MicroMoment: Have the Ball Blue Books Lost Their Clout? 

Your research and objective information is invaluable! You consistently stress the basics and emphasize safety and nutrition…..that is a winning combination. You and your channel are making an impact on a lot of us, thank you!

This is why we NEED YOU with a scientist background. Thank you for everything you do!! Being a new canner, their is no way….I think…that I could “ adjust” a food, although I completely understand what your saying. I’ll research.

I taught myself to can with a 1929 Ball book back in the 80s (no internet back then). I am so glad people are starting to can again. I find it very rewarding.

For what it's worth, I spent an hour on the phone with a Ball representative a few weeks ago and was told that they follow USDA guidelines. However, people can say anything they want. I would be checking recipes myself against USDA guidelines before them. As it stands now I tend to just can single ingredients such as jars of potatoes, jars of chicken, jars of carrots, then I can combine later to make whatever I'd like. Thanks for your input on this issue!

I am 38 and have only been seriously canning for about five years. I trust the older canning books far more than I trust any of the newer books. I treasure all of the information I've gained by watching your videos!! Thank you!!

Wow, I wasn't aware of this issue. Thank you for informing us. Really surprised that Ball doesn't want to become transparent in recipe safety. Tried and true canning is the only way I want to go when canning.

I’m a new canner, bought my 1st water bath canner and the 2020 Ball Blue book. I’ve made several recipes, and since it’s all new, the instructions were fine. I’m almost 70, learning to prep and can!

I started canning in 1976. I have the 1976 Ball book. I still use it as well as my 1976 Kenmore pressure canner. (I have replaced sealing rings and pressure gauge.) No one has ever gotten sick from anything I have canned EVER! Apparently those standards are good enough for me and those I feed. Now on the subject of lids....that part of the business has been sold to Rubbermaid, and they have totally dropped the ball as far as sufficient production and distribution of lid supply across the country is concerned. I am going to switch to the reusable silicone variety soon. That ought to finish out my lifetime!

Wow I had no idea that the extension offices weren’t using ball anymore. I have made lots of delicious ball recipes over the years, but I did wonder about a few recipies in the New ball canning book that you have (one with the roasted tomato soup). One of them was the puttanesca sauce recipe, It has eggplant in it, red wine and a few other acidic ingredients. But we normally are advised against canning eggplant unless its pickled. Well this recipe is water bathed. Come to find out, the version of my book had a typo in it, and they left out a huge amount of balsamic vinegar from the recipe. Well, I had already made and eaten all of the puttanesca sauce without the vinegar in it. (Was absolutely delicious btw) Checking their website recipe and the newer books, they have the missing balsamic vinegar listed in the ingredients. Im in an online safe canning FB group, and some of them did make it with the vinegar and said it was disgusting. So I tried one jar with the vinegar, and yes it was absolutely disgusting. Im not telling anyone to do this, but I loved the recipe so much with just the wine (no vinegar) that I decided I would add citric acid to lower the PH and pressure can them instead of waterbath. Considering I had eaten a whole lot of them water bathed and without any acid in them, I figured I would make it a little safer. Came out wonderful and I can tell you it was a little disturbing to know that Ball (a brand I trusted to be extremely safe) could leave out such an important ingredient aka the only reason it would have been safe to water bath can it. I kind of lost a good deal of faith in them with that one. Now that you have brought up that the OSU extension offices don’t like using their recipes anymore, I will be absolutely more careful when making their recipes and studying up on safe canning practices more to understand when one might not be. I was pretty much a novice when making that sauce for the first time and it scares me how many others might have the same book and not know like me and just follow the instructions trusting that it is safe when it is not.

I always admire your scientific background, I always feel safe learning from you and all the information you share with us. Thank you!

Yes ma'am, it's the new age of Police for our thoughts... I'm still using many of the recipes and will continue... many of these recipes I have to change due to health issues. And as always, we use the best info we have and make our own decisions. Sadly common sense is lacking these days. Thanks as always for the info you provide. Blessings

It is interesting that we must have controversy over items that we have safely canned for half a century! It sounds political to me! I would tend to question the methods of preparing jars and lids and equipment used in the canning process over the recipes themselves. I’ve watched you safely can items I wouldn’t have dreamed of canning, and wouldn’t hesitate to blend spaghetti sauce, for instance, and pour it into jars and process it. I still will use my Ball Blue Book that has a copy write date of 1974. Many newer recipes don’t taste nearly as good as the old tried and true ones of yesteryear!

