Danver half longs are our favorite carrots to grow. They are short, fat, and stubby and grow easier than many longer varieties. They have a naturally sweet flavor that is much more appealing which is why they are our favorite to can as well. You can too with these easy instructions on how to can carrots.

Ingredients

Carrots (Approximately 1.5-2 pounds per pint jar)
Salt (Optional)
Water

Equipment

Large Pot
Canning Jars
Tablespoon
Teaspoon
Canning Lids and Rings
Jar Grabber
Magnetic Lid Lifter
Jar Funnel
Spoon/Ladle
Pressure Canner

You can buy your canning supplies individually, but if you have none and need several items it is usually cheaper to purchase the basic canning supplies in a starter kit. You can also find inexpensive canning jars of all sizes at Goodwill, yard sales, and stores like Dollar General.

Wash, Peel, Slice, Wash Again

Start with fresh carrots from your own garden, a friend’s, or possibly from the farmer’s market. Wash and peel carrots. Watch out for any bad spots and cut them as you peel. Slice carrots and rinse thoroughly a second time changing out the water a couple times. While rinsing look for any missed spots, bugs, and other undesirables.

Danver Half Long Carrots from Our Garden

Tip: If you are pushed for time and can’t prepare and can them all in one day you can put the sliced and prepared carrots in your pot you are going to blanch them in covered well with water and leave them in the fridge until you can get to them the next day. However, I would not leave them in the fridge like this more than 24 hours.

Prepare Canner

Prepare pressure canner with the correct amount of water for your canner model and turn on heat medium-high. I fill mine with 3 inches of water.

Blanch Carrots for Hot Packing

I prefer hot packing carrots. It is not required, but it makes the carrots a little more pliable and more can be packed into a jar easily. In a large pot bring your carrots to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.

Washed and Sliced Carrots Ready to Blanch

Prepare Jars and Lids

While carrots are coming to boil, wash jars, rings, and lids. Heat lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Boiling excessively may damage the seal on the lids. Set rings aside until needed.

Hot Pack

Remove blanched carrots from heat. Pack carrots into jars until full. Because carrots are large there will be a lot of unused air space in the jar. With a tablespoon pack the carrots down to remove some of the air. Do not excessively pack them. Simply pack them down just enough to add a little more carrots. Add more carrots leaving 1 inch of head space.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to quart jars and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to pint jars. This is optional for flavor and not required to preserve the carrots.

Fill with water from cooked carrots to 1 inch headspace. Double check headspace and remove or add water as needed.

Wipe rims clean, center hot lids on jar, tighten rings until fingertip tight. Do not over tighten.

Pressure Can

Low acid foods (like peas, beans, potatoes, carrots, and meats) must be preserved in a pressure canner. Place jars into preheated pressure canner using jar grabber. Quart and pint jars can be combined in a single canning session. However, if you are using a tall pressure canner and are filling with a second layer of jars make sure your first layer are all of the same size (except maybe the center ones). Securely place the lid on the pressure canner. Turn heat to high and allow canner to vent for 10 minutes. Apply 10 pounds of pressure. Once 10 pounds of pressure have been reached process for 25 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to maintain 10 pounds of pressure.

Removal

When the time is up turn the heat off and wait for dial/gauge to register 0 pounds of pressure. Do not attempt to rush this process or remove the weight early. Once it has reached 0 pounds of pressure remove the weight and canner lid. Remove the jars with a jar grabber and set on a towel with an inch or so of space between them to cool. It does not take long to start hearing the pops of the centers sealing. It’s a glorious sound! After 24 hours check all lids for a proper seal. Properly sealed lids will not flex up and down when pressed in the center.

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