Canning & Preserving For Dummies

Amelia Jeanroy is passionate about packing her pantry with tasty foods from her small farm and using them to create delicious, healthy meals. She is the blogger behind thefarmingwife.com and the author of a weekly newsletter full of recipes for using and storing summer garden produce. Amy has been canning and preserving foods for more than 20 years.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Getting Started 5Chapter 1: A Quick Overview of Canning and Preserving 7Appreciating the Benefits of Canning and Preserving Your Own Food 8Introducing Your Techniques: Canning, Freezing, and Dehydrating 9About canning food 10About freezing food 12About dehydrating food 13Holding the Keys to Canning and Preserving Success 13Chapter 2: Gathering Your Canning and Preserving Gear 15Keeping Basic Kitchen Tools at the Ready 15Essential tools and utensils 16Important pots, pans, mixing bowls, and more 20Specialty equipment to make work easier 20Add as needed: Handy but nonessential items 22Canning Equipment 23Canning vessels 23Must-have canning tools 23Required Tools and Equipment for Freezing Food 29Necessary Tools and Equipment for Dehydrating Food 30Chapter 3: On Your Mark, Get Set, Whoa! The Road to Safe Canning and Preserving 31Dispelling Your Fears of Home-Canned and Home-Preserved Food 32Preparing your food properly 32Packing your jars with care 33Choosing the right canning method and following proper procedures 35Checking your equipment 36Knowing the Acidity Level of Your Food 37Adjusting for Your Altitude 37Spoiler Alert: Identifying Food Spoilage 38Meeting the spoilers 38Determining what you need to dispose of 40Part 2: Water-Bath Canning 43Chapter 4: Come On In, the Water’s Fine! Water-Bath Canning 45Water-Bath Canning in a Nutshell 46Foods you can safely water-bath can 46Key equipment for water-bath canning 47The Road to Your Finished Product 49Step 1: Getting your equipment ready 49Step 2: Readying your food 51Step 3: Filling your jars 51Step 4: Processing your filled jars 52Step 5: Removing your filled jars and testing the seals 53Step 6: Storing your canned food 54Adjusting Your Processing Times at High Altitudes 55Chapter 5: Simply Fruit (Yes, a Tomato Is a Fruit) 57Picking and Preparing Your Fresh Fruit 58Identifying the proper degree of ripeness 58Cutting and peeling: Necessary or not? 59Deterring discoloration 59Raw pack and hot pack 59Lining your jars with liquid 60Fresh Fruit Canning Guidelines 62Chapter 6: Sweet Spreads: Jams, Jellies, Marmalades, and More 83Introducing Your Sweet Spreads 84Choosing Fruit for Sweet Spreads 85Getting Up to Speed with Fruit Pectin 85Commercial pectin basics 85Types of commercial fruit pectin 86Setting Up without Adding Pectin 87Water-Bath Canning: The Key to Sweet Spread Canning Success 89Chapter 7: Condiments and Accompaniments: Chutney, Relish, Sauce, and Syrup 99Expanding Your World of Condiments and Accompaniments 100Enjoying the surprising flavors of chutney 100Reveling in your relish 100Satisfying your salsa needs 101Savoring syrup with a berry base 101Chapter 8: The Art of Pickling 109Bring on the Brine 109Gathering the ingredients 110Following the appropriate brining process 111Keeping that crunch 113A Few More Prep Tips to Ensure Tasty Pickled Treats 114Picking Pickling Equipment and Utensils 115Part 3: Pressure Canning 129Chapter 9: Don’t Blow Your Top: Pressure Canning 131Understanding the Fuss about Low-Acid Foods 132Choosing Your Pressure Canner 132Cover: With a gasket or without 134Gauges 136Vent tube, pipe vent, or petcock 138Overpressure plug (or safety valve) 138Rack 138A-Canning You Will Go: Instructions for Successful Pressure Canning 139Step 1: Gearing up 139Step 2: Preparing your food 141Step 3: Filling your jars 141Step 4: Placing the jars in the canner 142Step 5: Closing and locking the canner 142Step 6: Processing your filled jars 143Step 7: Releasing the pressure after processing 143Step 8: Removing and cooling the jars 144Step 9: Testing the seal and storing your bounty 144Disposing of Spoiled Products 145If your jar is still sealed 145If your jar has a broken seal 146Pressure Canning at Higher Altitudes 146Chapter 10: Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest 149Selecting Your Vegetables 150Picking the perfect produce 150Vegetables not recommended for pressure canning 150Prepping Your Veggies for Pressure Canning 151Cleaning your vegetables 151Raw packing versus hot packing 152Processing Tips for Successful Results 154Under Pressure! Canning Vegetables 154Using Canned Vegetables 158Chapter 11: Don’t Forget the Meats! 