Foods at pH 3.5-4.0 – ripe apples, oranges, grapefruit, overripe blackberries, cherries, raspberries, and peaches, ripe apricots, under-ripe pears, pineapple, sauerkraut, (other pickles?
Foods at pH 4.0-4.6 (BORDERLINE) -tomatoes, figs Above 4.6 or so, must be pressure canned. Foods at 4.6-5.0 – some tomatoes, depends on the variety. (Green tomatoes are below 4.6). pimentoes, pumpkin. USDA suggests that pumpkin butter cannot be canned safely. Foods at 5.0-6.0 – carrots, beets, squash, beans, spinach, cabbage, turnips, peppers, sweet potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, white potatoes Foods at 6.0-7.0 – peas, tuna, lima beans, corn, meats, cow’s milk, salmon, oysters, shrimp. Above 7.0 – hominy, black olives (each are lye cured). Leave these to the pros. Check the list of pH readings for common foods and condiments below. Need to also consider the size of your jars (half gallon size jars are made, but you probably shouldn’t can with them), the physical properties of your food and the gooeyness of what you are canning. Pumpkin/squash purees and butters, and refried beans probably shouldn’t be home canned–it will take a long time to get the center of the jar hot enough. Howeve
Foods at pH 4.0-4.6 (BORDERLINE) -tomatoes, figs Above 4.6 or so, must be pressure canned. Foods at 4.6-5.0 – some tomatoes, depends on the variety. (Green tomatoes are below 4.6). pimentoes, pumpkin. USDA suggests that pumpkin butter cannot be canned safely. Foods at 5.0-6.0 – carrots, beets, squash, beans, spinach, cabbage, turnips, peppers, sweet potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, white potatoes Foods at 6.0-7.0 – peas, tuna, lima beans, corn, meats, cow’s milk, salmon, oysters, shrimp. Above 7.0 – hominy, black olives (each are lye cured). Leave these to the pros. Check the list of pH readings for common foods and condiments below. Need to also consider the size of your jars (half gallon size jars are made, but you probably shouldn’t can with them), the physical properties of your food and the gooeyness of what you are canning. Pumpkin/squash purees and butters, and refried beans probably shouldn’t be home canned–it will take a long time to get the center of the jar hot enough. Howeve
