Canning & Preserving 101

**camprn** 9/30/2010, 7:51 pm

a nice little site http://www.grit.com/garden/preserving/safe-food-storage.aspx

Chopper 10/1/2010, 1:13 am

I came into this season never have canned anything and now I can can a peck of pickled anything. And I do not even have all the right tools yet - just the important stuff - like the jars and lids. Have also frozen. I could kick myself for giving my dryer to goodwill like a year before I would have needed it. Dang. Even at that, I cannot keep up with the preserving demands of the garden. But worst case scenario - more for the compost bin. It all ends up being used!

trustinhart 10/1/2010, 10:22 pm

Thanks camprn, very good article, I signed up for the newsletter

Chopper: I made freezer pickles for the first time this year!! (Megan's great suggestion Smile

) I haven't tasted them yet, but it sure was fun and very satisfying.

**camprn** 10/2/2010, 10:02 am

I was on the hunt for info about dehydrating eggplant. Click the link for info.

ander217 10/2/2010, 11:34 pm

thanks for the link, camprn. My grandmother took Capper's Weekly for years, and our neighbor took the Grit paper when I was a girl. I had no idea they were still around. I still remember the serial stories in Capper's. It was so hard waiting a whole week before Grandma could read the next installment to us.

Seeing them again made my day.

**camprn** 12/17/2010, 6:22 am

Click Here and Here for two good articles about how canning food as a preservation technique is a Science and not necessarily an Art. There IS a little bit of wiggle room with pickles and jams but mostly it is a good thing to stick to tried and true recipes. rendeer

acara 12/17/2010, 7:04 am

Yeah ... that was pretty scary when I got the new Ball book as a refresher, before taking a stab at making pickles this season.

Almost every single warning/caution of things NOT to do in the new book was a fond memory of "yep, grandma and I used to do that". .... particularly on the "modifying recipies" thing ....errrrr

Canning/preserving is definately something you need to stay "current" on & follow the published guidlines, if your not proficient.

**camprn** 1/23/2011, 9:26 pm

Canning Swap
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/21/133121684/Home-Canning-Enjoys-New-Popularity?sc=tw&cc=share

ander217 1/24/2011, 3:36 am

Now is the time to be eating those canned and preserved foods from the garden.

I used to have sort of a hoarding complex when it came to my pickles, jams, and canned and frozen veggies. I suppose I figured if I ate them all, then I would have none left, so I used to try to keep from opening them as long as possible. I finally realized that when spring comes and there is fresh food available again, the preserved stuff no longer looks as appetizing.

If any preserving newbies out there are holding out on sampling the fruits of their labors, it's time to open and enjoy.

For supper last night I cooked a quart package of frozen spinach from May 2010 - so good! While we were eating, hubby and I remembered planting and caring for that spinach - something you can't do when eating store-bought food.

kmsod 2/15/2011, 6:47 pm

camprn wrote:I was on the hunt for info about dehydrating eggplant. Click the link for info.

Wow - that article talked about drying food in the clothes dryer! That is a new one to me. Has anyone ever tried that (or known anyone who has)?

**camprn** 2/15/2011, 8:11 pm

kmsod wrote:
camprn wrote:I was on the hunt for info about dehydrating eggplant. Click the link for info.

Wow - that article talked about drying food in the clothes dryer! That is a new one to me. Has anyone ever tried that (or known anyone who has)?

Not me, and I don't plan on it. I rarely use the dryer for my clothes, no way I'd be silly enough to try drying veggie chips in it. LOL Shocked

boffer 2/15/2011, 8:30 pm

ander217 wrote:I used to have sort of a hoarding complex when it came to my pickles, jams, and canned and frozen veggies. I suppose I figured if I ate them all, then I would have none left, so I used to try to keep from opening them as long as possible.

Along with your encouragement, Ander, I might be able to get my wife to finish eating 2009's jars!

