Canning?

leemschu

does does anyone here can? I’m about to plant several tomatoes plants in hopes to make a butt load of fire roasted salsa this summer. Would like to make a lot and can it for during the year and thought I’d see whose tried it.

alaskanassasin

Yap. It works.

buzd504

Will be following this thread, as I'm interested in getting into it.

Gulfcoastguy

Not salsa but : pickled jalapeños, kosher dills, jams, bbq sauce. Only things that don’t need a pressure cooker though.

SaskNortherner

I planted 12 varieties of tomatoes last year. Six plants of each variety. I canned fresh tomatoes, made tomato jam, tomato sauce and 24 pints of salsa. That and pickles I put up about 200 jars. With the Corona this year it’s time we all learn how to do that.

alaskanassasin

Roma varieties, San marzano are the best for poaching, peeling. The big boys, early girls etc are a pita to peel.

SciAggie

Maybe someone that’s skilled at canning could start a new post as a tutorial? I’d like to learn canning - like I need this forum to give me yet another distraction...

alaskanassasin

I won’t be canning till August, hopefully we’re all out of the house by then.

shtgunal3

I’ve been canning for years, pressure canning and water bath canning. My sister talked me into taking a one day canning class with her several years back. She had car trouble on the way to the class and didn’t make it. I was the only dude in the class. I learned a lot that day but also learned tons from my mom. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll help if I can. 

SciAggie

shtgunal3 said:

Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll help if I can. 

I can’t speak for others but I don’t know what questions to ask. I know I can search the web and YouTube but I don’t know good information from bad. 

I don’t know what your “quarantine” situation is, but maybe you could take the time to lead us through the basics? Or is there a web or YouTube resource you particularly like? Is there a list of minimal equipment you recommend?
My wife makes jelly. That’s as far as her canning skills go. I’ve never even done that.

shtgunal3

I’m still working five days a week. I guess I’m “essential”.

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving has a lot of good information. I use Presto pressure canners. I have the 16 and 23 quart. I use the 23 the most. I like the ones with the pressure gauge better than the rocker. For jams and jellies I use a water bath canner. You’ll also get a lot of use out of a canning kit. See links below...

Presto 09995 7 Function Canning Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YSNUH08/ref
=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7MuGEb4G9GMJQ

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TQuGEbJMHB52Y

Granite Ware 21.5-Quart Porcelain Canner With Rack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019R123C0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JRuGEbTBJ10RG

SciAggie

@shtgunal3 Thank you. Stay safe out there. 

shtgunal3

Also, there are a lot of good recipes and techniques in the book that comes with the Presto canner. You can also use the pressure canner as a water bath canner if you don’t want to buy both. I like having two pressure canners when canning a lot of veggies. I’ll have both going at once. 

My two best pieces of advice would be... keep everything clean and DON’T rush anything. Never try to cool a pressure canner and never try to release pressure quickly. Always let it release own it’s on. 

leemschu

shtgunal3 said:

Also, there are a lot of good recipes and techniques in the book that comes with the Presto canner. You can also use the pressure canner as a water bath canner if you don’t want to buy both. I like having two pressure canners when canning a lot of veggies. I’ll have both going at once. 

My two best pieces of advice would be... keep everything clean and DON’T rush anything. Never try to cool a pressure canner and never try to release pressure quickly. Always let it release own it’s on. 

I tried to look at it last year but kept feeling like you couldn’t just use any old recipe like my salsa to can. Like it had to have a certain balance or something? Is that true or am I just mis understanding. 

fishlessman

i can a few dozen quarts of san marzanos a year and do piccalilli with the green tomatoes. you need to add citric acid or lemon juice to the jar as not all tomatoes are acidic enough, i usually go with the lemon juice. follow the recipes in the ball canning guide. new lids everytime, theres alot of talk about sanitizing the jars, the newer ball recipes can just be washed clean and dont require the boiling to sanitize. i just use the water boil method and have also used the sousvide to can at lower temps and longer times, keeps pickles like zukes crisper

sheetmetalpete

I went all out a couple years ago and entered a bunch of my canned goods at my county fair.  



That summer I learned that I need to build a summer kitchen so I don't heat my house up with the canner(s) going. 

SciAggie

My wife was busy making wild plum jelly today. 

shtgunal3

Looks awesome @SciAggie

@leemschu as fish says with anything tomato you need to add acid. I always use a tried and true recipe.

nolaegghead

More than ever, there is plenty of canning going on in the world.   Not sure that's a good thing.

That said, know that the pH, if not low enough, dictates the temp for long term storage.  If above 3 (look this up) you need 15 psi to hit 250F and kill Clostridium botulinum spores.