Pressure canned vegetables? Learn safe ways to customize and add flavors according to the tested pressure canning methods. Find out which fine adjustments are safe and avoid adjustments that could put food safety at risk.
Pressure canning is the only safe way to store low-acid vegetables at home. Unlike highly acidic foods such as fruits and pickles, vegetables must be processed at high temperatures to eliminate the risk of botulinumism and other food diseases. Due to these safety concerns, the tested recipes have little room for creative changes. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck in a bland jar.
If you’re wondering if you can adjust your canned vegetable recipe to your taste, the answer is yes, but be careful. This guide will change the recipes for pressure canned vegetables, outline unsafe practices, and explain safe ways to enhance flavor while ensuring food safety.
This guide is part of a series of safe canned alternatives and is designed to help you understand what changes can be made safely to tested recipes without compromising food safety. To see more broadly alternatives, check out our safe alternatives page for canned home recipes.
Why safety is important
Most vegetables are low acidity foods. In other words, the natural pH is above 4.6. This creates an optimal environment for the rare but potentially fatal diseases of B. Botulinum, the bacteria responsible for botulinism. The only way to ensure that these spores are destroyed is by pressure canning, which reaches a temperature higher than boiling water.
Even small changes, such as changing ingredients, increasing the amount of low-acid foods, or changing the size of the jar, can affect the way the heat flows through the jar. If the internal temperature does not reach sufficient levels for the required time, the bacteria can survive and the food is not safe. Therefore, the tested recipes have been developed with strict guidelines on JAR size, processing time, canning pressure and ingredient ratios.
Safe adjustments to canned vegetable recipes
While pressure canned recipes need to be closely followed to ensure food safety, there is still little room for customization, mainly in ways that affect the flavor rather than the chemical or processing of the food. Below are some ways to fine-tune your canned vegetable recipes without compromising safety.
Omit or reduce salt
Salt is often included in pressure canned recipes for flavor, not for storage. It can be completely reduced or omitted based on your dietary needs and taste preferences. If you have low salt or are looking at your sodium intake, feel free to leave it to us. The seasonings can be adjusted at any time during serving.
Use dried herbs and spices
Dried condiments such as garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary and beirev are a safe way to add variety to your homemade vegetables. Up to 1 teaspoon per pint and 2 teaspoons per quart.
Add garlic cloves
You can safely add an entire garlic clove to enhance the flavor. Garlic is a low-acid food, but it does not affect the safety of small amounts of processing. Consider using garlic powder to enhance the garlic flavor.
Combine vegetables (be careful)
If you have a tested pressure canned recipe for each vegetable in the mix, you can safely mix different vegetables into the jar. Follow the processing times and methods for vegetables that require the longest cooking time.
For example, when combining carrots and green beans, you should use the carrot processing time even if the beans become soft. Overworking is a texture issue and not a safety concern. However, prepare some vegetables to come out softer than usual.
Reduce the size of the bottle
If you want to store small pieces, it’s safe to go down by the size of the bottle. For example, you could use a half-pint jar instead of a pint. Use the same processing time as the pint JAR recipe you tested.
When using half pint jars with pressure cans, it is important to ensure that they are not completely covered in water during processing. To avoid raising and sinking the jar, you may need to place a tall rack in the canner. Alternatively, place a layer of canned rings on the bottom before adding the canned rack.
For more information, see this safety tip from NCHFP. Is it safe for the bottle to sink into a pressure can?
Unsafe changes in pressure canned vegetables
Changing important parts of the tested pressure canned recipe will prevent you from reaching the temperature needed to kill dangerous bacteria. Here are some changes to avoid:
Do not increase the size of the bottle
As mentioned above, it is safe to go down depending on the size of the bottle, but never go up. Most pressure canning recipes for vegetables list both pint and quart options. If the recipe only provides pint jar instructions, it means that the quart jar may not have passed the test and may not reach a safe temperature during processing.
An example of this is cream style corn. Cream-style corn with pints or half pints is safe to use cream-style corn, but we do not recommend using quart. Always stick to the size of the bottles tested to make sure your homemade food is safe and shelf stable.
