Canning: A Modest Miracle

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Jellies

One secret to good canning is to be innovative. One of my favorite jellies is a blend of raspberry and red currant. With jam and jelly making, commercial or natural pectin can be used. High levels of natural pectin are present in many fruits including green apples, cranberries, and underripe berries. Once again, the level of sweetness is a matter of individual choice. Despite dire warnings by commercial pectin companies, I regularly alter the recipe and make decent jam with a ratio of six or seven cups of fruit to four cups of sugar, rather than the recommended ratio in which the sugar exceeds the fruit. Jam cooked longer will become thicker, but the occasional runny batch can make great pancake syrup or sauce for pudding or ice cream. And there is now commercial pectin available, derived from citrus peels and pulp, that requires little or no sweetener.

Pickles

Our climate wasn't kind to cucumbers. We made our bread-and-butter pickles by substituting zucchini for cucumber. Add a few red or yellow peppers to dress up the jars and tantalize the taste buds in the barren winter. During my 13 years in the bush I pickled heaps of beets, and I learned to be careful not to overcook them. Remove them from the heat while they still have some firmness; as they sit in a mass waiting for peeling, they will continue to soften.

My mother still raves about Nanny's dessert tomatoes. First she would make juice from overmature tomatoes pressed through a sieve. She then peeled prime tomatoes after scalding them in boiling water and cooling them in cold water. After packing them, she filled the jars with hot juice, sealed them, and processed them in a hot water bath.

Sealing & Storage

After the canning has cooled, test the jar seals. The sharp inhaling plink of lids as they bear down is music to any experienced canner's ears. Equally recognizable is the disheartening dull thud of canning lids letting go of their rims. To test the seal, press the center of each lid. If it is already down and doesn't move, it is sealed. If it moves up or down it isn't sealed. Tap the jar with a spoon. A clear ringing sound indicates a good seal. A dull sound may mean a poor seal. Refrigerate any suspicious jars and use them within the next few days.

The rest are ready to be stored. How quickly we forget! It is best to write the name of the product and the date it was canned on a label that will adhere to the jar. Felt pen on masking tape is efficient but not overly attractive. Be decorative, especially if the product is intended as a gift.

Canned goods can be stored in any dry, dark, and cool space. If the spot is too damp the lids and rings will rust. We learned this the hard way one winter when we stashed some jars in the root cellar. If the place is too warm, the food may lose flavor or change color. Freezing can break the seal as well as the jar. Stored in proper conditions, canned foods will retain their flavor, color, and nutritional value for about a year. Check through your supply of preserves now and then for any signs of spoilage. A bulging lid means tainted food. Use your eyes, ears, nose, and common sense to decipher any suspicious symptoms as you open each jar. If there is mold, foaming, discoloration, or odor, discard the food immediately. Further, before serving any canned meat or vegetables, bring them to a boil and heat thoroughly. Above all, do not give it the taste test, and religiously apply the blanket rule: When in doubt throw it out.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print