[Ag-eq] Preserving

[Susan Roe]

Tracy,

Pickle canning is one of the easiest canning to do because the processing 
times are very short and the use of vineagars and salts in pickling or 
brining, makes for nearly spoil proof canning.  The most important thing to 
remember is do all of your prep work before hand and have all of your tools 
ready to go.  Before I cut the first vegetable, I wash all of my jars and 
rings in hot soapy water.  You can also do this just fine in a dishwasher. 
Then I take my canning kettle and wash it up as well.  If I'm using pint 
jars, I fill my kettle with the empty clean jars that have their rings 
loosely fitted on top.  Let's say my kettle will hold 12 jars, but not too 
snugly.  Even if your recipe does not fill all 12 jars, keep the empty ones 
inside because they will hold the other jars in place and make heating the 
water more evenly.  I fill the kettle with hot water a couple of inches 
above the open jars and then on top of the jars, I lay out my ladle, tongs 
and jar lifter.  Put the lid on and bring it to a boil.  This will sterolize 
everything while you prep your vegetables and heat up your pickeling 
liquids.

Once the water has come to a good boil, I turn it off and let it sit until 
I'm ready to fill the jars.  When that time comes, I have another set of 
tongs that I use to remove my tools.  I take the first pair of tongs and 
lift out an empty jar and dump the hot water in the sink.  Place the jar in 
a bowl, remove the ring, put a sterolized widemouth funnel in the jar and 
fill each jar up until it reaches the neck or the screw ridges at the top. 
This is about 1 inch from the lip of the jar.  Place the lid, which I had 
been sokeing in hot water on top, take a cleanpaper towl and gently wipe the 
lip of the jar and screw the metal ring down tight.  Take the jar lifter, 
fit it securely on the top of the jar and place it back in your kettle.  Do 
this until you have used all of your vegetables up.

Your water level should be only an inch above your jars.  Place the lid on 
the kettle and turn your heat up to at least medium high and bring it back 
to a boil.  Start your timer then.  When time is up, turn off kettle and let 
cool down a bit.  I don't like handling the jars right after the boiling 
because there is too much heat over the water to feel comfortable with my 
hands that clost to the boiling water.  Use the jar lifter or even your 
tongs and a potholder for your other hand and safely bring the hot jar to 
your counter next to your stove.  I always put a cup towel down on the 
counter first.  When the filled jars are out, check that the rings are still 
tight and put another towel over them.  As they finish their sealing 
process, you may hear the jar lids as they ping or pop when the seal is 
complete.

We have somewhere an outstanding recipe for sauerkraut that uses about 5 
pounds of cabbage and makes about 7 pints.  It is not a quick recipe, 
actually taking about 10 days, but it was the best sauerkraut I had ever 
had.  I do have sighted help in the kitchen, but I still think that a 
totally blind person could handle pickeling without too much problems.

Susan
dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2013 9:16 AM
Subject: [Ag-eq] Preserving


>I just found a book on Bookshare called Preserving, which explains how to 
>preserve a whole lot of foods, divided up by season.  I am going to have to 
>study it carefully.
>
> I've been reading recipes for pickling and fermenting, particularly making 
> my own sauerkraut.  It sounds good, and easy.  Has anyone had experience 
> with home pickling?
> How about canning?  I know Susan talked about dry canning, which sounded 
> easy, but other kinds sound complicated.  My husband and I are always 
> afraid something will go wrong, and we'll die of terminal food poisoning.
> Tracy
>
>
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