Ferment it, can it, keep it

Home food preservation,
from fermenting to canning.

Learn how to preserve food at home: ferment sauerkraut and pickles, can jams and vegetables with water bath and pressure canning, and dry or freeze the rest of your harvest. Tested methods from USDA and NCHFP sources, the food safety rules that matter, and honest gear guides, in plain English.

Start here Food safety basics

Jars of home-canned green beans loaded into a pressure canner — Salt, acid, heat, time The four tools of preserving

Latest guides

Fresh from the pantry

Pint jars of home-canned pears cooling on wire racks over green towels, with a teal-handled jar lifter resting on the counter beside them

Canning No. 13

Canning Supplies Checklist: What You Need for Your First Batch

A canning supplies list for your first batch: the 8 must-haves, what to skip, real starter costs, and the jar, lid, and canner rules from USDA-backed sources.

Nov 2026 Read entry

A glass bottle of orange-red fermented hot sauce with a black screw cap, next to a small white plate with a pool of the sauce, on a linen cloth

Fermenting No. 12

How to Make Fermented Hot Sauce: Mash and Brine Methods

How to make fermented hot sauce two ways, pepper mash or brine, with extension salt ratios, timing, when to add vinegar, and why it belongs in the fridge.

Nov 2026 Read entry

A sealed glass jar of sliced pickled cucumbers with slices floating at the surface of the brine

Gear Guides No. 11

Best Fermentation Weights: Glass vs Ceramic vs Stone

The best fermentation weights for mason jars and crocks, compared by material, diameter, and heft, with prices per weight and what to use if you own none.

Oct 2026 Read entry

Pint jars of applesauce with lids and bands sitting on the rack of a boiling water canner, with a pot of applesauce beside it on the stove

Canning No. 10

How to Can Applesauce (Water Bath, Tested Method)

How to can applesauce using the tested NCHFP method: pounds of apples per jar, 1/2 inch headspace, water bath times by altitude, and a pressure canner option.

Oct 2026 Read entry

An orange Escali digital kitchen scale with a round platform and On/Tare/Off and g/oz buttons, sitting on a steel counter

Fermenting No. 09

Fermentation Salt Ratio: 2%, 3%, and 5% Brine by Weight

Fermentation salt ratio charts in grams: dry salt for kraut, 2%, 3%, and 5% brine per quart and liter, and the tested extension numbers behind them.

Oct 2026 Read entry

Three glass jars packed with red, pepper-coated napa cabbage kimchi on a wooden table

Fermenting No. 08

How to Make Kimchi at Home (Napa Cabbage, Start to Finish)

How to make kimchi at home with napa cabbage: extension-tested salting steps, the seasoning paste, counter vs fridge timing, pH targets, and safe storage.

Oct 2026 Read entry