RE: Canning (Full Version)

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ta_mosquito -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 12:43:54 PM)

quote:

Hey Tricia's mom! I thought I'd see you around here.


She emailed me yesterday that she got on CW to see if I was signed in, and when I wasn't, she checked out my most recent posts to see if the threads would be interesting. [8D] That's how she found this thread.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 7:05:59 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ta_mosquito

quote:

Hey Tricia's mom! I thought I'd see you around here.


She emailed me yesterday that she got on CW to see if I was signed in, and when I wasn't, she checked out my most recent posts to see if the threads would be interesting. [8D] That's how she found this thread.

Hey Tammy! Tricia's right I did get here through her but I was thinking of keeping a bit of an eye on this thread. [sm=chef.gif] I don't understand why you might expect me here... [8D]

Hee, hee, hee. Tricia, you can never tell where I'll be....... [sm=cooltilt.gif]
[sm=purplelaugh.gif]



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 7:12:51 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: momma-mo
I'm confused a bit. I want to can a lot more things and know I need a pressure canner. I want to know is a pressure cooker and a pressure canner the same thing? I saw a cooker advertised that has a canning setting. What do I need?

A pressure canner is basically a very large pressure cooker. It needs to be able to accommodate the jars, of course. And having an accurate gauge is important. In my experience the Presto canners have a dial gauge which is very good but needs to be tested every few years (presumably at the county extension office) and possibly replaced. The Mirro canners and pressure cookers have the one piece three number gauge for 5, 10, and 15 lbs pressure. I've settled on that one because I don't have to ...ummm... try to compensate for a needle that isn't quite accurate and has a face cover that came off a couple years ago... hypothetically speaking of course. [8D] And as for that "canning setting" huh?????[sm=crazy.gif] I'm clueless!
quote:

ORIGINAL: momma-mo
Right now I can bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, corn relish, ripe cucumber relish(made from those cukes that get to monsterous size and start to turn yellow! It's the greatest hot dog relish on earth!)green tomato relish (picalili), green tomato and cabbage relish, tomatoes, and jelly.

I want to start canning things like non-acidic veggies...esp. corn, beets, and carrots.

Oh YUM! My mouth is watering and I just ate supper!! I need to think corn relish. I've never done that. If you're interested I believe I still have a recipe for imitation cinnamon apple rings made with cucumbers - I believe I used those large yellow ones. <looking, looking> I DO have it. It's called Cinnamon Pickles. Although there is quite a process to it with pickling lime and all....

The family used to love kidding me about my "apple rings" made with cucumbers and my "cucumber pickles" made with zucchini. [:D]
quote:

ORIGINAL: momma-mo
We also freeze a lot of things and use our vacuum sealer for that.

I loved my vacuum sealers.... both of them. But somehow I manage to lose suction in mine. The first one I think sucked up a piece of ground coffee. The second one I have no idea why it quit pulling enough suction to seal. Probably sucked something up the hose. I do ..errr.. did a lot of vacuum sealing in canning jars. I miss it!!! Have any of you had any such problems??



momma-mo -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 9:57:34 PM)

How many quarts size would you recommend for a pressure cooker?



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 10:27:05 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: momma-mo

How many quarts size would you recommend for a pressure cooker?

Checking the one I have, the box says Mirro 22 Qt. This one will hold I believe it's 7 quart jars. It will also hold two layers of pint jar using the extra rack between the layers. And this one could be used for a couple or maybe 3 half gallon jars. They do have that size canning jars.

Tricia has my old Presto that held one layer of jars. Maybe she can find something on the canner that says how many quart capacity - if it's not all rubbed off.

Just to be sure you know. Never, ever, ever, use anything but actual canning jars in a pressure canner. Mayonnaise and other jars are not able to take the pressure.



