Canning!!!

13 years ago

I'm a little excited. :)

Who cans? Want to share recipes, tips, tricks, stories?

I got a water-bath canner last year, and I loved being able to jar my homemade applesauce. Now, my husband purchased a super nice pressure canner for me, and it arrives this afternoon! I can't wait to be able to can homemade soup. First on my list is beef stew and split pea soup. I'm planning to take homemade food on a camping trip we're taking with friends this fall. We'll be eating good!

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Comments (12)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
13 years ago
I am envious of you! I'd have to overcome vivid memories of my mother sweating over her summer canning before I could venture into that realm. She hated every minute and let everyone know, lol.

But I think about it sometimes, when I have a big batch of chicken gravy or a pot of soup. It would probably open up a whole new culinary window for me just as I know it will for you.
dees_1
13 years ago
There are a ton of folks on the Cooking forum who can and will be happy to share experiences. I highly recommend you get the Ball Book of Canning. It contains recipes and detailed instructions on both water bath and pressure canning.

I have done both and use this book a lot. If you follow the instructions, you will always have success and will minimize any possible contamination issues.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
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Which fish varieties can (or can't) be pressured canned?
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Okay, I finally did it. My husband brought home some more catfish yesterday. Per the instructions, the fish were gutted and bled within 2 hours of being caught (actually was done immediately). They were stored on ice until he got them home. He filleted them and handed them over to me. I washed them again and drained them. I pressure canned them per NCHFP instructions for pint jars. The fish are canned raw pack into hot jars. I filled the jars with fish cut into approximately 3-1/2" strips. I left 1" of head space. No liquid was added. I added approximately 1/8 tsp of salt per jar, much less than the listed amount, which is optional anyway. The processing time was 100 minutes. I processed only 4 pints because I didn't know if I would like the catfish pressure canned. After processing was complete and jars removed, I had one jar with a seal failure, which I know was related to the lid itself. It was the only one left from an old batch I uncovered in the pantry and it just didn't take. I refrigerated that jar as soon as I discovered it this morning, approximately 9 hours after being removed from the canner. I cooked it up in a recipe for lunch today. I used a recipe for fish patties that was labeled "if you like crab cakes, you'll love this recipe." It was only for "inspiration" and what I did was mix the entire jar of fish (drained of the liquid) with about a cup (maybe a little more) of cracker crumbs, a squirt of mustard, mayo, some lime juice, about 1/3cup each of minced bell pepper and onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 egg, cajun seasoning, and some freshly picked and chopped cilantro. I formed patties and cooked over medium heat in about 1-2 TBS of oil in a large skillet. When they were golden brown on each side and thoroughly cooked, I removed from the skillet. They are actually quite good. I would repeat this recipe. Now, for the negatives: I was forewarned by several official extension agency publications that the texture of the fish might not be satisfactory after canning this type of fish. The catfish did not come out flaky. In the jar, it looks like it remains in the cut slabs, but it is extremely mushy, and becomes almost paste-like as soon as you start stirring it up. This texture did not affect the recipe I used at all, but I can't see it working for most other recipes. I thought it might be usable for casseroles (like a tuna-like casserole), but I don't think I would like it. I will try it for a tuna-like salad sandwich spread, but I don't know how that will turn out yet. I'm not sure what other recipes this might work for. I thought if all the recipes were failures at the taste-test, I would use it for cat food. However, my vet has recommended that I not feed fish-flavored cat food to my cat due to a bladder ailment. He says fish cat food is processed with the fish bones, which provides too many minerals which form crystals in his bladder (similar to kidney stones in people). I will ask if that is still a problem if the fish is processed without bones, but for now, I'll avoid canning it for cat food. All in all, I think it will work just fine for fish patties and I would probably do it again. It is very, very, very easy. It was easier than bagging up in individual bags for the freezer. The only thing time-consuming about it was monitoring the canner processing time. The only other thing that occurred is that the jars are not full. I did not have any siphoning. I probably did not put enough fish in the jars. I just dropped pieces of fish in until it came up to the 1" head space. I didn't try to push them down or fit any more in. When processing was over, the self-made liquid covers the fish, but the jars are a little less than 2/3 full. Jill in Texas
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Marilyn Sue
13 years ago
I have done a lot of canning of different things over the years. Last year I canned lots of pickles, salsa, zucchini jam, and a hundred quarts of green beans. Hope to be able to can again this year.

