Boiling Water Canning

1. Place the jars in the canner and fill with water to 2 inches above the top of the half-pint jars. Bring the water to a boil; this will sterilize the jars.

2. Place the canning lids in a small saucepan filled with water. Bring the saucepan to a boil and then turn off the heat, letting the water cool naturally. This will sterilize the canning lids and soften the rubber sealing compound.

3. Remove the jars from the boiling water using canning tongs. Dump any water in the jars back into the pot.

4. Insert a funnel into an empty jar, and fill the jar as directed in your recipe. In most cases, this will be 1/4 to 1/2 inch to the top of the jar. Repeat with the remaining jars.

5. Wipe the top of the jar with a paper towel to remove any debris. Place a canning lid on the jar and secure in place with a ring.

6. Grasp the jars, one at a time, with the canning tongs and immerse into the boiling water bath.

7. Process for the time indicated in the recipe, starting the timing when the water returns to a rolling boil.

Pressure Canning

1. Fill half-pint jars with the food to be canned, and secure a lid on the jar with a canning ring.

2. Fill the pressure canner with water as instructed in the pressure canner manual from the manufacturer.

3. Set the jars in the canner, and attach the lid to the canner, locking it in place according to manufacturer's instructions.

4. Bring the canner to pressure over medium-high heat to the amount of pounds of pressure indicated in your recipe. In most cases, this will be 10 to 15 pounds of pressure.

5. Process the half-pint jars for the amount of time indicated in your recipe.

6. Remove the canner from the heat source and allow to cool.

7. Lift the jars from the canner when the lid can be removed. Set them on a counter or table to cool.