Tips for Canning Pears

My family loves, loves, loves canned pears.  However, I have never loved, loved, loved canning them because pears are so much work!  Well, my friend Missy gave me a trick that has revolutionized canning pears!! I really think this trick made my 41 quarts of canned pears go twice (or more) as fast.

What you will need:

• A 4-6 inch piece of tuelle (fabric with little holes in it- think ballet tu-tus!) If you can find the slightly larger holes, it works better.  It is sort of a stiff, nylon mesh.
• Large pan to blanch the pears
• Large bowl of ice water

What to do:

Choose ripe, firm pears.  When they start to turn yellow, they are ready!  You can also press lightly right by the stem- if it is hard, they are not yet ready.  If it "gives" a little, they are done.  Put pears in boiling water for 22 seconds (depending on ripeness- this amount of time was perfect for my pears).  Immediatly put in ice water.

Take tuelle and wrap it around your thumb (I am right handed, so I used it on my right thumb).  You don't have to wrap it around your thumb, you can just use the tuelle with all your fingers to scrub.  I just found the thumb trick to work the very best. The thumbs are the strongest finger- you will use mainly the thumbs as you get rid of the skin!  Hold the pear with both hands so your thumbs are free to scrub!

Under running water, use those thumbs! Press hard enough that the skin just comes off.  The tuelle will get it started, and it will also remove any brown spots. Each pear takes about 5-10 seconds to scrub.

Put whole, peeled pears in bowl of water with Fruit Fresh or ascorbic acid to prevent browning.

Halve, and remove core.  A melon baller or metal measuring spoon does a great job. Prepare a light or medium syrup or pack pears in apple juice, white grape juice, or water. 

Process in Boiling Water Bath Canner, and ENJOY!

For processing times:

For Hot Pack:

Pints: 1-1000 ft: 20 min; 1001-3000 ft: 25 min; 3001-6000 ft: 30 min; Above 6000 ft: 35 min
Quarts: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40min

For Raw Pack:
Pints: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40 min
Quarts: 1-1000 ft: 30 min; 1001-3000 ft: 35 min; 3001-6000 ft: 40 min; Above 6000 ft: 45min

Canning Peaches

I love friends that have mature peach trees that like to share their crop....
This past week has been fun with all the canning.  For anyone new to canning, hopefully this will be a good resource as what to do.  The information comes from USU Extension, as well as the USDA recommendations for canning.  We do want to be safe!

1.  Select firm, ripe peaches of good quality.
2.  An average of 17½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts – an average of 2½ pounds per quart.

Procedure: Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack peaches in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. Raw packs make poor quality peaches.

Hot pack – In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water, or juice and bring to boil. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Place halves in layers, cut side down.

Raw pack – Fill jars with raw fruit, cut side down, and add hot water, juice, or syrup, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process in Boiling Water Bath Canner.

For Hot Pack:
Pints:   1-1000 ft: 20 min; 1001-3000 ft: 25 min; 3001-6000 ft: 30 min; Above 6000 ft: 35 min
Quarts  1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40min

For Raw Pack:
Pints: 1-1000 ft: 25 min; 1001-3000 ft: 30 min; 3001-6000 ft: 35 min; Above 6000 ft: 40 min

Quarts 1-1000 ft: 30 min; 1001-3000 ft: 35 min; 3001-6000 ft: 40 min; Above 6000 ft: 45min


Peaches in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Slip off the skins.



Slice peaches, and then simmer for 3-5 minutes (for hot pack method).




 
Fill Jars with fruit and hot syrup.... And Process!


The Finished Product!

Garden Harvest

This has been a busy week!  I was asked to help with an Enrichment activity on Gardening (in particular, Harvesting) to be held in my yard this past week.  I have spent the several weeks putting together this spreadsheet with a lot of information on what to do with the yummy vegetables that we grow.  Hopefully this will be a good reference!  Note: This was made for my altitude (4000-6000 ft). If you use this as a reference, and live at a different altitude, you would need to adjust times, and pressures.
Garden Harvest 4000-6000 ft
Happy Harvesting!

Canning Breads and Cakes: NOT!

Recently I went to a food storage class offered by a “pro” at our local grocery store. One of the things that she was teaching was that you could “can” sweet breads or cakes and use them in your food storage. Hmmm. Sounds good, right? WRONG. I went to the food experts at USU extension (my favorite resource), and this is what they said:

Food Safety Bulletin No 008 (2007)

Scary! I like the dry mix alternative! A lot of crazy ideas are floating around that simply aren’t safe: Canning butter, waxing cheese, storing eggs smothered with mineral oil, etc. Lets remember, we are trying to prepare for disasters, not make them.