Sue in Central Indiana
Alice_sj
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Dees. I already have that book and the Canning for Dummies book too. I know about the Cooking forum too, but I thought it would be fun to share here. :)

Rhizo, do you do a lot of freezing since you don't can?

Marilyn_Sue, zucchini jam? I am intrigued! Great idea on the salsa! I love black bean and corn salsa. Yum!
Marilyn Sue
13 years ago
Zucchini Jam

timer
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 8 cups, approximately

Ingredients

8 cups zucchini, peeled, seeded and pureed
1 cup lemon juice
2 (6 ounce) packages raspberry Jell-O gelatin
6 cups sugar
1 (1 3/4 ounce) packages pectin

Directions

Place zucchini and lemon juice in a large sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat.
Allow to boil for 15 minutes.
Add, sugar, Jello and pectin and stir until dissolved.
Continue boiling for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal in a boiling water bath

Sue
nanny98
13 years ago
Be sure to check out the Harvest forum on the Garden Web. The Cooking forum also answers questions had shares recipes about canning and jam making and a super Salsa.
morz8 - Washington Coast
13 years ago
Ditto scooting over to the Harvest forum, there isn't a question you may have that can't be expertly answered there with at least one contributor being licensed in food safety. Just keep in mind that cooking an art, canning a science and be sure to use tested recipes. There is a whole lot of unsafe information online these days. please ask before and not after you've processed something if you have any doubts.

You'll love your canner. My mother didn't can at all, and after I was married my mother-age neighbor taught me. My biggest job is tuna every year, I've already had a heads up from the boat I buy from that I'll hear from him next month.

This is safe site you can use for canning guidelines, you mentioned soups and it goes into detail on how to do those safely...(half solids, half liquids rule)

Here is a link that might be useful: Nat'l Center Home Food Preservation
workoutlady
13 years ago
My daughter and I took a canning class last year from our local UW extension. I will probably not do a lot of canning but I did make salsa and relish last year and plan to make it this year. I knew how to can but it had been a long time. So the class gave me some confidence and reminded me what not to do. My daughter loved it and is planning to make applesauce this year. I'd recommend those classes for anyone. I know that they do many other classes also and I've thought about checking out those too.
dances_in_garden
13 years ago
Apple sauce and apple butter, pickled beets, beans of various types to use instead of storebought canned, tomatoes and tomato sauce, pickles of various types. I usually do dills and bread and butter pickles -this year I want to add mustard pickles as well.

I can't say I have recipes to share, since I am always on the lookout for better ones LOL.

As for pressure canning soups, I have to say so far I prefer the taste of soup that has been fully made then pressure canned, rather than layering or adding raw ingredients to the jar and processing. Personal preference I am sure.

I was disappointed to find out that it is no longer considered safe to can soups with noodles, barley, or rice in them.

Dances.
OklaMoni
13 years ago
Sorry, no canning recipes any more... as I quit canning a few years ago, when the girls left home.

I still have my pressure cooker, but need a new gasket for it. But honestly, I feel like I don't want to can anymore.

Moni
SunnyDJ
13 years ago
After years of canning just about everything, I only do relish with the "end of the season" green tomatoes...It's a staple in this household and right now, we're down to our last jar.....
If you really want the recipe, just let me know.....
carol_in_california
13 years ago
I have been making freezer jams......easier than standing over a hot stove and to me, they taste a lot better.

Canning!!!

Comments (12)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

dees_1

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Canning!!!

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