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Canning (5/28/2008 10:54:20 PM)

Actually you should never hot-water can with those jars, either.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/29/2008 7:19:07 PM)

True. Good advice! I have in the past before I had so many canning jars but, actually, those mayonnaise jars probably aren't what they used to be either! And don't use them for vacuum sealing either!

Guess we're just stuck recycling them, huh?



BJinWA -> RE: Canning (5/29/2008 7:36:36 PM)

yup, i can and my 28 yr old daughter cans.

i'm not as productive as some here, but in the last couple of months i've done strawberry-rhubarb jam, raspberry jam, blueberry jam, and my absolute favorite---mushrooms. when safeway has a big sale i load up and can like crazy. i love them.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/29/2008 7:44:47 PM)

I've got to quit reading this thread. It makes me hungry even after I've just eaten [&:]

BJinWA, tell us about canning those mushrooms.



woodwind228 -> RE: Canning (5/29/2008 11:33:55 PM)

I have a weighted guage canner - I got it at WalMart a while ago. It was around $60 or so as I recall. I wanted the weighted guage versus the dial guage so I wouldn't have to have it recalibrated every time.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joyfulmn

quote:

ORIGINAL: woodwind228
I've got a recipe for cardamom applesauce that I'm dying to try out too.


Oooo, this sounds intriguing. I make a lot of applesauce from my two trees and like to vary it a bit. Would you care to share this recipe.... sometime between now and FALL. lol


Oh, and since you have a pressure canner, I have been using a great shortcut for years. Instead of boiling water bathing my canned tomatoes and heating all the water and spending so much time cooking them, I learned to put them in the pressure canner, bring them up to 15 lbs pressure, turn it off and.... even be able to leave the house! I first learned it from our county extension maybe 20 years ago but nowadays they're so afraid of saying anything wrong they haven't "recommended" that procedure. But I've never had a failure with it. [:D]


I'd love more info on your method for tomatoes. I spent HOURS in the kitchen the regular way.

Here's the recipe for the cardamom applesauce. You can sub cinnamon for the cardamom if you don't have it. I liked the recipe as it was; however, next time I'll put a little less of the spice in there. I've got one jar left but I'm afraid it won't last the weekend. I only got about 36 oz out of it (3 12-oz jars). DD loves applesauce - so do I.

4 lbs granny smith apples, peeled, cored, an cut into 1/2" pieces (about 6 really big apples)
2 cups water
1/2-1 cup lt brown sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (can sub cinnamon)

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan cover, bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low; simmer until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to food processor or blender and puree.



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Canning (5/29/2008 11:44:22 PM)

quote:

Guess we're just stuck recycling them, huh?

Eh, my kids always have strange uses for them. Science experiments, bug houses, etc.



Roberta_ -> RE: Canning (5/30/2008 1:46:58 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: joyfulmn
Just to be sure you know. Never, ever, ever, use anything but actual canning jars in a pressure canner. Mayonnaise and other jars are not able to take the pressure.


My former MIL told me that decades ago the mayo jars were different and you could use them for canning. She said that they are now making them with a smaller area where the lid screws on and they are thinner so they are dangerous to use for canning.



Auben -> RE: Canning (5/30/2008 9:33:50 AM)

I have a bunch of the old mayo jars and I use them for freezing. They work as well as a plastic bag.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/30/2008 3:19:24 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: woodwind228
I'd love more info on your method for tomatoes. I spent HOURS in the kitchen the regular way.


Thanks for the recipe. I am anxious to try it but I guess I'll just have to be very patient. My big Northwest Greening won't be ready till the end of August. [8D]

As for the tomatoes. I just cold pack them as normal for bwb, put the jars in the pressure canner which has a couple inches of water when the jars are in it, put it on a high flame until it comes up to 15 lbs pressure, turn it off and walk away until the pressure is completely out of the canner and voila! If I had to guess I'd think perhaps a 30-45 minutes or so total in the canner. But it's not as hot a project and, of course it doesn't take nearly as long to come to pressure as it takes to get a huge pot of water to a full boil.