Homemade Applesauce

I think homemade applesauce is one of the fastest, easiest, and delicious ways to preserve apples. A few things are helpful here: a pressure cooker, and a food mill. It can be done without these, but well worth it if you have them or can borrow them.

Applesauce


Use any type of apples. The sweeter the better! If you want to blend apple varieties that works well too. Some great types of apples for sauce are: Cinnagold, Golden Delicious, Honey-Crisp, Jonagold, or whatever you have.








Set up food mill.











Rinse apples. I cut the big ones in half, and leave the small ones whole. No need to peel or seed them.





Put apples in pressure cooker. Once you reach high pressure (usually 15 pounds), cook for 4 minutes. Quick release the pressure under cold water. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can stew the apples in a heavy pan with a small amount of water until soft. Dump the apples in a big bowl and start the next panful cooking.




Put cooked apples through the food mill. The applesauce goes into the bowl, and the "guts" (that's what my kids call them), go in a separate bowl.




Next, put the applesauce in a large pot. Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (about 1/8 cup sugar per quart). I have also used Splenda to sweeten as well. Bring to a boil. Fill quart jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in water bath canner for 30 minutes (for altitudes 3001-6000 ft). Other altitudes are as follows: 0-1000 ft: 20 minutes; 1001-3000 ft: 25 minutes; above 6000: 35 minutes.

Apple Pie Filling

Mmmmm. Cinnamon drifting through the kitchen... Apple scents filling my nose.... YUMMY! It is time for Apple Pie Filling!! My dear friend supplies me with apples from her tree. I am not sure what variety they are- they are green, but not golden delicious, and I don't think they are granny smiths either. Whatever they are, the end product was delicious. This is a fantastic way to preserve apples. In the past, I have used cinnagold, honey-crisp, and anything else I can get my hands on. You want to use a crisper apple for the filling.

There is nothing like homemade apple pie, or yummy apple crisp when the weather turns cold! And, it makes your house smell really good while it is being made (who needs a candle burning when you can have the real thing?) Tip: Use a slicer/peeler/corer. It makes the job go a lot faster!

Apple Pie Filling
18 cups sliced, peeled, cored apples (let apples sit in Fruit Fresh water)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup flour

Combine dry ingredients and add to drained apples. Stir. Let sit until natural juices flow, about 30 minutes. Add 2 TB lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until juices thicken. Place mixture in quart jars leaving 1 inch headspace, and process for 30 minutes (at altitudes 3001-6000 ft). Other altitudes are as follows: 0-1000 ft: 20 minutes; 1001-3000 ft: 25 minutes; above 6000: 35 minutes.Each batch makes about 3.5-4 quarts.



Rinsed apples ready for peeling









Using the peeler/corer/slicer. This is a must for this job!







When the apple is sliced horizontally, just slice once vertically to separate the pieces.








Cook in heavy pan (I learned from experience not to use cheap pans for this step- they scortch too easily).







The finished product.

Tips For Canning

Over the past couple of years, friends and neighbors have shared some great tips with me about canning. Hope they help someone else as much as they have helped me!

• If possible, have someone help you. For some reason, you get more than double the amount, and it is much more fun.
• If what you are canning requires you to remove the skin (peaches, tomatoes), this tip will save you a ton of time. Tie string TIGHTLY around the plug in your sink. Put plug firmly in place over drain. Fill sink up with peaches or tomatoes, leaving string visible (you can put it over your faucet). Pour boiling water over the fruit until all fruit is covered. Leave on for 30-60 seconds. Pull string to release the plug draining all the water out. Now you have a sinkful of fruit ready to be peeled and used. Much faster than doing several at a time in boiling water.
• To peel pears, do the step above. Then, instead of peeling with a knife, use a piece of nylon netting from the fabric store. It is sold right next to the toulle, but it has smaller holes and is softer. Simply rub the skins with the netting and it leaves a skinless, beautiful pear.
• Don't start until your kitchen is clean. This way the process is easier, less stressful, and easier to clean up.
• Buy a camp stove. I love having the 3 burner stove set up in my garage. It keeps my house cool, and I can do 2 or 3 canners at a time.
• Use multiple canners. It makes the process twice as fast! If a neighbor or friend has a canner, trade off, so you each can have two going at a time.
  
