Is your garden producing more fruits or vegetables than you can use now? Then preserve some to eat later. But don´t let your experience become a health hazard because you didn’t use a research-tested recipe or follow proper canning procedures. For more information on preserving food safely at home, check out these links:

• Food Storage Guide 
• NDSU Extension Canning Publications
• NDSU Extension Freezing Publications
• Use the Right Canning Method

"How To" Videos and Recipes

The National Center for Home Food Preservation has created a series of online videos with instructs for canning, freezing, pickling and dehydrating.

Recipes for Food Preservation Workshop

Pressure Gauge Testing Service

You should have the dial gauge on your pressure canner checked annually for accuracy. The Richland County Extension Service provides free Pressure Dial Gauge Testing. Call 701-642-7793 or email ndsu.richland.extension@ndsu.edu

NDSU Extension Food Preservation Publications

Questions & Answers About Using A Pressure Canner

Questions & Answers About Using A Boiling Water-bath Canner

For all the NDSU Extension Food Preservation publications click here.

Fact or Myth?

1. Old church cookbooks have great canning recipes you will want to use. Fact or Myth?

2. As long as you boil the jars of vegetables long enough, you will have a safe end product. Fact or Myth?

3. Vegetables, meats and most mixtures of foods should ONLY be canned in a pressure canner. Fact or Myth?

4. Canning in your oven is a safe, convenient way to seal jars. Fact or Myth?

5. You can invent your own salsa recipe and can it, as long as you process it in a water bath canner. Fact or Myth?

6. Acid, such as lemon juice or citric acid, should be added to all tomatoes prior to canning. Fact or Myth?

7. Most vegetables do not require heat blanching prior to freezing. Fact or Myth?

8. You can freeze foods in Cool Whip containers, margarine containers and other clean plastic containers that previously held food. Fact or Myth?

9. You can use glass mayonnaise jars to can food, such as peach sauce. Fact or Myth?

10. Paraffin wax provides an excellent seal on jelly and jam jars. Fact or Myth?

11. Pickles are so acidic that they do not need to be processed in a water bath canner. Fact or Myth?

12. Screw bands should be tightened "finger-tip" tight prior to canning. Fact or Myth?