negatively affect the quality of the final product. It may cause uneven cooking before processing and increase food safety risks, as the additional product may sit in jars for extended periods before processing. This can result in a lower initial temperature, potentially leading to underprocessing.
For optimal safety and quality, it is recommended to prepare home-canned goods in individual batches as directed in the recipe.
Newsflash
Celebrate Giving Tuesday with the National Center for Home Food Preservation!
This Giving Tuesday, help the National Center for Home Food Preservation continue its mission to empower individuals and families to safely preserve food at home. Your generous donation will support our efforts in providing reliable, research-based information and resources to ensure safe food preservation practices across the country.
By giving today, you’re supporting:
Educational materials on safe canning, freezing, drying, and fermenting
Ongoing research to enhance food preservation knowledge
Workshops and training programs for Extension agents to provide up-to-date information in their communities.
Join us in making a lasting impact and ensuring that home food preservation continues to be safe and accessible for everyone. Donate today and help us spread the joy of preserving food safely for generations to come.
Newsflash
May canned food be reprocessed if the lid does not seal?
Sometimes a jar in a canner load fails to seal upon cooling. This may happen because of a cracked or nicked jar, or perhaps because food is fouling the jar rim where the lid sits. Due to loss of quality, reprocessing of jars is not recommended.
If you do reprocess, follow these steps for a safe product:
1. Re-process within 24 hours. For a safe final product, you must have followed an up-to-date research-tested recipe on your first attempt, and you must reprocess within 24 hours.
2. Remove the lid and empty the contents of the jar into a large pot and heat to boiling.
3. Fill a clean jar with the heated food, remove air bubbles, and top with a new lid.
4. Reprocess using a tested recipe for a hot-pack product. If there is no tested hot-pack recipe, the product may not be safely reprocessed.
If you did not follow a tested recipe on the first try, all jars, sealed or unsealed, may be unsafe and should be discarded.
To preserve quality of food where jars failed to seal (and discovered within 24 hours of initial canning), refrigerate the jars and consume contents within one week. Unsealed jars may also be frozen for up to one year, be sure to adjust headspace to 1” before freezing.
Safe home canning: the importance of using tested recipes
Whether you are home canning as a hobby, entering your products in local fairs, or preserving food for your family, it is essential to prioritize food safety. Due to safety concerns, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) strongly advises using only tested recipes from reliable sources for all home canning. Sources include the USDA, NCHFP, and other university extension resources. While you may find many canning tips and recipes online, not all of them are safe or accurate—just because it's on the internet doesn't make it true. Using untested or unsafe methods can increase the risk of foodborne illness, particularly botulism, a potentially fatal illness caused by improper canning practices. By following tested recipes, you ensure safe preservation techniques that protect your health and prevent contamination by dangerous microorganisms.
Newsflash
Why Should You Peel Tomatoes Before Canning?
The National Center for Home Food Preservation continues to recommend peeling tomatoes for canning, unless specified otherwise, because most tested recipes were developed with the skins removed, and the processing times are based on peeled tomatoes. Skins may interfere with heat penetration during the canning process, leading to under-processing and potentially unsafe products. Additionally, removing the skins not only enhances safety by reducing the bacterial load but also improves the texture and flavor of the finished product. Tomato skins tend to leave tough, chewy bits and can impart a bitter taste to your canned goods.
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 was reviewed and updated in 2020. Chapters in the 388-page book include Preserving Food, Canning, Pickled Products, Sweet Spreads and Syrups, Freezing and Drying.