187Preparing for Pressure Canning Meats 187Tips for safety and efficiency 188Selecting and preparing the meat 189Meat canning, step by step 190Canning Meat Cut into Cubes or Strips 191Preparing the meat 191Filling the jars 192Canning Ground Meat 192Pick Your Packing: Canning Poultry 193Canning fresh poultry: Cold packing 193Canning previously frozen chicken: Hot packing 193Worth the Effort: Canning Fish 194Picking your fish 195Preparing fish and seafood 195Filling the jar 195Including Meats in Other Canned Mixes 196Chapter 12: Combining the Harvest: Soups, Sauces, and Sides with Beans 207Confidently Canning Food Combos 208Choosing the appropriate processing method 208Tips for a successful meal 209Getting your meal on the table 210Stocking Up on Soup 210Teaming Up with Tomatoes 211Rounding Out Your Meals with Beans 211Part 4: Freezing 225Chapter 13: Baby, It’s Cold Inside! Freezing Fresh Food 227Defining Freezing 227Meeting the Spoilers of Frozen Foods 228Bacteria, molds, and yeast 228Enzymes 229Freezer burn and oxidation 229Ice crystals 230Gearing Up to Fill Your Freezer 230Knowing what should (and shouldn’t) be frozen 230Evaluating your freezer 231Packaging Your Food and Filling Your Freezer 232It’s a wrap! Choosing a container 232Tracking your frozen food trail 235Packing your freezer 236Thawing Out Your Frozen Food 236Choices for thawing 237Unplanned thawing 237To refreeze or not to refreeze thawed food 238Chapter 14: Meals and Snacks in a Snap: Freezing Prepared Foods 239The Whys and Wherefores of Putting Up Prepared Food 239Considering the benefits 240Removing the guesswork with meal planning 240Keeping the keys to quality in mind 241Freeze Convenience Meals Now, Thank Yourself Later 242Main dish casseroles 242Soups, stews, sauces, and stocks 242Save Some Dough: Freezing Breads, Cakes, and Other Treats 243Bread, buns, muffins, and rolls 243Cakes 244Cookies 244Pies 245Freezing Dairy Products and Nuts 246Making the Most of a Good Meat Deal: Freezing Meat, Poultry, and Fish 247Packing hints 247Thawing tips 247Chapter 15: Freezing Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs 249Mastering the Easy Art of Freezing Fruit 250The fruit freezing process at a glance 250Selecting mighty fine fruit 250Preparing your fruit for freezing 251Selecting a storage container 252Considering syrup concentrations 252Keeping headspace in mind 253Thawing and using frozen fruits 253Freezing Vegetables Like a Pro 253Simple instructions for freezing vegetables 254Taking a closer look at the blanching process 254Packing your vegetables 255Thawing and using your vegetables 256Freezing Fresh Herbs 256Properly prepping your herbs for freezing 256Adding creative flare to your frozen herbs 257Part 5: Dehydrating and Storing 283Chapter 16: Light and Nutritious: Dehydrating Food 285Setting Up for Food Drying Success 286Understanding key food drying factors 286Assembling the necessary equipment 287Putting suggested drying strategies in play 287Choosing a Drying Method 288Quick and consistent: Investing in an electric dehydrator 288Getting results with a conventional oven 290Setting your trays in the sun 291Storage Solutions: Protecting the Life of Your Dried Food 293Chapter 17: Dehydrating a Variety of Delicious Fresh Fruit 295Putting Your Best Fruit Forward 296Understanding what impacts the dehydrating process 296Making time for pretreating 296Navigating Your Fruit-Drying Experience 298Drying fruit step by step 298Evaluating dryness 299Rehydrating and Enjoying the Labors of Your Drying 300Chapter 18: Dehydrating Vegetables for Snacks and Storage 319Vegetable Drying at a Glance 320Following some basic rules 320Storing and using your dried produce 321Signs of trouble: Good food gone bad 321Drying Common Vegetables 322Mixing It Up for Soups, Stews, and More 325Chapter 19: Drying Herbs 353Selecting, Drying, and Storing Common and Not-So-Common Herbs 353Chamomile 356Dill 357Marjoram 357Mint 358Oregano 359Rosemary 360Sage 360Stevia 361Tarragon 361Thyme 362Getting Creative with Herb Cooking: Rubs and Blends 363Herbs for Teas 363Chapter 20: Helping Your Food Keep Its Cool: Cold Storage Spaces 371Cold Storage Must-Haves 372Exploring Your Cold Storage Options 373Tried and true: The traditional root cellar 373DIY storage spaces 374Following Simple Cold Storage Rules 378Preparing Foods for Cold Storage 379Apples 379Beets 380Cabbage 380Carrots 381Garlic 381Onions 382Pears 382Potatoes 382Tomatoes 383Turnips 383Part 6: The Part of Tens 385Chapter 21: Ten (Plus) Troubleshooting Tips for Your Home-Canned Creations 387Jars That Don’t Seal Properly 388Jars That Lose Liquid During Processing 388Jars with Cloudy Liquid 389Dark Spots on Your Jar’s Lid 389Jelly with the Wrong Consistency 389Cloudy Jelly or Jelly with Bubbles 390Moldy Jelly 390Jelly with Very Little Fruit Flavor 391Glasslike Particles in Your Jelly 391Hollow, Shriveled, Discolored, or Slippery Pickles 391White Sediment at the Bottom of the Pickle Jar 392Food That Floats in the Jar 392Food with an Off Color 393Chapter 22: Ten Common Food Storage Problems and How to Solve Them 395I never use up all my stored food, and so it goes to waste 396I don’t know how much to preserve 396My family doesn’t want to eat the food 396I don’t have any more room and I am not done 397I don’t know what I have already stored 397I don’t know which preservation technique to choose 397I don’t know how to use the food I have preserved 398My preserved food looks weird 398I used up all the food that I stored 398I don’t know where I’ll store food if I start preserving it 399Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 401Index 405