Nonna.PapaVino 2/16/2011, 12:02 am

Two years ago, the two Asian pear trees we had planted gave us a HUGE amount of pears. We ate and gave away lots, but still had lots. A Google search convinced me I could can some of these pears. My first batch was very good, the fruit comes out delightfully crisp and tasty, but a tad bland. And there were still lots of pears. Boredom can be the mother of invention, so I played with the flavors of the pears: one batch had some lemon zest and lemon juice added; another batch had orange zest and juice added; and to one, I added fresh ginger. Hands down, the lemon zest/juice addition was the favorite, so last year's small crop was all canned as lemon pears. Now, hearing about the pickled pineapple, I'm dreaming of a bumper crop of Asian pears again! A big thanks to all here who generously share their inspirations. Nonna, St. Helens, OR

Megan 2/16/2011, 6:46 am

ander217 wrote:If any preserving newbies out there are holding out on sampling the fruits of their labors, it's time to open and enjoy.

LOL.... are you pointing a finger at me, Ander? Very Happy

Okay, okay!!!! Embarassed

Also, Nonna, those pears sound delicious!

ander217 2/16/2011, 7:26 am

Megan wrote:
ander217 wrote:If any preserving newbies out there are holding out on sampling the fruits of their labors, it's time to open and enjoy.
LOL.... are you pointing a finger at me, Ander? Okay, okay!!!!

I won't deny you did cross my mind when I wrote that. I'm still waiting to hear about those squash pickles! Maybe you can call Boffer's wife and have a grand opening of the canned goods together. Smile

FarmerValerie 2/16/2011, 7:45 am

I just took two pint jars of Bread & Butter slices and ran them through a quick chop in the processor, turned them into pickle relish.... MMMMM

Megan 2/16/2011, 8:08 am

Alright, Ander, I just cracked a jar open from August. Smile

It's been years and years since I've had bread'n'butter pickles, but the taste is pretty much dead-on. The texture is different. You don't get the scrunch you would expect from a cucumber; it's much softer, though still has some body to it. Very good!

ander217 2/16/2011, 8:16 am

I knew you could do it!

bear hug

Lavender Debs 2/16/2011, 9:50 am

Hey hi canners, I just got a new glass top stove. Much to my disappointment, I keep hearing that I should not do hot water bath canners on the Glass Top because it will damage the top. Anyone have ideas or experience? Right now I'm thinking I'll buy a hot plate or use the propane stove (either Colman or the one on the edge of the BBQ) UNLESS someone can help me with ideas.

Megan 2/16/2011, 9:55 am

Urgh. I don't know anything about canning on a glass top stove...and my professional background with regard to ranges/cooktops doesn't include any side knowledge on canning, worse luck! I do know I'll never get a glass top stove or cooktop, though, because you can't use cast iron on it.

A good hot plate or propane stove where you can carefully control the temperature sounds like a good alternative, so long as the base is broad enough to safely support your canner without fear of tipping.

**camprn** 2/16/2011, 10:21 am

I bought a new gas stove last summer and sold the old glass top range. NO CANNING on the glass top range. The reasons I heard mentioned
inconsistent heat, weight, shock of heavy canner sliding across the glass etc would damage the glass. Inconsistent heat will make it difficult to sustain temps.

Lavender Debs 2/16/2011, 10:27 am

Thanks girls, I wanted gas but it was not an option for me. Almost kept the old range in the garage just for canning but there was no room with all the projects the kids have going on in there.

Squat_Johnson 2/16/2011, 12:55 pm

This will be my third year canning on my glass top ceramic stove. Nobody told me not to, so I haven't thought a thing about it.

BTW, I have 4 cast iron pans, and use at least one on it every day... Now that I have been notified, I'll probably break it tonight.

clittle59 2/16/2011, 4:00 pm

I put up about 48 quarts of tomatoes, 40 quarts of peaches and too many to remember jars of applesauce & apple pie mix a few years back on my glass top stove. I didn't have any problem with keeping the water boiling and we haven't died yet from eating them! I think the manufacturers are concerned about the weight, but I use cast iron too and have had no problems. Can away! bounce

Megan 2/16/2011, 4:05 pm

Wow, that's a lot of canning!!

My understanding regarding the cast iron was that there's a concern regarding scratching the glass. But certainly it's your decision! Smile

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