Pressure Canning

[Shinerxx]

I bought a pressure canner from Amazon.com. All American 25qt for $209 and free shipping. I got it next day from UPS. Yesterday I canned my first jelly. I made 7-8oz jars of Habanero Gold jelly. Habanero, and red peppers, red onions, and dried apricots in the recipe. I cannot wait to try some today. I bought the canner to preserve some food for my SHTF prep. I'm excited. I think the next batch I can will be some mango preserves since they are on sale at the local supermarket.

Shiner

[MsDoodahs]

I'm sending you a link via PM.

Watch in a few minutes it should be there..gotta find it first...

MsD

[pinkmandy]

Lol. We just got a new one, too. Dh has canned lots of beans and chili as well. I'm kind of gun shy w/it as our last one didn't seal properly, exploded and I ended up w/some pretty nasty burns.

[Shinerxx]

After I get the acidic jellies and jams down that I feel are hard to screw up I want to can a lot of chili. YUM

[pcosmar]

You will have fun experimenting with recipes.
This is some Crab Apple jelly.
http://jamadots.com/~pcosmar/photos/photogallery/72_canning.jpeg

We did a bunch of pickles and relish too. Zucchini relish.:)

I just cooked up my last pumpkin this spring and made pumpkin Butter.

[asgardshill]

I'm still using old reliable - Mom bought it in 1960 and as long as the seals are maintained, it should work until doomsday. And as soon as the wild grapes around here ripen (about next month at this time), I'll be canning 30 gallons of grape jelly and jam - the best you ever laid your mouth on.

[MsDoodahs]

If anyone has an abundance of concord grapes this year and would like to try a very old "conserve" recipe, let me know. I have my great grandmother's and it is just yummy (well, if you like conserves).

[Shinerxx]

I live in south Texas so I'll be making wild prickly pear and persimmon jelly/jam in July/August

[pinkmandy]

PCOSMAR- Did you do dill pickles or sweet? I've tried dill and they end up tasting like poo. Any tips on dill?

[pcosmar]

PCOSMAR- Did you do dill pickles or sweet? I've tried dill and they end up tasting like poo. Any tips on dill?

Done both, use fresh dill.
Still have dilly beans and zucchini pickles on the shelf. Both sweet(bread&butter) and dill/jalapeno.:D

[MsDoodahs]

Done both, use fresh dill.
Still have dilly beans and zucchini pickles on the shelf. Both sweet(bread&butter) and dill/jalapeno.:D

Do you happen to remember the old style "pickled beans" that were made with brine?

If you do...is the flavor of dilly beans similar?

[pinkmandy]

Do you have a good recipe? I used fresh dill and they were just disgusting. I did 5 batches, using 5 different recipes. All of them incredibly disgusting, lol.

[Shinerxx]

Could it be the cucks you used? I have read you have to use under ripe cucks otherwise they are mushy when pickled.

[pinkmandy]

They weren't mushy. Just had a horrible taste. Everyone I talked to said dills are the hardest to get "right". Or maybe they were just trying to make me feel better because I suck, lol.

[pcosmar]

Do you have a good recipe? I used fresh dill and they were just disgusting. I did 5 batches, using 5 different recipes. All of them incredibly disgusting, lol.

I blanch the beans, put a couple of garlic cloves in each jar, fill with beans stuff some dill in, and fill with boiling vinegar. Cap em, and process. (15 to 20 min)
Just like Mom showed me. :D

This is what is still on my shelf today, (some open jars in the fridge don't count).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/2610134689_5597947a8f.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/2610135195_0b907f7857.jpg?v=0

[pcosmar]

Do you happen to remember the old style "pickled beans" that were made with brine?

If you do...is the flavor of dilly beans similar?

Never tried the brine. that is a whole different process.
Might put it on the list of things to try.
I'll have to see how the garden grows this year.

[Shinerxx]

A quick google seek revealed:

Strong, bitter taste causes:

1). Spices cooked too long in vinegar, or too many spices used.
Remedy: Follow directions for amount of spices to use and the boiling time.

