Canning season!!!

I like the Company's Coming Preserves Cookbook. I make the Picante Salsa recipe from it, just made a batch last night as a matter of fact.

I don't do the water-bath, I just use very hot jars from the oven and lids that are in boiling water on the stove. All your equipment needs to be impeccably clean. I've been using this method for many years and haven't killed anyone...yet.

I also do pickles and jams this way; you need to have enough acid or sugar in the recipe to inhibit bacterial growth. I would do a lot less canning if I had to deal with the hot water bath...didn't like the occasional exploding jar...

I just did 57 jars of vegetable antipasto, hot water bath, haven't used a pressure canner since I was young and the thought still frightens me.

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Originally Posted by marstec

I like the Company's Coming Preserves Cookbook. I make the Picante Salsa recipe from it, just made a batch last night as a matter of fact.

I don't do the water-bath, I just use very hot jars from the oven and lids that are in boiling water on the stove. All your equipment needs to be impeccably clean. I've been using this method for many years and haven't killed anyone...yet.

I also do pickles and jams this way; you need to have enough acid or sugar in the recipe to inhibit bacterial growth. I would do a lot less canning if I had to deal with the hot water bath...didn't like the occasional exploding jar...

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I do it this way too, for jam.......but it's not recommended, as the experts say that the product isn't held at high heat long enough to kill off all bacterial organisms.......the pioneers survived, and they canned under less exact conditions. ;)

I use the snap lids and check to make sure they have a tight seal. I also go through my canned goods and toss anything that has changed color or is older than a couple of years. I think the rubber rings are a bit more risky because they are reused and may not allow a good seal.

When I first started canning, I went a little crazy. I think I did over 200 jars of stuff one year. I must admit a lot of it went to waste, such as the Mock Cranberry sauce (made with grated beets) that my neighbor swore tasted like the real thing (not).

Now, I know what my family will eat; I primarily make salsa and jam.

We were listening to a radio program on CBC a few weeks back and the guest speaker was a chef who worked for Bernardin. According to him, a lot of us home canners are doing it wrong. Like I said earlier, I make sure everything is sterilized and I haven't had any trouble.

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Originally Posted by barbs

I do it this way too, for jam.......but it's not recommended, as the experts say that the product isn't held at high heat long enough to kill off all bacterial organisms.......the pioneers survived, and they canned under less exact conditions. ;)

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for real jam (50% or more sugar that form the jelly/jam with the pectin) you didn't need the water bath treatment... You have enought sugar to inhibit bacterial growth and you have a very acidic environnement that doesn't alloid bacterial growth.

The only thing you need, is to have clean jar or put the jars at 85degree C for 10 minutes to avoid mold and yeast (those one are not bacteria, but are not pathogen also, they just disgust lot of people!!!)

Wow, everyone is so productive with their canning LOL. I live in a town house and we have a very tiny yard but I do manage to have a small garden every year. This year I was able to make 12 containers of freezer pickles, some canned tomatoes and lots of blanched frozen carrots. It isn't a lot but I am proud of my little garden that basically grows from dry dirt with a layer of cement under the ground ;) It used to be a parking lot where we live so the ground is only a couple feet deep but we mound up as much soil as we can and I use Miracle Grow for plant vitamins. When we move in a year or two, I hope to have a large garden and fruit trees :)

I am done all my canning! Beef stew, Beef and veggies (pressure canning), and all my baby puree: apples, blueberries, peaches, pears. I am done as we gave birth (C section) and no more time!

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Originally Posted by juniperjune

I am done all my canning! Beef stew, Beef and veggies (pressure canning), and all my baby puree: apples, blueberries, peaches, pears. I am done as we gave birth (C section) and no more time!

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Oh like me 2 years ago!

I was having my C section in the middle of tomatoes season, ie beginning of september.