Posted on 10/28/2007 7:07:17 AM PDT by Brainhose
We’ve picked green tomatoes right before frost, wrapped them in layers of newspapers, then stored them under a bed in a cool bedroom. Had fresh tomatoes well into January. You do need to pull them out from under the bed every so often and check on them. If one was bruised or had another imperfection it may rot. Discard the bad ones and the good ones will keep a long time.
Gabz knows a bit about this, I believe.
All my family came from Appalachia, and they always canned their own food.
I can’t remember much about it, though.
I’ll be following this thread, as I could use some tips myself:^)
Do not, NOT, plan to can a bushel of apples in one day. The canning part is easy enough - it's the prep work that kills you. I understand now why all the recipes say "makes 3 pints" and similar small quantities.
That’s the culprit...
Here is a link that will provide lots of info and it also includes other links that might be helpful.
I froze peas and beans last year. Then came home this summer from a trip to my son’s home to find my freezer had quit and I lost all my food. Several hundred $$ worth. Ack!!
tomatoes are the most valuable, I think, and least investment in work. I used to just make juice out of them for soup and sauce. I make jelly and freeze corn, but with no mouths left at home to feed everyday, the can goods at the store are much more energy(mine) efficient. Back then I had lots more hands to help do the work too.
Oh bummer!
Mrs. Whipitgood swears by her steam canner. Pick one up at the local WalMart or hardware store. Follow the instructions. We did applesauce, garden salsa, spaghetti sauce, cherries, peaches,tomatoes, etc.(all home grown) with the steam canner. MUCH easier and simpler than the pressure canner. FReepmail me if you want specifics.
And yet, my Grandmother didn't have a pressure cooker, only a big pot she used to give them a water bath. She made homemade soup stock for years, and none of us died from eating her 'stores' as she called them. She did potatoes, green beans, all the 'pressure cooker' foods. Was it the pesticides they used back then, or did she just know what she was doing? One mystery we'll never have the answer to.
The San Francisco treat?
I am another kindred spirit who cans! texaslil gave you some good info.... the best of which is to get the Ball Blue book. I have used that (getting updated versions randomly) for over 35 years. They have good recipes and the instructions for safety are clear.
I would recommend if you are planning on doing non acid foods that you buy just the pressure canner. It is also usable as a water bath for acid food canning, and you will have a rack to use to keep the jars off the bottom of the pan.
I would also recommend that you carefully calculate how much you will really need for your family. If you only make spaghetti once every other month you will use much less sauce than if you serve it twice a week! And beets in my house (even though I love them) will last until the second coming!!! I find I have way too much jam left over, even after I did my own figuring.
Don’t let it scare you. Canning is loads of fun and nothing beats looking at a shelf full of “jewels” that you have made yourself!
That’s what I’m talking about (see post 34).....”jewels”!
Short, funny story. One of my adult sons comes into the kitchen one afternoon about 6 weeks into my canning jag this year. Dead serious he says "Mom, we need to talk. You have a canning problem and I'm here to help." I said, okay, will you go out to the garden and get a few jalapenos? He just rolled his eyes and left the room.
LOL!
My grown son comes in and steals jams and jellies..... blackberry jelly is his favorite. I taught his lovely wife how to make jam last year, so this year I have not had so much disappear... which my be why I have so much left!
Get a Ball book and follow the advice given here by Granny, texaslil, JustaDumbBlonde, and other posters.
One look at that photo of JustaDumbBlonde’s pantry is enough to make your mouth water.
Many people we know still can, as do we.
Canned food tastes great, you know what is in your food and it won’t spoil if you lose power or the freezer breaks.
Properly stored canned food will keep for more than one season so when you can get veggies and fruit free or cheap get it and can it all!
We get U-Pick veggies by the bushel at the farmer’s when they are done with the picking for the commercial market.
You can put up your own recipe tomato sauce, soups, etc. and they are ready to eat when you open the jar.
Try the chili sauce recipe in the Ball book - its really good and you can’t find anything like it in the stores.
One thing to remember - follow instructions about cleanliness to the letter.
Boil the jars, lids, utensils, and everything you use.
Keep everything clean, clean, clean and your food will taste great and won’t spoil.
Good luck.
The photo of your awesome canning cabinets is the reason why those of us who can smile whenever we hear those “blizzards a comin’” weather reports. It’s beautiful!
If you have a stocked pantry and you can, all you need is a camp stove or a gas grill and food will not be a problem for you in case of emergency or no power. I don’t particularly like to cook but I love to can. I suppose you could call it a hobby. I think it is that feeling you get when you see rows of canned goods stocked on your shelves that makes it so satisfying. A little bit of independence.
I’ve had to learn to pace myself as I get older and since canned goods last pretty much forever as long as the seal is good I can enough for two years and alternate years. For example last year I did enough tomato products & jam to last for 24 months. This year I did pickles & relish the same way.
A pot of chili or homemade vegetable soup made with your canned stewed tomatoes. It can’t be beat and you’ll not want to go back to store bought again. Hint: add a pint jar of your homemade salsa to your big pot of chili. Yum! Top with cheddar cheese.
Years ago people did indeed get sick and die from botulism and food borne disease. Probably in larger numbers than we experience now. Some foods can be made more acidic by the adding of vinegar or lemon juice. In fact to be on the safe side I add some to the bottom of my canned tomatoes. It doesn’t affect the taste. The extension websites will tell you how much per quart or pint. You can do the same to other vegetables and meats were most likely salted first and soaked in a brine perhaps? I do know that the sodium levels of preserved foods back then were much higher than we would tolerate now.
Consider also that the average lifespan wasn’t what it was today. My mom said that “back in her day” it was common for people to have the runs quite often during the warmer months. They called it “summer complaint”. A good guess is that it was most likely from improper food storage.
While I was researching family histories I noticed that intestinal problems were quite prevalent and listed often in tallies of deaths. Especially children. Many many died from “dysentery” as they called it.
If I don’t hear a good “whoosh and pop” when I open a jar I throw it away. I do not think it is worth it not to. Examine your jar rims before you use them. Feel around the rims with a wet finger for any nicks. Throw those away. Use fresh lids every year. Throw away rusty jar rings. Examine your jars periodically throughout the storage time. If the top is not sealed toss the whole jar away without opening. Don’t even open it. Wash them before using in your dishwasher sanitizing cycle if you have one.
I think you are probably at more risk today eating salad greens from the grocery store than you are from your own home canning if you are a careful canner.
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