• Make sure you have all the tools that you need out, clean, and ready to go.
• Wash jars in dishwasher. Keep them hot until ready to use.
• Buy a package of latex (if you are not allergic) exam gloves. They are really inexpensive. I bought a box of 200 at Sam's Club for about $7.00. Well worth the money. They keep your hands from turning brown when doing peaches and tomatoes. They are wonderful to use when canning meats as well.
• Enjoy the work of canning. Each season it is very fulfilling to see what I have preserved for my family. We enjoy it all year round.
  

Peach Pancake Syrup

I have never used a steam juicer before today. Wow! This makes it so easy and fast to make delicious jellies, or my favorite, fruit pancake syrup. Seriously, if you don't have one, you may want to either purchase one or borrow a friends. I had lots of peaches left over and I am done making peach jam, freezer raspberry- peach jam, and bottling sliced peaches. I couldn't bear not to use what I had. Here are the directions to make Peach (or any fruit) Syrup.

Set up steam juicer. Put clamp on hose, so nothing will drip out until you are ready. Put water in water pan (about 3/4 full). Place juice kettle and steam basket on top. When water starts boiling, put fruit in steam basket. If using peaches, simply wash them and remove the pit. Put in juicer. If you want different flavors of syrup, simply add blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Let your imagination run wild! I used frozen blackberries mixed with the peaches for a couple of batches and blueberries from the LDS Church Cannery mixed with peaches for another batch .

1. Watch for steam to come out the lid. When this happens, start timing. It takes about 1 hour to extract the juice from the fruit. Check the water pan occasionally. Do not let it burn dry!! You can either keep the hose unclamped and have it drain into another pan, or keep it clamped until the hour is up, and then unclamp.

1. Measure 5 cups of sugar into a bowl and set aside.
2. Measure 3 1/4 cup of juice into a pan. Add 2 TB lemon juice (fresh is best). Add 1 1/2-2 TB fruit pectin (1/4-1/3 of box). Stir until dissolved. Add 1/2 tsp butter or margarine to reduce foaming if desired (this really makes a big difference!). Bring to a rapid boil.

5. Add sugar all at once. Stir well, and bring back to a rapid boil.
6. Boil 2 minutes. Skim if desired.
7. Ladle into hot, clean pint jars.
8.Wipe off rims. Put on prepared lids and rings (only finger tight).
9. Process 15 minutes in boiling water canner (for altitudes of 3001-6000 ft). For 1001-3000 ft process 10 minutes, and for 6001-8000 ft process 20 minutes.
10. Remove jars and place upright on towel about an inch apart.
11. Remove rings and make sure each jar has sealed.
12. Store in cool dark place for up to a year.
13. ENJOY!

This recipe makes 3 pints.

TIP: Do not double recipe in the same pan. For some reason, when doubling, it doesn't set up correctly.

Preserving Jams & Jellies

Follow These Steps in Making Jam or Jelly at Home:

1. Wash and sterilize mason canning jars (either 1/2 pint, or pint) in dishwasher. You want to make sure the jars will be hot until ready to use. If you don't have a dishwasher, boil jars for 10 minutes.
2. Put lids in simmering water for 2 minutes to soften the seal.
3. Prepare jam or jelly according to recipe directions. Boil for the recommended time in the recipe and then quickly skim off foam (if needed or desired).
4. Remove presterilized jars from the dishwasher one at a time. Fill quickly with the hot jelly or jam mixture, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the sealing surface of the jars with a clean paper towel, dampened with hot water, to remove any jelly, jam or sugar crystals. Put lid and ring on jar (finger tight only). Work quickly to insure that the filled jars stay as hot as possible until all are filled and ready to load into the canner for processing. However, remember the jam or jelly mixture is very hot and take precautions not to burn yourself!
5. Load the filled jars, fitted with lids, into the canner one at a time, using a jar lifter. Keep the jar upright at all times. Tilting the jar could cause the hot jelly or jam mixture to spill into the sealing area of the lid, which should remain clean and undisturbed. The water in the canner can be close to boiling when the jars are added, if you have made sure the filled product has remained very hot until the canner load is ready.
6. Turn the heat under the canner to its highest setting, cover the canner with its lid and heat until the water boils vigorously. Process the jars for 10 minutes (altitude 1000-3000 ft) 15 minutes (altitude 3001-6000 ft) or 20 minutes (altitude 6001-8000 ft) after the water boils. The water level in the canner should be 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars. The water in the canner must remain boiling during the entire time, so keep the heat source on high and a tight lid on the canner.
7. When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; use a jar lifter and keep jars upright. Carefully place them directly onto a towel or cake cooling rack, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.
8. Cool jars upright for 12-24 hours while vacuum seal is drawn and jam or jelly sets up. Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool. Do not tighten ring bands on the lids or push down on the center of the flat metal lid until the jar is completely cooled.
9. Remove ring bands from sealed jars. Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.
10. Wash jars and lids to remove all residues. Label and store in a cool, dry place out of direct light.
11. -Some information taken from National Center for Food Preservation

