Canning is a great way to preserve all the fresh foods of the summer months for use during those long winter days. However, no matter what you're preparing, it goes without saying that food safety is one of the most important things you should always keep in mind. And before you start making your own canned food at home, it's important that you know a couple of safety tips.
For example, did you know that you should never attempt to can your butter at home ? The dairy content in butter means that there's a high chance of your butter turning into a bacteria farm. There are many mistakes that you can make when canning food at home , and they don't end when you label those jars and clean up the kitchen. Proper storage is also key, and that means removing the rings from the tops of the jars before storing them in a dark, dry area that isn't susceptible to major changes in temperatures.
Making sure that the jars stay dry is incredibly important, and if you keep the rings of the jar and they get exposed to moisture and dampness, that can cause the lids to rust. The likelihood of rusting increases if you leave those rings on. They make it easy for moisture to get trapped, leading to not only rust but also the potential buildup of bacteria or mold.
That can ruin your canned goods, and if you don't see it, it can definitely make you sick — but that's not the only reason to remove those rings. Leaving rings in place can cause several issues During the canning process, it's important t.