Ball has been the name in home canning since 1884 — the trademark mason jars visible in hardware stores every summer. This book is their companion reference: 400 recipes spanning the full spectrum of home preserving, written by food-science professionals from Ball and Bernardin. Judi Kingry spent years as a consumer services manager at Bernardin; Lauren Devine worked as a product research and test kitchen scientist at Ball Fresh Preserving. These are not hobbyists writing about something they enjoy — these are people whose job it was to make sure the recipes were safe.
Every recipe is tested to current canning safety standards, and the book has been continuously updated since its 2006 debut to reflect new research. The 2024 edition includes updated acidulation guidelines (switching to bottled lemon juice in recipes where consistency of acidity matters for safety), new sections on low-sugar preserves and fermentation, and revised processing times. It’s organized for both the beginner who wants step-by-step instructions before touching a jar and the experienced canner looking for altitude adjustment charts, a problem-solver section, and creative recipes beyond the basics.
When someone asks what canning book they should own, this is the honest answer. It’s not a broad homesteading reference like the Encyclopedia of Country Living — Ball is the one you open the day you’re putting up tomatoes. Keep it beside our Food & Preservation Guides for the skills context, and reach for this when you need tested recipes and technique detail.