Let me along with hundreds of other people Thank you so very much for this channel. My Father used to can all kinds of foods. Hot peppers galore and his hot sauce was the very best i have ever had. Miss Pam my husband wonders why our house isn't clean it's because I watch your channel all day long. I bought myself a 22 quart pressure canner when covid showed up and the stores were empty and both of my freezers quit. I lost thousand of dollars of food when there wasn't any food at the grocery stores. If I had canned all of that food it would still be good to last us for a while. Thanks again for all of the info you give us. I share your channel with everyone who will listen to me.

Being new to pressure canning I know, as I build my confidence and experience, that I will be able to make an educated decision on a canning recipe in the future. I have a few Ball canning books, but have only used the USDA book so far. Pam U have helped me in my confidence building, and I thank you so very much for sharing your expert advice and knowledge...especially the science behind pressure canning...please continue helping us that are new to canning....

I read that the acidity in tomatoes grown now days is lower than years ago since we have hybrids and gmo seeds so with that in mind canning rules or recipes have to be adjusted for safety.

Common sense? That's a true rarity these days!! Love your videos! I've been canning ground beef per your videos! My next project will be chicken! I have not found a video for potatoes, ground beef, onions and carrots...yet... as I've been too busy... but I bet i will when i go through all of your videos. I love your channel and all of the research you've done! God bless you and Jim. Thank you so much💕💞💕💞🌻🌻🌻

Interesting. Good information, i hadn't heard about the hoopla. I tend to question the government and USDA more. I am more curious as to where all the canning lids are. I haven't seen any in Central Oregon for about a year. Jars with lids, yes. Just lids? Big NOPE.

Considering I no longer trust anything any governmental agency has to stay, I will continue using my Ball canning book. Everything has become so political, even if you don't realize it, and they have lost my trust in what 'they' have to say. Thank you for the video though and informing your audience. I really enjoy your channel and am learning a lot.

Thank you Ms Rose for your research and for all you do.

I found a Presto pressure canner at a flee market just this weekend and once I get it tested at a local university extension I'm so excited to get canning. Several women over 60 stoped me while I was walking around with it to ask me why on earth I wanted to do "all that work" where as a lot of women under 50 seemed so excited and were stoping to tell me what they liked to can and giving me advice. It was very sweet - I guess it's not for everyone especially maybe if before you HAD to do it rather than do it as part of having some things on hand from the store. Too bad that Ball book is now sort of murky especially since USDA isn't putting out a lot of new recipes, I don't really want to do a lot of recipes anyway so the USDA book works for me. Thanks for the inspiration!

I love reading the food preservation recipients and methods in my vintage Mennonite, Good Housekeeping, and Better Homes & Gardens cookbooks. It’s great to see how it’s changed over the decades, and really makes me more confident in the processes we use today. Every canning book, and there are more on the market every day, should be checked against the master recipes in the USDA guide.

This woman is a God send! Thank you for constantly putting out valuable content. As a new canner in my early 30s with no one in my family who knows how to can, I so appreciate all of your videos!!!!

As someone who is relearning/learning again, you are a great resource and my nervousness is put at ease. Sitting here putting up some more jam right now. Thank you so much.

THANK YOU for your candid honesty! I have a science background (horticulture and botany), but I'm certainly no PhD as you are. I immensely appreciate your willingness to give your observations and opinions, backed up with years of scientific study

Thank you for addressing this issue as I was unaware of it. I have several Ball books and have used them for many things. I also own the "Complete Guide to Home Canning" and "So Easy to Preserve". Between these, I feel comfortable with my canning. And as a bonus, your videos!

Thank you so much for sharing this information. I totally agree with you! There's also the "So Easy to Preserve" by the Cooperative Ext., University of Georgia, a canning book I use on occasion.

