Center for Preserving Food

Pickling Guide

Guides to Canning, Pickling, Freezing, Drying, Fermenting, & More

Welcome to our Beginner Guides to Home Food Preservation! To make it simpler for you, we’ve ordered our guides from easiest to hardest! 

Find step-by-step guides on freezing vegetables, making quick refrigerator pickles and fruit jams, drying herbs and produce, water-bath canning, canning jams and jellies, pressure canning, fermenting, and preserving.

NOTE: These guides were updated and fact-checked by Christina Ferroli, PhD, RDNFAND to adhere to the latest and highest safety and quality measures to deliver on the trust and reputation of The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Introduction to Preserving

Things to Consider Before Preserving Your Harvest

Pickling, Freezing, and Storing Tips for Your Harvest

Freezing, Pickling, Drying, and Making Jam

Freezing

How to Freeze Zucchini

Frozen Food Storage Chart, Plus Handy Tips for Freezing Meat, Cheese, and Produce

pile of brussels sprouts, halved one in front

Learn the Secrets of Freezing Brussels Sprouts Properly

Frozen sliced bell pepper covered with ice. Frozen vegetables background. Selective focus.

Freezing peppers for year-round use!

A Guide to Blanching and Freezing Fresh Produce

Storing garden herbs for cooking

Freezing Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Beet Greens

Making Quick Pickles

Making Quick Jams: Refrigerator or Freezer Jam

Small batch jam with two ingredients | For fridge or freezer

Vinegars

Homemade Infused Vinegars Make for the Perfect Holiday Gift!

A bottle of homemade fire cider with some of the ingredients. Fire cider is a good way to build your immune system. ginger, jalepeno, lemon, tumeric

A Recipe for the Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

Water-Bath Canning

Learn All About Canning and Preserving Your Own Food

Introduction to Water-Bath Canning at Home

How to Can Tomatoes

Canning Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Crushed Tomatoes)

Can Tomato Sauce the Easy Way -- With a Boiling Water Bath!

How to Can Pickles

Learn All About Quick Pickling and Water-Bath Pickling

How to Can Jam and Jelly

Pressure Canning

An Introduction to Pressure Canning at Home

Drying

Drying Tomatoes in the Oven or the Sun

How to Make Herbal Tea at Home

Salting and Brining

Old-Fashioned (Effective!) Ways to Preserve Meat

Fermenting

Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe & Tips

Selection Of Fermented Kombucha Drinks. Homemade probiotic superfood tea, keto diet drink, tepache, cider, kvass, ginger ale. Healthy flavored drink. Copy space. Top View

A Recipe for Fruit Kvass. An easy, delicious, fermented fruit drink!

An Easy Fermented Kimchi Recipe

how to make kombucha, the old farmers almanac, scobi/mother in a bottle

Learn to make this tangy, fermented drink with our simple recipe!

Fermented beet kvass in two glass jars

How to Make Homemade Beetroot Kvass

Making Your Own Fermented Creme Fraiche

Milk serum. Whey from homemade cottage cheese in a glass mug.

Whey Health Benefits and Recipes

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