[cripplecreek]

For starters you need a good pressure cooker.

We got a frost last night and I was thinking of collecting all my unripe tomatoes and canning some homemade salsa this afternoon.

[deport]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=home+canning

I thought refrigeration basically replaced canning as a home food preservation method... In any case be sure and follow sterilization methods as prescribed if you do canning. good luck.

[Tijeras_Slim]

In my family we used a 3’ rattan cane, usually about a half inch in diameter.

The kids down the street were luck their Dad only used a belt.

[infidel29]

My mother used to can tomato sauce, cherries and homemade pickles (among other things) years ago.

She'd fill mason jars with the various things then put the jars in a huge kettle of boiling water. Once the contents were hot, she'd quickly seal the jars to create a vaccuum. We stored the jars in a cool room in the basement.

[Red_Devil 232]

What are you going to preserve?

Some canning methods do not require a pressure cooker just a boiling water bath for 10 - 20 minuets depending on your altitude.

[William Terrell]

When you get a pressure canner, the instruction booklet will have all the information you need to can anything. You can can meat and fish (incidentally, when you can fish, you can leave the bones in; the canning process will make them just as tender as the fish itself).

Follow the instructions exactly. The makers of the canner will have experimented on every process in the booklet; they must, to avoid lawsuits.

When canning tomatoes, you don't need a pressure canner, a hot water bath will work, but you do need to read the instructions you can find in a number of different places. Tomatoes are so acid that pressure is not necessary.

When canning pickles, you need to bring them up to pressure and immediately reduce the pressure by running cold water over the cookers and pop the cap, and let them cool to keep them crisp.

[cheme]

Get the basic book by “Balls” caning procedures

[texaslil]

Yeah! A kindred spirit.

For starters, get a Ball canning book. Think it’s called Ball Blue Book of Canning. It will tell you how from start to finish. (about five dollars-—it also has hundreds of recipes for salsas, compotes, marmelades, syrups, relishes, etc. as awell as specialty recipes for gift giving. Walmart carries the book along with all the canning supplies you might ever need.

We live on a remote ranch and I’ve been canning since 1971. It may seem mindboggling at first, but once you get the hang of it, it fast and easy. The only thing I’d suggest is to figure the cost.

Jars are expensive since they’re made of tempered glass (about fifty cents each, and come in cases of twelve, but seems like no one does this anymore and they can often be had cheaply at garage sales)—I’ve gotten hundreds for free as well. The rings can be used over and over, but you’ll need the lids (about two cents a piece) each and every time you use them.

Don’t recycle jars like mayonaise jars. They are not made of tempered glass and may shatter in the canner. (one learns this the hard way with an incredible mess)

I’d start with a water bath canner-—also available at walmart for about 12.95. They are usually enameled tin, speckled dark blue They come with a lid and are about three gallons in capacity.

Pressure canners are fairly expensive. Jams, jellies, and high acid fruits and veggies like tomatoes, peaches are processed covered only in boiling water for only 10—20 minutes. Anything put up with sugar, sugar syrup, or vinegar— as in pickles— can be safely preserved this way. The advantage of putting up food in this manner is the savings on energy.

Green beans, potatoes, etc. require a pressure canner and processed at the higher temps to kill botulism, etc. low acid veggies require. For instance, potatoes or soups and stews containing potatoes, peppers, meat, need FORTY to NINETY MINUTES at ten pounds pressure. That’s a lot of gas or electricity. Potatoes are so easily stored it’s hardly profitable to can them. Also scalding and freezing is a good option. The Ball Canning Book also tells you how to freeze and dry fruits and veggies.

Also I use wide mouth canning jars that are tapered. This way I can use them for freezing as well. Because of the tapered sides, food can be partially thawed and slid out of the jars. Narrow mouth jars require complete thawing since the food will not redily slide out. Seems like we’re always in a hurry here.

If you have any questions please use the private reply to me. I’m sure this will, no doubt, bore most to tears. Too bad so many no longer know how to feed themselve LOL

[SouthTexas]

Wife blanches then freezes some types of vegetables, as well as canning. Something she learned from MY grandmother.

What are you trying to put up?

[SampleMan]

1. Put your food stuffs in jars in a pressure cooker (required to get a sufficiently high temperature), different foods will take varying amount of water and seasoning if desired.

2. Place vacuum lids on top of jars.

3. Apply heat for as long as it takes to kill all the bad bacteria (check google).

4. Vaccuum will form in jars and seal lids as they cool.

5. Screw on tops. These protect the lids from being knocked loose. They are not their to provide a seal.

When you open a jar, ensure that the vacuum seal is still good. If not discard. Metal vacuum lids cannot be reused.

Most grocery stores carry mason jars. Wash them with heat in the dishwasher before you use them.

Don’t recommend canning corn. Steam, cut off cob and freeze.

[CH3CN]

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.

[383rr]

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:^)

[nina0113]

I did my first canning this year, after buying a canning kettle at a yardsale probably five years ago. My neighbor gave me a bushel of apples from her tree and I made spiced apple rings, which I'll be giving for Christmas.

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.

[SwatTeam]

Here is a link that will provide lots of info and it also includes other links that might be helpful.

http://farmgal.tripod.com/

[grame]

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.

[whipitgood]

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.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

You've received quite a few good tips on this thread. If you have any questions after you've had an opportunity to digest some of this, don't hesitate to FReepmail me. Got quite a few recipes to share. I took this photo of my pantry back the first part of September, and I'm not through for the year yet!

[Iron Munro]

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.