Why is Liquid lost during the canning process

This is one of the most common questions of every food preserver is why am I losing liquid from my jars.

The answer is that it could be any one of these things.

1:  Raw Packing instead of Hot Packing often leads to water loss because the food has air in it and that air is driven from the jars during the canning process.  This is why it recommended that you hot pack your foods.  Fruits especially have this problem.

2:  Rapid change in temperature in your canner.  Keep your boiling water canner at a steady boil and if using a pressure canner, lower your temperature to maintain the pressure, but don't let the pressure keep going up and down.  Get it gently rocking and keep it steady.

3:  Removing jars too quickly from a canner causes  stress on the jars and they lose liquid.  This is one reason you should always turn off the heat, remove the lid and wait at least 5 minutes before taking jars out of the water bath canner or 10 minutes for a pressure canner.

Reference:  PennState Extension 

Crispy Pickles

Many of you will be making pickles soon and I thought I would post you some information to help you get a good crisp pickle.

There are several things you can do to help keep your pickles a little more crisp.

1. The main thing I would suggest is that you make sure to cut off about 1/4 inch from the end of the cucumber.  The blossom end contains enzymes that cause the pickles to soften.  I cut both ends off of mine.
2. Wash your cucumbers good and once sliced or quartered layer them on a pan and sprinkle with salt.  do as many layers as you need.  Let them sit for several hours to draw out some of the water.  Rinse well before packing them into your jars. 
3. You can also let them sit in salt water in the refrigerator overnight.  Use one cup of salt to 3 quarts of water.
4. Use pickle crisp in each jar
5. If you have grape vines, put a grape leaf or two in each jar.  I know that is an old way of doing things and with pickle crisp you don't have to, but it still helps.
6. Pack them in ice until you are ready to put them into the jars.
7. If you don't want them to float, you can put them into your pot with the brine and heat for just a minute or two before packing them into the jars.  (This does not make them any softer than they would be if not done this way)

Good luck with keeping your Pickles Crisp!!

Here's a link with some good information on pickles.

This information is from Penn State Extension.  Just click the link to read their article.

RE-CAN FOOD

I have had many questions about re-canning food from larger containers.  People are wondering if it is safe to do so.  Here is my opinion backed up with a little information from my manual that came with my All American Canner.

1:  I believe it is not un-safe to re-can fruits and vegetables purchased in large containers as long as you follow the guidelines as if canning the food fresh.

2:  I do believe you my lose some quality in the finished product do to the fact that it may end up over cooked.  But it would not be much different than if you canned left-overs.

3:  I believe it would be a matter of personal taste and preference, not a matter of safety.

This is a page from the All American Canner Manual in their FAQ section about this subject.  Note that this only talks about FRUIT.  NCHFP does not recommend re-canning foods.

Here's a link to NCHFP  list of FAQ and how they answer to this question:

Presto Canners

Converting your Dial Gauge Canner to a Weighted Gauge Canner

I recently advised someone that they could use the 3 piece weight set sold on Amazon to convert their Dial Gauge Canner to a Weighted Gauge Canner and this started a discussion about whether or not is was safe to do this.

In order for me to 100% clarify that it was safe to change the regulators I contacted Presto and ask them them about this.   As you can see from their reply, it is safe to use the 3 piece weight set to convert your Dial Gauge to a Weighted Gauge Canner.  I hope this information will be helpful to all of you.

So if your Presto Canner came with the dial gauge and the 15 pound regulator that looks like this photo.

Then you can buy the 3 piece set that looks like this photo to use on it

If you use the 3 piece set you will not need to monitor your dial gauge, When the regulator is gently rocking that will tell you that your are at 5, 10 or 15 pounds of pressure.

This is what I ask them in my email:

Can you please let me know if the 3 piece weighted regulator set sold on amazon will work with my 23 quart canner model number 0178107 and my 16 quart canner 0175510.  I know that I can't remove the gauge but want to use the weighted regulator.  Here's a link to the one I am speaking of.

Click here to see the 3 piece weighted set on Amazon

Here is their reply to me:

Hello Kathy,

Yes, part 50332 will fit on the vent pipe of the model 0178107 and 0175510 canners.  However, depending on your altitude it may not be necessary to purchase the 3-piece regulator.  If you wish to use the canner as a weighted gauge canner then you will use 10 pounds of pressure for all low acid canning for However, depending on your altitude it may not be necessary to purchase the 3-piece regulator.  If you wish to use the canner as a weighted gauge canner then you will use 10 pounds of pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 feet.  But it you live above 1,000 feet you need to use 15 pounds of pressure.  The pressure regulator on the 23-quart canner is a 15 pound weight, so you could use the canner as it is.

