SC - canning, very serious

[Jamey R. Lathrop]

> In doing canning of jams with my mother- somewhere along the line she stopped
> messing with the boiling water... if you have two people and a bunch of oven
> mits/pot holders, and what you are canning is going in near boiling hot, the
> first person fills the jars and the second person quickly (and carefully) puts
> the lids on and flips the jars upside down.  About 10 minutes later flip them
> back right side up and the seal has been made.  It of course won't work if
> what you are putting into the cans is not in the molten lava state of
> jams/jellies/sauces- but works quite well if you are.  Lay out a towel to work
> on- that way drips can just be thrown in the wash, and your table has some
> insullation, and it does take a little agility!
> -brid

It's important to note that the USDA no longer recognizes the open kettle
method of canning (putting extremely hot food into a very hot jar and
hoping for a good seal) as safe!!!!  Yes, I realize that our grandmothers
and mothers canned many jams and jellies that way, and most of us have
probably eaten them and lived to tell about it, but please don't do it.
Acid foods need to be processed in a boiling water bath, and low acid
foods must be pressure canned to ensure their safety.

The best place for someone interested in canning to start reading is the
Ball Blue Book or the Kerr Home Canning and Freezing Guide.  One or both
of these should be readily available at your local Wal-Mart next to the
canning supplies (I know that there's also an order form for the Kerr book
in a box of jars, on the outside of the box containing the lids and
rings).  Ball and Kerr are the major manufacturers of the mason-type jars
and they are well acquainted with the CURRENTLY APPROVED safe canning
methods.  Get a _NEW_ copy and familiarize yourself thoroughly with the
instructions for the type of canning you're interested in.  I have both of
the books and recommend having both, if possible.  Then, you can look at
some of the older cookbooks (and new ones who downplay or ignore the
current safe canning guidelines) and, in the case of many recipes,
determine the proper processing times for your product at your altitude.

As for the wax seals, that is an older method intended to keep both bugs
and air out.  Theoretically, one could then cover the jar with waxed paper
or some other thing to keep the jars dust free.  It's no longer
recommended, although I do understand that homemade jellies, which have a
shorter shelf-life and good-taste-life, are sometimes topped off with a
waxed disk and then IMMEDIATELY stored in the refrigerator since they will
be consumed in a relatively short period of time.

All this said, not that long ago I ALSO was "chicken" to try some home
canning, but now understand it and enjoy it.  It can be intimidating at
first, but give it a try and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 
Since many fruits have been at their peak, my husband and I have been
canning some exotic jams and jellies and are getting a head start on our
Christmas gift baskets for this year! 

Allegra Beati (paranoid and neurotic as usual-- I'll stick with the USDA
on this one!)

jlathrop at unm.edu 
 ============================================================================
 
 To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
 Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".
 
 ============================================================================


============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================