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Canning Milk at Home - A New Trend

Jaynie Norman • June 30, 2022

As a tribute to National Dairy Month, We wanted to share with our friends on how to can milk. 

How to Can Milk – Raw or Store Bought

By Lee


Why Would You Want to Can Milk?


There are many reasons to can milk.  If you keep a reserve stash in your deep freezer, this is a way free up space, and not worry about it when the power goes out. 


I also thought that it would be great to learn how to can milk so I am not dependent on electricity to preserve it as I would be if I froze it.


If you live off the grid, keeping food without electricity is something you are familiar with.

But even if you are on the grid, it’s still nice to save some energy, or save room in the freezer for other things, or not needing to worry about food spoiling if the electricity goes out (for example, if you live in areas with many storms and power outages).


Another reason to can milk is if you don’t want to need to go to the grocery store often. Some of us live far in the country or are a single person and often a gallon of milk spoils before we can use it all. So canning is a great option.


Another great reason is canning for travel…

If you are packing for a camping trip, going to spend the weekend at the lake, or going on a road trip across the country, canned milk is a great ingredient to pack.


Tools That We Are Going to Need…

Before we start with the tutorial, let’s gather all the kitchen tools that we are going to need…

Jars – I think that the best size of jars for canning milk are the quart jars but you can follow the same tutorial with any size of jar that you choose to use.

Lids and bands – you can reuse bands but make sure to use new lids so we know that the seal is in great condition.

Canning utensils – we’ll use most of them.

Ladle – to help us fill the jars.

Pressure canner – I use my Presto pressure canner. The All-American canner is also popular.

That’s all we need. Let’s learn how to can milk…


How to Can Milk, Step-by-Step… Before we start with the tutorial, let’s gather all the kitchen tools that we are going to need…

That’s all we need. Let’s learn how to can milk…

How to Can Milk, Step-by-Step…

 

We start by taking the milk out of the fridge to warm up a little bit.


Preparing the Jars and Canner…

 


While the milk is warming up a bit, wash your jars in warm water and check that there are no cracks or chips around the rim. Let them dry for a few minutes.

 


Next, it’s time to sanitize your jars. You can do this by placing them in a water bath and boiling them for 10 minutes or so, placing them in the dishwasher, or using the oven.

I like the oven method. I place my jars on a baking sheet and heat the oven to 320F. Once the oven is hot I place the jars in there for 10-15 minutes.


 

After 10-15 minutes, remove the jars from the oven and use the jar lifter to remove them from the baking sheet. Place them on a towel and let them cool down.


We want the jars and the milk at a similar temperature so the jars don’t break.

 

Place your lids and rings in a pot of water, bring to a boil and hold that boil for 5 minutes or so.

You can reuse rings but make sure you use new lids each time so that you know for sure that the seal is good.


 

Let’s also fill the pressure canner with some water. I have a Presto pressure canner that I love! You will have to follow your canner’s instructions but if to be honest, I could not find any instructions in the manual on canning milk so I went with 2.5” of water.


Filling the Jars With Milk…

 

Once the jars cooled a bit and the milk warmed a bit and the difference in their temperature is not too great, I fill the sanitized jars with milk.

 

  1.     Make sure to leave 1/2’’ headspace.

   2.      Make sure you do not touch the rim or the inside of the jar with your fingers! I used a canning funnel               to make sure the milk goes in the jar and not all over the place.

  

   3.       Use a paper towel to clean the rim of the jar, again, DO NOT touch it with your fingers!

 

   4.       Use the magnetic lid lifter to lift the lid from the pot of hot water and place it on your lid. Do not                      touch the bottom of the lid with your fingers.

   

   5.       Now, use the ring to close the jar (not too tight, finger tight), and we are ready for processing!


Processing the Milk in the Pressure Canner…

 


Use the jar lifters to lift the jars and place them inside the pressure canner.

 


Close the canner and turn the heat to high.

 


Now we are watching the little nozzle for steam. It took my canner 18 minutes to reach the point where I can see steam coming out from the nozzle.


Once the canner starts to steam let it exhaust steam for 10 minutes before placing the gauge on the nozzle.

 

Before placing the gauge on the nozzle.


Now watch your pressure gauge, once it showed you 11 psi (it will take some time…), turn the heat off immediately and let the canner cool completely (this may take an hour or two).

 


Wait until the dial shows 0 pressure and then remove the weight If steam doesn’t come out anymore, it is safe to open the canner. Please be careful when you remove the weight.


Place a towel on the counter and use your jar lifters to remove the jars from the canner and place them on the towel. Now let the jars rest and cool completely for 24 hours.


We are done!


How to Store Canned Milk…

 


After the milk has cooled completely store it in a dark and cool place like in the pantry or a kitchen cabinet for example.


You will see the cream separating from the milk and that is normal and completely fine. The milk also turns a bit of a yellowish color.


It seems like everyone agrees that you can use it for cooking but not everyone agrees with drinking it. Many do though. If you do use it for drinking I think it tastes better if chilled.


Once you open a jar you do have to make sure to store it in the fridge and use it within a couple of days.




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