This summer I co-taught a canning class with my friend Julie Larsen of Nisse Farm.
All of our info came from a crash course with Drusilla Banks at the University of Illinois Extension office. In 2009, another Extension office in Georgia produced a comprehensive Complete Home Canning Guide, now a very very large pdf file for free download. The USDA uses this guide as the main reference for home canning standards today.
If you have never canned, read about your method of canning in the guide first. You will be choosing either "Hot Water Bath" or "Pressure Canner" method depending on what equipment you are using and what you'd like to can. Hot water bath canning can only be used for fruits, pickles and tomatoes (+lemon or citric acid), basically all high acid products. If you want to can with other vegetables or meat you will definitely want to invest in a pressure canner and make sure the gauge is working properly (the guide talks more about this). All this collected data is for the purpose of making sure you do not poison yourself and others with botulism. :) The techniques involve eliminating bacteria that causes the poisoning, making sure the product is sufficiently acidic (if using the hot water method), and ensuring a proper seal.
In our class, Julie and I covered the most common canning activity:
Tomatoes by Hot Water Bath Canning
Some interesting highlights:
- You don't have to boil the lids! Imagine that! Mom and grandma always had a little saucepan bubbling for the lids. These days, since the update in 2009, you just have to sanitize by washing lids in hot, soapy water. Never reuse lids from year to year.
- If your canning process is at least 20 minutes, you don't have to worry about sterilizing the jars. Just heat them enough to accommodate your hot pack and so that they don't crack, about 140 degrees.
- Open kettle method is considered not USDA safe.
- Tomatoes are actually just barely on the acid side of the pH scale. You must add bottled lemon juice or citric acid per each unique recipe!
- Use a recipe always and choose one that is post 1985 for the safest instructions.
ANYONE CAN CAN.
You just need to pay attention, clear your schedule, clean your counters and off you go. There is no greater satisfaction than a colorful pantry of locally grown produce. In my opinion.
AND…OR... ANYONE CAN FREEZE.
If you don't have the mental space and time to can but DO have space in the freezer, just blanch, peel and freeze those extra tomatoes! OR don't peel. Just throw them in a freezer bag--you can use for delicious sauce in the middle of winter!
Spending time in my kitchen and wishing you good times in your own,
Julia
