Canning 101

[Bayou Lass]

:howdy:Thought I would make a new thread for your lessons in canning. I am fairly new at canning but by trial and error have been able to can my favorite things from my garden.....tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, green beans, etc. So here goes...I will try to teach you what I know but I am not the expert here if you know what I mean.:innocent0001:

[Bayou Lass]

Okay, where to start???????

Jars and rings are reusable, the lids are not. You have to purchase them new for each use for if the lid has been bent on opening it will not reseal and the rubber is usually only good for a one-time use.

Canning with the hot water bath is a simple process: cleaned, sterilized (boiled) jars are filled with (often) hot high-acid food. The jar rim is wiped clean. A hot, boiled new lid is placed on the jar and a clean ring is screwed firmly onto the jar. The filled jars are then placed carefully in the boiling water bath of the canning vessel. When filled, the water level needs to be one to two inches aboce the top of the tallest jars. The cover is put on the vessel and it is allowed to return to a full rolling boil, at which time the processing time begins (approx. 20 minutes).

At the end of the processing time, each jar is carefully lifted out and placed on dry folded towels where sealing will occur as the jar cools. Usually you can hear the loud, musical ping as each jar seals. Leave the jars alone until they are cool, don't wipe, poke or move them or you may end up with an incomplete seal. Do not screw the rings tighter thinking it will help the jar to seal. Tightness doesn't equal good sealing, it happens due to the vacuum caused by the processing. After the jars have cooled (usually overnight) you can wash the jar and place it in a cool dark, dry area to store. It is a good idea to mark the lid with the contentents and date to allow for the best rotation.

[Alibar]

Wondering why it's called canning when it should be called jarring. hehe

[Bayou Lass]

You got me on that one Ali. Okay.....Jarring 101 it is!!:67302:

[Bayou Lass]

A combination of hot and cold will crack and break jars. Put hot food into hot jars, cold into warm jars. Do not put hot jars onto cold surfaces or in cold drafts.

Before filling, be sure to check the jars for tiny chips in the top or a small crack in the side using this jar will result in either a broken jar or an incomplete seal.

Be sure to adjust your processing time according to altitude. Most charts are calculated to altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. you must increase the processing time by five minutes for altitudes of 1,000 to 3,000 ft., ten minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 ft. and fifteen minutes of altitudes of 6,001 to 8,000 ft., etc.

Always check the seal as you store the jars. Each jar lid should be indented in the center, having no give as you gently press down with your finger. If it makes a noise on pressure, or if it can be moved downward, it is not sealed and must either be reprocessed with a new lid or eaten soon.

[KYGramma]

Wondering why it's called canning when it should be called jarring. hehe

:thud2::67302::67302:

[Bayou Lass]

When canning tomatoes or tomato products, use "regular" high-acid tomatoes, not low-acid tomato varieties. If unsure - for instance if you bought them at a farm market - add two tablespoons of lemon juice or 1/2 tsp citric acid (Vitamin C) to each quart to ensure the product is acidic enough not to spoil. Neither product affects the taste a bit and only increases the nutritional value. I ALWAYS do this anyway.

[Bayou Lass]

Ready for some recipes for canning ladies??????

[KYGramma]

Ready for some recipes for canning ladies??????

:happy0158:Yes!

BL you are doing a great job! Please continue!:hifive:

[Bayou Lass]

:happy0158:Yes!

BL you are doing a great job! Please continue!:hifive:

Do you think I have covered everything Gramma? Trying to make this as simple as possible. It should fall into place as soon as we have some recipes on here doncha' think?

[Bayou Lass]

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2-1/2 cups onions, chopped
1-1/2 cups green peppers
1-1/2 cups jalapeno pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons cilantro
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar (optional)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (12 oz) can tomato paste


Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minutes.

Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 15 minutes.

This is a medium salsa and is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces and if you want it hotter add more jalapenos.

Makes 6 pints or 3 quarts. I like the pint size the best.

NOTE:

To get the peel off the tomato easily, I put in hot scalding water for about 10-15 minutes to loosen the peel and it just comes right off.

[KYGramma]

Do you think I have covered everything Gramma? Trying to make this as simple as possible. It should fall into place as soon as we have some recipes on here doncha' think?