2). Vinegar too strong.
Remedy: Use vinegar of the proper strength (5-percent acidity).

3). Dry weather.
Remedy: No prevention. Bitter taste is usually in the peeling.

4). Using salt substitutes.
Remedy: Potassium chloride ingredient in these is naturally bitter.

[pinkmandy]

Ah...I bet it was the dry weather! That makes sense! We had a lot of issues that year with our garden. Ty!

[FunkBuddha]

Hey Pcosmar,

Mind posting your zuchini relish recipe or a link? I've got more zuchini than I know what to do with.

[familydog]

Canners ain't worth getting if you don't make pickled leaks :cool:

[pcosmar]

Hey Pcosmar,

Mind posting your zuchini relish recipe or a link? I've got more zuchini than I know what to do with.

LOL, We had a bunch too.
I just looked online, and ours is a composite of what we found. There are a lot of recipes.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,zuchini_relish,FF.html
http://www.calhounproduce.com/hpro/relish/zuchini-relish-recipe.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=zuchini+relish&btnG=Google+Search

Our are a sweet relish, some Zucchini and some Yellow squash.

[asgardshill]

//

[Dieseler]

This is what I do for Dill pickles.
Ingredients
Mrs. Wages Dill quick process pickle mix. (1/4 or a little less of this 10 oz pack does about 8 pint Ball jars.) I know, thats cheating lol. :D
Ball Preserving and Pickling salt (pure salt)
5% distilled white vinegar.
Water.

This is what I do for some mean dill pickles and make it pretty easy on myself.
3/4 pint jar x 8 vinegar
1/4 pint jar x 8 water
Eyeball measuring lol.
Ok, get this brine heated up be sure all is dissolved before tasting.
Yes, taste it! ( careful not to burn yourself)
Add pickling salt a teaspon at a time tasting till you like.
Whatever the brine taste like, so will your pickles taste when done.
Bring to boil once you're satisfied of taste.
Pack jars with cukes, Pour in brine and process as you usually would.
Enjoy.
I just ate another one.
:)

Oh yeah, save the extra brine for pickled Jalapenos!


Quote roxic27
for those of you who are new to canning PLEASE PLEASE be careful.... improperly canned foods can be deadly.... beets are considered the most toxic and in fact my stepdads aunt died 5 years ago from improperly canned beets.... so some of the experts here can probably tell you exactly what NOT to do

[ARealConservative]

in addition to canning, I find my pressure cooker is great with a rack of ribs. they are falling off the bone before I even start grilling.

[constituent]

I live in south Texas so I'll be making wild prickly pear and persimmon jelly/jam in July/August

yoakum says what's up!

[Shinerxx]

My Habanero Gold jelly turned out to be close to the best jelly I have ever had. I'm stoked. My next canning adventure will be an Orange-Mango marmalade.

[Roxi]

for those of you who are new to canning PLEASE PLEASE be careful.... improperly canned foods can be deadly.... beets are considered the most toxic and in fact my stepdads aunt died 5 years ago from improperly canned beets.... so some of the experts here can probably tell you exactly what NOT to do

i hadn't seen it mentioned here :)

[Cowlesy]

My brother cans venison --- i'm drooling just thinking about having some when I am home for the 4th of July.

[jkm1864]

My old lady has been getting into canning with a vengeance. I can't believe all the things she has done with canning. I will not starve when the SHTF unless the cops come and take my food. Well I sure hope I am home when that happens because I should have the freedom to determine if they take my food.

[asgardshill]

Well, its not canning per se, but I do have something that I make and take on my travels. Several years ago, I played in a Civil War re-enactment regiment (had the blue uniform, Sharps rifle, and the whole schmear). And one of the recipes that was pretty much unchanged from 1861 to today was for a dish called hardtack. Its an unleavened hard bread which lasts and keeps forever and is simple to make. Between hardtack and the beef jerky that I still make occasionally, I have never gone hungry in the field at any time.

Hardtack was often eaten crumbled up into coffee or other beverage. If you try to eat hardtack as is, you should have a good dental plan.