CAUTION! I just happened to think of another "Never, ever, ever" When you are cooking a meal with a pressure cooker you can speed the pressure dropping so you can open it by running cold water over the top and perhaps removing the pressure regulator. NEVER EVER, EVER do this when pressure canning. When you open the lid prematurely the jars will burst and become very dangerous because they haven't reduced temperature on the inside. Wait until you are sure all pressure is out of the canner.

Rule of thumb: If you have to force the lid don't open it.
Rule of thumb: Treat a pressure canner or cooker with respect and it is safe to use.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/30/2008 3:24:55 PM)

quote:

Eh, my kids always have strange uses for them. Science experiments, bug houses, etc.
Oh good, there are still uses for them. [:)]

DenimDiva, I totally agree with your former MIL.

Tamara, I've done that in the past as well but I think I'm not careful enough around any jars in the freezer. I've been known to crack a few....



Tea-Tea -> RE: Canning (5/31/2008 5:07:16 PM)

woodwind, how do you process the applesauce? If I could only get some free or really cheap apples...[:D]

Anyone make pearsauce? Is there such a thing? Austin's uncle will give me all the pears I want so I'm going to take him at his word this year!



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (5/31/2008 8:33:31 PM)

quote:

Anyone make pearsauce? Is there such a thing? Austin's uncle will give me all the pears I want so I'm going to take him at his word this year!


Yep! I've got two huge pear trees besides the two apple trees so I've done lots of things with pears. [:)]

Pear sauce is just a bit juicier than applesauce is all. And LOTS juicier than my NW Greenings! I've also mixed the two.



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Canning (5/31/2008 9:23:07 PM)

If I had unlimited access to pears I would: Dry them in wedges, make fruit-roll-ups out of them, make pear butter, can pear halves....oooh, do I love pears!



Auben -> RE: Canning (6/16/2008 8:54:47 PM)

I see someone is selling canning jars on Craigslist; quarts $3.50/dozen and pints $3/dozen.

Is that good? I think the Walmart price is $6.50 (guessing).

What kind of questions should I ask?



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (6/16/2008 9:04:25 PM)

If I were in the market I'd buy them for that. I'm thinking they're around 8 something a dozen this year. Don't forget though that you'll need to add the price of lids and rings which I believe to be around $2-2.50 this year at Fleet Farm. (It's Fleet Farm in Minnesota and Farm & Fleet elsewhere [;)])

Before you actually purchase them you will want to feel the rim of each one. You want NO cracks or chips.



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Canning (6/16/2008 11:28:46 PM)

My sister's boyfriend's family has a cherry orchard. The wind damaged the cherries and in order to claim the insurance money, they cannot sell the good cherries that are mixed with the bad. So family get to pick 'em[:D]



Auben -> RE: Canning (6/17/2008 9:58:10 AM)

It's Fleet Farm in Central Wisconsin too. If you get down to the southern part of the state it turns into Farm & Fleet.

Thanks Joyful.



joyfulmn -> RE: Canning (7/7/2008 12:37:10 PM)

I thought this was very interesting about freezing in canning jars. I found it on the FoodSaver vacuum sealer website.

quote:

Can mason jars be stored in the freezer?
Only certain types of mason jars can be stored in the freezer. If you plan to vacuum package and freeze in mason jars, you need to buy the mason jars that are labeled "Can or Freeze Jars." These jars are designed with an opening that is wider than their base in order to allow liquids to expand. To allow for expansion, leave at least one inch of space in the quart-size jars and a half-inch for smaller jars when filling.



deliveredarling -> RE: Canning (7/7/2008 2:07:39 PM)

I made dill pickles a week ago, they are now sitting their time out. the garlic in them has turned blue, any ideas why?



Jenny-Fair -> RE: Canning (7/7/2008 2:09:23 PM)

Because the are stubborn and holding their breath until you let them out of their time out? [8D]



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