Topic
Choosing a method
Each method keeps food a different way: cold, no air, heat in a sealed jar, or removing water. The right one depends on the food, how you will use it and how much space and money you have.
- Low acid food in jars
- pressure canner only (USDA)
- Lightest to store
- dried and freeze dried food
Freezing is the simplest way to keep most foods, and vacuum sealing before freezing mainly protects quality by keeping air off the surface. It needs freezer space and power for as long as you store the food.
Pressure canning is the only USDA recommended way to can low acid foods such as vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood and beans, because a boiling water canner cannot reach the temperature needed to destroy botulinum spores. Home canned jars then sit on a shelf without power.
Dehydrating removes most of the water with warm moving air, which is cheap and works well for fruit, herbs and jerky. Freeze drying removes water from frozen food under vacuum, keeps more of the original shape and texture, and costs far more to buy and run.
Common mistakes
- Canning vegetables or meat in a water bath canner instead of a pressure canner.
- Expecting vacuum sealing alone to make perishable food safe at room temperature.
- Buying a freeze dryer without checking the space, the noise and the power circuit it needs.
Pages on this topic
- Freeze dryer vs dehydratorFreeze dryer vs dehydrator: how each removes water, what they cost, how the food turns out, storage life claims and which foods suit each method.Comparison
- Which food preservation method is right for you?Freezing, vacuum sealing, canning, dehydrating and freeze drying compared on cost, effort, storage space and shelf life to help you pick the right method.Explainer