Preserve Food Safely

See trusted resources that help you preserve foods safely and provide best quality. In addition to popular foods and methods found on this page, find more free information, recipes and directions at OSU Extension Home Food Safety and Preservation Publications web page.

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Home Food Safety and Preservation Publications

Keep home-canned Cranberry Sauce in your pantry for all kinds of special meals. Once opened, try blending the Cranberry Sauce with some of your favorite barbeque sauce to serve with a pork roast.

Credit: Diane Tolzman
If you need a green and red hostess gift, try Tomatillo Salsa and Spicy Cranberry Salsa!

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Cranberries

This year's crop of bright red, tangy cranberries are here! This popular "superfood" is full of vitamins and antioxidents needed for good health. Unlike many fruits, cranberries ripen and are harvested quite late in the food-growing season. Fresh cranberries can be found mid-October or early November just in time for the holiday season and can easily be frozen until needed.

Heated and sweetened cranberries are long known as a perfect sauce for sliced turkey. Make canned Cranberry Sauce and other cranberry-based condiments such as Cranberry Orange Chutney and Spicy Cranberry Salsa to have on hand for your special meals. Canned Spicy Cranberry Salsa adds a delighful kick to your turkey sandwiches. These are also great condiments for other poutry, meat, game and plant-based proteins. All three of these canned products can be made from fresh or frozen cranberries. Eat dried cranberries as a snack or add to oatmeal.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A...

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Home made summer sausage is easy to make. These were rolled by hand. No casings required. Use up-to-date recipies or commercial mixes for safe products. Measure carefully.

Credit: Mike Curtis
Shape summer sausages into 1-inch to 3-inch diameter rolls. Oven dry at 200 degrees F on a cooling rack over a baking sheet for 3 to 5 hours.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Sausages need to reach in internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the oven. When thoroughly cooled, wrap sausage in foil or plastic and refrigerate or freeze. Cooked sausage can be stored in the refrigerator up to three weeks or frozen for a year.

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Summer Sausage and Deli Style Meats

Want to make your own summer sausage with your meat? It is easy and delicious. Summer sausage can be easily made at home. Spices and seasonings can be varied to produce your own flavor. Different meats can be used such as venision, turkey, chicken, beef, pork and lamb. Measure carefully. Nitrates/nitrites in home meat cures are necessary to inhibit the growth of botulism. Too much can cause serious illness or death. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension in the publication below. A corned beef recipe has been added.

Summer Sausage & Deli-Style Meats (SP 50-735)

Making summer sausage at home allows you to adapt the ingredients to make it leaner than its commercial counterparts and to adjust the seasonings to tailor the flavor to your liking.

Mar 2020 | Article

Home canned dry beans (Cannellini, baby Lima, black, red kidney, cranberry, and great northern beans and navy beans in molasses sauce). In addition to OSU Extension food preservation resources, other reliable resources are the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and So Easy to Preserve from University of Georgia Extension.

Dry beans for our nutrition and food preservation public workshops were donated by Bob's Red Mill.

Photo by Glenda Hyde
Canned great northern beans.

For best quality, fill jars with dry bean solids to 2-inch head space, then add liquid to 1-inch head space.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Home canned dry beans in molasses sauce. This recipe calls for the quick soak method to hydrate the dry beans.

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Dry Beans

Looking for a healthy, convenient, plant-based protein food or a low cost meat alternative? Look no further than dried beans! All types of dried beans provide complex carbohydrates that are rich in fiber, contain 20% to 25% protein by weight, and are good sources of minerals and B vitamins.

Try pressure canning beans and using them to make chili, refried beans, dips, or add to soups, casseroles and stews. Canning Tips: Dried beans must be hydrated and boiled for 30 minutes prior to pressure canning to allow for save, adequate heat penetration. For best quality, fill jars with dry bean solids to 2-inch head space, then add liquid to 1-inch head space. "Dry-canned" beans and other low-acid foods are at risk for botulism. Try making refried beans from pressure canned pinto beans or hummus from garbanzo beans. Hummus and refried beans cannot be home canned due to their density.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Canning Vegetables

Canning can be a great way to get full benefit from your garden vegetables. When prepared properly, foods will retain their nutrients and flavor. Done improperly, they can kill, cause serious illness, or just ...

