Canning

We'd really like to take advantage of the abundance of PYO fruits and can some jams and chutneys - yummy!!   Anyone know of a good site for instructions? I got recipes off a coworker but Richard won't have anything to do with them since they don't have wax discs. I don't believe this is necessarily true . . . does anyone have advice/experience in this area?

Thanks for any and all helpful hints!!

I've used the site below for some recipe ideas before.

http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm

I've been making blackberry jam for a few years now as they grow wild around our place.  Friends love it as part of their Christmas goodies, just cause people don't seem to do it here.

www.homecanning.com

I love home canning!!!  I haven't done it in years, but I used to put up my own veggies, and make fruit butters and jams.  Mmmm!!!!  Do a Google search for recipies as well and you will find a bunch of stuff.

~Liza

Cheers, guys! Great sites!

If you use the water bath method, the only thing you will probably need to buy is a jar lifter, bubble freer, and lid lifter.  The link I gave you above has all that stuff for sale and it's very inexpensive.  Just make sure you follow the directions exactly so you don't grow yucky bacteria and you are on your way!!  Women have home canned forever - it's simple, and a wonderful way to make your fresh produce last through the winter.

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me if you like. 

~Liza

Cheers, lizaanne   A friend of my husband's who cans told us she heats all of her jars in the oven at ~200 C for 15 mins then sterilizes the caps with water. A couple of people we talked to at the PYO said the same thing. I've never heard this before, have you? Apparently it's a pretty common practice.

I can't wait to get started on this tomorrow! We've got both little ones helping out as well. We all went to pick the strawberries - no raspberries left that were ripe enough to pick, though    - and they're really excited to help make the jam.

Have you done any chutneys? I'd really like to do some of them as well. And maybe even some pickles. Is that a completely different process?

Thanks for all your advice!

NO - I would not recommend that.  I am more picky than most people, even my girlfriend who introduced me to canning isn't as picky as I am.  I follow the USDA instructions for water bath method to the "T".  Botulism is not something you can smell or taste, and it is very important that those jars are perfectly clean and sterilized before you use them.  It sounds scary, I know, but it really isn't if you just follow the directions.

To start, have two VERY large pots of water boiling on the stove.  One to sterilize your jars in, the other to process them in.  Another tiny pan to keep the lids heated.  It's all about being coordinated and this can take some practice.  Your house will get very steamy!!!!    But it's a lot of fun and so fulfilling once you've finished.

I've also canned using pressure cookers but that's a bit more advanced and not something I would recommend for just starting out.

http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/canningguide.html  <<here is a link to the USDA info. 

I've not done any chutneys or pickles, mostly fruits and veggies.  Dilled green beans are FAB!!!!  And so very simple to do.  Depending on the recipe you can do both pickles and chutneys with the same process.  Be sure you are using CANNING recipies and not recipies out of a cook book.  It is extremely important that you have the proper proportions of acid, salt, sugar, etc. in a recipe to keep bacteria from growing.

Happy to help!!

~Liza

I think the US canning tradition is much more obsessed with bacteria safety then the UK. Odd, IMO, given the 'use by' culture here. My MIL 'cans' but I'd be afraid to eat her stuff! Not sure I've seen the wax disks in the US but have a vague recollection of my mother melting parafin or something before sealing the jars. I'd love to do it but just can't afford the stuff to try it now.

My mom still will do the parafin stuff, but only for one very specific strawberry jam recipie.  I wouldn't do it, but I remember the was melting when I was a kid too.

~Liza

We made strawberry and raspberry jam last year from Delia Smith's recipes.  They turned out well, were easy, but we didn't use the wax discs.  The jam has lasted all year, and nothing scary has come from not using the discs.

Kathleen - was it "freezer" jam?  That type is SOOOO easy!!  The best way to save strawberries - all you need is SureJel, some jars, strawberries, and sugar.  VERY easy to do.  And so yummy!!

I may make some of that this weekend now - you have my tastbuds all ready for it now!!! 

~Liza

Right. We're just about to start the whole thing now. A friend of Richard's (the same one who suggested putting the jars in the oven) also suggested using wax discs because (she said) the condensation which collects on the undersides of the lids leads to something green (I'm assuming some kind of fungus)? Doesn't matter as we couldn't find wax discs anywhere.

Ok, off to wash, hull and cook copious quantities of strawberries. Thanks for all the good advice!!

YAY!!!  How exciting!!!  Let us know how it all comes out!

(btw - I have NEVER had a case of anything growing under my lids.  Follow the USDA directions and all will be perfect.) 

Have fun!!!

~Liza

Kathleen - was it "freezer" jam?  That type is SOOOO easy!!  The best way to save strawberries - all you need is SureJel, some jars, strawberries, and sugar.  VERY easy to do.  And so yummy!!

I may make some of that this weekend now - you have my tastbuds all ready for it now!!! 

~Liza

Hi,

Nope, it was the good old fashioned cooked kind.  It's all turned out well, tons of strawberry and raspberry jam for the year!  I'm feeling sooo domestic!

Yea!! It's SUPERB! We had scones and homemade strawberry jam last night - WOW!! Next on the list is blackberry jam and we've just bought a book on chutneys.


Richard did find something that was kind of interesting. A pack of waxy discs and larger discs which resemble clingfilm. The waxy discs are laid on the jam after it's poured into jars and it melts over the top of it. The clingflim-like discs are wetted on one side then laid on the top of the jar where the lid would screw on, then moulded on and secured with a rubber band. Dunno what they're called but they work beautifully!

We can't wait to do more canning!