CANNING 101 a B E G I N N E R ' S G U I D E T O W a T E R - B a T H C a N N I N G T O M a T O E S I N S T R U C T I O N S & R E C I P E S
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TOMATO CANNING 101 a b e g i n n e r ' s g u i d e t o w a t e r - b a t h c a n n i n g t o m a t o e s I N S T R U C T I O N S & R E C I P E S A r g u s F a r m S t o p A n g i e M a r t i n & M a r y B a l o g , R D This booklet will only cover Water Bath Canning, as opposed to Pressure Canning. Fruits, fruit juices, jams, jellies and other fruit spreads, salsas, acidified tomatoes, pickles, relishes, chutneys, sauces, vinegars and condiments are among items safely preserved using the water bath canning method. Once you've tried tomatoes, consider trying one of these other types of preserves-you'll already have everything you need! Thanks for supporting your local food community! Angie & Mary T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S W h y c a n ? 1 A C l o s e r L o o k a t N u t r i t i o n 2 F o o d S a f e t y 3 E q u i p m e n t L i s t 4 W a t e r - B a t h C a n n i n g I n s t r u c t i o n s 5-7 F A Q ' s 8-9 R e c i p e s 10-14 W H Y C A N ? -Economically beneficial: -One jar of high quality pasta sauce from the store can cost anywhere from $5-$10 for a 13-20 oz jar. -Versus paying $20 for 20Lbs of local sauce tomatoes, which can yield about 9 pints (144oz) of sauce! -More flavor: -Local tomatoes are more flavorful, because they are picked when ripe -More nutritious: -Local tomatoes are more nutritious due to peak ripeness at harvest and a shorter average time between harvest and consumption. -You control the ingredients which means less sodium, less salt, and no other additives. -Enhanced relationships (and more memories!): -With your food, farmers, friends, and family! -1- A C L O S E R L O O K A T N U T R I T I O N -Canned foods are nutrient-dense foods and may help individuals meet daily nutrient needs when regularly consumed. -Canning halts enzyme activity that may further oxidize and degrade important cancer-preventing antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Canned tomatoes are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Potassium, fiber, and Vitamin C (though some Vitamin C and fiber are lost during the canning process). -Canned/cooked tomatoes are also a good source of Lycopene, a beneficial phytonutrient, that is not bioavailable in raw tomatoes, as heat procesesing helps release the nutrient from the fiber matrix of the fruit. -Lycopene reduces inflammation in the body and may play a role in cancer prevention. - -2- F O O D S A F E T Y Growth of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum in canned food may cause botulism—a deadly form of food poisoning. These bacteria exist either as spores or as vegetative cells. The spores can survive harmlessly in soil and water for many years, but when ideal conditions exist for growth, the spores produce vegetative cells which multiply rapidly and may produce a deadly toxin within 3 to 4 days of growth in an environment consisting of: -a moist, low-acid food -a temperature between 40° and 120°F -less than 2 percent oxygen Acidity of the food determines the canning method. -Low-acid foods = pH>4.6 : red meats, seafood, poultry, milk, and all fresh vegetables except for most tomatoes. -Most mixtures of low-acid and acid foods also have pH values above 4.6 unless their recipes include enough lemon juice, citric acid, or vinegar to make them acid foods. -Acid foods = pH of 4.6 or lower: fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalades, and fruit butters. Botulinum spores are very hard to destroy at boiling- water temperatures; the higher the canner temperature, the more easily they are destroyed. -ALL low-acid foods should be sterilized at temperatures of 240° to 250°F, attainable with a pressure canner. -High acid foods (which includes properly acidified foods) can safely be canned using a boiling water canner, which reaches 212*F. -The time needed to destroy bacteria in canned food depends on the kind of food being canned, the way it is packed into jars, and the size of jars. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/ensuring_safe_canned_foods.ht ml -3- E Q U I P M E N T L I S T Boiling water bath canner or a large, deep saucepot with a lid, and a rack >>As long as your pot is large enough to fully immerse the jars in water by 1-2 inches – and allow the water to boil rapidly when covered – the pot is adequate. >>If you don’t have a rack designed for home preserving, use a cake cooling rack or extra metal jar bands tied together to cover the bottom of the pot. Glass preserving jars, lids, and bands (always start with new lids) Common kitchen utensils, such as a wooden spoon, ladle, and paring knife Quality ingredients (fresh fruits and vegetables) Jar Lifter Home Canning Funnel** Bubble Freer and Headspace Tool ** (**These tools are nice to have, but not required) -4- W A T E R - B A T H C A N N I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S 1. Fill water bath canner at least half-full with water. Cover and maintain a simmer (180°F) until jars are filled and placed in canner. 2. Check jars, lids, and bands for proper functioning. Jars with nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges may prevent sealing or cause jar breakage. The underside of lids should not have scratches or uneven or incomplete sealing compound as this may prevent sealing. Bands should fit on jars. Wash all in hot, soapy water and dry well. 3. Pre-heat your canning jars in hot (180°F) water. Keeping jars hot prevents them from breaking when filled with hot food. Leave lids and bands at room temperature for easy handling. 4. Prepare the desired tested high-acid preserving recipe. 5. Use a jar lifter to remove the pre-heated jar. Fill jar one at a time with prepared food using a jar funnel, leaving headspace recommended in recipe. Remove air bubbles, if stated in the recipe, by sliding the bubble remover & headspace tool or rubber spatula between the jar and food to release trapped air. Repeat around jar 2-3 times. For successful sealing, you need to leave the correct amount of headspace between the food and the rim of the jar. -5- W A T E R - B A T H C A N N I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S ( C O N T I N U E D ) 6. Wipe the rim and threads of the jar using a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue. Center lid on the jar, allowing sealing compound to contact the jar rim. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip-tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all jars are filled. Ensure water covers jars by 1-2 inches. 7. Place lid on water bath canner and bring water to a rolling boil. Begin processing time only after the water has come to a boil. 8. Process in the boiling water for the time indicated in tested preserving recipe. When complete, shut off heat and remove the lid. Allow jars to rest in canner for 5 minutes to be acclimated to the outside temperature. 9. Move jars from canner and carefully set upright on a towel. This will prevent jar breakage that can occur from temperature differences. Leave jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. DO NOT retighten bands as this may interfere with the sealing process.. -6- W A T E R - B A T H C A N N I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S ( C O N T I N U E D ) 10. Inspect lids for seals. There should be no flex when center is pressed. Remove the bands and attempt to lift lids off with your fingertips. Properly sealed lids will remain attached. If a lid fails to seal within 24 hours, immediately refrigerate the product. Clean canning jars and lids, label and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Note: After many years of research, it was determined that preheating Ball® and Kerr® (most popular canning companies in U.S.) lids is no longer necessary. The sealing compound used for their home canning lids performs equally well at room temperature as it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed https://www.freshpreserving.com/waterbath-canning.html -7- F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S How tightly should the bands be applied? Using just your fingers, screw bands down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met – fingertip tight.