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Tag: Food Preservation

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

 

Cleaning and Storing Canners

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

As canning season winds down, it’s time to clean and store the equipment for next year. Here’s some tips for pressure canners.

  • Clean the vent and safety valve with a pipe cleaner or small piece of cloth.
  • Check the gasket for cracks and food debris.
  • If the inside of canner has darkened, fill it above the darkened line with at mixture of 1 tablespoon cream of tartar to each quart of water. Place the canner on the stove, heat water to a boil, and boil covered until the dark deposits disappear. Sometimes stubborn deposits may require the addition of more cream of tartar. Empty the canner and wash it with hot soapy water, rinse and dry.

For more information, see http://nchfp.uga.edu/tips/fall/store_canning_supplies.html

 

Fall Canning Tips

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

At this writing, the calendar still says summer, but fall is in the air. Gardens may still be producing, so here are some end-of-season tips for food preservation.

 

Preserve the Best Tomatoes

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

TomatoesWhen preserving any food, use the best food possible for the safest results. This includes tomatoes. During the fall, many gardeners still have tomatoes on the vines. But once a frost or freeze happens, these tomatoes are not safe to preserve by canning.

When tomatoes are left on the vine towards the end of the growing season, the pH increases above 4.6. This is the dividing point whether a food is a high acid or low acid food. When the pH is above 4.6, it is a low acid food. These tomatoes are also more susceptible to other microbial damage. Tomatoes that have signs of blight or other fungus related infestations have a higher pH making them a low acid food. All of these are not safe for canning.

For information on preserving tomatoes, see www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF1185.PDF.

 

Do Tomatoes Need to be Peeled Before Canning?

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

Yes! That extra time is important and time well spent for safely canned tomatoes. This is true for any produce that is canned. For example, potatoes, peaches, and apples are also peeled before canning.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, “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. Blanching also helps, but the vital controls are the method of canning and making sure the recommended research-based process times found in the USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning are used.”

Easily peel tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or just until the skins split. Then dip in ice water, slip off the skins and remove cores. See how at https://youtu.be/diZGx8RZAd0. This method can be used for peaches or nectarines.

 

Preserving Pumpkins

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

PumpkinSugar or pie pumpkins are best for cooking and baking a tasty pie or bread. They are smaller than pumpkins used for carving festive jack-o-lanterns. They have dense flesh and high sugar content. The flesh is less stringy and the color is usually darker. If using fresh pie pumpkins in place of a 15-ounce can of pumpkin, use 1 3/4 cups of mashed fresh pumpkin.

Home canning is not recommended for any mashed pumpkin or winter squash. The only directions for canning these is for cubed pieces. Mashed products can be safely frozen.

Learn more from these resources:

https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF1181.pdf
https://nchfp.uga.edu/tips/fall/pumpkins.html
https://burke.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/11/pumpkins-for-pumpkin-pie/
https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2018/10/04/pick-the-best-pumpkin/

 

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