You may need to make an altitude adjustment for canning at your home depending on your elevation. The temperature of when water boils is affected by barometric pressure. Depending on the barometric pressure in your area, you may need to make an altitude adjustment for canning. To ensure the safety of your home-canned food you must make sure to use the correct processing time and pressure. Water bath canning and pressure canning methods must be adjusted for additional processing time or pressure depending on the altitude of your home.
Water Bath Canning Altitude Adjustments
High-acid foods can be canned using water bath canning. When water bath canning at altitudes higher than 1000 feet, processing needs to be adjusted to extend the food’s exposure to adequate heat to destroy microorganisms. With water bath canning we just need to add additional processing time to the recommended time in the tested recipe.
| Altitude in feet | Increase Processing Time |
|---|---|
| 0-1000 | No increase |
| 1001-3000 | 5 minutes |
| 3001-6000 | 10 minutes |
| 6001-8000 | 15 minutes |
| 8001-10000 | 20 minutes |
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Pressure Canning Altitude Adjustments
Pressure canning is used for low-acid foods. When pressure canning low-acid foods at altitudes over 1000 feet, the recommended processing time remains the same, but the required pressure is increased.
| Altitude | Weighted-Guage | Dial-Guage |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1000 | 10 lbs | 11 lbs |
| 1001-2000 | 15 lbs | 11 lbs |
| 2001-4000 | 15 lbs | 12 lbs |
| 4001-6000 | 15 lbs | 13 lbs |
| 6001-8000 | 15 lbs | 14 lbs |
| 8001-10000 | 15 lbs | 15 lbs |
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Find Out Your Altitude
Make sure to find out the altitude in your area. You can contact your local Cooperative Extension Office, your local airport, or your local library to find out your altitude if you are unsure. You could also try entering your address into WhatIsMyElevation to find your altitude.
Properly processing all home canned foods is very important to keep you and your family safe. With a few adjustments for your altitude, you will be canning everything safely and enjoying your harvest for many years.