Canning acid foods made simple
You're standing in your kitchen amidst a counter top camouflaged with glass jars and metals lids. Did I mention that you're up to your waist in tomatoes? One man's disaster is another's canning opportunity. Don't let the ceiling staining fruit splatters deter you. Pick up some glass jars and plastisol lids and learn how to preserve and store acid foods today.
Boiling water bath canning allows people to keep their favorite fruit based recipes on hand for a rainy day. The heat involved in the processing practice disables the enzymes, freezing the food particle in its current state. With the help of a vacuum wielding plastisol lined lid, the substance is protected from outside invasion and kept fresh for up to one year.
Foods The first lesson in Canning 101 is differentiation of foods by high and low acid classifications. Bacteria cannot withstand the unrelenting surroundings of a highly acidic environment, but can dwell and grow comfortably in a low acid situation. Given this correlation, acidity determines which canning method will best suit a given type of food. High acid foods (foods with a pH level of 4.6 or lower) include most fruits and should only be canned through the boiling water bath method. Low acid foods (food with a pH level above 4.6) include vegetables and meats, which require pressure canning processing to be stored safely.
Materials Grab your boiling water canning equipment, a plastic spatula to get rid of those mangy bubbles and stock up on our pint (16 oz) and quart (32 oz) glass jars. Don't worry about sterilizing the jars, as long as they are processed for 10 minutes the hot contents will sterilize the jar itself. Save yourself a headache and leave those time consuming two piece lids from the 20th century where they belong, purchase some one piece metal plastisol lids today.
Methods There are two different ways to pack jars when canning food. Stuffing jars with unheated food is called cold or raw packing. After the jars are filled with food boiling juice, water or syrup is added to the jar. This method is useful for low acid foods that will undergo pressure canning processing.
If you're canning high acid foods, hot packing is the way to go. Bring your food to a boil before dispersing it into jars and adding boiling juice, water or syrup to the mix, leaving a inch headspace. Once the contents are prepped twist on a metal plastisol lid and you're ready to process.
Processing Processing your product for its full duration is an immensely important task. The high heat involved in processing eliminates bacteria trapped inside the jars of food. This means that jars that are removed from the bath prematurely may still have pathogens hanging on. Reference a canning altitude map to make time adjustments depending on your location. After processing, use a jar lifter to remove your canned goods and let them cool for 24 hours. As the containers and lids cool a vacuum seal will be created.
Only preserve food that is ripe and non diseased. Follow recipe directions to achieve the proper level of acidity to keep your canned product safe. When choosing where to keep your food storage choose an area that is cool, dark, dry and easily accessible. It's easier to rotate your food storage and use product within a year if you can get to it quickly. Pick up some glass jars and metal plastisol lids and expand your food storage with acid canned goods today.
Boiling water bath canning allows people to keep their favorite fruit based recipes on hand for a rainy day. The heat involved in the processing practice disables the enzymes, freezing the food particle in its current state. With the help of a vacuum wielding plastisol lined lid, the substance is protected from outside invasion and kept fresh for up to one year.
Foods The first lesson in Canning 101 is differentiation of foods by high and low acid classifications. Bacteria cannot withstand the unrelenting surroundings of a highly acidic environment, but can dwell and grow comfortably in a low acid situation. Given this correlation, acidity determines which canning method will best suit a given type of food. High acid foods (foods with a pH level of 4.6 or lower) include most fruits and should only be canned through the boiling water bath method. Low acid foods (food with a pH level above 4.6) include vegetables and meats, which require pressure canning processing to be stored safely.
Materials Grab your boiling water canning equipment, a plastic spatula to get rid of those mangy bubbles and stock up on our pint (16 oz) and quart (32 oz) glass jars. Don't worry about sterilizing the jars, as long as they are processed for 10 minutes the hot contents will sterilize the jar itself. Save yourself a headache and leave those time consuming two piece lids from the 20th century where they belong, purchase some one piece metal plastisol lids today.
Methods There are two different ways to pack jars when canning food. Stuffing jars with unheated food is called cold or raw packing. After the jars are filled with food boiling juice, water or syrup is added to the jar. This method is useful for low acid foods that will undergo pressure canning processing.
If you're canning high acid foods, hot packing is the way to go. Bring your food to a boil before dispersing it into jars and adding boiling juice, water or syrup to the mix, leaving a inch headspace. Once the contents are prepped twist on a metal plastisol lid and you're ready to process.
Processing Processing your product for its full duration is an immensely important task. The high heat involved in processing eliminates bacteria trapped inside the jars of food. This means that jars that are removed from the bath prematurely may still have pathogens hanging on. Reference a canning altitude map to make time adjustments depending on your location. After processing, use a jar lifter to remove your canned goods and let them cool for 24 hours. As the containers and lids cool a vacuum seal will be created.
Only preserve food that is ripe and non diseased. Follow recipe directions to achieve the proper level of acidity to keep your canned product safe. When choosing where to keep your food storage choose an area that is cool, dark, dry and easily accessible. It's easier to rotate your food storage and use product within a year if you can get to it quickly. Pick up some glass jars and metal plastisol lids and expand your food storage with acid canned goods today.