May/June Food Feature– Preserving Foods

by North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Yadkin County Center
Marilyn C. Wells
Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences

It’s almost time for home grown gardens to begin to flourish with those luscious tomatoes and other vegetables. Just thinking of those fresh veggies makes my mouth water. If we have our own gardens, the grocery cost can be reduced. Canning and freezing are safe, economical ways to preserve quality food at home as well as provide a feeling of satisfaction. The equipment for canning and freezing can be costly at first but continued years of reuse will make it worthwhile. Freezing is the simplest method of food preservation and keeps food more like fresh produce. Once the canning process is complete, the canned goods can be kept on the shelf until ready for use.

Wash produce thoroughly to remove any possible bacteria from the soil. Can or freeze produce as soon after harvesting as possible. When correct canning practices are followed, the growth of bacteria, enzymes and molds will be prevented. When processing is complete and a tight seal forms, air and microorganisms are kept out. Then you can feel the satisfaction of a safely canned product to serve to family and friends.

For more information on the correct methods for home food preservation, contact your local N.C. Cooperative Extension Center in your county. Research has brought about some important changes in canning safety such as changing the processing pressure of dial gauge canners to 11 lbs. instead of the previous recommendation of 10 lbs. Since the acidity of tomatoes is often low, it is recommended to add acid in the form of 2 T. bottled lemon juice, ½ t. citric acid or 4 T. vinegar per quart to tomato products to be sure that the acidity is high enough for safe preservation.

These researched recipes provide variety to basic food preservation.

Stew Vegetables
This recipe is great to have as a base for a quick stew or soup. If corn had been added the processing time would have doubled. You process a mixture according to the longest time recommended for any vegetable in the recipe.

6 c. sliced carrots
4 c. peas
4 c. cut green beans
3 c. cubed & peeled white potatoes
2 c. quartered small onions
2 c. sliced celery
2 c. chopped sweet red pepper
¼ c. minced parsley
2 T. salt
1 T. pepper
3 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle hot vegetables and broth into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 40 minutes at 11 lb. pressure in a pressure canner.
Yield: 7 quarts.

Tomatoes With Okra
The following tomato recipe must be processed in a pressure canner because of the combination of acid and low-acid ingredients.

Use equal measure of chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes and sliced okra. Cook tomatoes 20 minutes. Add okra. Boil 5 minutes. Ladle hot vegetables into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Add ½ t. salt to each pint, 1 T. salt to each quart, if desired. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two piece caps. Process pints 30 minutes, quarts 35 minutes, at 11 lbs. pressure in the pressure canner.

Italian Stewed Tomatoes (No added salt)
For a new twist on an old favorite, perk up your tomato bounty with the following no-salt recipe.

4 quarts chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes
1 c. chopped celery
½ c. chopped onion
¼ c. chopped green pepper
1 T. sugar
2 t. basil
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Ladle hot vegetables into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints 15 minutes, quarts 20 minutes, at 11 lbs. pressure in a pressure canner. Yield: 7 pints or 3 quarts.

Tomato Garden Juice Blend
22 lb. tomatoes
¾ c. diced carrots
¾ c. chopped celery
¾ c. chopped green pepper
½ c. chopped onion
¼ c. chopped parsley
1 T. salt
Bottled lemon juice or citric acid
Wash tomatoes and drain. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut into quarters. Combine tomatoes and vegetables in a large saucepot. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Press mixture through a sieve or food mill. Stir in salt, if desired. Heat juice 5 minutes at 190 F. but do not boil. Add 2 T. bottled lemon juice or ½ t. citric acid to each quart jar. Add 1 T. lemon juice or ¼ t. citric acid to each pint. Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints 40 minutes, quarts 45 minutes, in a boiling water canner. Yield: 14 pints or 7 quarts.

Piccalilli or Green Tomato Relish
4 quarts chopped, peeled, cored green tomatoes
2 quarts chopped cabbage
2 c. chopped sweet green peppers
1 c. chopped onion
½ c. salt
1 ½ c. brown sugar
2 T. mustard seed
1 T. celery seed
1 T. prepared horseradish
4 ½ c. vinegar
Sprinkle salt over vegetables and mix thoroughly. Let mixture stand 3 to 4 hours. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine sugar, spices, horseradish and vinegar. Simmer 15 minutes. Add vegetables and bring to a boil. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust two piece caps and process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: 7 pints.

