What are you canning now?

[Arielle]

Quote: Sugar is important to change the water activity-- meaning it makes the envorinment in hospitable to organisms that need water to survive.

I make fresh jams using splenda and white sugar combined, and far less of it. As for kiwis specifically, I can see why you waould want far less sugar and to taste the more natural goodness. HOwever for actually storing the fruit, the sugar is vital. If youjust want to can the fruit using pressure canner methods that might be a good option. Or for just a few fruits, use the freezer jam method.

Freezer jam is usually not a cooked jam. Use the amount of sugar you like mashed into the fresh fruit, without cooking and store in tupperware in the freezer. Tastes like a fresh fruit rather than a cooked fruit.Like all frozen foods, use within a reasonable amount of time-- it won't hold as long as the cooked types. But I love the fresh flavor.

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QUeation for thos in the know---

Why are the air bubbles removed with a palstic knive before the lid is put in place whe I see oodles of tiny bubbles shooting up thru the liquid while it is cooling. This is happening to my soup from alst night and the jars were still warm and in the process of cooling down.

What am I missing??

 

[wyoDreamer]

You processed the jar in a high-heat and high-pressure environment of the canner.
The pressure in the jar will drop as the jar cools - the rubber seal on the lid is put there to keep out the air - resulting in a low pressure environment. The metal lid will be sunken in the middle because of the low air pressure inside; that is why you check for that, to confirm a sealed jar.
The pop when you open a sealed jar is the rush of air entering the jar and the pressure equalizing with the outside.

The bubbles you see in your soup as it cools is air that was trapped in the broth from the high pressure inside the canner. And as the pressure inside the jar drops as it cools, the dissolved air is released.

 

[Arielle]

You processed the jar in a high-heat and high-pressure environment of the canner.
The pressure in the jar will drop as the jar cools - the rubber seal on the lid is put there to keep out the air - resulting in a low pressure environment. The metal lid will be sunken in the middle because of the low air pressure inside; that is why you check for that, to confirm a sealed jar.
The pop when you open a sealed jar is the rush of air entering the jar and the pressure equalizing with the outside.

The bubbles you see in your soup as it cools is air that was trapped in the broth from the high pressure inside the canner. And as the pressure inside the jar drops as it cools, the dissolved air is released.

THank you, this makes sense to me.

THen why do we need to remove large air bubbles trapped in the food??? Maybe that bubble is too big to "dissolve" and could remain an air pocket later??? If so then why is the air pocket at the top ( below the lid) a problem?

Sorry for all the questions, trying to keep canning safe and save me time.

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Sugar is important to change the water activity-- meaning it makes the envorinment in hospitable to organisms that need water to survive.

I make fresh jams using splenda and white sugar combined, and far less of it. As for kiwis specifically, I can see why you waould want far less sugar and to taste the more natural goodness. HOwever for actually storing the fruit, the sugar is vital. If youjust want to can the fruit using pressure canner methods that might be a good option. Or for just a few fruits, use the freezer jam method.

Freezer jam is usually not a cooked jam. Use the amount of sugar you like mashed into the fresh fruit, without cooking and store in tupperware in the freezer. Tastes like a fresh fruit rather than a cooked fruit.Like all frozen foods, use within a reasonable amount of time-- it won't hold as long as the cooked types. But I love the fresh flavor.

----------------

QUeation for thos in the know---

Why are the air bubbles removed with a palstic knive before the lid is put in place whe I see oodles of tiny bubbles shooting up thru the liquid while it is cooling. This is happening to my soup from alst night and the jars were still warm and in the process of cooling down.

What am I missing??

Hmmm... What about canning sliced kiwis in a light syrup? Have you (y'all ) done that before?

 

[WYNot]

Cooked down a bunch of apples yesterday and got a whopping (2) half-pint jars of applebutter.

 

[Arielle]

Cooked down a bunch of apples yesterday and got a whopping (2) half-pint jars of applebutter.

Lots of water, huh? BEt it tastes great though!!

 

[wyoDreamer]

THank you, this makes sense to me.

THen why do we need to remove large air bubbles trapped in the food??? Maybe that bubble is too big to "dissolve" and could remain an air pocket later??? If so then why is the air pocket at the top ( below the lid) a problem?

Sorry for all the questions, trying to keep canning safe and save me time.

You need to remove the large air bubbles to make sure everything will heat up properly. If there are alot of big air bubbles, the stuff in the center of the jar may not get hot enough to kill the germs. Air is a terrific insulator.
Also, the large air bubbles may be come to the top during canning, especially in soups and things with a real watery liquid, and then there may not be enough liquid to cover your food after canning. Any stuff exposed out of the liquid - even in a sealed jar - may turn brown or dry out because there is still air in there. Like stated above, the beans may dry out or fruit may turn brown.

As for the air pocket at the top - you need to make sure to leave enough of a gap so that when you heat everything up, it won't boil out under the lid which can prevent sealing by having junk stuck between the lid and the rim of the jar. When you heat stuff, it expands. Some things swell up more in the jar and you need to leave a larger gap - like soups and stews - compared to jellies and jams that do not expand up much at all.

A good practice for canning is to wipe the top of the jar with a towel moistened with vinegar to make sure it is clean. Vinegar will cut any oils or grease that are on the rim which could prevent a seal from forming.

 

[Arielle]

THanks Wynot-- a very clear info on the air bubbles. OK I need to change what I am doing. Even with a 1" head room the broth is coming out and getting into the water in the canner. I do check for seals though, so I guess if the lid is depressed then the seal is good?

 

[drakeschicks]

Just spent 3 days doing apples. I ended up with 22 pints of applesauce and 6 quarts of baking apples! I left about a half bushel on the ground so the deer will fertilize my tree for next year.

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Just spent 3 days doing apples. I ended up with 22 pints of applesauce and 6 quarts of baking apples! I left about a half bushel on the ground so the deer will fertilize my tree for next year.

Wow, what a blessing!! How many pounds of apples do you think you went through?