Hounds In The Kitchen » canning

Canning Vegetables

Rachel — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:48:47 +0000

In Canning Week 2010 day 3, I share a bit about canning vegetables. View a lesson on pectin and recipe for peach jam from earlier in the week. Tomorrow I’ll discuss pickles.

The massive harvests are starting, and they aren’t limited to sweet fruits. Something has to be done with mountains of tomatoes, corn, green beans, and more.

Canning is one useful option to preserve the harvest. Vegetables are a bit more tricky to can than fruits because they often contain less acid, so one has to rely on recipes.

Low acid vegetables must be canned in a pressure canning system. As I’m a bit afraid of my pressure cooker and I don’t like the texture of most canned vegetables, I don’t have experience pressure canning. There are recipes on Fresh Preserving to can fresh low acid vegetables including green beans, carrots, corn, and onions.

If your four year old picks an underripe tomato, place it on the window sill for a day or two.

Tomatoes, high in acid, are commonly canned in a water bath. You can can them whole or in pieces. I prefer to can much of our harvest this way because it is most adaptable.

If you follow a recipe to maintain the correct acidity, you can also make and can pasta sauce, pizza sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, salsa or paste. We usually make a large batch of spaghetti sauce and several smaller batches of other tomato products throughout the late summer. I wrote about some of these options for the tomato tonnage last year.

I will be making a basic tomato sauce and canning it next Wednesday, August 11, from 6:30 – 8:30 at the North Market Dispatch Kitchen. For $12.99 ($8.99 for Slow Food Columbus members), participants will go home with a jar of sauce and confidence to preserve their own at home. Buy a ticket today and join me!

Basic Water Bath Canning Method

Use for tomato pieces, whole, or tomato-only sauce.

1. Blanche tomatoes by dipping whole tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute and then immediately transferring to an ice water bath.

2. Remove skins from tomatoes. (Skip the blanching and removing skins if you don’t mind them.)

3. Chop into desired pieces or use a food mill to make sauce.

4. Pack into sterilized jars.

5. Fill jars to exactly 1/2 inch of the top of the jar.

6. Use a thin knife or chopstick to gently release any air bubbles. Add a bit of extra tomato juice to top off the jar if necessary.

7. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice per pint to adjust acidity and preserve color.

8. Top with sterilized lids and rings.

9. Place in boiling water bath for 40 minutes for pints, 45 minutes for quarts.

10. Remove from the water bath and allow to cool thoroughly before storing in a cool dark place.

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Canning Vegetables is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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Peach Jam using Pomona’s Universal Pectin

Rachel — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:35:32 +0000

Canning week continues today with a recipe for fruit jam. Yesterday I discussed pectin. Tomorrow, we’ll delve into vegetable canning.

Peaches are in season in Ohio and many other places across the country. Farmers markets and CSA baskets are overflowing with these fuzz covered wonders. The sweet juiciness of a peach is hard to resist raw, but if you can save enough to make peach jam, you will thank me in midwinter when Ohio fruits are long gone.

I use Pomona’s Universal Pectin in fruit jams, purchased locally from the Clintonville Community Market. Made from citrus peels, the all-natural universal pectin requires no sugar. It will work with sugar, honey, or substitutes like Splenda. It is activated by calcium water, which is an extra step, but totally worth it for the superior results I notice.

I love that Pomona’s gives me the flexibility to use the sweetener I wish in the quantity that tastes best to me. I often make large batches with Pomona’s, something for bidden by other pectins. Each package makes 3 or 4 batches of jam, making it more cost effective than other brands too.

I recommend following a recipe exactly for the first few jams before experimenting. When you are comfortable with the process, you can begin to add spices and aromatics (cinnamon, clove, and ginger are fantastic with peaches), adjust sugar, and even adjust pectin to get the set you desire. Each box of Pomona’s and other dry pectin include a recipe sheet. Food In Jars and Fresh Preserving (Ball jar sponsored) are two trustworthy websites with recipes.

The following recipe is the one I used this weekend at a jam canning class. You can substitute plums, sweet cherries, apricots, mangos, figs, or pear for the peaches. Higher acid fruits (berries, sour cherry, pineapple and kiwi) require less pectin and little to no lemon juice.

Peach Jam from Pomona’s Universal Pectin

Recipe for 5 pints

4 cups peaches (12-15 ripe fruit)
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
1/2—1 cup honey or 3/4–2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin powder
4 teaspoons calcium water (included in Pomona’s pectin)

1. Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water. Let stand.

