SC - Re: verjus storage

[Wanda Pease]

Lord Ras and others on this thread,

How do you can your verjus?  I'm puzzled at the references to pressure
canning as opposed to simple water bath for what must be a _very_ acidic
foodstuff.  At least I would expect the acidity level to be no less than
that of tomatoes.  I consulted the Ball Canning site (now spun off to its
"Altrista Corporation" at http://www.ball.com/) for plain old apple juice,
and it suggested putting the boiling apple juice (which should be much
sweeter than crabapple juice) into jars, sealing with 2 piece lids and then
processing for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

I don't understand canned foods with properly sealed lids being thrown away
after three years as one poster stated she did. If that seal isn't concave
sure enough, out it goes, but otherwise I don't see the danger.  I've been
eating home canned fruit and tomatoes that were put up over 5 years ago by
my mother during a bumper year!  The only things she pressure canned were
meats and non-acidic vegetables.  As a pharmacist she was very aware of the
"things" that can grow in food, and always consulted the "Ball Blue Book"
and the county extension agent.  Of course we didn't buy windfall apples to
make the juice from, and everything that went into the canning process was
sterilized with boiling water for set times, unlike Odwalla and it's e-coli
laced batch of "natural apple juice".

If there is a reason to pressure can rather than use a water bath on verjus
I'd be interested to know because I have access to a crabapple tree that
bore like crazy last year, and my brother has a small vineyard on the Oregon
coast, and he has promised to crush the grapes he has to thin out for me.

Regina Romsey
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