When using the canner as a weighted gauge canner the rocking of the pressure regulator is the indication that the selected pressure has been reached inside the canner.  At that point begin counting down the processing time and adjust the heat on the stove so that a very slow, but continuous rocking motion is maintained for the duration of the processing time.  Do not compare or try to use the weight and gauge simultaneously.  Use only the movement of the variable weight as your indication that pressure has been reached and is being maintained.

If you have questions about this response please get back in touch.

Sincerely,
Nancy
Home Economist
nbecker@gopresto.com
800-368-2194

Water Bath or Pressure Can

How do I know which one to do? 

I see lots of questions like this.  People want to can something, but then are unsure of which method to use.  I am hoping this post will clarify this for any of you that are in doubt.

The first thing I want to point out is why you need to know this information.  When home canning your own food you always run a risk of botulism forming in your jars.  Boiling water only reaches 212 degrees.  No matter how long you leave it boiling it will never get hotter that 212 degrees.  This is not hot enough to kill the microorganisms that cause botulism.  The temperature needed to kill all these organisms is 240 degrees.  A pressure canner reaches 240 degrees.  The food in the jars must not be to dense.  The heat needs to reach all the way to the center of the food in the jars at this temperature in order to be safe.

Foods that can be done in a Water Bath Canner: 

Only high acid foods can be done in a water bath canner. 

Jams
Jellies
Fruit Butters
Conserves
Pickled Foods
Fermented Foods
Tomatoes (You must add acid in the form of lemon juice or citric acid)

These are the only foods that can be processed in a water bath.  You should never process a low acid food in a water bath canner.  You may see recipes online saying it is safe to do so, but it is not. 

Foods that must be done is a Pressure Canner: 

Two popular models are the All American and the Presto, both pictured below.

All American Canner

Presto Canner

All low acid foods must be processed in a Pressure Canner. These include all foods except those listed above that can be water bathed.

Vegetables (Unless pickled or fermented)
Meats
Soup and Stews
Sauces
Any other food that is not on the list that can be water bathed.

US Commercial Bushel Sizes

All bushels do not weigh the same in pounds so I thought I would share a page with you showing all the US weights from bushel to pound.  The link is at the bottom of this post. 

A bushel of apples weighs 48 pounds

A bushel of Snap Beans weighs 30 pounds

A bushel of peaches weighs 50 pounds

An so on and so on....

 Click the link below to find how many pounds in a bushel of many various foods.  

Click to see how many pounds are in that bushel

Preparing Lids for Canning

There have been a lot of questions concerning the new method of using ball lids.  I contacted Ball and listed below is what they say about how to prepare their lids for canning.

Here's Ball's answer about heating the lids that they posted on their face book page.

Ball® Canning & RecipesTeam we have determined that it is no longer necessary to to pre-warm lids before use. If you desire, it is still safe to “simmer” your lids before use however, you should never boil them. To prep lids we recommend simply hand washing them in hot soapy water. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns! We always love to hear from our awesome fans.

Here's the answer they emailed back to me

Hi Kathy,

 

Thank you for contacting us! We apologize for the delay in response.

After many years of research, it was determined that preheating Ball, Kerr, and Golden Harvest lids is no longer necessary. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs equally well at room temperature as it does pre-heated in simmering water (180° F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed.

 

Instructions on the  lid, cap, and jar packaging has  been changed. However, retail stores may still stock packaging having either instruction.

 

We hope this information has been of assistance. Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

The Consumer Affairs Team

With that being said, here is my personal recommendation:
Concerning the New Lid Procedure: My advice it to continue to warm your lids. I have not had an issue, but I am not following the new procedure. if you notice in the answer that Ball posted in response to the question about this on their face book page, they say it is still ok to simmer but not necessary. I still pour boiling water over my lids and let them sit in the water until I am ready to use them. I don't boil them, just pour the water over them. Maybe further testing needs to be done, I don't know. They said that the new lids work just as well at room temperature, but I have had friends having problems with seals breaking so I still believe that heating the lids gives you a better seal. Of course you don't have to, this is just my suggestion.

Sterile Jars

Question:  Is it necessary to sterilize jars before canning?

Answer: Jars do not need to be sterilized before canning if they will be filled with food and processed in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes or more or if they will be processed in a pressure canner. Jars that will be processed in a boiling water bath canner for less than 10 minutes, once filled, need to be sterilized first by boiling them in hot water for 10 minutes before they're filled.

Reference:  National Center for Home Food Preservation

Of course you should still wash them in warm soapy water and keep them warm until ready to fill.  Kat

Handy Measurements

Here is a handy little tidbit of information.