2. Blanch peaches to remove skin.

3. Pit, chop and mash fruit, measuring out 4 cups.

4. Add calcium water into large pan with mashed fruit, stir well.

5. Mix pectin powder with measured sweetener in a separate bowl. Stir very well.

6. Bring fruit to a boil.

7. Add sweetener/pectin mixture and stir vigorously.

8. Return mixture to a full boiling boil and then remove from heat.

9. Fill jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe rims clean and screw on 2 piece lid.

10. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover plus 1 inch. Boil 10 minutes.

11. Remove from water and let cool for 4—24 hours.

12. Store in a cool dry place. Eat within three weeks of opening.

What’s your favorite jam recipe? Link them up!

You might think this is a post sponsored by Pomona’s. It’s not; I shell out my own money for their pectin and use it because I do believe it is superior to more commonly found brands.

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Peach Jam using Pomona’s Universal Pectin is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
We love to hear from you! Please add your comments or send Rachel an email.

Learn To Can This Summer!

Rachel — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:24:53 +0000

Harvest season is almost upon us. Vegetables and fruits which are just now surprising us with their ripe sweetness will soon be piling in from the garden, the CSA, or the farmers market. Make the most of the bounty by putting up stores for the winter.

I will lead two basic canning workshops this fall to help people learn to preserve. Both will be hands on events where participants will leave with a jar of canned local foods.

Jam Making at Wild Goose Creative, Sunday August 1 from 7 – 9 PM

Dispel your fear of canning by attending the Jam Party! Participants will make a batch of jam with fresh local peaches provided by Wayward Seed farm. You’ll go home with a jar and the confidence to preserve your own throughout the seasons. Cost is $10.

Tomato Sauce Making at North Market Dispatch Kitchen, Wednesday August 11 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Tomato season is coming! In a hands on workshop, I will guide participants to make and can sauce from local tomatoes. I will demystify the canning process, offer tastes of preserved tomato products, and provide recipes in conjunction with Slow Food Columbus. $12.99 ($8.99 for Slow Food members) gives you admission and a jar of sauce to take home. Buy tickets here.

I hope to see you at one or both workshops!

PS. There are still spots available in the August 3-5 Kids Cook Dinner day camp and August 16 – 20 Open Heart Art Food Camp! Register now to end your child’s summer with an awesome food experience.

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Learn To Can This Summer! is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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Canning Season 2010 Begins!

Rachel — Sun, 23 May 2010 13:58:27 +0000

On Friday I made rhubarb jam. The day before, reporter John Ross raised an eyebrow when I told him I love canning. He’s writing an Alive & Unedited piece about me that will be in the June 3 issue of Columbus Alive!

It’s true. It pleases my soul to take an in-season about-to-spoil fruit and transform it into something that will last years. I like the rhythm of my work when I am chopping, stirring, sterilizing, filling, and boiling. I love the ‘pop’ sound that tells me a jar is sealed.

And the rows of colorful preserves in clear glass jars as they cool overnight on the counter? Pure satisfaction, in my world.

If the thought of canning fills you with fear instead of affection, look forward to simple tips and recipes over the summer. You can also come to my Jam Party at Wild Goose Too Many Cooks on Sunday August 1. It’s $10 for a hands on workshop from 7 – 9 pm and everyone will go home with a jar of jam!

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Canning Season 2010 Begins! is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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What’s Left in the Larder

Rachel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:02:03 +0000

Today we ate our last winter squash harvested over six months ago. It was bitter and I’m sad about that.

I wondered exactly what is left in our larder. Here’s the count as of March 9, 2010:

8.5 quarts applesauce

10 half pints tomato paste

3 quarts tomato sauce

12 quarts whole tomatoes

2 half pints ketchup

3 quarts barbeque sauce

3 pints honey strawberry jam

1 pint peach jam

2 bags frozen blueberries (maybe a pound each?)

8 2-cup portions of frozen pumpkin puree

handful of dried tomatoes

As we deplete our larder, we are relying on purchasing produce more than ever. I try to find fresh vegetables at farmer’s markets and Clintonville Cooperative, our local natural foods store. Their selection of produce is getting slim and I can’t wait to see more green house grown produce available soon!

How are your preserves holding up?

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What’s Left in the Larder is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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The Best Beans and Rice Ever

Rachel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:50:51 +0000

Tuesday night I cooked the best beans and rice ever.

I’m sure it’s the best because I grew the beans, picked the beans, dried the beans, and finally cooked them. Do you know how many fresh beans it takes to make a cup of dried beans? Now I do.