I think you have! Also telling it in terms that will be easy to understand. :basic44:

I do have a question for you....have you ever not used a hot water bath? I have tried this a few times and it worked for me. As long as what you are putting in the jars is boiling and the jars and lids are hot, I put the jars upside down and they seal. I have used this method for salsa and pickles. Really looking for your opinion on this method.....:waitasec:

Continue you are doing fabulous!:friends3:

[Bayou Lass]

I think you have! Also telling it in terms that will be easy to understand. :basic44:

I do have a question for you....have you ever not used a hot water bath? I have tried this a few times and it worked for me. As long as what you are putting in the jars is boiling and the jars and lids are hot, I put the jars upside down and they seal. I have used this method for salsa and pickles. Really looking for your opinion on this method.....:waitasec:

Continue you are doing fabulous!:friends3:

I tried it a couple of times....like boiling the vinegar, water and spices and then pouring into the jars. I had several jars of pickles go bad on me by doing that and I now put them in hot boiling water for about 5 minutes to be on the safe side.

[KYGramma]

I tried it a couple of times....like boiling the vinegar, water and spices and then pouring into the jars. I had several jars of pickles go bad on me by doing that and I now put them in hot boiling water for about 5 minutes to be on the safe side.

They went bad after you shelved them? or they never sealed...? Thinking back I did have to throw out some jars of pickles because I noticed they were bad....must have been those. The salsa never lasts long enough to go bad:girl_haha:

Thanks, I think I will go back to the boiling the whole jar it is much safer.

[Bayou Lass]

They went bad after you shelved them? or they never sealed...? Thinking back I did have to throw out some jars of pickles because I noticed they were bad....must have been those. The salsa never lasts long enough to go bad:girl_haha:

Thanks, I think I will go back to the boiling the whole jar it is much safer.

Yes to both.....I just don't think they sealed properly. Salsa is one of my biggest canning projects....can't get enough of it. Did 18 pints last summer and ran out before Thanksgiving FGS!!!! Making lots more this year for sure.

[PatC]

Do you guys do all that slicing and dicing by hand or do you use a food processor or something?

ETA: I've never canned anything and doubt I'll try it, but I'm really enjoying reading this thread. The last time I was involved in canning was helping Mama and she died in 1968!

[Bayou Lass]

Pat....all by hand....I do not own a food processor. :faintTHUD:

[Bayou Lass]

1/2 Gallon or 2 lbs. green beans
Canning Salt
4 cups vinegar
2 Tablespoons pickling spices
2 cloves of garlic, cut in half lengthwise
2 jalapenos cut in half lengthwise
Heads of fresh dill or 4 tablespoons of dried dill


Preparation:

Wash beans well before stringing, snip off tops and leave beans whole in a size that fits the jars, soak in ice water for 30 minutes, then drain well.

In a pan add vinegar and spice and simmer for 10 minutes. Pack beans standing upright into hot sterilized jars. Cover with the hot vinegar solution. Place a head or so of dill or 1 tablespoon if dried, 1 length of jalapeno and 1 length of garlic on top. Seal and process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 4 pints.

[Bayou Lass]

Ingredients:

8 cups sliced summer squash
2 cups sliced onion
1 tablespoon canning salt
1 cups diced green bell pepper
2 cups cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pickling spice tied in a bag
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Preparation:

Combine squash and onion. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 1 hour. Combine green pepper, vinegar, sugar, pickling spice and seeds. Mix. Bring to a boil. Pack sterilzed canning jars; seal and adjust rings. Starting timer when water returns to a boil with jars in it, process for 5 minutes, or 10 minutes for altitudes fo 1001 to 6,000 ft. Over 6,000 feet, process for 15 minutes.

