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Published: September 18, 2007 09:51 pm
Can it!
Preserving food may be easier than you think
Tina and Leonard Bailey
Cooking With You
If you’ve never attempted home canning before because you thought it might be too complicated, I highly recommend giving it a try. Home canning is a fun and productive activity. Not only does it help make use of late season vegetables, but it is a productive way for food lovers to channel their creative energy. Home canned foods make wonderful gifts and additions to gift baskets as well.
Safe canning entails heat processing food jars to kill harmful bacteria. Novice canners should choose high acid foods to work with since the heating process is less complex. The acid in these foods help to destroy the bacteria, therefore high acid foods may be canned using a simple boiling water bath. Tomatoes, preserves, jams and jellies are high acid foods, as well as any pickle or relish made with vinegar.
Low-acid foods may be canned as well, but due to the lack of the presence of food acid, they must be processed at a much higher temperature in a pressure cooker. This more complex method of canning is not recommended for those inexperienced with canning.
The first and most important element of canning is selecting good quality glass canning jars. Never reuse store bought pickle or relish jars for canning; they will not reseal properly and the food will spoil. A canning jar has three components: the jar, the band and the lid. You may reuse canning jars; however, inspect them for chipping and cracking, especially along the rim. You may also reuse the bands, if they are clean and rust-free. Do not reuse the seals however; always purchase new ones.
Commercial canning pots with racks are available in department stores, however, you can improvise using items you might already have at home. A large stock pot works just as well, though you must place a cooling rack or steaming basket inside, so that the jars will not rest directly on the bottom.
One item that you cannot do without is a jar lifter. There really isn’t a substitute for this utensil. You will also need a ladle, rubber spatula, wide mouth funnel and some clean kitchen towels. You may also use a lid lifter, although they’re not easy to find.
Sterilization is the key to safe canning. Before using your canning jars, bands and lids, wash them with soap and water, and then sterilize them in a boiling water bath. You need only boil them for about 3 minutes. It is also a good idea to sterilize your other utensils (ladle, spatula and funnel) at this time. I usually hold the tong ends of the jar lifter in the boiling bath to sterilize them as well, and then use it to remove the items and place them on the clean towel. You should sterilize the jars only right before you are ready to fill them. They should still be warm as you fill them.
Carefully ladle your food item (relish, jam, etc.) into the sterilized jar using the wide mouth funnel. Do not fill the jars all the way to the rim; always leave about one-half inch space at the top. Next, run the spatula around the side of each jar to release any trapped air. Wipe the jar rim, if any food product has gotten on it.
Using the jar lifter or lid lifter, place the lids on top of each jar. It is important not to touch the lids with your hands at this point, as you will ruin the sterility. Next, screw on the bands, but don’t over-tighten them. Now, it’s time for the boiling bath.
A boiling water bath should be kept at a continuous boil. Submerge the jars and process them according to the recipe. Once the processing time has elapsed, carefully remove the jars with the jar lifter. Once cooled, test the seals to make sure the processing was successful. Always be sure to put the date of preparation on each jar. Canned foods should be used up within 18 months.
Relishes are a great project for first time canners because the ingredients are inexpensive. Relishes consist of a blend of chopped vegetables that are pickled and served as a condiment. Relish recipes also allow for creativity. You can create your own signature relish blend.
Some folks use food mills or food processors to grind the vegetables when making relish, but I have found that chopping them by hand is best. A food mill or processor will often grind the vegetables too finely, resulting in a mushy relish that lacks body.
Vegetable relish
3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 English cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
4 large white onions, finely chopped
4 red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 large head of cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 cup Kosher salt
4 cups white vinegar
3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
Place chopped vegetables together in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to mix well. Allow salt and vegetable mixture to sit for 3 hours.
After three hours, rinse vegetables to remove salt. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, celery seed and mustard seed. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the drained vegetables and mix well.
Pack into mixture into sterilized jars, making sure that you equally distribute the liquid among the jars. Seal and process jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Carefully remove from bath and check seals once the jars have cooled. Makes approximately 6 pints of relish.
Green tomato pickles
15 cups green tomatoes, sliced (about 10 pounds)
2 Large white onions, sliced
1/2 cup Kosher Salt
4 cups white vinegar
3 cups granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground clove
Place sliced tomatoes and onions into a large mixing bowl. Add salt and mix well. Allow to sit for 6 hours.
Rinse and drain tomatoes and onions. Be sure to remove rinse away all of the salt.
In a large bowl combine vinegar and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add mustard seed, celery seed, allspice, cinnamon and clove. Pour mixture over tomatoes and onions and mix well.
Pack into sterilized jars. Be sure to distribute the liquid evenly among the jars. Seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Carefully remove from bath and when cool, check seals.
Salsa
3 cups Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup Jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for five minutes. Ladle into sterilized jars. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from bath. When cool, check seals.
— Chef Leonard Bailey is director, National Institute for Culinary Arts, MSU
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