Canning: A Modest Miracle

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Rhubarb & Huckleberries

In the north rhubarb was a staple fruit. It unfurled early, and after we had glutted ourselves on the rosy sauce we began to can it. There was such an abundance, we harvested only the tender ruby stalks. Once chopped up, rhubarb should be left alone to make its own juice. Simply sprinkle it with sugar and let it sit overnight before preserving it. Vary the amount of sweetener to your taste. A guiding amount could be a half cup of sugar to every four cups of rhubarb. We discovered that rhubarb combined with berries is even better. It blends well with raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, or saskatoons. Cook the sauce, then add the berries for the last 10 minutes. Rhubarb can scorch, so be sure to stir. Pour the mixture into piping hot sterilized jars, then process in a water bath for 10 minutes. In the dimness of winter, our hands reached for the rhubarb with the deepest hue while the jars of plain sauce waited, like wallflowers, on the shelf.

Pasteur's Revolution

Mason jars, named after their inventor, John Landis Mason, may now seem the dullest appliance imaginable, but they were a revolution in the nineteenth century. Originally, earthenware jugs and bottles sealed with wax or corks were used for "canning," until Louis Pasteur discovered that the microorganisms they let through caused spoilage and disease on an epic scale. Mason, a tinsmith, was thunderstruck by the notion that glass containers sealed with a rubber ring and gasket would keep food indefinitely. The design has remained basically consistent to this day.

The jars range in size from half pint to half gallon and are available in regular and wide-mouthed styles. In modem times these jars are closed with self sealing lids and metal screwbands. For water-bath canning, other types of jars can be used as long as they are the right size for the rings and lids. Mayonnaise jars are especially good for this. As long as the jars are in good shape, they can be employed indefinitely. However it is important to check the jars and metal rings for any nicks, dents, or other flaws before using. Discard any damaged ones, or if the jars are still in reasonable shape, they can serve for other types of storage.

Before filling, the jars must be cleaned and sterilized. Wash them with hot soapy water but avoid the use of steel brushes or any metal devices because they damage glass. Rinse in scalding water. In order to avoid breakage, sealers should be hot when filled with boiling liquid. Jars may be left in hot water until using, or put in a 225°F oven for 20 minutes before filling.

Huckleberries are a pleasure to can. Simply fill the sterilized jars, press the fruit down gently but firmly, add the sugar syrup, and process. All berries need to be packed with a measure of firmness to avoid floating fruit.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print