Can I Can Food Without Using A Canner?

“Hi! I’ve been given a bunch of surplus fruit and vegetables and thought I’d extend my food preservation skills by canning them. However, I don’t have one of those fancy canners and was wondering if it’s even possible to can without one? If so, is there anything I should be cautious about doing it this way? I’m not new to food preservation but I’m hesitant because everyone always swears by their canners. Thanks in advance!”

Cheers, Susan, Perth, Australia.

Can I Can Food Without Using A Canner?

Great question, Susan! And how exciting to have all that surplus produce! You’re definitely not alone in wondering if you can preserve all those goodies without investing in specialized equipment. While using a pressure canner is the gold standard for certain types of foods (especially if you want to can low-acid items safely), you do have other options for some kinds of fruits, veggies, and sauces.

Let’s explore what you can and cannot do when it comes to canning without a canner, some helpful advice, and a few things to keep in mind as you start your home-canning adventure.

What Type of Food Are You Canning?

The kind of food you’re trying to can is going to instantly tell you whether you can go about it without special equipment. Foods that are high in acidity, like most fruits, jams, jellies, and certain pickled vegetables, can be safely canned using a simpler method called water bath canning. Low-acid foods though—like meats, soups, beans, or most vegetables—require a higher temperature to kill harmful bacteria, and only a pressure canner can achieve that safely. So, let’s start there:

What Is Water Bath Canning, and How Can It Be Done Without a Canner?

Water bath canning is a method used to preserve high-acid foods. It’s surprisingly simple, and you don’t need fancy equipment other than a large, deep pot with a lid. Good news for you, Susan, if your surplus includes a lot of fruits or anything pickled! Essentially, you use boiling water to create a seal in the jars that keeps your food safe for a long time.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A large, deep pot (big enough to cover your jars with about an inch of water).
• Jars with lids (make sure they’re specifically meant for canning; don’t recycle random jars).
• A rack (this keeps the jars off the bottom of the pot, reducing the chance of cracking).
• Some tongs or jar lifter to safely remove the jars from the boiling water.

Water bath canning is a great method for preserving things like:

• Fruits (peaches, apples, cherries)
• Jams and jellies
• Pickled veggies (cucumbers, onions, beets)
• Tomato sauces with added acid (like lemon juice or vinegar)

How to Water-Bath Can

You might already know some of this, but here’s a refresher just in case! Get your jars ready by sterilizing them (usually this just means boiling them for about 10 minutes beforehand). Put your prepared food in, leaving some space at the top (called headspace). Then, boil the filled jars submerged in your pot for the right amount of time according to whatever recipe you’re using. When you hear that satisfying “pop” from the lids sealing, you know you’re good to go!

Just remember, Susan, it’s all about following the recipe for water bath timing, because each recipe will have different requirements based on the food’s acidity and density.

What About Low-Acid Foods?

This is where it gets a bit tricky. Low-acid foods—things like carrots, green beans, meats, poultry, and seafood—carry a higher risk of botulism if not canned properly. Unfortunately, without a pressure canner, it’s not safe to preserve these at home. The reason for this is that low-acid foods need much higher temperatures (typically above 240°F or 115°C), and a regular boiling pot can’t get water hot enough to safely do the job.

So, for these types of foods, skipping the canner really isn’t an option if you want to do it safely. You could always freeze or dehydrate them instead if you’re dead set on preserving them but don’t have a canner lying around.

Possible Workarounds (But Use Caution)

Okay, I get it—it’s frustrating wanting to preserve those lovely garden veggies but not being able to pressure can. Before you look for sneaky workarounds, it’s important to bring up that safety is a huge deal with canning. You might come across ideas like “open kettle canning” or “oven canning” as alternatives, but these aren’t considered safe for preserving food long-term, especially not low-acid foods. They don’t provide consistent temperatures needed to kill bacteria and molds. If it sounds too easy to be true, it probably is.

I know that might throw a wrench into your plans, Susan, if you had anything like carrots or beans in that surplus, but remember: safety first!

What If You Don’t Have a Rack for the Pot?

No rack? No problem! I don’t always have a special canner rack either (those things go missing in my house…). One of my favorite cheats is using old jar rings or even rolling up a dishcloth into the bottom of the pot to create a buffer between the jars and the direct heat. It’s an easy little hack that works like a charm and keeps my budget intact. Give it a whirl if you’re ever in a pinch like that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a couple of common questions you might still have floating around in your thoughts:

Can I just turn jars upside down to seal them?

This might seem like a handy trick, but flipping the jar isn’t a foolproof way to ensure a safe seal. You want that boiling water to create an airtight seal, and anything else is just risking spoilage.

Can I really use any large pot?

Absolutely, Susan! Just make sure it’s deep enough to cover your jars by at least an inch or two of water, and you’ve got yourself a DIY water-bath setup. Give your favorite soup pot a new job!

How much headspace should I leave?

This will vary by recipe, but typically you want to leave about 1/4 inch for jams and jellies and around a 1/2 inch to an inch for veggies, fruits, or sauces. Too much or too little can affect your seal.

What if the jars don’t seal after all that effort?

It happens to the best of us, Susan! If the jars don’t seal properly (you don’t hear that little pop), you can always pop the food in the fridge and use it up pretty quickly—within a week or so, depending on what it is. Just make sure to check the seal before you store them on the shelf. If it didn’t seal, try to reprocess or eat it fresh instead.

Other Canning Options If You’re Short on Equipment

If you really want to can low-acid foods, maybe consider splitting the cost of a pressure canner with a friend or neighbor to save the investment. You won’t only be making your pantry proud, but also saving time and energy prepping meals later. They make a world of difference, especially when you’re dealing with larger quantities of veggies or even meats.

Of course, alternatives like freezing and dehydrating are valid options too, especially if you’re only preserving for shorter amounts of time or don’t mind a bit of extra freezer space being taken up.

Final Thoughts…

Susan, thanks for sending in such a great question! The quick answer is, yes—you can absolutely preserve certain foods without a canner, especially those high in acidity. For low-acid foods, though, safety precautions really do mean pressure canning is the way to go. But there’s no need to rush out and buy a bunch of expensive equipment—start with what you have, whether it’s a big stockpot or some jars, and get those fruits and pickles preserved for the year ahead.

Happy canning!