Food Preservation
Courses and resources for your home or business to help ensure food is prepared, stored, and served safely.
Home Food Preservation Resources
Try this food safety tool for home producers. The purpose of this Food Safety Assessment Tool is to help home kitchen producers implement well-established commercial food safety principles in their home setting.
Montana Preservation Needs Assessment
View the 2024 Montana Food Preservation Survey Report
Food Preservation Fridays
Are you a new food preserver or interested in a refresher on safe techniques? While we can't always preserve together at the moment, we would like to invite you into our Extension home kitchens to learn from MSU Extension food preservers about the science and strategies behind safe and delicious research-based preservation best practices! Access the Food Preservation Fridays Series Here
Food preservation has spanned generations and millennia as a way to safely enjoy quality seasonal food throughout the year.
Proper canning preserves food from spoilage and destroys microorganisms that could cause foodborne illness for you, a family member, or others consuming these foods. To ensure SAFE food preservation, MSU Extension recommends ONLY using up-to-date, research-tested recipes exactly when home canning or preserving foods. Save non-research approved or family recipes for eating immediately or freezing.
“When in doubt”, to test your pressure canner yearly, to find a food preservation class (available in some counties), or for other food preservation questions contact your local MSU Extension county office!
Resources and publications provided here have been developed or reviewed for research-based information by MSU Extension Food & Nutrition Specialists and Agents.
If you have questions please contact your local MSU Extension county office.
How do I use a waterbath canner, pressure canner, or atmospheric steam canner?
MSU Extension has created many MontGuides detailing safe processes for preserving foods using these canning tools.
Each MSU Extension Montguide may be viewed online, as a downloadable pdf, or may be ordered, free of charge, from MSU Extension Publications with details found at each link below. These publications may also be available in-person at your local MSU Extension county office in some locations!
View and/or Download Available Food and Nutrition Montguides
Can I convert my dial gauge canner to a weighted gauge canner?
Yes, you can. There are a few things to keep in mind when converting your canner. First, you should always repair or replace your canner with parts made for your specific brand of canner.
Presto manufactured canners branded as National, Magic Seal (for Montgomery Ward) and Maid of Honor (for Sears) so Presto parts will fit these canners. Other canners should use replacement parts from their specific manufacturer.
How do I attach my weighted gauge?
For Presto dial gauge canners, the weighed gauge will be a substitute for the pressure regulator (weight) already on the canner. In the case of older, heavier cast aluminum pressure canners, you will need to replace the vent pipe to put on the weighed gauge. For processing times and pressures, follow the new weighted gauge, and not the dial gauge. Contact Presto or your canner manufacturer for assistance.
Can I use one-piece or reusable lids?
The latest recommendations are to use a two-piece, one-time-use lid system. One-piece and reusable lids may not be reliable and research has indicated they may be more likely to fail to seal properly. So Easy to Preserve (2014) states, “The lid choice itself (e.g., two-piece metal, plastic or one-piece metal lids) does not affect the microbiological safety of the canning process. The issues become ease of use, success in sealing and maintenance of vacuum and food quality during storage.” The safety of your product may be at risk if you use a one-piece lid. Currently there is just not enough research to prove the reliability and effectiveness of a one-piece or reusable lid system.
Can I use my pressure canner as a water bath canner?
Yes, you can. The pressure canner safety valve (overpressure plug) should be removed and the pressure regulator should remain off the vent pipe. You may place the lid on just as you would for pressure canning. By leaving the vent open and removing the safety valve it allows steam to escape and not build pressure, so your pressure canner would work like a water bath canner. See more about water bath canning methods in our MSU Extension MontGuide: Home Canning Using Boiling Water Canners and Pressure Canners MT200905HR
Author: Holly Miner; Reviewed: Brianna Routh and Nori Pearce, May 2020
Why is it necessary to add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to some home canned tomato recipes?
Tomatoes have a pH (acid) level that is often just above the line dividing high-acid foods and low-acid foods. It is important for the safety and quality of tomato recipes that the acidity level is high enough to use a water bath cannning process. Foods low in acidity must be pressure canned. Since many factors can decrease the natural acidity in tomatoes, adding bottled lemon juice or citric acid helps ensure the correct acid level. Bottled lemon juice must be used because its acid level is consistent. Fresh lemons should NOT be substituted for bottled because it might have varying levels of acidity.
Recipes that include an adequate amount of vinegar (5% acidity) do not require additional acid, such as salsa, tomato chutney, and pickled tomatoes.
How can I determine if the home canning recipes received from friends and family are safe to use?
For safety, you must use up-to-date recipes that are research-tested and approved for home canning in a water bath canner. Research-tested recipes may be found through your Extension office or at approved resources provided in the next question. We do not recommend using the manufacturer instruction booklet or other recipe sources as they may not be research-tested or meet up-to-date USDA guidelines for home consumer use. While many recipes passed down through family generations may taste good, they are not always tested for canning safety. Even if no one has gotten sick before, it is critical to use the recommended, up-to-date, research-based food preservation resources located in this publication. Protect yourself and others when sharing home-canned foods by using research-tested recipes exactly. Save family or non-research approved recipes for immediate eating, refrigerating, or freezing!
What are MSU Extension approved resources for recipes?
MSU Extension has created many MontGuides detailing safe processes including recipes for preserving a variety of foods.
Each MSU Extension Montguide may be viewed online, as a downloadable pdf, or may be ordered, free of charge, from MSU Extension Publications with details found at each link below. These publications may also be available in-person at your local MSU Extension county office in some locations!
View and/or Download Available Food and Nutrition Montguides
Additionally, we recommend the following resources as providing
National Center for Home Food Preservation
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning 2015 (free downloadable pdf)
Author: Holly Miner; Reviewed: Brianna Routh and Nori Pearce, May 2020
| Canning | Freezing | Drying | |
| Major equipment needed | Canners, canning jars and lids | Freezer, packaging materials | Dehydrator, if used (could be done outdoors in low humidity or in an oven) |
| Energy requirements | Relatively low, if recommended precedures are followed | Relatively high (storage requires energy) | Low for dehydrator or sun drying; higher for oven drying |
| Preparation time | Long | Medium | Short |
| Processing Time | Medium-Long | Short | Long |
| Resemblance of preserved vegetable to fresh vegetable | Some losses of vitamins and minerals, especially when liquid is discarded | Closest to nutrient value of fresh product | Losses of vitamins A and C, but sulfuring helps protect against this |
| Serving convenience | High | High | Medium |
Source: So Easy to Preserve Version 6
Upcoming Food Preservation Classes
Please contact the MSU Extension office in your county to find schedules for any food preservation classes.