canning

[silentvoice71]

Im lookin to get into canning, is it worth it? How long does the food last if stored at 60-70 deg? It isnt overly complicated and anyone with a brain can do it. Let me know fellas!

 

[gunworks321]

Im lookin to get into canning, is it worth it? How long does the food last if stored at 60-70 deg? It isnt overly complicated and anyone with a brain can do it. Let me know fellas!

Let's see:Yes, it is worth it; Just used the last of 2009 tomatoes and have beans on the shelf from 2007; yes, it is not overly complicated. Pressure caners are not that costly. Lots of u-tube how to's. Been canning since the 80's. (don't have any that old left)
You can do this!

 

[Spudgunr]

Totally worth it! There is a place north of south bend where I can get boneless skinless chicken breast for $50 for 40 pounds. I usually do this in the winter time and get 80 pounds worth and I can 40-60 pounds in the pressure canner. Quick easy meal to just pop it open and shred it. I also can beans vs buying them at the grocery store (again, convenience of doing 3-4lbs worth instead of soaking every time I want to make them). Also have canned deer meat into taco meat. If the power goes out its that much less food in the deep freeze I have to worry about!

I usually try to do most of my canning in the winter time so I'm using the heat to can that adds to the atmosphere. Pressure canning in summer sucks since you don't WANT the extra heat then!

 

[NastyNate]

If you want some good basic info to get started get the Ball Bros. Blue Book of Canning. They sell it at wal-mart for under $10 in the canning section. It breaks down the process and equipment used plus has a bunch of recipes.

 

[rhart]

For sure a priceless skill in a disaster or not. If nothing else, I suggest buying the equipment, learning to use it and then moth balling it. If the power goes out long term, that's part of my plan to can whatever is in the freezer.
To me, its a basic skill that goes hand in hand with gardening. It's very rewarding to open jars of your canned products especially in the winter time. I just had spaghetti for dinner that was home made and canned sauce.
Personally, I like a cold water and a pressure canner. You can do most all vegy's in a cold water bath, meats in a pressure canner.
We have been talking about some food canning/drying classes this summer if I thought we could get enough interest
Good luck!

 

[bwframe]

I canned for the first time in 15ish years last year. I was very pleasantly surprised that all the reasons for getting away from canning had dissappeared. If all goes well in the future, I'll never buy a pickle, tomato or pepper product again.

 

[6mm Shoot]

You are able to can any thing that you can buy caned in the store. My wife cans chili, beans, soups, meat and all sorts of stuff from our garden. I think it is great. I want chili or soup all I have to do is heat it up and eat it. Caning is a major part of or preps. That and drying stuff. I have tried to help when she cans and I get ran out of the kitchen. It is her thing and she tells me I get in the way. That is why I can't say we can.

 

[Lucky]

The reason I got into canning was the loss of two frezers full of meat vegetables etc. After the 2nd, I knew I had to do something different. I now can a good bit of our food but, still freeze some as well 'cause it is easier.
Canned over 50 pints of deer this year and I swear it is hard to tell that from the best beef you have ever ate. Canning will be a part of my food preservation from now on, After the initial investment, the cost is quite low.
Follow instructions and you're good to go.

 

[silentvoice71]

Good to know... I have a ver small yard so i have been reading on how to grow veggi gardens in small spaces. Ive got some veggies and fruit picked out to grow and can this year. Ill start planting soon.

 

[6mm Shoot]

rhart it isn't a cold water bath. It is a hot water bath. Cold water will not can any thing.

There is dry canning that is dun in the oven for stuff like flour and such.

There is also a paraffin canning for jams and jellies.

All sorts of ways to go. The most common is the pressure canner. The ball canning book will give you the times that stuff has to be in the canner. It is a great book. Canning is a great way to go.

As far as how long can you keep stuff canned? I have had stuff that was still good after 5 years. Now they claim that after a year you start to loose the vitamins out of the food. We have had no problem with stuff in the two year time frame.

Out of the stuff canned in the past ten years at our house I can only think of 3 jars of stuff that the seal let go on. Never, never, never eat any thing that the seal has let go on. It can kill you or at least make you wish you were dead.

 

[briand212]

Ball has a pretty good getting started guide on the web can be found here: http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started.aspx

Is it worth it? YES .. and it is not hard at all.

 

[ClydeB]

If you are looking to get into canning, take a look at what you have to heat with. I was all gung ho last September to get into canning. But my house is all electric and my electric range isn't recommended for use in pressure canning.

I was thinking about using propane and my turkey fryer as the heat source. But you can't (well, shouldn't) do that inside the house due to fumes.