Dear Ms. RoseRed, thank you thank you so much for all your time and effort you all have been making to help us learn! I am a new subscriber and have been binge watching your videos over the last couple of weeks. I’m just amazed at how much research you do for your viewers even while working full time and running a homestead! I wish I had your energy! I’m happy to hear that you still have confidence in the Ball Blue book; I have one from the mid seventies too, actually looks just like yours! But the cover is still on, LOL. I’ve compared the directions between it and the ones you give in your videos and most are still the same, some with minor changes. At least for the recipes I use. Once again thank you so much for all you do for us! You are a wonderful teacher, and if I may say, a trusted RU-vid friend. 🥰

Every time I begin my canning, I come to your channel to see how you do it! Thank you so much for all the education you provide.

I feel blessed to have my mother’s Kerr & Ball books from 1969, also my own Ball book from 1995. Really weird how many traditional things are being challenged these days.

Pam, thanks for your research into this and for sharing your thoughts. It is concerning that this conflict is going on. I like the idea of comparing recipes in the Ball books with those from the NCHFP and making adjustments. The sad thing is that many canners would be overwhelmed by that. Maybe it's a good idea to start with the NCHFP book and once more experienced, evaluate recipes in the Ball (and other) books based on what you know about safe canning. By the way, my video on steam canning in the Nesco (and why not to do it) went pretty well. I do have a net negative subscriber count on that particular video, but not horrible. I'm still glad I did it, even though I know that most people who use that canner disagree with me.

Thank y'all so very much for all the time you give to the rest of us. I appreciate y'all so much. I've been ill for a couple of years. Finally, I am getting well. I am looking forward to canning and using all the wonderful information you have taught. God Bless y'all.

As a very long term canner, I agree with your opinion. I appreciate that you have a wide range of viewers who can double check things with you. Trust me, the way you explain things, answers questions that others may have had.

I have 3 pressure scanners and haven't water bathed for years. I have done pizza sauce, chili sauces, taco sauce, stewed, juice, salsas and catsup all in the pressure canner. I have an old Squeezo that is such a time saver with not having to peel by hand. Water bath is just to heavy for me to deal with at 68.

Please write YOUR canning and preserving book!!

What a great video. It actually took me down memory lane. I had to go get my 1st canning book. I got it in 1980 but it was first released in 77 and it is a Ball Blue book. I had to finally tape the cover back onto it this year and after all these years i still pull it out every year. You are so right about making good choices about the recipes you choose. And remember to never stop learning.

Thank you for this! I've ordered my copy of the USDA book. Since I'm brand new to canning, I was just following what is in the Blue book and had no idea that the USDA had that resource. I have no one in my family alive who does food preservation and you are such a wonderful resource for knowledge. Please keep making videos. Some of us rely on your experience

Talk about timely. I have tomatoe basil soup in the crockpot. Tomorrow I was planning on using my immersion blender and the canning it. Now I'm going to leave it chunky and can. Thank you Pam for the review.

I have my husbands great grandmother's kerr canning books from the 1920's to the 60's and his grandmother's to the 80's. I also have my own from the early 2000's along with the USDA book. I personally love the one from the 20's better. The USDA does have some similarities to it. I rarely do any convenient foods though.

I emailed the National center for Home Food Preservation a couple weeks ago, they said they recieved funding and were working on new recipes, hopefully out by the end of the year.

I am so very thankful to have found your site, it is a wealth of information. I am looking into putting together an emergency binder and was curious if you had any suggestions. Thank You again for all the time you are both devoting to helping us on this journey.

Pam, I love your channel! Your advice is priceless. I'm new to canning and I love it. I find the precise methods and routine very calming. I am a "bit" of a perfectionist and rule follower. Must be oldest child syndrome... Lol! God's rules though, not necessarily men's. That said, I purchased a Ball book this summer and a Presto pressure cooker. I set up the PC and used the ball recipes. After the liquid boiled out of a couple batches, and I knew my guage settings were correct for my altitude, I was perplexed. Rereading the Ball directions for pressure canning and the directions for Presto showed me the problem. Ball book tells you to put 2 quarts of water in to pressure cook and the Presto says 3 quarts. I corrected my h2o levels to Presto recommendations and no more liquid boil overs. I also got some great canning books at the local library. I love your videos, you're an amazing educator. God bless you. Dawn

I was in a Zoom canning class with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks recently and the presenter held up the Ball books and said the recipes were not tested and she can’t comment on their safety. However, the UAF Extension Service here does have recipes using zucchini, which the USDA doesn’t recommend. 🤦🏼‍♀️ My guess is UAF extension did their own testing for their recipe. Just another reminder that “untested” doesn’t mean necessarily mean unsafe. We are trying to do the best we can.

