K-State Research and Extension

search

You Asked It!

Tag: Food Preservation

Ready for Rhubarb!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
rhubarb
Freezing rhubarb
Photo: NCHFP

Rhubarb will soon be popping out of the ground! It is a perennial favorite in Midwest gardens. Here are some tips to store rhubarb or preserve it for later use.

After harvest, store rhubarb stalks in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in foil. This helps prevent moisture loss causing the stalks to become limp. Wrapping them tightly in an airtight plastic bag or wrap can also soften the stalks quickly. Wrapping loosely in foil reduces ethylene gas loss. It should remain fresh about two weeks.

To preserve for later use, here are some options from National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia:

Other resources for preserving rhubarb:

New Website for National Center for Home Food Preservation

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Photo: K-State Research and Extension

A new look has been released for the National Center for Home Food Preservation website, located at the University of Georgia.

New to the website is a Newsflash section for new information. You can subscribe to this service to receive recent information to your email.

A Blog, which used to be separate from the former website, is now incorporated for more visibility and access.

Educators can sign up for access to specific resources for their use. This page provides resources for educators engaged in outreach, Extension, and teaching efforts in home food preservation. Discover a range of historical information, multimedia presentations, exhibit ideas, teaching curricula, and much more. Educators sign up and access a diverse array of content designed to inspire and educate.

2024 Field to Fork Webinar Series

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Field to ForkThere’s still time to sign up for the North Dakota State University Extension Field to Fork webinar series!

If you have missed earlier webinars you can listen to the recordings posted on the website link above. In particular, these webinars are related to food safety and food preservation.

Webinars for 2024 continue weekly through May 1, 2024. Sign up to receive the Zoom link or notification of recordings. Past webinars can be found on the Field to Fork website.

Preserving Spring Greens

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Leafy greens
Leafy greens – Photo: Canva.com

It feels like spring! But the calendar hasn’t quite caught up to that season yet. Soon, gardeners will be digging in their garden plots to plant early spring produce. Spring greens, such as spinach, are popular. But once it is grown and ready to harvest, how can spring greens be preserved? Here are some options from the National Center for Home Food Preservation:

  • Canning – includes spinach, collards, kale, and others
  • Freezing – gives the best quality product
  • Dehydrating – see page 10

Always choose freshly harvested greens. Discard wilted, discolored, diseased or insect-damaged leaves.

KSRE Food Preservation Publications Updated

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Preserv it Fresh, Preserve it SafeFood preservation education is essential to preserving food safely. Using the most up-to-date recipes and methods can lead to success. The following K-State Research and Extension publications have been updated, and a few more will be available in the next few weeks. All of these will be translated into Spanish.

Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe

  • Preserving Strawberries, MF1178
  • Preserving Beans, MF1179
  • Preserving Cherries, MF1180
  • Preserving Vegetables, MF 1181
  • Preserving Peaches, MF1182
  • Preserving Sweet Corn, MF1183
  • Preserving Cucumbers, MF1184
  • Preserving Tomatoes, MF1185 (coming soon)
  • Preserving Peppers, MF1186 (coming soon)
  • Preserving Apples, MF1187

How-to Guides

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving – Edition 38

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving - 38th editionIt has been a few years since the Ball® Blue Book® has been updated. The new 38th edition will be coming out this spring.

It includes over 500 recipes with 40 new recipes. It is updated with the latest research to ensure safe and successful canning for all. It includes canning freezing, drying, pickling and more.

Look for this new edition at major retailers such as WalMart, Target, Kroger stores, Ace Hardware and other retailers.

The Ball® Complete Book of Home Preserving has also been updated, the new copyright is 2024.

Also, please note that Ball® Fruit Fresh is being discontinued.

Field to Fork Webinars – North Dakota State University

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Field to ForkThe “Field to Fork Wednesday Weekly Webinars” will begin Feb. 21, 2024. The webinars will be held online from 2 to 3 p.m. Central Time through May 1. They also will be archived for later viewing; however, participating in the “live” webinar allows participants to interact with the presenter.

The webinars are free of charge but registration is required.

Check out the webinar schedule to see the topics to be presented.

Preserving Horseradish

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

It’s time to harvest horseradish!

So how can horseradish be preserved? There are no canning instructions, but it can be pickled and stored in the refrigerator. Vinegar helps to tame the strong flavor. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a recipe for Pickled Horseradish Sauce. Remember, this is stored in the refrigerator only.

The heat and pungency in horseradish comes from the compound allyl isothiocyanate, a mustard-like oil. Vinegar tames this compound, but timing matters! Waiting longer after grinding to add vinegar, the hotter it will be! Learn more from Penn State Extension.

Horseradish can be dried. Clean and peel roots. Grate or slice into 1/4-inch pieces. No blanching is required. Spread on dehydrator trays in a single layer. Dry at 140°F for 6-10 hours until very brittle. Grind into a powder or leave as pieces. To use, mix with a little water before adding to recipes.

It’s Cranberry Season!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
cranberries
Cranberries are a wetland fruit and grown in bogs.
Photo: Canva.com

Are you still wanting to do some canning? This time of year, cranberries are in season. So here are some recipes from the National Center for Home Food Preservation to preserve cranberries for your own use, or for gift giving.

The berries should be brightly colored: fully red or yellowish-red with a smooth, glossy and firm skin. Shriveled, soft, wrinkled berries or those with surface blemishes should be discarded. Berries can be stored in the original packaging in the refrigerator crisper for up to 4 weeks. Cranberries can also be stored frozen for up to one year. To use after freezing, rinse in cold water and drain well.

 

Is It Safe to Re-can Already Canned Food?

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
canned food
Photo: Canva.com

People often think that they can save money by buying larger containers of canned food, transferring the contents (or leftovers from the first use) to smaller jars and re-processing it. Others wonder if this is a way to save leftovers from any size can for a longer time than they will keep in the refrigerator.

There are three main problems with doing this:

  1. There are no safe tested process to do this. The way heat goes through a jar of already canned food is different than fresh food. The food will become very soft and compact more. This could lead to underprocessing and spoilage.
  2. There is no cost savings in re-canning foods.
  3. The food quality will be greatly reduced. Nutrients will be lost and more textural changes will occur.

Bottom line, do not plan to re-can any food.

Learn more at https://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#32

 

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