 

[HighStrung]

If you are looking to get into canning, take a look at what you have to heat with. I was all gung ho last September to get into canning. But my house is all electric and my electric range isn't recommended for use in pressure canning.

I was thinking about using propane and my turkey fryer as the heat source. But you can't (well, shouldn't) do that inside the house due to fumes.

I was led to believe (and have been doing so for a few years now) that canning on an electric stove was fine if you have one with the coils. The problems come when you've got a glass top (which from what I've read is largely due to the vibrations of the canner and that the burners actually cycle between on/off). I've never had any problem out of any of the items we've put up including meats. Many people also suggested against using a turkey fryer due to the difficulty in regulating temperature. My canner actually came with instructions NOT to use a turkey fryer.

This link may help for further research on the subject. This link is directly to a thread about canning on electric stoves, but also use this forum in whole, it's been a wealth of knowledge for us.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...392388-anyone-do-canning-electric-stoves.html

 

[Sailor]

Totally worth it! There is a place north of south bend where I can get boneless skinless chicken breast for $50 for 40 pounds. I usually do this in the winter time and get 80 pounds worth and I can 40-60 pounds in the pressure canner. Quick easy meal to just pop it open and shred it. I also can beans vs buying them at the grocery store (again, convenience of doing 3-4lbs worth instead of soaking every time I want to make them). Also have canned deer meat into taco meat. If the power goes out its that much less food in the deep freeze I have to worry about!

I usually try to do most of my canning in the winter time so I'm using the heat to can that adds to the atmosphere. Pressure canning in summer sucks since you don't WANT the extra heat then!

Where are you getting your chicken at? I canned a few turkeys when they went on sale but boneless skinless would be much easier.

 

[usaf64]

Probably the best thing about canning is that you pick the vegetables at the peak of their ripeness and can it right away. You know exactly what's in the jar that way.

I've had the same pressure canner for nearly 30 years and it's still working fine. I did replace the gasket a couple of years ago, but it was working fine before I did it.

I can tomatoes and kale in the pressure canner and hot peppers in a water bath. I've always wanted to try meats and beans, but my wife isn't too keen on the idea. I've never lost anything due to spoilage. It's a satisfying feeling knowing you have 60 quarts of tomatoes and 40 quarts of greens in the pantry for winter use. I usually only can peppers every 2 or 3 years since I can enough to last that long.

I keep big bottles of Frank's Hot Sauce and strip the labels off. I then put 3 or 4 of the hottest peppers I grow in there and fill it up with apple cider vinegar and put a couple of clover of garlic in there. I put the jars in the water bath canner filled with water to the neck of the bottles. Heat them for 15 or 20 minutes and then store them in the refrigerator after they cool. This peppery/garlicky flavored vinegar is great sprinkled over greens. It's like the bottles of pepper vinegar they have at Steak and Shake.

Sometimes I don't look forward to starting the canning process, but once I get started I find it a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

 

[Spudgunr]

Where are you getting your chicken at? I canned a few turkeys when they went on sale but boneless skinless would be much easier.

Lowery's Meat Market in Buchanan, MI. The store is almost like a convenience mart, they make up for it with the high volume meat department. Sadly, no website, they are still in the stone age. You call and they'll fax you the current week's specials / price list. Boneless/skinless usually runs $50 or $55 for 40 pounds, they'll have some other specials sometimes too. It doesn't change a lot though.

 

[bwframe]

If you are looking to get into canning, take a look at what you have to heat with. I was all gung ho last September to get into canning. But my house is all electric and my electric range isn't recommended for use in pressure canning.

I was thinking about using propane and my turkey fryer as the heat source. But you can't (well, shouldn't) do that inside the house due to fumes.

I have a propane fish frier burner mounted on the outside of my deck rail. Getting the heat out of the kitchen/house was a major contributor in me getting back into canning. Everything gets canned outside.

 

[Shootin'IN]

Here is a video showing how to do your meat canning.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUsTYfdm1fE[/ame]

I have canned some salsa & tomatoes without a pressure cooker.
I just used big stock pot to sterilize the jars & to do the final canning.(just don't let the jars sit on the bottom of the pot when canning your veggies.)

 

[silentvoice71]

Gas stove...

 

[katfishinking]

by allmeans you should start canning. when people started talking about a drought early last summer, we got a pressure canner from rural king for like 40 bucks. bought all kinds of meat on sale, canned everything from beef, chicken, pork loin, sausage, hamburger, even bacon.the video, on you tube, said you could keep canned food for 10 yrs. or longer. of course this was at an optimal temp., whatever that is. we keep ours in the basement. even in summer its only 60-70 deg. we even got ham-n-beans. just check out you tube, under canning meat. lots of good stuff for the beginner, or the experienced. hope this helps.