I didn’t use a recipe (I rarely do) but here’s what I can recall:

1 cup dried beans (homegrown kentucky wonder and dragon tongue make it BEST)

2 bay leaves

2 red peppers, diced

1 white onion, diced

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 cup brown long grain rice

1 4 oz can diced green chilis

8 oz veggie stock (homemade made it BEST)

1 tsp old bay seasoning

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste (home canned made it BEST)

Cook dry beans with 3 cups water and bay leaves in pressure cooker for 25 minutes.

Cook peppers, onion, and garlic in a large pot with olive oil over medium high heat until softened.

Add rice to pot and stir to coat. Add beans (discard bay leaves), veggie stock, 2 cups water, chilis, soy sauce, and old bay.

After 1 hour, check seasonings. Add tomato paste. Continue cooking until rice is tender, adding more water as necessary. Correct seasonings again if needed and serve.

Have you ever worked so hard in the creation of something that the final product is elevated beyond usual expectations?

I added this recipe to the Food Renegade Fight Back Friday blog carnival.

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The Best Beans and Rice Ever is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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Botulism: What Home Canners Need to Know

Rachel — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:14:23 +0000

I promote home canning to extend the availability of seasonal foods. Home canned goods also happen to be delicious.

There’s only one potential downside: foodborne botulism.

Alex and I were talking about preservation yesterday in relation to someone we know who doesn’t use salt, but is taking up charcuterie. Bad idea, I say.

I had some questions about botulism that neither of us could answer so I dug through some internet and print sources to come up with this guide about the potential risks of botulism.

What I found is that botulism is not much of a risk. It is preventable, very rare, and curable. That said, all of us who are preserving at home should be aware of the signs, symptoms, and prognosis of botulism poisoning.

What it is: a rare poisoning from proliferation of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. An average of 30 cases of foodborne botulism are reported per year in adults in America.

Causes: bacteria in the soil or untreated water, improperly canned food, especially vegetables, cured meats, honey, corn syrup.

Symptoms: difficulty breathing, swallowing and speaking, abdominal cramps, vomiting, weakness, double vision. Symptoms begin 6 hours – 8 days after eating a botulism infected food.

Treatment: Botulinus antitoxin, breathing treatments.

Prognoses: Botulism is fatal in up to 60% of untreated cases. Treatment is effective, especially when started quickly after symptoms begin.

Prevention during canning: Can to recipe specifications. Be sure to use the advised amount of salt or acid and keep at temperature or pressure for specified amount of time. Use current recipes from the Ball Guide to Canning.

Prevention after canning: Inspect canned goods regularly. Discard any with disruptions in the seal, a bulging lid, one with pinprick holes, or rust on the lid. Botulism toxin can be destroyed by boiling the canned food for 20 minutes.

How concerned am I? Not concerned.

I do many things that are far more risky than eating home canned food, like driving, being tattooed, road cycling, eating peas off the vine, etc. I’m glad to know more about the very slight botulism risk and I will continue to enjoy and promote home canned food.

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Botulism: What Home Canners Need to Know is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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'Easy' Tomato Sauce

Rachel — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:32:19 +0000

One of the more difficult parts of most tomato sauce recipes is blanching the tomatos. Removing the skin has to be done in small batches and then you are left with slippery juicy innards to chop. Not to mention that one more pot of boiling water on the stove means more chances to burn oneself.

Sometimes when we make sauce, like when we made pepper tomato sauce last week, we skip the skinning. The resulting sauce has a meatier texture than sauce made with blanched tomatos. It’s a fair trade in my book at the end of a long canning season.

The ‘easy’ routine is:

Chop tomatos and other ingredients roughly

Stew until soft

Blend until smooth

Simmer until thick

Can or freeze

Viola!

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'Easy' Tomato Sauce is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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Work in Quarts and Pints

Rachel — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:56:16 +0000

I put in six hours at the kitchen today. My work was measured in quarts and pints; four and twenty one, respectively.

It started with these fifty pounds of organic tomatoes from Green Edge Gardens. (Daughter pictured above is only thirty eight pounds.)

Then my friend Sarah and I chopped and sauced. Thank you Sarah not only for your help but for bringing your sons to entertain Lillian.

the knife was indeed sharp as the devil himself

2 large onions, 2 heads of garlic, handfuls of basil, 25 lbs tomatos, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper

Next was the canning.

And finally, pints and quarts of chopped tomatos and tomato sauce to put up for the winter.

I will not lie: canning tomatos is hella more work than jam. Like jam, the results are outrageously more delicious than what you can buy from the store. In mid-winter all the work seems to be worth it. At least that’s what I remember from last year.

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Work in Quarts and Pints is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
We love to hear from you! Please add your comments or send Rachel an email.