Successful Boiling Water Canning

STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL BOILING WATER CANNING

1. Fill the canner halfway with water.

2. Preheat water to 140 degrees F. for raw-packed foods and to 180 degrees F. (simmering with steam) for hotpacked foods. Raw- or cold-packed foods are placed directly into hot jars and covered with hot syrup; hotpacked foods are partially cooked or heated through and placed hot into hot jars, and covered with hot syrup. See tested recipes for detailed instructions for various types of produce.

3. Load filled jars, fitted with lids, into the canner rack and use the handles to lower the rack into the water; or fill the canner, one jar at a time, with a jar lifter.

4. Add more boiling water, if needed, so the water level is at least 1 inch above jar tops.

5. Cover with the canner lid and turn heat to its highest position until water boils vigorously.

6. Set a timer for the number of minutes required for processing the food. (Check tested recipes for specific instructions for jams/jellies and pickles.)

7. Lower the heat setting to maintain a gentle boil throughout the process schedule.

8. Add more boiling water, if needed, to keep the water level to above one inch of the jar lids.

9. When jars have been boiled for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.

10. Using a jar lifter, remove the jars and place them on a protected surface, leaving at least 1-inch spaces between the jars during cooling. Keep away from air drafts and let the jars cool at room temperature.

Sources: Adapted from information in the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Ball Blue Book, Guide to Home Canning, Freezing & Dehydration

Canning Mistakes

I love canning. I think it is a great way to save money! If you have a garden, the only cost of canning is the jar. I also think the flavor and quality of home canned foods are often superior to store purchased foods. However, home canning must be safe as to not get you and your loved ones sick. The following resource comes from Kathleen Riggs, USU Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Iron County:

Major Canning Mistakes – Potentially Deadly

*Making up your own canning recipe. Without scientific testing, you will not know how long the product needs to be processed to be safe.

*Adding EXTRA starch, flour or other thickener to recipe. This will slow the rate of heat penetration into the product and can result in undercooking.

*Adding EXTRA onions, chilies, bell peppers, or other vegetables to salsas. The extra vegetables dilute the acidity and can result in botulism poisoning.

*Using an oven instead of water bath for processing. The product will be under-processed since air is not as good a conductor of heat as water or steam. The jars also may break or explode.

*Not making altitude adjustments. Since boiling temperatures are lower at higher altitudes, the products will be under-processed. Pressure canning requires adding more pounds of pressure while waterbath canning requires more processing time.

*Not venting pressure canner. Lack of venting can result in air pockets (cold spots) which will not reach as high a temperature as is needed.

*Not having dial-type pressure canner gauges tested annually. If the gauge is inaccurate, the food may be under-processed and therefore unsafe.

*Failure to acidify canned tomatoes. Not all tomatoes have an adequate acid level (pH), especially if the vine is dead when tomatoes are harvested. This can result in botulism poisoning.

*Cooling pressure canner under running water. Calculations as to processing time include the residual heat during the normal cool-down period as part of the canning process. Hurrying this process will result in under-processed food; siphoning of liquid from the jars and jar breakage may also occur.

*Letting food prepared for “hot pack” processing cool in the jars before placing them in the canner for processing. The heat curves are based on the food being hot at the beginning of the processing. The product could be under-processed. NOTE: Canned meat, vegetables, or salsa which is under-processed can cause botulism.

Minor Canning Mistakes – Economic Loss, But Results Not Deadly

*Use of mayonnaise jars. The thinner walls of the glass may break, especially if used in a pressure canner, and it may be more difficult to obtain a good seal. However, if it seals, it is safe to use.