Here's the recipe for hardtack. Its very complicated. :rolleyes:

2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 tbsp lard
6 pinches salt

Melt lard in microwave until soft. Mix all ingredients then add lard, mix all using just enough water to bind the flour. Roll out dough evenly about 3/8 inch thick onto floured cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cut dough into 3-inch squares, then use an icepick or similar to punch 4 rows of 4 holes into each square.

Note: The holes are important to re-enactors. I have no earthly idea why, but they are.

Turn squares over, return to oven and bake another 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and salt when done if desired.

[TruckinMike]

WoW! Y'all are impressive! And I thought i could cook..?? Well since we are showing our products, here is a pic of my pear, fig, and mustang grape preserves. And Delicious is an understatement!:D:):D

TMike

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/2628641496_46e8d01819.jpg

[ARealConservative]

Well, its not canning per se, but I do have something that I make and take on my travels. Several years ago, I played in a Civil War re-enactment regiment (had the blue uniform, Sharps rifle, and the whole schmear). And one of the recipes that was pretty much unchanged from 1861 to today was for a dish called hardtack. Its an unleavened hard bread which lasts and keeps forever and is simple to make. Between hardtack and the beef jerky that I still make occasionally, I have never gone hungry in the field at any time.

Hardtack was often eaten crumbled up into coffee or other beverage. If you try to eat hardtack as is, you should have a good dental plan.

Here's the recipe for hardtack. Its very complicated. :rolleyes:

2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 tbsp lard
6 pinches salt

Melt lard in microwave until soft. Mix all ingredients then add lard, mix all using just enough water to bind the flour. Roll out dough evenly about 3/8 inch thick onto floured cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cut dough into 3-inch squares, then use an icepick or similar to punch 4 rows of 4 holes into each square.

Note: The holes are important to re-enactors. I have no earthly idea why, but they are.

Turn squares over, return to oven and bake another 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and salt when done if desired.

ewwww.

Might as well eat the flour/salt straight and wash it down with water.

I see no reason to expect this to have a long shelf life in humid environments either, nothing in it acts as a preservative.

[withallmyheart]

Shiner...how did the orange-mango marmalade turn out? If it was great, please share the recipe.

TMike...wonderful selection. What do you make with the figs? Recipes...please.

[2orb]

My brother cans venison --- i'm drooling just thinking about having some when I am home for the 4th of July.

When I was a kid we did canned beef and canned sausage...have to see if there are any recipes anywhere in the family.

[asgardshill]

ewwww.

Might as well eat the flour/salt straight and wash it down with water.

I see no reason to expect this to have a long shelf life in humid environments either, nothing in it acts as a preservative.

Well, tack isn't exactly haute cuisine. Its hard on your teeth, tastes like crap, and attracts weevils and maggots like nobody's business. But they somehow managed to get the stuff to keep long enough to feed troops during the Civil War and onboard British naval vessels for hundreds of years.

[Dieseler]

WoW! Y'all are impressive! And I thought i could cook..?? Well since we are showing our products, here is a pic of my pear, fig, and mustang grape preserves. And Delicious is an understatement!:D:):D

TMike

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/2628641496_46e8d01819.jpg

Dang Mike,
throw us some how to. I used to love me some pear and fig preserves when I was a boy but alas the source of those wonderful breakfast preserves was lost at the same time my Big Momma M. and Big Momma P. left us.
They were so good with my Grand Momma's cat head biscuits.
Those were the best days.

[TruckinMike]

...TMike...wonderful selection. What do you make with the figs? Recipes...please.

I used all three ingredients in the above batch.

1.boil pears til almost clear, at the same time I boil the grape skins.
2. add the de-seeded grapes and sliced figs
3. add boiled grape skin juice
4. then I follow the standard preserve instructions on the geletin package

And thats it. Oh yeah, I also added the strawberry jello for a little extra kick. It turned out really good.

This year the mustangs are not producing, no rain and they were damaged in a brush fire last fall. The pears are stunted, and the figs have hardly made. :(

TMike

[tmosley]

Yup, I started canning hardcore this year myself. I had a bumper crop of apricots (got maybe 30 gallons off of a single tree), so I made as much jam, cobbler filling, and preserves as I could, and just up and canned the rest. I'm getting ready to do the same thing with peaches this month, and apples the next. The jams and jellies sell pretty well at the local farmer's market, and I've got plenty left for most any SHTF scenario.

