What are you canning now?

[wyoDreamer]

I wanted to add that bit about the lemon juice and water that Glasshen mentioned to prevent browning while you are preparing the fruit also.

The USDA recommends not to use cornstarch as a thickener when canning, not sure of the "official" reasons but I would worry about it failing after time in storage. I find that when I thicken with cornstarch, if leftovers are stored in the fridge for any length of time the sauce breaks down and gets watery.
ClearJel is the only USDA approved thickener for canning, take that as you may. I have used it and it works very well, it is just very hard to find. Gives you that nice clear sauce that you see in the photo of the canned apples.

Also, I remember my mom sealing her jams and jellies with parafin wax. I also remember needing to check for mold under the wax every time we opened up a new jar. We threw away a number of jars of preserves every year because they went bad.

 

[Arielle]

I wanted to add that bit about the lemon juice and water that Glasshen mentioned to prevent browning while you are preparing the fruit also.

The USDA recommends not to use cornstarch as a thickener when canning, not sure of the "official" reasons but I would worry about it failing after time in storage. I find that when I thicken with cornstarch, if leftovers are stored in the fridge for any length of time the sauce breaks down and gets watery.
ClearJel is the only USDA approved thickener for canning, take that as you may. I have used it and it works very well, it is just very hard to find. Gives you that nice clear sauce that you see in the photo of the canned apples.

Also, I remember my mom sealing her jams and jellies with parafin wax. I also remember needing to check for mold under the wax every time we opened up a new jar. We threw away a number of jars of preserves every year because they went bad.

My mom used parafin too. And yes, now I remember the occassional mold.

The canning recipe for the apple pie filling used a canning method-- water bath for 20 minutes. I'm actually surprised at the short time and without pressure. What thickener is used in the commercially prepared pie fillings?? Now I will have to go look at the grocery store. I thought it was corn starch. BUt the processing is also pressure cooking not a water bath. I'm really confused at this point-- maybe the high sugar content an the lemon juuice make the water bath ok. Just a step above the pour jam into sterile jars and cover with hot parafin.

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/15942/canned-apple-pie-filling

 

[Glasshen]

Applesauce is a water bath process, too.

 

[Arielle]

Applesauce is a water bath process, too.

GOod to know-- I couldn't remember. My mom did the set up for waterbathing or pressure cooking, I just helped prep the food. A loooooonnnnnng time ago.

 

[Arielle]

Have pressure canner loaded with 7 jars of par boiled dried beans. 2 with 1 tsp garlic salt, others had cumin and red pepper flakes added too.


I did par boil them because I tried a little experiment and it left me with a concern.

THe experiment was to place 1 cup dried beans in a 1 qt mason jar , fill with water , put on a p late and place in microwave for 5 minutes, then again for another 5 minutes, adding more water as it boiled over.

When I removed the beans they were very difficult to remove as they were packed tightly together on the bottom. Not sure that the jars are designed for this kind of pressure, so when I canned I par boiled the beans first then packed them loosly into the sterilized qt jars.

We don't mind mushy, so IF that happens my kids will have an easier time with mashing them for refried beans.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[3goodeggs]

I did about the same experiment. I filled the jars with water and let them set overnight in the frige. I had a very difficult time removing them from the jar.

I dry packed one jar of each type of bean. The smaller beans were the tightest, but all of them were wedged in tighter than what would slide out without force on my part.
I think I will just soak them over night from now on and fill the jars in the mornings.

I did can one jar without soaking just to see if it did make a difference, and I could not remove the cooked beans whole from the jar. I had to dig them out.

 

[NanaKat]

Same things happen when you put up hominy. I learned once the hominy was finished, to then pack jars 2/3 full before pressuring as the hominy would continue to swell.

 

[Arielle]

I didn't fill the jars full with the pre-cooked beans as I was worried they would continue to swell, allowing about a 1/2" of water on top and lots of water between the beans. THe batch is cooling now-- and I"m very excited to have ready to use beans instead of waiting a day to soak and cook!!!

PS. I was surprized to see some jars lost more fluid than others. One has the beans exposed to the air-- should we eat those asap??

 

[WYNot]

I didn't fill the jars full with the pre-cooked beans as I was worried they would continue to swell, allowing about a 1/2" of water on top and lots of water between the beans. THe batch is cooling now-- and I"m very excited to have ready to use beans instead of waiting a day to soak and cook!!!

PS. I was surprized to see some jars lost more fluid than others. One has the beans exposed to the air-- should we eat those asap??

As long as the jar is sealed properly, the exposed beans are not a health issue. Just a matter of taste and texture down the road.

 

[fallenangel79]

What can you bake whit a egg plant ? :/