Thank you so much for this info. I have the Ball book, but did not know about the USDA book, so I went ahead and ordered it. Great info from you once again.

Thank you for this information!! I’ve always kept my old Blue books. I usually check in the new one I’d get it and compare to my older books to see if anything had changed. You are a Blessing. Thank you ❤️

Thanks so much for all the canning information, and keeping us up-to-date with the latest safe canning procedures 👍❣️

Thank you Rose for taking your time to research what has been going on with the Ball Canning Book. This is good information to help me make a better informed decision.

I'm waiting with baited breath for your test of both recipes, using that gadget of yours to can a quart of the Ball soup, and 6 qts of USDA soup, but of course using the gadget in the Ball soup, since you know that the USDA quarts will be safe. I can't wait, because your findings will show if that Ball recipe is safe or not. Thanks for the video. Be healthy, stay safe and many blessings, Morgan.

I have never canned anything but the Ball books have been out for years sounds like they did not pay someone and I would trust them over the government.

So good that you take the time to clarify these things. I love that you stress that the USDA recommendations must be followed. (I’m Canadian & I have THE book & follow it religiously!)

Excellent advice as always! I just received both books today, along with a food saver and Mylar bags. I am super excited! Thank you for addressing this as I almost panicked. 😆 We trust you and your advice implicitly, though researching for ourselves, should always be an important part of our canning/preparedness process.

I ordered and received both "The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving" and the "Complete Guide to Home Canning" 2020...recommended. Happy with my choices but as a "newbie" please keep me informed, if need be, with discrepancies if possible.

Holy cow! This is going to be a hot topic. I've only canned with the ball Blue book, now it makes me worried whether I'm using the right process to can my vegetable harvest with. I just ordered the USDA 2021 revised 2015 canning book at your recommendation. It's hard to know who to trust since the USDA is not actually doing the testing anymore and leaving it up to extensions to do their work. So can we actually trust ALL the extensions? Seriously! This is becoming sort of "Do I trust my own canning now?" Seriously I didn't start canning to become a scientist.

The 1975 Ball Blue Book brought back memories of the last time canning supplies were a challenge to get. Love your videos.

I commented earlier on this video. You gave me tips and a link to a video of why cyphoning happens. I was overfilling jars and tightening too much. Today I canned a ton and NO cyphoning!! Thank you so much because it was frustrating me & you helped solve this problem.

The USDA guide is also online for free. You can download or print it off. I prefer the actual book, it was about $8 on Amazon.

Yes it is definitely something we need o be aware of but like you said if your gut tells you something is not adding up then do a recipe you trust. Can’t stop a canning artist. Thank you Have a great day. One day at a time sweet Jesus.

What about other sauces? Apple, rhubarb and strawberry, salsa, pizza sauce, spaghetti etc. I took microbiology classes in college and learned about bacteria, molds and fungus. I learned what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That also includes microorganisms as well so don't use grammas recipes for canning. Since I have been canning for many years and always thought of Ball Blue Book working along with the USDA was someone I could trust and never question. Now I don't know who to trust.

I am very very very new to canning and new to your channel. I have never had anyone in my life to teach me to can...so I was so happy to find you. I am excited to can. I have actually never canned yet. I bought some Ball books 1960's- 1970's from thrift stores. I've been trying to learn everything I can....to be safe. You are a wealth of information for me and I thank you. 😊

I find it funny how people who are so interested in individual preparedness, who also happen to generally be so distrustful of government agencies, pick the USDA to hold in such high esteem in this one instance. Just an observation.