I also found a bulk meat seller (think industrial grade butcher) where I can get good cuts of meat (tbones and such) for <$2/lb for orders of 200lbs or more. I'll eat like a king this summer and can the rest. My neighbor said that canned meat is DELICIOUS, so I'm going to give it a whirl.

[MsDoodahs]

cat head biscuits.


OMG.....my people!

I'm happier than a dead pig in the sunshine. lol...

[MsDoodahs]

One thing about fig preserves, you can't stir 'em a lot when you're cooking them else they melt away...

Just an FYI...

[Dustancostine]

I live in south Texas so I'll be making wild prickly pear and persimmon jelly/jam in July/August

Shiner, is there any way you could send me your prickly pear recipe. My great grandmother used to make it when I was a kid. No one got the recipe from her before she died.

Thanks,
Dustan

[Dieseler]

OMG.....my people!

I'm happier than a dead pig in the sunshine. lol...

This sub forum is going to bring out the best in all of us MsDoodahs.
:D

[withallmyheart]

Fruit leather is a great snack and easy to make.

I just put the fruit in the blender and add a little lemon juice. Pour in onto a screen with plastic wrap on it and put it in the dehydrator. The leather rarely makes it past fall because the kids eat it all.

Another treat I just read about (Mother Earth Mag) was drying thin slices of zucchini. Pick the zucchini when they are 10 - 12 inches, cut them thin and dry them. The article said they were very flavorful. I'm going to try it this year.

[rancher89]

canning I'm not much into, dehydrating, whole nuther thread!! Just got my Excelsior dehydrator and just had to dry some potatoes and onions. I cannot wait till the kiwis and figs come in, not to mention the tomatoes and beans.....

add a air extraction system and you can keep dried stuff a long time.

[Shinerxx]

The orange-mango marmalade was pretty good. I probably won't make another batch though. I have never made a marmalade and I initially thought I scortched it before I tasted it. I also think I may have gone a bit overboard on orange zest and lime peel. I did not use any additional pectin so I think I overcompensated. The taste was a little more bittersweet than I had hoped.

I did however make a Mango-Apple jam earlier this week that is divine. Grannysmith apples and 2 lemons chopped, boiled, and past through a sieve to make an apple sauce. Mangos pureed and combined with some chopped mango cubes. Mango puree, apple sauce, and sugar boiled for a half hour and then I mixed in some crushed cloves. It has a very Indian taste with a natural sweetness. Yum!

Shiner

[Perry]

I bought a pressure canner from Amazon.com. All American 25qt for $209 and free shipping. I got it next day from UPS. Yesterday I canned my first jelly. I made 7-8oz jars of Habanero Gold jelly. Habanero, and red peppers, red onions, and dried apricots in the recipe. I cannot wait to try some today. I bought the canner to preserve some food for my SHTF prep. I'm excited. I think the next batch I can will be some mango preserves since they are on sale at the local supermarket.

Shiner

Well it's salmon season and I've decided to get over my fear of pressure cookers and buy one of these. I've been looking at this exact model. I'll be ordering this tomorrow.
I liked these all American ones because they look very sturdy.
Caught six pinks, one coho and one king salmon so far and i plan on catching much more before seasons end.
Just for salmon I'm hoping I can get about a hundred or so cans finished before the end of September.
Now to find the right recipe for salmon.

[steve005]

for those with glass jars; think about an earthquake that could knock them down and break them, build supports,

[Dieseler]

This is relative to garden planning so I'm going to bump it.
I bet good deals can be found on the needed equipment about right now.

