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Canning Winter Squash

13 years ago

I'm thinking of buying a bushel of Butternut Squash this year to can. Normally when we cook it at home, for my cooking liquid I use equal parts of water, chicken stock and apple juice.

Can I follow the basic NCHFP procedures for canning winter squash, but use my typical cooking liquid - water/stock/juice? Or would I need to follow the soup recipe, and only pack the jars half full of squash? Or any other suggestions/ideas?

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/pumpkin_winter_squash.html

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

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Comments (7)

digdirt2
13 years ago
I don't see any problem with using the 1/2 water and 1/2 apple juice (makes the pH safer - more acid). But the chicken stock would add some fat and lower the pH. Is this fresh chicken stock or canned? Commercial canned or home canned?

I think I'd use the winter squash instructions and plan to add the chicken stock at serving time. Leave it out of the canning recipe.

Dave
denninmi
13 years ago
Um, just playing devil's advocate here, so just ignore me if you wish, but ... why? It keeps so well on its own.

Butternut squash will keep for a year for me in my basement. I do freeze squash at times, but more of as a convenience and to free up valuable floor space in my small (900 square foot) house than as a necessity of preservation.
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We can all of ours plain using those instructions (same as the NCHFP ones) and then they can be jazzed up any way you wish AFTER opening. You can also puree it AFTER opening for unlimited use. Adding chicken stock (fatty and low acid) would change the pH and the processing time but you can add any dried spices you wish with no problems. Just go very light on the spicing as it will intensify during storage. You could probably also use canned apple or other acidic fruit juices but IMO canning it plain is the best. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Canning Winter Squash and Pumpkins
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I agree with Annie on the interchangeable part....but I prefer hubbard to butternut. There really are lots of varieties of winter squash....all of them with subtle differences. I find acorn stringy, butternut a little dense, some delicata a little watery, hubbard HUGE and sometimes stringy, Marina del chioggia has a bit of a smokey taste....and I am still searching for the elusive galleux....said to be the sweetest and most delectable. And it must be, a friend gave me one and I left it outside for a bit as a fall decoration and the critters ate it up!! In spite of stringy, watery etc...I love all winter squashes!!
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pixie_lou
Original Author
13 years ago
I use "Better than Bouillon" - which is a liquidy/pasty version of bouillon cubes.

I know butternut keeps well, but to be perfectly honest, I *hate* peeling and chopping it. If I decide to can it, I can smile pretty at my DH, and he will peel and chop it all for me. But if I don't can it, I'll be stuck peeling and chopping a squash every week.

Do you think I can use the NCHFP soup recipe - just pack my jar half full of squash, add my liquid mixture, and process that way? It would be a lot more wasted liquid. But could give me the option of retaining the flavor?
Linda_Lou
13 years ago
You should not use that jar boullion for canning. Check the ingredients, it usually has some sort of thickener added. Modified food starch or something.
Use the cubes for canning or boxes or cans of broth.
digdirt2
13 years ago
Sorry but Better than Bouillon has been discussed here before and as Linda Lou says it isn't approved for canning purposes - even if you used the soup instructions - because of the thickeners.

That is why I asked what type of chicken stock you were talking about. "Stock" and bouillon and broth aren't the same things when it comes to canning but some folks use the terms interchangeably. ;) Home canned stock is often too fatty but Swanson's canned broth works as do plain bouillon cubes as they are de-fatted and contain no thickeners.

Dave
pixie_lou
Original Author
13 years ago
So if I bought some bouillon cubes, I could use those? And would I have to use the soup recipe?

In the meantime, I'll cook up one of our pumpkins and just use water and apple juice - see if we like that instead of the chicken broth/apple juice/water combo.

I'd prefer to use the plain pumpkin/winter squash instructions since I could get more squash in the jar.
digdirt2
13 years ago
No, if you use the dried bouillon cubes you don't have to use the soup instructions and as I said above, the apple juice poses no problems assuming we are talking about bottled and aren't talking about homemade apple juice which can ferment.

Dave

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