There's something satisfying about canning fruits and vegetables at home. The end product is additive-free and economical: When you can foods for the colder winter months, you won't waste any of summer's bounty of fruits and vegetables. For inspiration, just look to your garden, fruit trees or the shelves of a local farmer's market.
According to Marjorie Baugher of Baugher's Farm Market in Westminster, Maryland (who loves to can her own fruits and vegetables), the key to succesful canning is using fresh produce, whether from the garden or the market. Firm, ripe fruit is best processed within one to two hours of picking. If you cannot process the fruit for a day or two, refrigerate it. Also, avoid using the "drops"--fruits and vegetables that fall to the ground from bushes and trees--since these may already have started to decompose and won't yield the best results. Learn the following techniques and basics for canning (below) and try Marjorie's recipe for canned peach preserves.
GLOSSARY
Canning Basics
- Gathering Equipment--It is extremely important to have clean utensils, cloths and work surfaces, including cutting boards and countertops. Jars and lids must be absolutely clean; lids must be dent-free. Use flat-lid seals only once and only reuse screw-top lids if they are free of rust and not bent. Begin by assembling all of your canning equipment. Wash jars, lids, and tops in warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. You will also need a jar lifter, stainless-steel funnel, a strainer and a large saucepan for cooking your produce.
- Heating Jars--Place clean flat-lid seals and empty jars standing upright on a rack in your canning kettle and fill the pot with water so that it comes just to an inch or two above the rims of the jars. (To keep the lids from floating to the top of the water, place them underneath the jars before filling the pot with water.) Bring the water to a simmer. Jars must process at 180 degrees F. for a minimum of 10 minutes before they can be used.
- Preparing Produce--Follow the directions in the recipe exactly. Do not substitute other fruits and vegetables, because the sugar-to-acid ratio must be precise. Wash and fruits and vegetables, but do not soak them. Remove stems, pits, hulls, skins and cores (according to the recipe), and cut away any soft or bruised spots and any places where the skin is broken.
- Cooking Produce--Always cook fruits and vegetables in a non-reactive (stainless steel or enamel) saucepan. Some substances (such as tin or aluminum) can react with food, giving it a metallic taste.
- Filling Jars--Use a jar lifter to pull out a jar from the hot-water bath. Pour out any water from inside the jar. While the jar is still warm, place a stainless-steel funnel in the mouth of the jar. Ladle in the hot produce, making sure to leave the required "head space" specified in the recipe. This space is necessary in order to obtain a proper seal. Wipe the jar lid with a clean, damp cloth to remove any spilled contents. Using a pair of tongs, lift a flat-lid seal from the rack; place it on the jar and secure the screw top.
- Processing Jars--This process sterilizes the jars. Using the jar lifter, lower a filled jar into the boiling water, and rest it on the rack in the canning kettle. Place the jars 1 inch apart, away from the sides of the canning kettle. Repeat the process, one jar at a time, until all the jars are inserted and covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. The water level is essential in order to obtain a proper seal. Cover the pot, and keep it at a full boil for the time noted in the recipe. Remove jars with the jar lifter; cool for 24 hours on a rack.
- Testing the Seal--Before storing the cooled jars, test each seal. Press the center of the lid; it should remain tight. Or, remove the screw top, grasp the lid by the edges and try to lift it off the jar. If the lid flexes slightly or comes off, store the jar in the refrigerator and use within 1 week. If it does not, label the jar and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
- Ensuring Safety--If you find any of the conditions noted below after the jars have been stored, discard the contents so they will not be consumed by people or animals and discard all metal lid seals: Broken seals, mold in contents, small bubbles in contents, spurting liquid caused by pressure from inside the jar as it is opened, off odor or musty smell.
RECIPE
Peach Preserves
Makes enough to fill 11 pint jars
Ingredients:
- 4 cups chopped peaches
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 7 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 bottle of liquid fruit pectin
Directions:
- Combine peaches and lemon juice in a saucepan. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Place over high heat and bring to a full, rolling boil and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the liquid fruit pectin at once. Skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir and skim by turns for 5 minutes to cool slightly and prevent fruit from floating. Ladle quickly into 11 pint jars. Wipe the rims, put on hot lids and screw tops, and transfer jars to the hot water. Repeat until all jars are filled and water covers them by 1 to 2 inches. Bring water to a boil, cover, and process for 30 minutes. Remove jars from pot and let cool 24 hours. Test seals.
RECOMMENDED READING
Jeanne Lesem
"Preserving Food in Today's Kitchen: Easy, Modern Canning Methods--With 168 Recipes" (Henry Holt, 1997; $15.95)
Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, and Beatrice Vaughan
"Putting Food By" (Penguin, 1992; $14.95)
