Canning and Preserving For Dummies (27 page)

If you add salt, use pickling or canning salt, which doesn’t have preservatives, to eliminate cloudiness in the liquid.

Using or not using salt in your vegetables is a personal preference. Add 1/2 teaspoon to each pint jar and 1 teaspoon to each quart jar before adding the hot liquid.

Cover the vegetables with liquid, allowing the proper headspace.
This prevents discoloration and spoilage. Head to Chapter 3 for detailed information on why headspace is important.

Release air bubbles.
Releasing all trapped air bubbles between the food pieces prevents a decrease in the liquid level of your final product, keeping the correct air space in the jar. After releasing air bubbles, you may need to add additional food or liquid to the jar. Go to Chapter 3 for more information how to release air bubbles.

Be ready to process your jars immediately after filling them and process them exactly as the recipe indicates.
This decreases the opportunity for microorganisms to reenter the jars.

Cool your jars.
Let your jars cool naturally. This may take as long as 24 hours.

Pressure Canning Vegetables

This section offers instructions and guidelines for pressure canning some of the more common fresh vegetables. Included are tips for selecting your vegetables, determining the approximate amounts of fresh vegetables for yielding 1 quart of a finished product, and which method is preferred.

Before you begin, take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with the steps for pressure-canner processing in Chapter 9. Always check your recipe to ensure you’re processing your food for the correct time, pressure, and jar size. Also keep in mind the following:

When canning at altitudes over 1,000 feet above sea level, refer to the altitude chart in Chapter 9 for pressure adjustments.

If it’s safe to use either quart jars or pint jars for your vegetables, the correct processing time for each size is listed. Quarts typically take longer to process than pints because there’s a larger amount of food to heat to properly destroy all microorganisms. If only one size jar is listed, that food may not be suitable for canning in the alternative-size jar due to the thickness of the finished product.

Use only one size jar (pints or quarts) for each batch of food. This allows you to complete the correct processing time required to evenly heat the jars and destroy microorganisms.

When using low-acid, pressure-canned vegetables, always boil your food for 15 minutes
before you taste the food.
For altitudes over 1,000 feet above sea level, extend the boiling period 1 minute for each increase of 1,000 feet.

Asparagus

Select firm, bright-green stalks with tightly closed tips. Stalks with small diameters indicate a young, tender vegetable. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces or can them whole, placing the tips of the stalks toward the top of the jar (be sure to trim them from the bottom to maintain the headspace indicated in the recipe).

Canned Asparagus

Canning asparagus is a great way to preserve this delicate vegetable. With only one short season, it is usually a special treat or pricy delicacy during the rest of the year. Keeping plenty on hand will ensure that your family can enjoy this treat any time it wants. In Chapter 8, you can find a recipe for Pickled Asparagus.

Preparation time
: 15 minutes

Processing time:
Pints, 30 minutes; quarts, 40 minutes

Pressure level:
10 pounds

Yield:
14 pints or 7 quarts

24 pounds fresh, young asparagus

Boiling water

Canning salt

1
Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)

2
Wash the asparagus spears. Cut them into 1-inch pieces. In a 12-quart pot, bring water to a boil. Heat the asparagus pieces in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spears are bright green but still firm inside. Do not drain.

3
Loosely pack the cut spears into jars (don’t press them down). Pour the boiling cooking liquid over the pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more liquid as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.

4
Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 30 minutes (pints) or 40 minutes (quarts). When the processing time is done, allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)

5
Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven’t sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.

Per 1/2-cup serving:
Calories 23 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated0); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 301mg; Carbohydrates 4g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 3g.

Beans

You can put up either fresh or dried beans. Regardless which type of beans you use, be sure to thoroughly examine them:

Fresh beans:
Select only those that are free from bruising, rust, or mushiness; discard any beans fitting this description.

Dried beans:
Examine dried beans for any nonbean material, such as stems or stones.

Green (pole or bush), string, Italian, or wax

When you can green, string, Italian, or wax beans, select ones that are tender and small. Remove the ends and strings from the beans, as shown in Figure 10-1. Can them whole or cut them into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

Canned Fresh Green Beans

Garden fresh green beans are a staple for any pantry. This is a great first recipe for the beginning pressure canner. Although this recipe specifically uses green beans, all colors of beans — green, yellow or purple — work equally well.

Preparation time:
15 minutes

Processing time:
Pints, 20 minutes; quarts, 25 minutes

Pressure level:
10 pounds

Yield
: 16 pints or 8 quarts

4 pounds fresh green beans

Boiling water

Canning salt

1
Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)

2
In an 8-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. While water is boiling, trim off the ends of the beans and cut them into 2-inch pieces.

3
Tightly pack the cut beans into the prepared jars. Pour the boiling water over the beans, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more water as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.

4
Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts). Allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)

5
Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven’t sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.

Per 1/2-cup serving:
Calories 10 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 292mg; Carbohydrates 2g (Dietary fiber 1g); Protein 1g.

Dried beans (kidney, navy, pinto, split peas, and so on)

Rinse the dried beans before you soak them to remove any dust or dirt particles: Do this by placing the beans in a colander and running cold water over them while stirring them with your hands or a spoon.

Canned Dried Beans

Dried beans are a great way to add protein and richness to many dishes. Beans are inexpensive and work well blended as a thickener, a recipe-extender, and a plain stick-to-your-ribs addition to any meal. Add rice to beans and you have complete protein. Delicious! Dried beans suitable for canning include peas, soy, lima, and so on.

Preparation time:
15 minutes plus 12 hours soaking time

Processing time:
Pints, 40 minutes; quarts, 50 minutes

Pressure level:
10 pounds

Yield
: 14 pints or 7 quarts