How to Pressure Can Carrots Easily and Safely

Are you ready to learn how to pressure can carrots?

Carrots are one of the most popular veggies with my kids, so we try to grow a lot each year in the garden. And the only way to can carrots safely is to learn how to pressure can carrots.

In this post, you’ll learn:

– How to pressure can carrots easily and safely and why you should.
– How to use a dial gauge pressure canner to preserve carrots
– The exact products I use to preserve carrots for an entire year for my family!

Are ya ready? Let’s dig in.

Why Pressure Can Carrots?

Why go to all of this work? There’s some great benefits to having canned carrots at home.

– No need to go to the store.
– Better storage for carrots if you don’t have a freezer.
– Great way to keep carrots from being wasted.

Pressure canning is the only safe way to can carrots. It’s a low acid vegetable at 5 pH value and requires a canning temperature of at least 240 degrees F.

If you’re scared to try pressure canning, don’t be afraid any longer. I’m here to give you exactly the step by steps you need to have to pressure can carrots.

What you need to get started

• Pressure Canner
• Pot with water
• Carrot Skinner
• Parring Knife
• Ball Jars with Lids and Bands
• Ruler
• Spatula
• Jar Gripper
• Hot pad holder
• Timer
• Funnel

First things First

Carrots are a root crop, which means they are going to be DIRTY if they come from you or someone’s garden. So, the first thing you’ll need to do is wash those filthy carrots several times until they are clean. You’ll need to scrub them hard with a veggie brush or rag until they sparkle.

The next step is so important, too.

Don’t forget this step

The canned carrots need to be skinned. This can be a very tedious job but bacteria harbors in skin. This is a necessary job.

Hot Packing Carrots

Here’s the first option for pressure canning carrots.

1. Place carrots in the pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer 5 Minutes.
3. Pack into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to pints, 1 teaspoon to quarts.
5. Fill jars with boiling water 1 inch from the top.
6. With your spatula, remove air bubbles.
7. Using a dry towel, wipe jar rims.
8. Adjust lids and process.

I will discuss processing times in a little bit. First of all, I want to tell you about the raw pack method.

Raw Packing Carrots

The other method for pressure canning carrots is the raw pack method. I typically use raw pack because it’s just so simple.

1. As you skin, cut, or slice the carrots, fill your clean jars. Leave 1-inch headspace or 1-inch from the top of the jar.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to pints or 1 teaspoon to quarts if you desire.
3. Fill jar to 1 inch from the top with boiling water.
4. Remove air bubbles.
5. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids.

Processing Carrots in the Pressure Canner

Which ever method you choose to use (raw or hot pack), the processing method is the same. I use a Dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds of pressure or you could use a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure.

Safe processing time is pints for 25 minutes and quarts for 30 minutes.

In the ‘related posts’ section below, there’s a post all about how to use the pressure canner. Click on the Read More text to learn about pressure canners.

Other Ways to Preserve Carrots

There are a couple of other ways to preserve fresh carrots for later.

The first method is freezing. It’s really super easy if you have a freezer to use. Wash the carrots and then blanch them. Put them into freezer bags. I have a more in-depth post on this. You can find it below in the related posts.

The second method is dehydrating. Skin the carrots and then slice or leave whole. You’ll want to slice them thicker because they will shrink in the dehydrator as they dry.

Whichever method you choose to use, be sure you have the right storage after they are processed. Canned carrots need a dark place that is temperature controlled. Frozen carrots need proper freezer bags for protection and dehydrated carrots must be placed in an air tight container.

After the work is done, you can enjoy carrots for much longer.

Enjoy Carrots Safely for Up To One Year

There’s no better luxury than to be able to shop your own storage pantry or freezer. I’ve given you two safe and easy ways to pressure can carrots.

Now, you can start putting up carrots for veggie soup, glazed carrots and more for later on!

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