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Carolyn A. Raab, Sandra M. McCurdy | Sep 2011 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Pumpkins ready to preserve! Will you pressure can, freeze or dry them? Beware of unsafe processes. It is not safe to can purreed or mashed pumkin or winter squash.

Photo: Colorado State University Extension - Preserve Smart Colorado
Pressure canned pumpkin. Canning cubed pumpkin and winter squash assures proper heat penetration for a safe product. Remember to make altitude adjustments by increasing pressure for your elevation. See the Canning Vegetables publication for the chart.

Credit: Diane Tolzman

Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Fall is here with winter squash and pumpkins ready for harvest! These vegetables are full of healthy complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals needed for a well rounded diet.

Try pressure canning cubes for a side dish or add to soups and stews. Puree canned cubes to make pie fillings and soups. Note: Spaghetti squash should not be canned because the flesh does not stay cubed when heated. Rehydrate dried pumpkin and winter squash to use as a side dish or puree to make pumpkin pie and soup. Pumpkin leather with pie spices makes a sweet treat the whole family will enjoy. Freezing is an easy way to preserve pumpkins and winter squash to enjoy all winter long.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Canning Vegetables

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Carolyn A. Raab, Sandra M. McCurdy | Sep 2011 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Meat is canned using the hot pack or raw pack method. Meatballs (left) made from ground meat, poultry or wild game (no extra ingredients) must be hot packed. Stew meat (right) is easy and quick to get in the canner for processing using the raw pack method.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Examples of raw pack (l) and hot pack chicken breasts (r).

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Avoid freezer burn with proper freezer packaging methods and materials.

Credit: Diane Tolzman
One chicken makes 2 jars of light meat, 1 jar of dark meat and 4 jars of stock (broth).

Photo by Glenda Hyde
Heat meat strips in boiling marinade before loading them into a dehydrator in the pre-cook method.

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Meat, Poultry and Wild Game

Running out of freezer space? Have a side of beef or wild game you need to find room for? Need directions for safely processing and handling big game?
Try pressure canning strips, cubes and chunks of meat. Ground or chopped meat can also be pressure canned and used to make quick meals. Canned meat can be used for tacos, burritos, added to soups, stews, pasta dishes and casseroles. Jerky is a nutrient-rich, portable and lightweight source of protein. Home freezing is a quick way to preserve your meat and be prepared for delicous meals throughout the year. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Canning Meat, Poultry, and Game

Canning meats is made more simple using this easy-to-follow guide! Wonderful and tasty recipes within.

Lizann Powers-Hammond | Mar 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Making Jerky at Home Safely

Traditional jerky preparation methods, in which raw meat is dried at about 140 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit won't kill pathogens present in the meat. Learn the steps in making tasty meat jerky at home, including a choice of three techniques that ensure your jerky is safe to eat.

Laura L. Sant, Carol Hampton, Sandra M. McCurdy | Aug 2020 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Storing Food for Safety and Quality

Proper food storage ensures that the food you bring home remains safe to eat and retains its high quality. Learn about storing meat, vegetables, fruit, leftovers, home-preserved food and more.

Surine Greenway, Amy Robertson, Joe Peutz, Grace Wittman | Mar 2023 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Big Game from Hunt to Home: Describes techniques to handle game in the field, to butcher, and to store meat.

Harvest greens from your garden early in the day. If you are in an area impacted by wildfire smoke, rinse off any ash before you bring them inside with a gentle spray from your hose or as soon as you bring them in your kitchen. Give them a second rinse under cool running water rubbing them to loosen any dust or mud between your palms or with your fingertips.

Credit: Diane Tolzman
Remove tough stems.

Credit: Diane Tolzman
Blanch greens in boiling water or steam. This short heat treatment stops enzymes that can cause undesireable changes in flavor, texture, color, and nutritive value during storage.