Do not puree or blend
Change the density of the food by pureeing or mixing the vegetables before canning. Thicker mixtures are more slowly and unevenly hot, which can lead to low processing and unsafe foods.
For example, there is no safe and tested canned recipe for pumpkin puree. Instead, follow the canned recipe and puree the pumpkin after opening the jar while preparing the recipe. Freezing pumpkin puree is completely safe.
Do not dry the can
Dry canning (putting vegetables in a liquid-free jar) is not a safe method of storage. The National Home Food Protection Centre and the state expansion office do not recommend this practice. Liquids are essential for heat transfer. This will allow the contents to reach and maintain a sufficient temperature for safe storage.
Don’t let vegetables without the tested recipe
Not all vegetables are suitable for canned food in your home. Only vegetables that use research-based, tested recipes from reliable sources can be made. Canned vegetables that have not been tested can pose serious food safety risks.
Additional Tips for Safe Pressure Canning
Once you’ve got fresh vegetables and choose a safe and tested recipe, the next step is to follow closely from start to finish. Below are some additional tips to ensure your pressure canned experience is safe and successful.
Use a safe recipe
Always start with lab-tested canned recipes designed specifically for preserved vegetables. These recipes have been experienced in rigorous research to heat them evenly and reach the temperature needed to kill harmful bacteria.
Below are examples of safe and tested recipes for pressure canned vegetables.
Use high quality, fresh produce
Starting with the best vegetables you can find, ideally homemade or newly harvested. Do not canned vegetables that are damaged, ripened, or past prime. Fresh, high quality produce offers the best texture, flavor and safety results.
I’ll prepare first
Canned food requires time and focus. Set yourself up for success by reading the recipes thoroughly before you begin so you can understand all the steps. Make sure you have enough time so you don’t rush. Collect the ingredients and prepare the canning device.
Follow the preparation instructions accurately
How to cut, peel and prepare vegetables in terms of importance in both quality and safety. If the recipe instructs you to peel, blanch, or cut skin to a certain size, that’s because these steps were part of a tested process that ensured safe canning.
For example, dried beans need to be fully hydrated before canning, and vegetables must be cut to the exact size so that they are evenly heated during the process. Always follow the preparation instructions accurately as skipping or changing these steps can affect your safety.
Adjust the altitude
The pressure level is determined at altitude levels below 1,000 feet and must be adjusted for higher elevations. This ensures that the food reaches a safe temperature.
You can find the altitude in the postal code using whatismyelevation.com and increase the pressure accordingly.
Pressure canning height adjustment
Adjust the pressure pound as shown below.
Altitude 0-1,000 ft: Weighted Gauge = 10 lbs. Dial gauge = 11 pounds. Altitude 1,001-2,000 feet: Weighted gauge = 15 pounds. Dial gauge = 11 pounds. Altitude 2,001-4,000 feet: Weighted gauge = 15 pounds. Dial gauge = 12 lbs. Altitude 4,001-6,000 feet: Weighted gauge = 15 pounds. Dial gauge = 13 lbs. Altitude 6,001-8,000 feet: Weighted gauge = 15 pounds. Dial gauge = 15 lbs. Altitude 8,001-10,000 feet: Weighter = 15 pounds. Dial gauge = 15 lbs.
Final Thoughts
Pressure canning is a reliable way to safely store vegetables at home. There aren’t many wiggle rooms when it comes to tweaking recipes, but with a few small adjustments you can customize the flavor and portion size without compromising safety. Stick to tested recipes and follow each step closely, and you can enjoy a jar full of garden goodness all year round.
This article is part of the Safe Canned Replacement Series, which will help you explore which recipe changes are safe and which recipe changes should be avoided, and keep your harvest in peace.
Looking for more guidance? Be sure to check out the rest of the series for other useful tips on cheating tomatoes, pickles, relishes, salsa and more.
Resources used in this article:
Over 40 meals with jar pressure canned recipes
This ebook features 50 pressure canned recipes, including 44 servings, along with homemade stock and bone soup. Recipes include soups, stews, chili, beans, beef, pork and chicken. Explore a world that preserves delicious home cooking for all seasons.