A Dash equals 1/8 teaspoon (tsp.)
3 tsp equals 1 tablespoon (Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp equals 1 fluid ounce (fl.oz.)
4 Tbsp equals 2 fl.oz or 1/4 cup (c.)
5 1/3 Tbsp equals 2 2/3 fl.oz. or 1/3 c.
8 Tbsp equals 4 fl.oz. or 1/2 c.
16 Tbsp. equals 8 fl.oz. or 1 c.
2 c. equals 16 fl.oz. or 1 pint (pt.)
2 pt. equals 32 fl.oz or 1quart (qt.)
4 c. equals 2 pt. or 1 qt.
4 qt. equals 128 fl.oz. or 1 gallon (gal.)
2 gal. equals 1 peck
4 pecks equals 1 bushel

Hot Pack Method vs Raw Pack Method

This post is to help you decide if you would rather Hot Pack or Raw Pack your meat when canning

 Meat is a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner. You can add salt for flavor but it is not necessary for preservation of the meat.

You can either Raw Pack or Hot Pack.  Both are safe canning methods.  

 Raw packing it is faster. but that is about the only benefit.  

1:  Once processed your jar may only be partially full of liquid leaving some of your meat uncovered.

2:  Raw packing leaves some air in the jars and can cause meat to darken during storage making it less appealing.

Hot pack does take longer, but has benefits.

1: You can fit more meat in the jar.

2: You can remove more air from the jar.

3: You have less liquid loss, which gives you better quality by keeping your meat covered.

4: The natural amount of fat and juices in today's leaner meat cuts are usually not enough to cover most of the meat when raw packing.  The NCHFP says that  the "Hot Pack Method" is preferred for best liquid cover and quality during storage.

Note:  Chicken does produce more liquid that lean cuts of beef and does leave your finished jar with more broth than beef does when raw packed but the NCHFP still says that natural poultry fat and juices are usually not enough to cover the meat.  

I prefer to hot pack all of my meats.

Visit NCHFP to see what they advise about canning meats by clicking this link.

Click this link to see what NCHFP says about canning poultry.

Jars Fall Over

Tidbit:  What to do if you don't have a full canner load.

• Fill jars with water.
• Cap with old lids and rings.
• Use to fill the empty space to keep your jars from falling over during processing. 

Pectin Calculator

Do you need a tried and true recipe for Jam or Jelly.  Try out the pectin calculator on the Ball website.  It will figure the recipe for you and let you print it.  Three simple steps. 

1. Choose your fruit
2. Choose Jam or Jelly
3. Choose type of pectin

Hit the calculate button.  Print your recipe for future reference.  Click the link below to visit their site.

Ball Pectin Calculator

Storing Dry Goods

I have been doing some research on the storage of dry goods.  I want to talk about "Oven Canning", first and foremost let me say that "Oven Canning" is not a safe way to can your foods because the heat doesn't penetrate the food the same way it does when water bath canning or pressure canning. 

Storing dry foods on the other hand is something completely different. Many people want to store rice, grains, flour, ect...and want to make sure that it is not infested with bugs and larvae before putting it in storage. 

There are 3 keys that will greatly help reduce your stored food being infested.

1. Proper Buying
2. Proper Storage
3. Good Housekeeping

I am attaching a couple of documents that you may also refer to.  They are from the University of Idaho Extension and the Division of Agriculture Research & Extension, University of Arkasas.

http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/pdf/CIS/CIS0850.pdf

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7024.pdf

Both of these documents state that freezing your dry goods is one option and heating them in an oven is another for killing any bugs or larvae.  If heating in the oven they both suggest heating in a shallow pan at temperature from 140 to 155 degrees for 1/2 hour. 

I know that many people actually put it in jars and put the jars in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour, then remove jars from the oven and put on lids and rings. 

This method has not been tested enough to prove if this amount of heat and temperature changes the food in any way and it is not safe to put jars in an oven, it can crack the jars. 

You should heat the dry goods in a pan as directed in the attached documents and then transfer to jars.  Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight.  Most of the time the heat from the food will help the jars seal but if you have a food saver, you can use the attachment to remove air from the jars. 

I wanted to extend a special thank you to Kayla Wells, WSU Colville reservation-Ferry County Extension, Family & Consumer Sciences Educator & 4H Challenge Coordinator for all of her help in my research and for giving me the articles on dry good storage.

How important is it to exhaust a pressure canner?

It is very important to make sure you exhaust your pressure canner for the proper amount of time.  Most are usually for 10 minutes.  The All American says to exhaust for 7 minutes.  Always follow what your manual recommends for the canner you are using. 

If you don't exhaust the canner for the right amount of time then the inside temperature may not correspond to what is on the pressure gauge. 

Take that extra few minutes and stay safe.

Oven Canning, Is is safe?

Is it safe to process food in the oven?

It is not a recommended way of home canning food because the temperature in different ovens can vary according to how accurate the oven regulators are and the way the heat circulates. 