Credit: Diane Tolzman
Cool greens immediately in ice water for the same length of time used for blanching. When cool, drain, and pat dry.

Credit: Diane Tolzman

Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard and other greens

Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach and beet greens are important for our health. They provide many important nutrients that support good heart, brain, bone, skin and digestive system health. Preserve greens by freezing, dehydrating or canning. Explore new ways to enjoy greens. Serve heated with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Add chopped greens to pizza toppings, in quiche or casseroles.

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Canning Vegetables

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Carolyn A. Raab, Sandra M. McCurdy | Sep 2011 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Potatoes may be canned safely when peeled and cubed. Add hot water to 1-inch headspace. Then, process in a pressure canner. Remember to make altitude adjustments!

Credit: Diane Tolzman

Potatoes

Potatoes are plentiful right now and are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Safely preserve them to enjoy your harvest for months to come. Pressure can cubed or whole peeled potatoes (small to meduim sized) to use in soups, stews, potato salad, fried potatoes or in a side dish. Or, can potatoes with our Clam Chowder Soup Base recipe for a quick convenience food. Try dehydrating them for quick hashbrowns and additions to soups.

Canning Vegetables

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Carolyn A. Raab, Sandra M. McCurdy | Sep 2011 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Boil cored tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds, then plunge in ice cold water to help remove skins easily.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
An option to enhance flavor of canned salsa is to broil peppers until they blister. Roasting over open flame works well, too.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Remove the brown papery outer layer, then rinse green tomatillos before you chop them. Pepper should be rinsed well before chopped fresh or broiled for salsa.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Tasty Tomatillo, Peach and Chili Salsa! Try some!

Credit: Diane Tolzman
We recommend removing the tomato core before blanching. Larger tomatoes can benefit from an "x" cut on the bottom so the skins slip off more easily.

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Salsa!

Hold onto summer all year long by safely canning salsa while tomatoes are still plentiful. Try making a green salsa by substituting tomatillos or green tomatoes for red tomatoes. All colors of heirloom tomatoes make a colorful salsa. Flavorful fruit salsas can be made with cranberries, mangoes and peaches. Find easy to use, safe tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Salsa Recipes for Canning

This popular publication has been updated with 5 new scrumptious-yet-simple salsa recipes and enough approved variations to please even the pickiest salsa makers. We've added detail on key ingredients and safety ...

Lizann Powers-Hammond | Jun 2014 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Covers how to select equipment, prepare equipment and tomatoes, pack jars, add acid and salt, close jars, cool, test for a seal, store, and check jars for spoilage. Outlines steps for processing in pressure and...

Jeanne Brandt | Jul 2019 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Before canning, visible air bubbles trapped in apple pie filling when filling canning jars should be removed. Gently slide a commercial "bubbler" or a clean, sterilized wooden chopstick or corndog stick along the inside of the jar to an air pocket. This will release the air.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
These apple slices were pre-treated to prevent browning with an ascorbic acid solution, then blanched and kept hot until gently folded into the pie filling mixture for canned apple pie filling. Keeping the ingredients hot and filling the jars quickly prevents spoilage and extends shelflife of canned pie fillings.

Pretreating to prevent browning is also recommended when canning, dehydrating or freezing apple slices. Blanching is an optional step for drying apples, but may help reduce browning that occurs in storage for some apple varieties.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Pretreated apples, that have been peeled, halved or quartered, and cored are then sliced flat have been loaded into an electric dehydrator tray. "Flats" are easier and safer to slice on a cutting board and may dry more evenly. "Turn the cut-side down."

Credit: Glenda Hyde
The same tray of apple "flats" dried.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Apples

Enjoy an apple-a-day all year by preserving Oregon apples now. Versatile apples may be canned, dehydrated or frozen. Canned pie fillings, jams, jellies and spreads, some with low and no-sugar options can make best use of the many varieties. Choose safe canning processes to prevent spoilage. Raw juices and ciders can be lightly pasteurized to prevent risk of serious illness in children and pregnant women and other populations that are at-risk for food borne illness. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Reputable pectin companies provide many traditional and trendy recipes that have been tested for safety and quality AND consumer hotlines or contact links to address problems specific to their products. See their products or web pages for more information.

