Canning Asparagus

1. Wash asparagus. Cut spears into lengths that will fit in your chosen jars.
2. Use a vegetable peeler or a sharp paring knife to remove tough scales for larger spears and ends.

For raw pack

1. Pack spears or pieces into jars as tightly as possible.Cover with boiling water. Leaving a 1-inch headspace.Wipe the jar rims with a damp paper towel.Center warm lid on jar. Screw on the band fingertip tight.Process just as you would for a hot pack.

For hot pack

1. Set up a large bowl as an ice bath.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus and blanch for two minutes.
3. Quickly add the blanched asparagus to the ice bath.
4. Loosely pack the jars with the blanched asparagus. Add salt, if using.Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
5. Adjust lids. Screw on the band fingertip tight. Add jars to canning pot with spacer rack insert added.
6. Seal the pressure canner. Turn on the burner. Bring to a boil and allow the pot to vent for a full ten minutes.
7. After venting, add the weighted or dial gauge pressure regulator. Bring the pressure up to the specified pressure (psi) and maintain it there. See pressure recommendations in the recipe notes below.
8. Process for the specified times as per the recipe instructions. Always set a timer. (see times in recipe below)
9. Keep an eye on your pressure and make sure that you do not drop below the specified pressure at any time during the canning process. If your pressure drops below the correct pressure, restart your timer.Once the time is up, remove the pot from the heat source. Let pressure naturally release from the pot. Carefully remove the lid.Allow the jars to sit in the canning pot for about 5 minutes to cool down slowly. Then remove them from the canner with your jar lifter. Place them on a towel on your kitchen counter.