Along with a sense of accomplishment, and a source of pride, home canning lets you control the ingredients and quality of the foods you eat. Boiling water baths for some produce, steam-pressure for others. But, being the nosey person that I am, I later wanted to know more. I found a book that has become my canning Bible. Balls Blue Book.
Ball recommends only two methods of canning.
The Boiling Water method and The Steam-Pressure method. The heat is transferred to the product by the boiling water which completely surrounds the jar and two-piece cap. Because the steam inside the canner is pressurized, it's temp exceeds the boiling point of water. I plan how much to can, what to plant and when to start my garden. I decide on the type of jars I am going to use, find the lids and bands and jars, long before the canning season to avoid everything being out of stock when canning day comes.