USDA's "your choice" soup recipe

Step 1

Cook all meat first;

Step 2

Prep and blanch all vegetables first according to USDA canning recommendations for those individual veg, which includes rehydrating dried beans first;

Step 3

Combine all the ingredients you propose to use in your soup in a large pot, with enough liquid (stock or water) to cover plus 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3 inches) more. Bring to a boil. Adjust taste with herbs, spices, seasonings, etc.

Step 4

There is no need to fully cook the soup, it will cook in the jars -- you are just ensuring everything is piping hot;

Step 5

Fill jars half full of solids, no more;

Step 6

Top up as need with more broth or stock leaving 3 cm (1 inch) of headspace. If you run out of broth or stock, just use boiling water out of the kettle to top up,. You could even flavour that plain boiling water with stock cubes or powder.

Step 7

Pour hot into half-litre (1 US pint) jars or 1 litre (US quart) jars.

Step 8

Leave 3 cm (1 inch) headspace.

Step 9

Debubble; adjust headspace.

Step 10

Put lids on, put in pressure canner.

Step 11

Processing pressure: 10 lbs (69 kPa) weighted gauge, 11 lbs (76 kpa) dial gauge (adjust pressure for your altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet.)

Step 12

Processing time: half-litre (1 US pint) jars for 60 minutes. OR 1 litre (1 US quart) jars for 75 minutes. Processing time for either size jar must be increased to 100 minutes if the soup includes fish or seafood.