*Use of paraffin on jams & jellies. Small air holes in the paraffin may allow mold to grow. Also, paraffin can catch on fire if overheated during preparation. If preserves do have mold growth, the recommendation is not to eat the product, but discard it.

*Cooling too slowly after removing from canner. (Example: stacked jars close together.) There is a group of harmless organisms called thermophiles that can survive canning. If bottles are held hot for long periods, they can produce acid (fermentation). This results in the defect known as “flatsour.” This is harmless, but produces an undesirable flavor.

*Storing food longer than recommended. Keeping foods longer than recommended or storing them at temperatures above 70° F for an extended period of time will decrease the quality and the value of some nutrients, but the product will be safe to eat. A darkening of fruits and change in texture is often a result as well.

The general guidelines for safe food preservation really are not difficult to follow. Just make certain to always use an up-to-date, scientifically-tested recipe, follow it exactly and make the altitude adjustments for time or pressure. If you have specific questions, contact your local USU Extension office. If you cannot find your local office listed in the phone directory under USU, look under the county government listings.

Cautions Issued for Specific Foods

• Butter — For now, canning butter using any method is not recommended. Some methods are dangerous at best; others are not backed by science.

• Hydrated wheat kernels (berries) — Starch in wheat may interfere with the heat penetration during canning. Insufficient processing can result in botulism food poisoning. Wheat should be stored dry until use or refrigerated up to several days if hydrated for use in the near future.

• Quick Breads (e.g. , banana, zucchini, pumpkin) — Baking quick breads in canning jars and then placing a lid and ring on the jar to create a vacuum seal as it cools does not kill botulism-forming organisms that grow in warm, moist, anaerobic conditions. These items should be either baked fresh and served or frozen.

• Dried Beans (pinto, kidney, etc.) — To safely can dried beans, they must be hydrated first (usually 12 to18 hours) and then brought to a boil for 30 min. Hot beans are then placed into hot jars for processing.

General Canning Rules

General Rules

1. Always use up-to-date, scientifically tested canning recipes. Handed down recipes from Grandma may not be safe anymore.

2. Only use approved, up-to-date canning methods (boiling water-bath or pressure).

3. Follow canning directions exactly. Do not substitute or change quantity of ingredients.

4. Make altitude adjustments by adding more time to water bath canning or increasing pressure for pressure canned products.

5. Make certain canned products have a proper lid seal.

Note: Unless you are sure that the above general rules were followed, boil low acid foods for 10 minutes before eating them to inactivate botulism-causing organisms (clostridium botulinum).

Exceptions to the General Rules

• Changing salt level in anything except pickles. Salt acts as a preservative and adds flavor and crispness to pickles. In other foods, it is mainly used as a flavoring agent and is added as a personal preference.

• Changing sugar level in syrup used for canned fruit. Sugar helps fruit retain a bright color and firm texture, but is not necessary for safety.

• Add EXTRA vinegar or lemon juice. Bottled acids help obtain required pH (acid levels) in tomatoes and pickles. If a more tart or sour flavor is desired, more vinegar, lemon or lime juice may be added.

• Decrease any vegetable except tomatoes in salsas. Salsa recipes have been tested to ensure that they contain enough acid to be safely processed in a boiling water-bath canner. This acid is provided by the correct amount of tomatoes. The addition of vegetables has also been calibrated to balance the acid level. While it is dangerous to add more vegetables to salsa recipes, fewer may be used for a milder flavor.

• Substitute bell peppers, long green peppers or jalapeño peppers for each other in salsa recipes. So long as the total amount of peppers remains the same (or fewer) as what is listed in the tested recipe, peppers may be interchanged.

Gearing Up For Canning Season

I love this time of year! The garden is in full swing, and we can't eat it all! So, it is time to get ready to can. There is nothing better than opening a jar of green beans, beets, peaches, applesauce, apple pie filling, or whatever and having the taste be homegrown. Here are a list of canning basics to gather or purchase so each of us are ready to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables, and meats) of our labors....

Water Bath Canners
A water bath canner is a large cooking pot, with a tight fitting lid and a wire or wooden rack that keeps jars from touching each other. The rack allows the boiling water to flow around and underneath jars for a more even processing of the contents. The rack also keeps jars from bumping each other and cracking or breaking. If a rack is not available, clean cotton dish towels or similar can be used to pack around jars. If a standard canner is not available any large metal container may be used as long as it is deep enough for l to 2 inches of briskly boiling water to cover the jars. The diameter of the canner should be no more than 4 inches wider than the diameter of your stove's burner to ensure proper heating of all jars.

