The Canner's Tool Box

The Canner's Tool Box

So you've never canned anything before. Have no fear. With the right kitchen and canning tools, your first canning experience will be much more enjoyable than if you were unprepared. But you certainly need the best kitchen tools you can afford because the right tools will serve you on evey canning job for a long time. Some of the canning tools you will need, such as knives, measuring cups, and colanders, are probably already in your kitchen. Other canning tools, such as  a jar lifter or a lid wand, are unique to canning and will require a minimal investment. 

You likely already have the basic canning and preserving tools: measuring cups for dry and liquid ingredients, measuring spoons, potholders, kitchen towels and paper towels, heat-resistant rubber spatulas, vegetable peeler, lemon juicer, cutting board, and scissors for opening food packages. If not, they are readily available here at Canology. Of course when it comes to canning tools, nothing is more basic than a canner. Depending on the types of food you intend to can, you will need either a pressure canner (low acid foods) or a water bath canner (high acid foods). Additionally, the following basic tools are essential to your canning and preserving projects.

• Knives: You will require three basic types of knives: a paring knife, a multipurpose knife with a 6-inch blade, and an 8- or 10-inch chef’s knife. Stamped or forged blades or blades made of stainless or high carbon steel are recommended.

  Tip: Be sure to maintain your knives razor-sharp and properly store them. Remember a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. 

• Spoons: Keep several, non-reactive metal cooking sppons on hand. Stainless steel, anodized aluminum, glass, enameled cast iron, or wooden spoons will not react with the foods you are preparing.

• Tongs: Tongs are invaluable and versatile for many types of kitchen tasks. They help you easily move large food portions out of hot water or grease. 

• Ladle: We recommend heat resistant ladles that feature generous pouring spouts for canning tasks. 

• Box grater: A box grater is indispensable for shredding and grating. 

• Timer:  Timers are extremely important for canning recipes because getting the timing wrong can have fatal consequences. GET AND USE A TIMER for all canning recipes. 

  

• Potato masher: We all know what these are for, right? Quicklysmashing your cooked fruits or vegetables.

• Melon baller: Use the melon baller to easily remove the seeds from a halved cucumber without having the seeds end up all over your kitchen.

• Corer: Save time and use a corer to remove apple cores without damaging the fruit (or cutting your hand). 

• Waterproof pens and markers: Recording the production date of your canned foods is extremely important so only use waterproof markers.

• Labels: You can add style to your creations by customizing your own labels on your home computer. Or you can from My Own Labels.

• Candy thermometer: A candy thermometer measures the temperature of cooked foods. 

• Microplane grater: This tool removes the zest from citrus fruit.

  

Pots, pans, mixing bowls, and more

• Pots: You will need a good quality, heavy duty pots which will provide even heat distribution for your canning projects.

• Saucepans: Saucepans from 1 to 3 quarts are recommended. 

• Mixing bowls: You will need a variety of glass or stainless steel mixing bowl sizes. 

  
  

• Colander: Colanders are just the right tools for washing and draining your fruits and vegetables.