[withallmyheart]

Food Saver vacuum sealer on sale ($59.99) through here: http://www.survivalblog.com/

Monday December 29 2008
Notes from JWR:

Just three days left! More than 625 SurvivalBlog readers have bought Foodsaver vacuum packers at the special December sale price. I consider a home vacuum packer & sealer a key item to own for family preparedness. These greatly increase the storage life of foods. They also allow you to inexpensively buy foods in bulk and then pack them in single meal sizes. This capability alone will make the Foodsaver pay for itself in less than a year. And if you get the optional regular mouth Mason jar vacuum sealer attachment for an extra $8.99 your Foodsaver will be even more versatile. (They all come with a wide mouth Mason Jar attachment as a standard accessory.) We get a little "piece of the action" for each Foodsaver that is sold using our link. So this a is a great way to save money and to support SurvivalBlog! Don't miss out on this sale! You can buy a FoodSaver v2830 for $59.99 (originally $169.99) with free Standard Shipping for orders over $100, directly FoodSaver.com. Be sure to use code L8FAV28 at checkout. This offer is valid during the month of December, or while supplies last. We've had one here at the Rawles Ranch for many years and it gets a lot of use. Buy a FoodSaver. You'll be glad that you did!

[tangent4ronpaul]

This is more on topic to health, but fits here too - especially as it's a thread about autoclaves. They are useful for more than just caning.

In the area of food production - I believe they will find some use in the areas of micro-propagation and growing mushrooms.

In their traditional use - cooking and saving fuel. Fuel conservation becomes a HUGE issue when contemplating LT survival - unless you happen to have your own fairly substantial wood lot.

Water sterilization.

Now how about medical? - preparing agar plates, sterilizing surgical instruments, equipment, syringes/needles and med supplies, making IV fluids, etc...

(This biblio is one of mine...)
PRESSURE COOKER AS AUTOCLAVE BIBLIOGRAPHY - DRAFT - 11/07/01

A:

B:
Balraj V, Sridharan G, John TJ., Sterilization of syringes and needles for immunization programmes using a pressure cooker, J Trop Med Hyg 1990 Apr;93(2):119-20

Battersby A, Feilden R, Nelson C, Sterilizable syringes: excessive risk or cost-effective option?, Bul world health org, 1999, 77(10):812-819

Bul'varova ZI., Sterilization of glucose solutions by the method of autoclave, Farmatsiia 1967 Nov-Dec;16(6):19-23, [Article in Russian]

C:
Cheesbrough M, District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries, Part 1, Cambridge University Press, 1998

D:
E:
F:
Faller NA., Clean versus sterile: a review of the literature, Ostomy Wound Manage 1999 May;45(5):56-60, 62, 64 passim

G:
Graham GS, Decontamination: a microbiologist's perspective, J Healthc Mater Manage 1988 Jan;6(1):36-41

Green SR., Effectively using current sterilization systems, Dent Today 1997 Aug;16(8):42, 44-7

H:
Hambleton R., T.S.T.--a new range of indicator devices for autoclaving processes, Sterile World 1983 Apr;5(2):7-9

Huys J., Drastic performance improvement of hand-operated sterilizers, Trop Doct 1999 Oct;29(4):224-7

I:
J:
K:
Kamiyama R., A trial with using a pressure cooker for sterilization, Kango 1977 Oct;29(10):131-3, [Article in Japanese]

Kamiyama Y., Experiments using the pressure cooker as an autoclave, Rev Esc Enferm USP 1970 Mar;4(1):55-79, [Article in Portuguese]

Kamiyama Y., Experience on the use of the pressure cooker as an autoclave, Rev Bras Enferm 1970 Dec;23(6):126-46, [Article in Portuguese] (duplicate?)

King M, A medical Laboratory for Developing Nations, Oxford University Press, 1973

Kuronen T., Observations on a formaldehyde low-temperature steam sterilizer, J Sterile Serv Manage 1987 Oct;5(3):16-9

L:
Line SJ, Cutts DW, Notes on low temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization cycle details, steam supply, control and reliability, J Sterile Serv Manage 1983 Aug;1(2):3-5

M:
Mayworm D., Sterile shelf life and expiration dating, J Hosp Supply Process Distrib 1984 Nov-Dec;2(6):32-5

Monson MH., The pressure cooker as a steam sterilizer, Trop Doct 1988 Oct;18(4):159-60

