Canning Leek & Potato Soup help pls

9 years ago

Hello I have been reading this forum off and on for a while and have seen some people are very experienced in canning so I made an account and I am hoping for a little advice. I have a particular leek and potato soup recipe that my family like and I wondered if it would be safe to can (I can use bwb or pressure whichever would be needed to be safe).

Ingredients:
3 slices of turkey bacon cut into tiny pieces after cooking till crisp on George Foreman grill
two large or three small leeks cut into chunks added to bacon and sweated till soft (I would normally add a little olive oil here, about a tbs, but can leave out if oil is a problem and add a lil chicken stock instead)
one cup of white wine
three large russet potatoes
about 3 cups chicken stock low sodium
black pepper
white pepper
few sprigs thyme
couple bay leaves (removed after cooking)

I don't add any cream, milk or butter, just what is listed above.

When all is soft i remove the bay leaves and blend the soup, but I have read about density issues that could cause with canning, so I would can it without blending and only blend opon opening the jar to eat.

Would this recipe be safe to can and should it be done in a pressure canner?
Any advice welcome, thank you.

This post was edited by Amanda_KG on Tue, May 27, 14 at 12:02

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Comments (5)

digdirt2
9 years ago
Hi Amanda - the shortest and simplest answer to your question is no, it cannot be safely canned for several reasons.

The many reasons why are discussed in the many previous discussions here about this particular soup and I linked one of them below. The primary reason for the no is that the #1 guideline in the standard safe canning guidelines is that you cannot safely can personal/family recipes as they have never been tested for either pH or density or shelf-storage safety.

Of course you always have the option of not following the guidelines and doing it at your own risk. Some do and assume that it will be sufficiently well cooked AFTER opening the jars to reduce the risk further. It all depends on your comfort level.

There is no question that it would have to be pressure canned. BWB canning would never be an option as it is low-acid vegetables.

The question is for how long it would need to be processed for and what the results, the quality, would be. There is also no debate over the pureeing - not done. Also the bacon would have to be left out and the jars would have to follow the soup rule - 1/2 solids and 1/2 liquids.

Potato leek soup freezes very well and that is the recommended way to preserve it.

Sorry as I know it isn't what you want to hear.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato-Leek soup
Amanda_KG
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you for your reply. It is dissapointing yes, but I don't want to take any risks.
I should have done a bit more reading before spending money on a pressure canner I guess, it isn't goint to be as useful to me as I thought :(

ETA: the 50\50 solid to liquid would not be a problem, that is what the soup is like before blending, but leaving out the bacon would just change the taste too much. I thought turkey bacon might be ok as I had seen that people make soup with little chunks of ham in.

However, the thing I didn't know was that I will never be able to safely learn how to make my own recipes for pressure canning. That for me makes the canner less useful as I rarely find recipes that are just as I want them to taste. My own fault I should have read more, now that I have read the link you posted I am kicking myself. Oh well... we live and learn! Thanks again
..... wanders back to the freezer.....

This post was edited by Amanda_KG on Tue, May 27, 14 at 13:50
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Lots of discussions here about all your questions but I'll try to briefly address a couple of them. Density seems to be an issue yet one can pressure process solid tuna, meat loaf and patties with no problems and they are very dense. Not really comparable. They all have very different processing times and different preparation methods. And canning meatloaf? Hotly debated. One can process unpeeled baby red potatoes so why peel for soups? All potatoes are supposed to be peeled prior to canning per the guidelines. It's your choice if you choose to not peel them. No dairy -I get that yet I have seen videos of pressure canning butter. You'll see videos about canning all sorts of things. That doesn't mean they are approved or even should be done. NCHFP is very clear about not canning butter or any dairy products. Some people choose to abide by the tested and approved guidelines, just carefully modify some of the guidelines, some choose to ignore them completely, and some intentionally slam them given their government funded source. The choice is yours. But it's you who has to evaluate the validity of the source of the info. NCHFP or Ball vs. you tube and personal blogs making all sorts of claims. How about subbing non dairy creamer for milk. Is that acceptable? No because they contain thickeners that retard heat penetration. Basically you are trying to generalize from one food/recipe to another and that isn't safe to do because of the different pH, density, and processing times. Each food/recipe has to be evaluated on its own merits. Hope this helps. Dave
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digdirt2
9 years ago
wever, the thing I didn't know was that I will never be able to safely learn how to make my own recipes for pressure canning. That for me makes the canner less useful

Please don't feel that way. The pressure canner can actually become your primary tool IF you adjust your thinking just a smidge. :)

The goal in safe canning is not ready-to-eat-out-of-the-jar meals (although there are some of those too) but to have all the basic ingredients on hand and ready to go so you can whip up your favorite recipes quickly. Even when some of those ingredients may be out of season.

For example using your recipe you can the potatoes so they are already cut up and more than 1/2 cooked, chop and freeze or can the leeks, can your own low-sodium chicken broth with the bacon and all the seasonings. Come time for the making the soup it is just a matter of opening the 3 jars and heating it up until ready to serve.

Not the best example but you get the idea.

Dave
chata
9 years ago
I remember when I first got into canning that I was disappointed to find out I couldn't can my own recipes, either. But listen to Dave, please. There's no reason to give up now. One of the very best things about canning your own vegetables, for instance, is that you can choose the varieties you prefer, which aren't the ones corporations prefer, and you know precisely what's in your food. For me, taste is everything. Why would I settle for Early Girl or Ace when I could have Cherokee Purple or Costoluto Genovese (which makes the best sauce on earth)? Moreover, canning your own stock gives you control over how much salt you wish to use, and allows you to save money by making it when chicken or turkey is on sale? Then you can the meat, too. You always have something ready to throw together when you get home from work, or when unexpected friends show up.

Don't give up just yet. You might find it more useful than you think.
msmarieh
9 years ago
I personally would feel comfortable canning that soup. The guidelines given by the National Center for Home Food Preservation certainly seem to indicate that when it comes to soups, so long as you follow the general guidelines (no more than 50% solids, no "unallowed" ingredients, etc.), you can make your own soup recipe.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/soups.html

I have seen bacon used in other canning recipes (such as with beans, also found on the NCHFP site).

I do in general agree that people shouldn't be mucking about making their own recipes, but this one seems rather straightforward to me, with the recommended safety guidelines (peel potatoes, use proper amount of liquid, no pureeing, etc.).

Why would the NCFHP provide such a vague "recipe" for soups if they weren't allowing people to use their own soup recipes?

But as is often stated, people need to do what they are comfortable with.

Canning Leek & Potato Soup help pls

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digdirt2

Amanda_KG
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Canning Leek & Potato Soup help pls

Comments (5)

digdirt2

Amanda_KGOriginal Author

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chata

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Amanda_KG
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