[Bayou Lass]

Ingredients:

4 quarts green tomators, cut in half , then quartered
1 quart sliced onion
1 cup pickling salt, divided
6 cups cider vinegar
2 small red chile peppers or 2 small jalapenos (cut in half - lengthwise)
2 cloves garlic (cut in half - lengthwise)
1/3 cup mustard seets
1/4 cup celery seeds
2 tablespoons pickling spice

Preparation:

Place tomatoes and sliced onion in separate bowls; sprinkle 3/4 cup salt over tomatoes and 1/4 cup salt over onion; stir both mixtures. Cover both bowls and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Drain tomatoes to remove excess juice. Repeat this procedure for onion. Discard the salt liquid. Combine vinegar, mustard seeds, celery seeds and pickling spice in a large pan. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Pack tomatoes and onions into hot sterilized 1 quart jars (with 1 piece of the chile pepper or jalapeno and 1 piece of garlic clove in each jar), leaving 1/2 inch headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids and screw on ring bands. Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes. Store in a cool dark place. Store opened pickles in refrigerator. Makes 4-1 pint jars

[Pandabear]

Thanks for those recipes BL! I've been thinking about trying to can some green tomato pickles. We love them with fish and seafood!

On the squash pickles, I know my friend does some with hot peppers and some without for us wimps that don't care for the hot.

[Bayou Lass]

Pat, here's an easy one for you and you don't have to do hardly anything.

Quantity:

13 pounds is need for 9 pints; 21 pounds needed for 7 quarts. I just wing it according to pounds.

Procedure:

Wash tomatoes, dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split; then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve the tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons for quarts or 1 tablespoon for pints of bottled lemon juice to jars. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart or 1/2 teaspoon salt per pint to the jars, if desired. Put room temperature or warmer whole tomatoes or cut in half into clean, sterilized hot jars. Press down with a spoon to pack. the juice will fill the jar.

Do not add any water . Remove air pockets by sliding a rubber spatula down the side of the jar. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim of jar with clean cloth. Adjust lids and process.

Boiling Water Bath:

Pints - 40 minutes
Quarts - 50 minutes

Crushed Method

Wash tomatoes, dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split; then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve the tomatoes. Heat 1/6 of the quarters quickly in a large pot, crushing them with a wooden mallet or spoon as they are added to the pot. This will exude juice. Continue heating the tomatoes, stirring to prevent burning. Once the tomatoes are boiling, gradually add remaining quartered tomatoes, stirring constantly. These remaining tomatoes do not need to be crushed as they will soften with heating and stirring. Continue until all tomatoes are added. Then boil gently for 5 minutes. Add bottled lemon juice to jars. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart or 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pint, if desired. Fill jars immediately with hot tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, adjust lids and process.

Boiling Water Bath:

Pints - 40 minutes
Quarts - 50 minutes

There is absolutely nothing better than opening a jar of tomatoes in the winter that you have grown in the summer. Soups, chili, stews.....nothing better than your own canned tomatoes!

[KYGramma]

Do you guys do all that slicing and dicing by hand or do you use a food processor or something?

ETA: I've never canned anything and doubt I'll try it, but I'm really enjoying reading this thread. The last time I was involved in canning was helping Mama and she died in 1968!

Mostly by hand. Last year when I made salsa, I used a mini chopper for the onions and a food processor for the tomatoes as it was not the chunky kind....:22wink:

[Bayou Lass]

Thanks for those recipes BL! I've been thinking about trying to can some green tomato pickles. We love them with fish and seafood!

On the squash pickles, I know my friend does some with hot peppers and some without for us wimps that don't care for the hot.

Panda, you can leave out the peppers if you don't like the hot stuff. Being from Louisiana .... we like the fire of the peppers .... any kind. You can also add sugar to the recipe if you want the sweeter version, not the hot. Just add 1 or 2# light brown sugar (or add the sugar gradually until you get the desired sweetness you want) to the liquid mixture.

[Pandabear]

Thanks BL! Actually, I'm a Louisiana girl, born and bred! My mother was originally from Opelousas and I grew up with everything in the house being too hot to handle. The sweet woman that she was though, she made two of everything since my Dad and brothers liked it the "hotter the better". :happy0207:

[StickyBeak]

Bayou Lass, I just read the most fantastic canning course online ever !!!
You certainly get a shiney apple, great teacher.
I have not canned in about 5 yrs. still have my 2 big canners and tons of every size jar. I can remember spending the whole week end just peeling, seeding and cutting up tomatos, kitchen total mess, but boy was it worth it come winter time. We actually had to hide the jars since my family knew I had atleast 50 qts every year from my garden. We would make jams, butter pickles and my favorite was chow chow, all fresh veggies in a mustard sauce.
Ah the good ole days. Suppose it has become a lost art. Do you do Crock pickles? Now that there is a chore, my Dad use to make them good many years ago.
I always cold packed and then into water bath, brought to a boil, then a slow rolling boil. Few times my lids did not seal right, I just re did, so I get a little puree, LOL.
Thank You for an enjoyable read, look forward to reading more success stories and recipes.

