Large pots and kettles are a must when canning a large harvest.
Some
recipes, particularly old family recipes and many floating around on
the internet don't call for processing. The food is cooked in an
ordinary pot or kettle, then packed into hot jars and sealed without
processing (this is called the "open kettle method"). The temperatures
obtained in open kettle canning are not always high enough to destroy
all spoilage and food poisoning organisms that may be in the food. Also,
microorganisms can enter the food when it is transferred from the
kettle to jar and cause spoilage. According to the USDA, these are obsolete and may be dangerous.
All high acid foods should be processed in a water bath or steam canner and all low acid foods in a pressure canner.
Higher acid foods (and those which have been acidified) that may be
safely canned in a boiling water bath canner or a steam canner include
jams, jellies, pickles, applesauce, apple butter, peaches, peach butter,
pears, pear butter, spaghetti sauce without meat, ketchup and tomatoes.
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