N:
O:
P:
Q:
R:
Ramachandran CR., Simple method to sterilize syringes and needles, J Trop Pediatr 1988 Oct;34(5):261-2

S:
Sato K., Sterilization of sutures, Geka Chiryo 1972 Apr;26(4):401-6, [Article in Japanese]

Stowers JM, Pearson DW., Re-use of plastic insulin syringes, Lancet 1983 Mar 26;1(8326 Pt 1):712-3

T:
Troendle GR, Troendle KB., Equipping a dental laboratory: fabricating a pressure pot, J Prosthet Dent 1992 Jun;67(6):887-9

U:
unknown, Preventive maintenance procedure for steam-driven sterilizers, Clin Eng Inf Serv 1985 Jul-Aug;9(4):116-21

US Army Institute for Military assistance (Craig GK (ed.)), ST31-91B: US Army Special Forces Medical Handbook; Appendix F; Field Sterilization and Disinfection, p. 575-580, Paladin Press, 1988

V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:

-t

[asimplegirl]

You can can pretty much anything, and preserve.

Clarify butter and preserve it. Can be kept at room temp. Preserve eggs with wax, and store them. Can meats,veggies, fruits, shelf stable milk.

[tangent4ronpaul]

You can can pretty much anything, and preserve.

Clarify butter and preserve it. Can be kept at room temp. Preserve eggs with wax, and store them. Can meats,veggies, fruits, shelf stable milk.

What exactly do you mean by "Clarify butter"?

As to eggs, wax seems to make sense - though traditionally I'm only familiar with using water glass and thus extending the self life to about 9 months...

-t

[asimplegirl]

What exactly do you mean by "Clarify butter"?

As to eggs, wax seems to make sense - though traditionally I'm only familiar with using water glass and thus extending the self life to about 9 months...

-t

Well, even cheaper with the eggs is salted butter..people usually have this on hand, and it will not spoil.

To clarify butter:


Clarified butter is butter that has had the milk solids and water removed. One advantage of clarified butter is that it has a much higher smoke point than regular butter, so you can cook with it at higher temperatures without it browning and burning. Also, without the milk solids, clarified butter can be kept for much longer without going rancid.

It is very easy to make clarified butter. Melt the butter slowly. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off of the milk solids, which have settled to the bottom. A stick (8 tablespoons) of butter will produce about 6 tablespoons of clarified butter.

Another method is to simmer the butter in a saucepan until the mixture separates. After the water has evaporated, the milk solids will begin to fry in the clear butterfat. When they begin to turn golden, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter through a fine strainer lined with damp cheesecloth into a heatproof container. If the cheesecloth is damp, all the butterfat will pass through, otherwise some will be absorbed by the cloth. This method is a little fussier, but produces a clearer result.

Why clarify the butter?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarified_butter

Regular salted butter has a long shelf life unrefrigerated if there is no oxygen on it. Clarified butter lasts much longer, and has a higher smoking point. As you can see from the above link, alot of cultures clarify butter, especially when there is no refrigeration, and no lactose is in clarified butter, so lactose-sensitive individuals should be able to enjoy clarified butter without the uncomfortable effects.

[Dieseler]

I think its important to note that when we say butter in this instance, we don't mean Parkay (margarine).
Correct me if I'm wrong.
That is good info.

[asimplegirl]

NO. :)

I mean real butter.

Salted lasts infinitely at room temp when no air is on it, like when stored in an airtight container. It will eventually culture, but that is good for you, and the taste is actually quite good.

I like to make my own butter. If you do not have your own cow, or goat, simply buy a container of heavy cream. Place this cream into a glass jar with a lid and shake vigorously.

Eventually the butter will separate from the buttermilk. Pour this milk into another jar. Keep shaking until quite firm and no more liquid comes out.

Put butter into a bowl, and using a spoon, wash the butter under cold water. To wash, simply run a gentle stream of cold water over it, smoothing the butter with the spoon until the liquid that comes out is clear.

Salt the butter with sea salt, and place into a container with a lid. Store in a cool dry place, like a cupboard.

Hope you guys found this helpful.