[Bayou Lass]

Bayou Lass, I just read the most fantastic canning course online ever !!!
You certainly get a shiney apple, great teacher.
I have not canned in about 5 yrs. still have my 2 big canners and tons of every size jar. I can remember spending the whole week end just peeling, seeding and cutting up tomatos, kitchen total mess, but boy was it worth it come winter time. We actually had to hide the jars since my family knew I had atleast 50 qts every year from my garden. We would make jams, butter pickles and my favorite was chow chow, all fresh veggies in a mustard sauce.
Ah the good ole days. Suppose it has become a lost art. Do you do Crock pickles? Now that there is a chore, my Dad use to make them good many years ago.
I always cold packed and then into water bath, brought to a boil, then a slow rolling boil. Few times my lids did not seal right, I just re did, so I get a little puree, LOL.
Thank You for an enjoyable read, look forward to reading more success stories and recipes.

Thanks StickyBeak for the compliment. I love to can and share my bounty with family and friends. No, I do not crock pickles and wouldn't even know where to begin...sounds interesting though. I think some are scared because it seems to be so time consuming but once you get started it is really quite challenging and fun!:girl_haha:

[Bayou Lass]

Thanks BL! Actually, I'm a Louisiana girl, born and bred! My mother was originally from Opelousas and I grew up with everything in the house being too hot to handle. The sweet woman that she was though, she made two of everything since my Dad and brothers liked it the "hotter the better". :happy0207:

Panda, I am quite familiar with your old stomping ground. I live in Coushatta just north of Natchitoches. Was born in Shreveport and finally settled in Coushatta where my parents had moved after my Dad retired.

[Pandabear]

Egads girl...I've spent many a day in Natchitoches! I worked for the company that has a chicken plant there. No wonder you have all these great recipes....you're in God's country!

Question if I may, peas...my Mom always put them in bags for the freezer, she would just 'blanch' them, in other words, heat them to the boiling point and then put them in freezer bags.

I want to can purple hull peas in pint jars this year. Do I actually cook them to the 'serving' point and then seal them in jars, or do I do the blanching thing to can them?

[Bayou Lass]

Egads girl...I've spent many a day in Natchitoches! I worked for the company that has a chicken plant there. No wonder you have all these great recipes....you're in God's country!

Question if I may, peas...my Mom always put them in bags for the freezer, she would just 'blanch' them, in other words, heat them to the boiling point and then put them in freezer bags.

I want to can purple hull peas in pint jars this year. Do I actually cook them to the 'serving' point and then seal them in jars, or do I do the blanching thing to can them?

Panda, sorry that I was so long in getting back to this thread. You can either use the 'raw pack' where you put your peas in hot sterilized jars and pour hot water over the peas leaving approimately 1 inch headspace (pints) and 1-1/4 (quarts) Put jars in a canning vessel and process. Process time for pints, 40 minutes from the time the water starts to a rolling boil and 50 minutes for quarts.

I prefer the 'hot pack' where you cover the peas with boiling water and heat to a boil, turn off the heat and let stand in the pan for about 30-45 minutes. Fill jars loosely leaving the same headspace as mentioned above, add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar or 1/2 teaspoon for pints. Bring the water that you had the peas in back to a boil and add to the jars but be sure to leave the same headspace. Process time 40 min. pints and 50 minutes quarts.

I've never cooked them to the serving point but leaving them in the hot boiled water for 45 minutes cooks them a little more than just blanching. It would be nice to open up the jar and just re-heat wouldn't it?

