The Craftiest Workshop

I made some cucumber relish this week and wanted to share how I am able to seal the relish in jars without the use of a canner or pressure cooker.

I have used the method below to make all sorts of jams, jellies and relish.

Supplies needed

Large pot with whatever you are canning

Small pot with lid

Canning jars

Canning lids

Canning rings

Large kettle

Canning tool set (ladle, magnetic wand, wide funnel and jar tongs)

Large cutting board

Small cutting board

Piece of paper towel

Heating the lids

Place your small pot on the stove with about 1/3 full with water.

Bring the water to a boil.

Put in the metal lids, rubber side down.

Boil ten minutes.

If you are not ready to seal your jars at this point, turn off heat and put the lid on the pot.

Heating the jars

Place clean jars into your sink.

Always have an extra jar more than the recipe says in case there is extra. That jar can always go in the fridge to be used right away.

Fill your kettle and let it come to a full boil.

Turn off/ unplug the kettle.
If you are not quite ready to fill your jars, about two minutes before the jam or relish is ready, turn the kettle back on to boil again.

When whatever you are canning is ready to go into jars, pour the water from the kettle into the jars.

Filling the jars

Set your large pot with the item to be canned on a potholder on the counter.

Have the small cutting board beside it to put the hot jar onto.

Using the jar tongs, grab a jar from the sink and carefully pour out the water. Shake once to get rid of as much water as you can.

Still holding the jar with the tongs, bring the jar over to the small cutting board.

Put the wide funnel in the jar.
Using the ladle, fill the jar leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Remove the funnel and place on the cutting board beside the jar. If there is any residue on the jar top, wipe with paper towel.

Take the magnetic wand and grab a lid from the small pot on the stove.

Place the lid, rubber side down, onto the jar.

Add a canning ring and just tighten.

Put jar onto large cutting board.

Repeat this process with the next jar.

Notes and Tips

Some people heat the rings along with the lids. I never have and I have not had any issue with jars not sealing.

Keep your used lids. You can use a used lid if you end up with a half jar once you’ve cleaned out the pot.

If you have a smaller kettle and not enough water to fill all the jars, pour the water from the first jar you empty into a still empty jar.

As the filled and sealed jars cool, the lids will “POP” and you know that they have sealed. If a jar has not appeared to have sealed (the middle of the lid is still raised), gently touch the middle and it often suctions down sealing it, If a jar still hasn’t sealed, you can keep it in the fridge to use first or give it to a friend or neighbour and just tell them to keep it in the fridge.