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Canning Fruits

This publication explains how to ensure both safety and quality when canning fresh fruits. Details covered include selecting and preparing equipment; preparing apples, apricots, berries, cherries, peaches, pears, and plums; sweetening fruit; processing methods; and storage.

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Val Hillers | Apr 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Canned Oregon peaches and pears are popular in pantries. How about adding something with a twist to liven up your winter menus? Try canning pears in mint or cinnamon flavored syrups or orange juice.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
Syrup blanch sliced pears in mint or cinnamon syrup, or heavy simple syrup before dehydrating.

Credit: Glenda Hyde
When preserving peaches choose freestone (flesh readily separates from the pit). Good varieties for canning include Veteran, Early Elberta, Elberta, Rochester, hale, Alamar, Redglobe, Redhaven, and Sun Crest.

Credit: Diane Tolzman

Peaches and Pears

Try Peach Pickles and Chutney or Peach Pie Filling. Or, colorful Cinnamon, Mint and Orange Pears!

Canning Fruits

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Val Hillers | Apr 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

We have all been waiting for the exceptional summertime flavor of sun-ripened tomatoes. Preserve them now!

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Tomatoes

Special precautions need to be taken to safely can tomatoes and tomato products, including salsa. Pretreatments when freezing or drying tomatoes produce the best quality products.

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Jeanne Brandt | Jul 2019 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Salsa Recipes for Canning

Lizann Powers-Hammond | Jun 2014 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Has your neighbor been leaving bags of zucchini on your porch?

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Zucchini

Harvest young tender zucchini, 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter to preserve many ways! Substitute zucchini in many cucumber pickle recipes like Bread and Butter pickles and relishes. Try drying plain or flavored Zucchini Chips for a crispy treat! Freeze grated and blanched zucchini to make Zucchini Bread later in the year.

Pickling Vegetables

Describes the equipment and ingredients needed for pickling, and how to pack jars, process vegetables, and store the pickled results. Includes 17 recipes, processing times for various altitudes, and a safety checklist.

Jeanne Brandt | Jul 2019 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Salsa Recipes for Canning: This popular publication has been updated with 5 new scrumptious-yet-simple salsa recipes and enough approved variations to please even the pickiest salsa makers. We've added detail on key ingredients and safety ...

Preserve award-quality green beans now while they are abundant and economical.

Credit: Glenda Hyde

Green Beans

Green beans are a popular food for pressure canning and pickling. You can also freeze or dry them. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension in the publications linked below.

Canning Vegetables

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Carolyn A. Raab, Sandra M. McCurdy | Sep 2011 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Pickling Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Jul 2019 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A...

Boost health benefits with berries!

Credit: Diane Tolzman

Berries

Enjoy antioxydent-rich berries all year when canned, frozen or dried, in pie filling, syrups, butters, jams, jellies and fruit spreads. Consider low or no sugar options, too. Berries can be frozen without sugar and may offer the best nutrition benefits when they are slightly thawed. Versatile berries can be eaten plain, added to cereal or yogurt, swirled in a smoothie or smashed on your toast. Canning Tip: Use the berry pulp left over when making syrups for fruit in berry butter.

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Canning Fruits

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Val Hillers | Apr 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Marilyn Swanson, Sandra M. McCurdy | Oct 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Cherries can be in season all year when preserved.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Cherries

Can cherries, make ready-to-use pie filling, freeze or dry cherries. Cherry jam, jellies or spreads make great gifts, too. Check your pectin company recipes or web page too, for old favorites or new recipes for jams, jellies and spreads.

Canning Fruits

Lizann Powers-Hammond, Val Hillers | Apr 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Learn how to freeze fruits, vegetables and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Tonya Johnson, Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)