Tuesday, July 2, 2013

SUE ANN'S CANNING










Hot water bath canning is for acid foods....vegetables, jams, jellies, butters, anything with vinegar in it...low acid foods MUST be pressure steamed or you risk food poisoning....even in the "old" days....they pressure canned..., meats,fish,are the 2 biggest one that should be pressured canned.....you can use real cans, or glass jars in a pressure canner...You will have to buy some things...seals, used once...rings...which can be re-used..a jar lifter..is a great investment....only a few dollars...a box of rings and seals(you can buy them as a set),would be about 4 dollars..you can buy rings only, or seals only...seals are about a dollar..depending on where you shop.anything you make fresh on a regular basis, can be canned...Canning is for quantity....You can but several different sizes of water bath canners..small, medium, large..depending on your need..they fit a different quantity of jars at a time...Some foods do well in hot water bath, but not so well in a pressure canner...green beans can be done either way...but I find them to get mushy and turn color a bit, in a pressure canner...same with peas....potatoes do better in a pressure canner than hot water bath...so...read your Ball canning books well..there are tons of books on canning out there..look at the library too...Canning involves a pretty exact way of doing things...and it takes a teeny bit of time...to be sure your seals are boiled just long enough to be soft...sealing is important too...to get a good seal before you put in a canner...trial and error for beginners...just like anything else in the kitchen. Caution is the watch word on canning....and remember...a lot has to do with how much you have fresh....what you want to do with it...how much you want "to put by", for a year...an example would be, to do a canning of apple juice, that would be 7 qts., takes a bushel of apples.......if you have a large family, or love apple juice....you need a LOT of apples...to justify canning...canning takes a lot of water....and gas (or electric, depending on your stove)-you have to bring a full canner of water to a boil...first....then add the jars..and bring to a boil again....and then time the boil...pressure canning takes less water...and you do not have to bring it to a boil first...you put hot water in...jars in, seal the canner lid...then it comes to a boil, stem builds...then you time....so...a lot of thought has to go into canning...sometimes it is easier to freeze, or dry....canning is hard work, on hot days! Because the foods all seem to come in Aug, thru Sept, even early Oct.....lots of lifting of heavy pots of cold water first to the stove, then boiling hot water..after all is done! although the boiling water after..is great to pour on weeds to kill them!
In the "old days", (I am 61), my Grandma had a canning kitchen....it was either in the basement, where it is cooler...or it was a separate space from the house..where the heat of canning did not bother the rest of the house..canning gets the kitchen very hot....
June 21, 2013 at 8:40 AM

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL BE CANNING DAYS THROUGH JULY THANKS TO SUE ANN. KEEP THOSE QUESTIONS COMING IN,

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7 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Everyone,
A Special welcome to Sue Ann who will be having canning information on every Tuesday and Thursday through July. I thank her os much for be so willing to take this over when Grandmother Olive couldn't do it. So please leave your comments and ask questions.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

You might want to stop by Amish America this morning. It shows the missionary work that the Amish do like Mennonites Kevin and Bridget did. Only takes a couple of minutes and I think is very interesting.

Marilyn

Fionalina said...

Thank you for the information Sue Ann-there is
certainly a lot to think about-
I have not done any canning before

Hello Marilyn


Fionalina

Veronica said...

Thanks for the information Sue Ann and for taking the time to post. It was great that you could fill in. We have done some canning over the years and I am hoping to do some again this year but as much as I enjoy it the biggest thing that holds me back sometimes is time. You have some great information today and I look forward to what you will be sharing throughout July. Thank you and God Bless Veronica. Hope you are also doing well Marilyn always thinking and praying for you and all the others.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Folks,
This has been a bad day and a good day. Thank you all for the compliments. I finally got notified that my car that was in the garage for a brake leak was done-after being in the garage for a week. As I drove it away, the brakes went again so I took it back. I was not a happy camper to put it mildly. My boss came back and was in a bad mood (putting it mildly). She was not suppose to be there as the main office did not get a doctor's report saying she could return. She is coming back tomorrow, but the main office has been notified. So I don't know what is going to happen.

Things changed. At quarter to six my car was brought to my house. The brakes work now. So if it stops raining, I can go take some more pictures. I got a call from the library and went to pick up my books only to find out that one of my favorite authors latest book was there and I am the first reader of that book. The lady that was training me are going to meet my boss there tomorrow, together. So thins are looking up. I thank the Lord.

Marilyn

SueAnn said...

Oh my gosh! Marilyn! When it rains it pours! Not trying to make a pun..we are so wet....been hard hanging laundry between rain drops! So glad your car is fixed tho..that can be dangerous..brakes are a real pain...
Library books always cheer me...so I know you were happy...and with your training....indeed things are looking up!
Thank-you for asking for my canning "advice"! I will do what I can...hahaha!!
Canning does take time...even if you plan for it..seems it always creeps up..when you are least ready for it!!
for ones that have never canned..I suggest doing freezing first..to get an idea of food preparation for a longer period..if you go to a farmer's market..you can buy a few pounds of green beans and start with those...wash them, snap them(clean off the stem end and the teeny blossom end with your fingers) snap them the size you want, blanch them for 3 mins(they turn a bright green)-blanching is having boiling water going and tossing them in..bring to a boil..by that time..they would be done...toss in a sink full of COLD water.....move them around with your fingers...til they are cool....may have to add more cold water.....lay them on a linen towel...dry them..then bag the in plastic, or plastic containers...the amount you think you will need for a meal, or a casserole...seal, label..freeze. That is a form of canning.....and a good beginning for new canners to try out.

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you so much, Sue Ann. Looks like my poss may be coming back. If she does I go back to an hour a half volunteer and no pay. Of course I'm not getting paid now.

I read a lot. This one is one of my favorite authors so it shouldn't take long.

So glad the brakes work on the car, now I can get around.

Thank you so much for telling us how to freeze items in the freezer.

Marilyn