Jars that will be filled with food and processed for less than 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner need to be sterilized by boiling in water for 10 minutes. If you are at an altitude of 1000 feet or more, boil an additional minute for each additional 1000 feet of altitude. Fruit Preparation Gather fruits and vegetables early in the morning when they are at their peak of quality. Do not use over-ripe products. Gather or purchase only as much as you can prepare within 2 or 3 hours.
Dirt contains some of the bacteria that are hardest to kill.
The cleaner the raw foods, the more effective the preserving process. Do not can decayed or damaged fruit. Water Bath Canners Fill the kettle with the appropriate amount of hot water and begin heating it on the range. The water bath requires 1 to 2 inches of water above the tops of jars. This can be difficult to determine before the filled jars are in place but after a batch or two you will learn how much water you you have to add.