Articles · Topic
Articles about Food Preservation
17 articles across 5 sections
Section
Community
Dehydrating Garden Produce Batch, Dryness, Conditioning and Storage Workbook
A workbook for recording dehydrating batches of garden produce, checking dryness, conditioning fruit, and tracking stored jars.
Dehydrating Garden Produce | Community Garden Guide
How to dehydrate garden fruits, vegetables, and herbs safely: judging crop fit, pretreatment, controlled drying around 140°F, doneness by crop, conditioning fruit, packaging, moisture checks, and the narrow conditions where sun drying is acceptable.
Section
Self-Reliance
Food Preservation Methods Compared
Ten home food preservation methods compared side by side: what each one costs, what it keeps, how long it lasts, and the pH 4.6 question that decides which methods are safe for a given food. Includes why vacuum sealing is not a preservation method.
Canning, Avocations
Thinking about taking up home canning? What the hobby is really like, whether it fits your kitchen and schedule, how to can a first batch with a tested recipe, and what to buy first.
Fish Smoking: Hot Smoking at Home Safely
Hot-smoking fish safely at home, covering brining, temperature requirements, and the botulism risk that makes proper technique non-negotiable.
Food Preservation, Avocations
Food preservation, including canning, drying, fermenting, and curing, connects the seasonal kitchen to the long-term pantry. What the practice is, what it builds, how to start, and how it connects to
Jerky Making: Drying Meat Safely at Home
Making jerky safely at home, covering the USDA temperature requirement most dehydrator manuals skip.
Section
Gear and Buying Guides
Best Canning Jars
Canning jars compared the way extension services judge them: Ball Mason jars as the standard, Kerr as the same glass for often less, which jars to pass over, and why the lids matter more than the glass.
Best Canning Tool Sets
Canning tool sets compared: the Norpro six-piece set (top pick), Ball's own utensil set, and an honest look at which tools you actually need, starting with the jar lifter.
Best Pressure Canner (2026): All American vs. Presto
The two pressure canners that earn a place in a long-term food preservation setup. What makes them different, which one fits your kitchen, and the USDA safety rules that apply to both.
Best Shelf Food Dehydrator
Shelf-style food dehydrators with a rear fan and horizontal airflow, compared: the Cosori Premium 6-Tray (top pick), the folding Brod and Taylor Sahara, and why the classic Excalibur 9-tray and the 10-tray Cosori did not make the list. What testers and long-time owners found, the USDA jerky rule, and when a stackable is enough.
Best Stackable Food Dehydrator
Four stackable, vertical-airflow food dehydrators compared: the Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro (top pick), the Nesco FD-1018A Gardenmaster, the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital, and the Hamilton Beach 32100A. What testers found, what owners say about tray swapping and motor failures, the USDA jerky rule every dehydrator needs, and when a box dehydrator is the better buy.
Best Water Bath Canners
Water bath canners compared on material, cooktop fit, and rack quality: the Roots & Branches stainless multi-use canner (top pick), the Granite Ware enamel classic on a budget, and the stockpot you may already own.
Food Dehydrators: The Definitive Buyer's Handbook
A sourced buyer's handbook for food dehydrators: stackable versus box airflow, temperature, wattage, and drying area decoded, the USDA jerky rule, sun drying limits, storage times, and honest price tiers.
Vacuum Sealers: The Definitive Buyer's Handbook
A calm, sourced buyer's handbook for vacuum sealers: edge, chamber, handheld, and nozzle machines compared, what seal bars, pumps, and bags really mean, and why sealing is packaging, not preservation.