How to Prepare and Seal Canning Jars

To ensure consistent results in home canning, use standard canning jars or jelly glasses with matching lids. An airtight seal is imperative. Examine each one carefully and discard those with covers that do not fit securely or those with cracked or chipped edges.

Wash the jars, glasses, lids and rings in hot, soapy water and rinse them with scalding water. Place them in a large, deep pot and pour in enough hot water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn off the heat and let the pan stand while you finish cooking the food that you plan to can. The jars or glasses must be hot when the food is placed in them.

In preparation for sealing glasses (not jars), grate a 4-ounce bar of paraffin into the top of a double boiler (preferably one with a pouring spout), and melt ii over hot water. Do not let the paraffin get so hot that it begins to smoke ; it will catch fire easily.

When the food is ready for canning, remove the jars or glasses from the pot with tongs and stand them upright on a level surface. Leave the lids and rings in the pot until you are ready to use them. Fill and seal the jars one at a time, filling each jar to within 1/8 inch of the top and each glass to within 1/2 inch of the top. Each jar should be sealed quickly and tightly with its ring and lid.

The jelly glasses should also be sealed at once. Pour a single thin layer of hot paraffin, over the surface of the jelly, making sure covers the jelly completely and touches all sides of the glass. If air bubbles appear on the paraffin, prick them immediately with a fork or the tip of a knife. Let the glasses rest until the paraffin cools and hardens; then cover them with metal lids.

NOTE: If there is not enough food to fill the last jar or glass completely, do not seal it. Refrigerate and use it as soon as possible.