Miss Pam, Thank you for explaining the "hoo haa" going on with the Ball Blue Book!!! Question, what is the year on your Ball Blue Book??? As always, your expertise and knowledge have made us or at least me feel better about canning and food preservation!!! Thank you for your Micro Moment Monday!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this information!!!! Happy Canning! 🙂🌻

Thank you for this Information. You are a Blessing!! I have kept all of my ball blue canning books and when I’d get a new one. I would compare the new recipe to the old one for changes.

You have motivated me to call our local extension office and see what WV is saying about this. I agree with you. Thanks for sharing.

I used to trust ball recipes - but I knew as soon as I saw that they included CHICKEN STOCK in a WATERBATH recipe that I would have to be extra vigilant in judging recipes. It’s not a book I recommend to newbies.

You make such perfectly wonderful, good and logical sense! Just knowing why the USDA prefers chunky food in liquid over a purée is a great clue to how we should proceed with those things. There is a lot to remember and think about before proceeding with a recipe. Thank you for this very helpful information. I feel very comfortable with your recommendation on how to proceed,

New to canning---excited and wanting to get a book or two to begin my little canning/preserving library. Well.....after reading reviews on canning books in which Ball Blue Book negative comments were adding up with several small errors in the recipes or instructions. I believe this was starting to be observed in the newer version. So I bought an older version along with a slightly older version of the USDA. Thank you for suggesting that we start double checking recipes with like recipes in other sources--books or websites (county extensions and such) that are touted as having proper research behind their recommendations, recipes, and procedures. Thank you for stepping up to the plate to address a situation that could have alarming consequences...your suggestions, I felt, were wise. Jesus bless.

I got the newer usda book just recently from Amazon for about $9.

Thats interesting. Coming from the USDA that doesn't even have enough meat inspectors to ensure we get safe products into our country or stores.

Thank you so much for explaining things so clearly!! I have only recently found your channel.. I love your methodology ♥️

Wise advice. I will follow along w/the way RoseRed Homestead says. I would not be afraid to eat her canning. I am not afraid to eat mine because if I question it, out it goes. And that doesn’t happen very often. It is usually delicious. I’ve learned a lot Caron you beautiful and wise Mrs. RoseRed! Thank you!

Do you know when the USDA lost faith in the blue book? If so can we just use those recipes from the earlier editions? That would seem like a reasonable compromise to me. Thanks for helping clear this up. I have an older edition of the ball blue book so I would love to see if it was published before the extension offices became concerned.

I don't understand why chunks in liquid are considered to be less dense (and easier to heat through) than the same contents in pureed form. Seems like the chunks themselves would be more dense.

Thank You for helping us out, I haven't heard of the book problem. I just subscribed after watching this and drying frozen vegetables. I definitely will dry and vacuum pack some. Thanks Again.

Thank you so much! I had no idea this was going on. I a pretty curios creature by nature and want to know the why behind the guides, rules etc. You provide all of the answers to those why’s and I am so appreciative of you amd your husband for putting in so much research, work and time to make these videos. God bless you both!

Possible secondary confliction? So Ball says puree then process... USDA says leave chunks and process. My question is... What about Ketchup? That is thick, pureed and processed. Is it because of the vinegar that makes it safe or something else?

I am just learning about canning and haven't had the opportunity to even start yet but my question is this: if these recipes from Ball were safe for decades, why wouldn't they be safe today? Has anyone gotten sick or died from these recipes over the years? If not, then why is it such a concern today? Just a newbies observations.

I was looking forward to your video on the Ball book, since I cannot find my old Bernadin canning book……I need to purchase a new book asI am into canning again, not in large quantities as when I was younger but putting up tomatoes, spag, sauce, jams and pepper jellies….just for us and for family once in awhile. We have family here in FL but most of our family is in Canada so we share our time between CAN and US. I am so happy to have found you my dear Nd I want to thank you for your devotion.

Hi Pam! I really enjoyed the video and the information. Thank you!!

Who needs Ball Blue Books when we have you?😁❤️

Haven’t you heard? People who can are extremists 😑

Thank you Pam and yes I will continue using the ball Blue book as well. You are awesome lady!!