Pressure Canners

A pressure canner is a specially-made heavy pot with a lid that can be closed steam-tight. The lid is fitted with a vent (or pet-cock), a dial or weighted pressure gauge and a safety fuse. Newer models have an extra cover-lock as an added precaution. It may or may not have a gasket. The pressure pot also has a rack. Because each type is different, be sure to read the directions for operating.

Jars

Mason jars and Ball jars specifically designed for home canning are best. Commercial mayonnaise jars, baby food and pickle jars should not be used. The mouths of the jars may not be appropriate for the sealing lids and the jars are not made with heavy glass and they are not heat treated.

Jars come in a variety of sizes from half-pint jars to half-gallon jars. Pint and quart Ball jars are the most commonly used sizes and are available in regular and wide-mouth tops. If properly used, jars may be reused indefinitely as long as they are kept in good condition.

Atlas jars should not be used for home preserving and canning.

Jar Lids

Most canning jars sold today use a two piece self-sealing lid which consists of a flat metal disc with a rubber-type sealing compound around one side near the outer edge, and a separate screw-type metal band. The flat lid may only be used once but the screw band can be used over as long as it is cleaned well and does not begin to rust.

Canning Utensils

Helpful items for home canning and preserving:

• Jar lifter: essential for easy removal of hot jars.

• Jar funnel: helps in pouring and packing of liquid and small food items into canning jars.

• Lid wand: magnetized wand for removing treated jar lids from hot water.

• Clean cloths: handy to have for wiping jar rims, spills and general cleanup.

• Knives: for preparing food.

• Narrow, flat rubber spatula: for removing trapped air bubbles before sealing jars.

• Timer or clock: for accurate food processing time.

• Hot pads

• Cutting board

There are also many specialty utensils available like apple slicers, cutting spoons for coring and pit removal, corn cutters and peeler/cutter combinations.

Preserving (Canning) Brown Sugar

Brown sugar doesn't last nearly as long as regular sugar in your food storage. If kept in its original bag, it will turn hard in a relatively short amount of time. You can buy brown sugar (C&H Brand- the good stuff) at Costco or Sam's for about $13 for a 25 pound bag. That makes it about 1/2 the cost of buying it at the grocery store. Here is a way to store brown sugar that will keep it as fresh as the day you bought it. What you will need, however, is a FoodSaver, and a mason jar attachment.




I purchase a 25 pound bag at a time of Brown Sugar from either Costco or Sam's.










My kids like to help put the brown sugar into jars. I pack it in tightly using a wooden tart press (you could use anything that fits down into the jar). Each quart jar holds about 2 pounds of brown sugar.









When the jar is full, wipe off the rim, so no sugar is on it. If there is sugar on the rim, the jar will not seal.










Put the lid on the jar (you do not need to do anything to the lid), and then put the jar attachment (seen here- can purchase on amazon.com, or get a a kitchen specialty store) over the whole top of the jar.










Plug into the FoodSaver and seal! The food saver extracts all of the oxygen out of the jar and seals the lid. When you open the jar when you are ready to use it, the brown sugar is as soft as the day you sealed it.





The finished product ready to go into my food storage room.

Canning dry beans

With the cost of food continually rising, I am finding that I really save money when I can my own food. Dry beans are very inexpensive to store for food storage. They are wonderful to have. As any other food in our food storages, they too need to be rotated and used. I love beans, but I find they take a lot of time to cook, and I need to plan ahead for when we will be using them. Canned, ready to use beans save a ton of time. At the store, a 15 oz can of beans range from .89-$1.69, depending on the type, and the store. Comparatively, a pint jar of your own canned beans (15-16 oz) costs about .18 cents. Of course you have the initial cost of the jar, but they can be reused indefinately. At the LDS Cannery, you can buy a 25 pound bag of dry beans for about $14.00!
Canning your own beans:

Quantity: An average of 5 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3.25 pounds is needed per canner load of 10 pints-- and average of 3/4 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select mature, dry seeds. Sort out and discard discolored seeds.

