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Tag: Canning

Preserving Venison Safely

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

canned meatFall hunting season is quickly approaching! Venison offers variety and an unusual flavor to the fall and winter table. When handled properly it can make an excellent meat. It can be refrigerated or frozen as meat cuts or sausage. It can also be preserved by canning, curing, or drying.

The following resources can help you get your supplies ready and help you decide which method is best for your family.

 

Canned Pears Turn Pink

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Pink, red, blue or light purple discoloration sometimes occurs in home canned apples, cauliflower, pears, peaches or beets.

Keep all produce cool after harvest. When using the hot pack method, do not overcook or heat to too high a temperatures. Excessive heat changes natural food pigments. Use correct processing methods and time to reduce discoloration.

If the fruit grew in dry weather, it often turns pink and cannot be prevented.

While the color doesn’t look right, the pears are safe to eat.

 

Canning Fruit Puree

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

pink applesauceInstead of canning plain applesauce or other plain fruit, try mixing it up to make a mixed fruit puree. While this can be done for many fruits, some fruits should not be used because no home canning recommendations are available for purees of these products. They include bananas, figs, Asian pears, tomatoes, cantaloupe and other melons, papaya, ripe mango or coconut. These are best preserved by freezing for safety.

Many parents want to can their own baby food. Fruit is the only food that can be safely processed as a puree. Follow the recommendations from:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/baby_food.html

 

Preserving Pumpkin Safely

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

PumpkinsPumpkins offer far more than a door-stop at Halloween. Think safety when planning to preserve pumpkins. Pumpkin is a low acid vegetable and requires special attention to preparation and processing.

Home canning is not recommended for pumpkin butter or any mashed or pureed pumpkin or winter squash. In 1989, the USDA’s Extension Service first published the Complete Guide to Home Canning that remains the basis of Extension recommendations today, found in the 2015 revision. The only directions for canning pumpkin and winter squash are for cubed flesh. In fact, the directions for preparing the product include the statement, “Caution: Do not mash or puree.”

The best way to preserve mashed pumpkin or winter squash is freezing. For more tips on preserving pumpkin, including freezing, drying and pickling, see http://nchfp.uga.edu/tips/fall/pumpkins.html.

 

Start with Good Food when Canning

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Use the best quality for best results
Use the best quality for best results

When preserving food, begin with good-quality fresh foods. Quality varies among varieties of fruits and vegetables. Examine food carefully for freshness and wholesomeness. Discard diseased and moldy food. Trim small diseased lesions or spots from food.

Can fruits and vegetables within 6 to 12 hours after harvest.  If you must delay the canning of other fresh produce, keep it in a shady, cool place or in the refrigerator for one to two days.

Most bacteria, yeasts, and molds are difficult to remove from food surfaces. Washing fresh food reduces their numbers only slightly. Peeling root crops, underground stem crops, and tomatoes reduces their numbers greatly.

www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/index.html

 

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University