Farmfresh
City Biddy
I get into kind of a rhythm.
The first thing I do when getting ready to can is to re-wash the jars I am planning to use.
Then I clean the kitchen up some and begin to lay out the necessary supplies while the jars drain in my drainer.
Several years back I bought a commercial full sheet pan from a restaurant supply. It is so big it would NEVER fit into a home oven (a half sheet WILL fit to give you an idea of it's size), but it is perfect for canning! After cleaning off the counters I place the full sheet pan on top of them. This is where I fill those jars and make my mess. Then when I am done I just carry the pan to the sink to wash it clean. Then I top it with an old towel to receive the finished jars hot from the canner. It is also where I do my food processing and blending and all of the rest of those messy prep chores. It works a dream to keep the kitchen tidy!
Also in my canning arsenal are two HUGE stainless steel bread mixing bowls, several big deep colanders, several big deep stainless stockpots, a food processor, a mandolin (the kind you slice with NOT the kind you play 
), a blender and a nice deep two well commercial kitchen sink! All tools to make processing a large quantity easier. (I chose to have a commercial sink INSTEAD of a dishwasher and love it!)
When I am actually ready to begin canning, after the beginning prep work is done, I start the water in the water bath canner or pressure canner first. It does take a long time to heat up! Then I start water to boil my jars. As the jars are boiled and ready I fill and seal them, then place them in the canner rack. This allows them to start coming up to temperature and reduces the time somewhat. When the jars (or canner) are all filled I lower the jars in or seal the canner. And the waiting for boiling or pressure to raise begins.
While waiting I fill the jars for the next canner load or if I am done for the day begin the clean up. Time flies when you are cleaning the kitchen. This is also a good time while watching pressure gauges and time to prep for family meals, clean the refrigerator or other "in-the-kitchen-close-by" jobs.
After time is up I turn off the flame on the pressure canner and I am free for a while until pressure goes down. With water bath canning I lift out the jars and put them on the waiting towel in my sheet pan. Dump the boiling water out (in summer ... in winter I leave it till it cools - no since wasting the extra heat and humidity it gives ), clean up and am done!
Combine this rhythm with doing as much peeling, shucking, snapping and sorting as possible either in front of the TV, or on the front porch swing while visiting and canning gets easier and easier.
The first thing I do when getting ready to can is to re-wash the jars I am planning to use.
Then I clean the kitchen up some and begin to lay out the necessary supplies while the jars drain in my drainer.
Several years back I bought a commercial full sheet pan from a restaurant supply. It is so big it would NEVER fit into a home oven (a half sheet WILL fit to give you an idea of it's size), but it is perfect for canning! After cleaning off the counters I place the full sheet pan on top of them. This is where I fill those jars and make my mess. Then when I am done I just carry the pan to the sink to wash it clean. Then I top it with an old towel to receive the finished jars hot from the canner. It is also where I do my food processing and blending and all of the rest of those messy prep chores. It works a dream to keep the kitchen tidy!
Also in my canning arsenal are two HUGE stainless steel bread mixing bowls, several big deep colanders, several big deep stainless stockpots, a food processor, a mandolin (the kind you slice with NOT the kind you play ), a blender and a nice deep two well commercial kitchen sink! All tools to make processing a large quantity easier. (I chose to have a commercial sink INSTEAD of a dishwasher and love it!)When I am actually ready to begin canning, after the beginning prep work is done, I start the water in the water bath canner or pressure canner first. It does take a long time to heat up! Then I start water to boil my jars. As the jars are boiled and ready I fill and seal them, then place them in the canner rack. This allows them to start coming up to temperature and reduces the time somewhat. When the jars (or canner) are all filled I lower the jars in or seal the canner. And the waiting for boiling or pressure to raise begins.
While waiting I fill the jars for the next canner load or if I am done for the day begin the clean up. Time flies when you are cleaning the kitchen. This is also a good time while watching pressure gauges and time to prep for family meals, clean the refrigerator or other "in-the-kitchen-close-by" jobs.
After time is up I turn off the flame on the pressure canner and I am free for a while until pressure goes down. With water bath canning I lift out the jars and put them on the waiting towel in my sheet pan. Dump the boiling water out (in summer ... in winter I leave it till it cools - no since wasting the extra heat and humidity it gives
), clean up and am done!Combine this rhythm with doing as much peeling, shucking, snapping and sorting as possible either in front of the TV, or on the front porch swing while visiting and canning gets easier and easier.