Dry heat is very slow when penetrating into the jars and therefore may not heat properly to the center of the food. 

Another reason is because jars have been know to easily explode in ovens.

The canning jar companies do not recommend using their jars in ovens or microwaves.  This is a letter from Jarden Home Brands about baking or cooking with their jars:

Thank you for contacting Jarden Home Brands. You ask a great question! We know that the idea of baking in Ball® and Kerr® mason jars seems to be very popular right now, especially online and in cooking and baking communities! However, our jars are not oven-safe or microwave-safe. Because these appliances don’t heat evenly, the glass is at risk of breaking due to thermal shock, and at an even greater risk of breaking from the rush of room-t...emperature air when the oven or microwave door opens. This would waste your food and destroy the jar, and could even hurt someone. For these reasons, we have to advise you to please not bake in our jars.

We hope this information has been of assistance. Again, thank you for contacting us.
Sincerely,
The Consumer Affairs Team

Many people do what they call "Dry Canning" in ovens.  This is simply heating your dry goods such as flour, sugar, rice ect...and sealing the jars.  This would help kill any bugs or eggs that might be in the dry goods.  I don't know that heating your dry goods before sealing the jars would help in the preservation of the food other than killing any vermin. 
I use a food saver when storing dry goods to remove the air from my jars and seal them that way.

For more information, Click  Here   to see my post on Storing Dry Goods.

How important is head space?

I have seen lots of jars of great looking jams, jellies, meats, you name it and I have seen it online.  One thing that concerns me is that many of these pictures are showing jars with what looks like 2 or more inches of head space.  It's very important that you leave the proper amount af head space when home canning.  If you start out with the right amount and lose some during processing, then you are still ok as long as your jars seal properly.  Even then you may have some discoloration on the top of the food, but the food would be ok.

You might ask,  do I really need to leave a certain amount of head space in the jar?

My answer would be, Yes, you do.  There are 2 good reasons to leave the correct amount of head space in the jar when home canning.

1:  Leaving the right head space is important to make sure you get a good vacuum seal.  If you don't leave enough head space then your food can expand and bubble out with the air being forced out during processing.  The food can get on the jar rim and prevent the jar from sealing.

2:  If you leave too much head space then the food on top will very likely become discolored and again the jar may not seal properly because the processing time may not be long enough to force all of the air out of the jar. 

So do yourself a favor and check that head space.  After all, you have worked hard to prepare this food for your family, why let something that is so easily corrected possibly cause you to lose it.

Storing your canned goods!

  Most canners know this, but some newbies might not. Let your jars cool. I usually leave mine for 24 hours. Remove the rings and wash in warm soapy water. Dry and label. Store without the rings and don't stack your jars. Why? you ask...Because sometimes bacteria can form in the jar and the lid will come unsealed. When you go to use it, you will know this but if the ring is on the jar it may reseal itself and you would never know it had come unsealed. Same goes for stacking, the weight of one jar on the other might cause the unsealed jar to reseal. For your family's safety, Remove rings and store in single layers.

My Jelly didn't set up

When making jelly and jam many times we give it 24 hours and think, oh no, my jelly didn't set up...Don't give up yet.  If the weather is hot and humid it may take it up to two weeks to jel...Put it on the shelf and wait it out.  You may find it will set up just fine if given some time.

Clear Jel

Q: Can you use Clear-Jel in place of Pectin when making jam?

A: I have had a few questions about using Clear Jel in making jams. I want to assure everyone that you CAN use it instead of pectin. You may have to adjust your recipes and it may take a few trial and errors to get it right, but Clear Jel can be used. Here is a link to Washington State University's County Extension with some good information about it and some recipes.

http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/pdf_Files/using_clear_jel_03.pdf

The All American Canner

For those of you lucky enough to have an All American Canner.  Here's a few things I have learned using mine. 

1:  I always use a good brand of olive oil around the rim of the lid to ensure a good seal and I don't end up with a sticky residue that some vegetable oils leave behind.

2:  Do not turn on your heat under the canner until after you have your lid on and clamped down.  Turning the heat on before you put on the lid causes your wing nuts to get very hot and hard to handle.

3:  When putting the lid on the canner, get eye level and make sure it is level on all sides before tightening down your wing nuts.

4:  Always tighten your wing nuts on opposite sides of each other and do a little at a time moving around the pot.  Doing this keeps your lid level.

5:  Once the canner is heated up, make sure to vent the steam for at least 7 minutes.

6:  Always hold the lid up to a light and check your vent pipe and make sure you can see through it and it is clear.

7:  Never loosen wing nuts until the pressure has dropped to zero and you have removed the pressure regulator.

8:  Put a little white vinegar in your water and it will keep water stains off the jars.

Here's a link to a manual in case you need one..

 

Click Here to view the All American Canner Manual