Love these vids. I'm going to venture into the world of canning next year and sharing your experience is appreciated

Hi Ms. Pam. First, this is only my opinion- subjective, as you know. But, I have to wonder if they might not be happy that Ball is only manufatured in China? I have a couple of OLD ball books as well. Yes, they did use to put asprin in the tomaotes. But, with the flood of easy to get citric acid, they stopped saying you needed the asprin ( I think that citric acid used to be or maybe still was/is, the carrier that was used to make asprin). NOW, an older, wonderful Italian grandma, that has been canning for better than 60 years ( even today) does this, she chops her tomatoes, and cans them. Once in a while she might add salt, and she does add citric acid. For her "sauce" she blanches the tomatoes and runs them through a mills, then reheats and cans the thick juice- unseasoned. She said she has found over the years that adding any types of sesonings limits you, on the uses. If we want tomato soup, get your canned tomatoes and make soup. 😊 It makes sense to me! When I buy store bought tomatoes, I either buy crushed ot diced and go from there. That is they way I put them up too. You leave the tomatoes as close to natural form as you can, and then the sky is opened ..Well, can't have a BLT.. 🤣 But, we dont have to cook every tomato we get either!

The Ball Blue Book recipes I have been using for decades (for me) have a proven track record.

I must say, that is a lovely blouse and a very nice color on you.

Thanks for the update.

Ball is not sharing their testing results by advise from their corporate attorney. Afraid of lawsuits, sound like to me.....

I’m a bit disappointed to hear this, being quite new to canning and therefore taking the advice to buy the Ball book. I live in Europe so it’s not so easy to get the fda information.

I have the same 1970s Blue Book (with the cover intact!) and I do trust that book. However, the ball book with the soup recipe that you also showed, I purchased recently and was disappointed at how poorly it is organized as far as layout and the index is concerned. Some of the recipes raised an eyebrow and I agree…it’s a good idea to compare the new recipes and techniques with the current USDA info. As an aside, I just opened a new pack of Ball regular mouth lids (flats) and so far there are 4 that I will not be able to use because the sealing material is blobbed unevenly around the edges. They should be the best for what they cost these days. I’m trying another brand soon. (Starts with a P) Thank you so much for sharing all your experience with us. I appreciate your scientific approach and technical skills!

Thank you so much. You are such a blessing to all of us

What about juice? I make juice and broth which is all liquid.

This is too weird. The Laws of God in thermodynamics, physics, and disease haven't changed. So, if a recipe is good and safe from 30 years ago, it's still good. Why would a person be afraid to use it? Insanity, perhaps. If the Ball Book is less reliable then a person should use the older and dependable recipes. Let the new ones sit on the shelves un-purchased.

Such valuable information, thank you again! 👍💖

Thanks for sharing this important information. Stay safe have a blessed day.

The usda? I trust them NOT!! I trust edward scissorhands to cut my hair & biden to watch my children more than I trust the usda. Thanks for the heads up though, now I'll go look for older blue books.

I'm another new subscriber, and you're my new favorite channel. I wish I could just have a visit and ask you all kinds of things. I don't see you as a mother figure, because mercy, I'm 59, so you're a big sister figure. I want to thank you, because you have explained and demonstrated so well, that I am having a week of food preservation. I've had my pressure canner over two and a half years. I took it out of the box after it was delivered, read the manual several times, then put it back in the box. Now I'm not scared to pressure can. I have seven quarts of ham broth simmering on the stove. I'm gonna be canning beans, beef, pork, and chicken. Today I chopped up twelve pounds of onions and they're in the three dehydrators now. I'm dehydrating the trinity this week. Tomorrow is celery. I couldn't remember if it needed to be blanched, so I looked up a video, and guess what video popped up first... Rose Red. I'm sorry to write this epistle, but I'm so excited to find your channel, and I just love your videos. I have been so sedentary, but I'm planning on a workout this week, and probably another to do all this preservation, so thank you.

Excellent information. Thank you!

Thanks for sharing with us, great video !!! I need a new book for canning N pressure canning too !!!

Wow this is all new information to me. Thanks for sharing this information with us, as a person who wants to learn about canning i appreciate you immensely

I was considering ordering the latest edition of the Ball Blue Book. Now, I guess I will watch all your videos again, and just get a notebook and write everything down. I eat simple meals and from what I have already seen, so do you. Thank you and Jim for the time and effort you put into making these videos. 💖🤗💖🤗💖