Procedure: a. Place dried beans or peas in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12-18 hours in a cool place. Drain water. To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover sorted and washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour and drain (this is the way I prefer- much faster!). Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes.

b. Sterilize jars in the dishwasher. Pull them out when you are ready to use them so they are hot.

c. Using a slotted spoon, put beans in jar (use a canning funnel so you won't have a big mess!) leaving about 1 inch headspace (the space between top of rim and the beans).

d. When all jars are filled with the hot, partially cooked beans, use the liquid they were cooked in to fill up the jar. Once again, fill to 1 inch headspace.

e. Using a chopstick or knife, get air bubbles out by placing it on the inside if the jar and gently angling it toward the center.

f. Wipe off all rims of the jars. Make sure they are all clean!

g. Heat lids in simmering water for a couple of minutes to soften the seal.

h. Put lids and rings on jars. Only screw on "finger tight".

i. Put in canner. My canner holds 20 pints (stacked), or 7 quarts. Use your canner as directed in the instructions.

j. For elevations 4001-6000 feet (all of Utah County, and most of Utah), process pints for 75 minutes at 13 pounds of pressure. Process quarts for 90 minutes at 13 pounds of pressure.








13 pounds pressure






Finished product

**Canned Butter Warning**

There are many recipes floating around the internet about how to can your own butter. Basically it entails boiling the butter for a length of time (clarifying it), and then putting in hot jars. The hot liquid would seal the jar, and it would solidify after time. I got really excited about this a while ago and did some for my food storage. After going to a class last night about canning, I am throwing away my 12 pints of butter (luckily, that is all I had done).

Growth of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum in canned food may cause botulism—a deadly form of food poisoning. These bacteria exist either as spores or as vegetative cells. The spores, which are comparable to plant seeds, can survive harmlessly in soil and water for many years. When ideal conditions exist for growth, the spores produce vegetative cells which multiply rapidly and may produce a deadly toxin within three to four days of growth in an environment consisting of:

• a moist, low-acid food,
• a temperature between 40°F and 120°F, and
• less than 2 percent oxygen.

As you can see, canned butter meets all of these requirements.

I really enjoy canning, and follow the rules exactly. The problem with canning your own butter, is that the contents never get hot enough for long enough time to kill the potential botulism spores. Botulism spores are resistant to heat -- even from boiling water -- and thrive in a moist, oxygen-free environment. As botulism spores reproduce, they generate one of the most extraordinarily powerful poisons on earth: one teaspoon-worth is sufficient to kill 100,000 people. Improper home canning creates the perfect environment in which to grow the botulism toxin. Also, because food contaminated by botulism may very well look and smell normal, there is often no warning. That is why home canning must be done properly with extreme care. You must follow the tested recipe exactly.

Whether food should be processed in a pressure canner or boiling-water canner to control botulism bacteria depends on the acidity in the food. Acidity may be natural, as in most fruits, or added, as in pickled food. Low-acid canned foods contain too little acidity to prevent the growth of these bacteria. Acid foods contain enough acidity to block their growth or to destroy them rapidly when heated. The term “pH” is a measure of acidity; the lower its value, the more acidic the food. The acidity level in foods can be increased by adding lemon juice, citric acid, or vinegar.

Low-acid foods have pH values higher than 4.6. They include red meats, seafood, poultry, milk, and all fresh vegetables except for most tomatoes. Most products that are mixtures of low-acid and acid foods also have pH values above 4.6 unless their ingredients include enough lemon juice, citric acid, or vinegar to make them acid foods. Acid foods have a pH of 4.6 or lower. They include fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalade, and fruit butters.

Although tomatoes usually are considered an acid food, some are now known to have pH values slightly above 4.6. Figs also have pH values slightly above 4.6. Therefore, if they are to be canned as acid foods, these products must be acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid. Properly acidified tomatoes and figs are acid foods and can be safely processed in a boiling-water canner.

Botulinum spores are very hard to destroy at boiling-water temperatures; the higher the canner temperature, the more easily they are destroyed. Therefore, all low-acid foods should be sterilized at temperatures of 240°F to 250°F, attainable with pressure canners operated at 10 to 15 PSIG. (PSIG means pounds per square inch of pressure as measured by a gauge.) In Utah County (approx. 4500 ft) the proper pressure is 13 PSIG. At these temperatures, the time needed to destroy bacteria in low-acid canned foods ranges from 20 to 100 minutes. The exact time depends on the kind of food being canned, the way it is packed into jars, and the size of jars, as well as the altitude where you live..

Currently, BYU and USU are testing methods of safely canning butter. For now, I will do without.