Oh tes.. follow directions.. I completely agree, with one exception. I don’t bother sterilizing the jars before putting the food into them. Just make sure they are clean. The canning process will sterilize everything, so this step is redundant. Also, make sure you wash each jar after they come out of the canner. If you don’t, after time any residue on the jars will grow mold. Also, pay attention to the head space in each jar. Over filling will cause seep out during canning and taint the canning water. This get on the jars and makes them harder to clean after canning. I usually leave an inch of head space and the water stays clear. Oh, one more thing. Be good about labeling the lids with the contents and date. It’s really easy to forget when you have lots of cases in your pantry. Oh, lastly, reserve a nice open space in your basement for storage. It makes a world of difference if you install shelving and some lights do you can see your stock without trying to figure out whats in what. You’ll get it down so you dream about canning!
I saw no bad instructions on this thread. Take your time and have fun. I have canned meat, potatoes, several kinds of soup, and beans. This All American canner is the best on the market.
Every year a friend brings me some of his canned dear meat. It’s some of the best meat I’ve eaten. Nothing fancy, but it tastes GREAT, and is wonderful with just crackers.