[annalyzer]

The only thing I ever canned was deer meat (with help from hubbie). Tastes so good. Like beef. I love canned (some people call it cold pack) deer meat with buttered noodles and Parmesan cheese. Love, love, love it. Don't really like deer meat much any other way though a deer roast turned out really good one time, called for a can of beer and it was wrapped in foil. (Oh and love good deer jerky) Haven't had any deer meat since my avid hunter of a husband passed.

My dad makes the best canned pickles. Delicioso!

[Bayou Lass]

Anna, I have never tried canning meat......sort of scares me a little bit since I have just been canning for a few years. I wouldn't even know where to start. What is your Dad's secret for his pickles?

[Pandabear]

Anna, I'd love to have the recipe for canning deer meat!

[PatC]

I found it!!!

:bump:

[P.I.Jane]

Thank you for finding this Pat! I looked for it the other day, but then got interrupted. Story of my life.

I was wondering what Stickybeak meant when she said she still had "two big canners" so I googled it. A canner looks like what I know as a pressure cooker. I wonder if there is any difference.

[Bayou Lass]

Thank you for finding this Pat! I looked for it the other day, but then got interrupted. Story of my life.

I was wondering what Stickybeak meant when she said she still had "two big canners" so I googled it. A canner looks like what I know as a pressure cooker. I wonder if there is any difference.

Jane, there is a difference. The canner has a gauge showing how much pressure the canner is producing. Once the gauge is showing the pressure you need for what you are canning, you regulate the heat to keep that pressure for the amount of time you need.

[P.I.Jane]

Jane, there is a difference. The canner has a gauge showing how much pressure the canner is producing. Once the gauge is showing the pressure you need for what you are canning, you regulate the heat to keep that pressure for the amount of time you need.

Ahhhhh, that makes sense.

I have to tell you. I have never really had the desire to do any canning until reading this thread. I may just try it one day. :hifive:

[Bayou Lass]

Ahhhhh, that makes sense.

I have to tell you. I have never really had the desire to do any canning until reading this thread. I may just try it one day. :hifive:

I really enjoy seeing the "fruits of my labor" sitting in the pie safe all pretty and ready to enjoy during the winter months when fresh veggies are not available......plus, knowing that I grew them makes me enjoy them much more!!!! Try canning Jane, you'll never go back to freezing veggies again trust me.

[nanabillie]

I do not like the taste of frozen veggies like squash and green beans. I used to can green beans with vinegar, salt and sugar. I never lost a jar, never used a canner. I just used sterilized jars and put the hot beans in the jars, put the lids on and you could hear them pop as they sealed. My poor Mom used to can green beans and would lose most of them. You could see little bubbles in the jar and she would cry. It makes me sad now to think about it. Since canning with vinegar I always put vinegar in my store bought canned green beans while cooking them.

[nanabillie]

I didn't even know you could can meat. I remember in a magazine how some people would put meat in jars and put it in the streams. ?

[nanabillie]

We love pickled green tomatoes, but just plain. Nothing added. Sometimes a tiny little pepper in a quart jar. We are wimps. We can't handle hot stuff. Now, my grandmother did. She loved it when someone would take her a little bag of hot peppers. She said she liked it where it would sorta burn your eyes when you opened the bag...I've been told I am sooo much like her but that is one feature I didn't inherit. So how to pickle green tomatoes with nothing but vinegar..or what?
And someone said they made chow chow with a mustard base? Someone gave us a jar like that once and we loved it. Anyone know how to make that?
DH loves pickled okra. We buy it from WM. Pop used to pickle figs and they were good, too.

[nicky]

The best way to put up corn on the cobe is to boil it for a little while to stop the growth, then set it aside to cool then place in those large freezer bags. Some times you can get 8 in there depending on their size. When you want to eat them, you take out how many you want in just put them in the pot frozen and when they turn a darker yellow they are done. Taste just like you just shucked and put them in, it wonderful!

[Pandabear]

I've been using a bread and butter pickle recipe but using squash instead of cucumbers. They are so crisp and soooooo good!

[Noahs ARK]

I've been using a bread and butter pickle recipe but using squash instead of cucumbers. They are so crisp and soooooo good!


Can you share your recipe, please? I love using squash and finding a recipe that makes them crisp is an added bonus.