For shelf storage, you need to can it. That means heating it. For refrigerator storage, you don't have to.

Yes there is a 'canning 101', but I've heard that it's down til after the holidays. Can you get a Ball Blue Book, either buying or borrowing it? that will help you start out.

Warning, preserving is addictive.

In a way you are trying to compare apples to oranges. :) Yes there are 2 different ways of packing foods for canning. They are called hot pack and raw pack. Both require heat processing for shelf storage.

But they are not interchangeable and each calls for different amounts of added acid and/or different processing times. Each method is specific to its recipe and the attached instructions.

The best place to begin is NOT online as there is far too much inaccurate information out there for someone new to it to sort through. Instead begin with copy of the Ball Blue Book aka in Canada "Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving".

Bernardin Home Canning books.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Bernardin Canada

NCHFP online course isn't taking new registrations until after the holidays but check out the videos on Ball library - there are 3 "canning 101" videos about water bath canning and 1 on PCing green beans, I've only watched the green beans and they ran out of time (the chili one isn't available yet and I don't know how much help it will be when it does get added).

There are also some videos on Ball's freshpreserving.com site, but don't go to Youtube, you never know what you're going to find there and it might not be a trusted source.

Of course, even without the online course, there is a lot of good info on the NCHFP site - start with the General Information and the Using a Boling Water Canner on this page

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball canning videos

It also depends on whether you are in the US or not. In Europe it is standard practice not to process high vinegar pickles and high sugar jams at all. Since you're in Canada you'll have to decide which side of the canning fence you want to be on ;-) For plain pickled beetroot (which I don't actually make as I don't much like them) I would do something like this. Note no mention of BWB or pressure processing at all:

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickled beetroot

Thanks for all the advise. I found what I need at Bernardin's website

Posted by floral_uk 8/9 (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 10, 13 at 7:47

It also depends on whether you are in the US or not. In Europe it is standard practice not to process high vinegar pickles and high sugar jams at all.
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That is how I do it too. Besides, who wants to make jam or pickle to stand on the shelf for years ? I won't.