Zucchini Pickles
2 lb. zucchini, sliced
1/3 lb. onion, quartered and sliced
¼ c. canning salt
2 c. sugar
2 t. mustard seed
1 t. celery salt
1 t. turmeric
3 c. vinegar
Combine zucchini and onion. Sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour vinegar mixture over zucchini and onion. Let stand 2 hours. Bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pack hot vegetables and liquid into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust lids. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: 4 half pints or 2 pints.

Peaches In Apple Juice (No added sugar recipe.)
2 to 3 lb. peaches per quart
Unsweetened apple juice
Wash and drain peaches. Peel, cut into halves and pit. Treat to prevent darkening, if desired. Rinse and drain again. Cook peaches in water one layer at a time until hot throughout. Pack hot peaches into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Heat apple juice just to a boil. Ladle hot juice over peaches, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two caps. Process pints 20 minutes, quarts 25 minutes, in a boiling water canner.

Frequently Asked Questions about Home Food Preservation

Q. Can I use mayonnaise jars to can with?
A. Mayonnaise jars are not made for canning. They may break under the pressure of a canner and are often made with a thin lip which prevents proper sealing. Mason jars are designed specifically for canning and may be used indefinitely.

Q. Why didn’t the jar lid seal ?
A. There could be several reasons for a jar not sealing.
If there was a food particle or a chip on the lip of the jar or a dented or rusty screw band used. If pressure fluctuated during processing which caused food particles to be forced up under the seal or if the canner was cooled rapidly.

Q. How long will the metal lids be usable?
A. Metal lids should be good for 5 years from the manufacture date. Lids can only
be used in canning one time but the metal screw band can be used over and
over unless it rusts or is dented.

Q. Do I need to follow a canning recipe?
A. Always use recipes from reliable sources and follow them to the letter.
Be sure you have the latest publications based on current research. Some of
the old advice from cookbooks may be potentially dangerous for canning.
Canning recipes can be found at your local North Carolina Cooperative
Extension Center in your county. The Ball Blue book is a researched source
of recipes and can be found at local hardware stores and other places
where canning supplies are sold.

Q. What pressure do I process fruits and vegetables at?
A. If you have a dial gauge pressure canner, use a pressure of 11 pounds for all
processing. If you are using a weighted gauge use the 10 pound weight.

Q. How often should I have my canner lid checked?
A. It is recommended to have the dial gauge pressure canner lid checked once
each year for accuracy. Weighted gauge lids cannot be checked. Call to your
local N.C. Cooperative Extension Center for the date and time that they will be
checking canner lids.

Q. Can I process cans in the oven?
A. The oven, microwave oven, dishwasher, open kettle, solar source are all
unreliable, unsafe methods of home canning. Only the boiling water and
pressure canner methods are recommended for a safe canned product.

Q. Why can’t I can on the smooth cooktop?
A. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says to follow the
manufacturer’s advice on smooth cooktop cooking. Some manufacturers
say not to can on them and others say it is okay. One of the reasons given is
that canning can damage, scratch or break the cooktop. Another reason is
that some cooktops have an automatic cutoff so when heat gets excessive it
will shut down which does not provide the continuous temperature needed for
correct food processing. Also, many canners do not have a flat bottom to be
able to maintain a full boil over the tops of the jars.

Q. Can I process without using salt?
A. The salt used in canning, freezing or drying foods is used only for its flavor
or color protection. In foods other than pickling the salt may be eliminated.
Pickling, especially when fermentation is involved, usually requires salt for
preservative effect.

Q. Can I preserve food without sugar?
A. All fruits can be safely canned or frozen without sugar. Canned fruit usually calls for adding sugar or sugar syrup but fruit juice or water may be substituted.
Sugar helps hold the texture, shape and color of fruit but it is primarily added for flavor. It is not needed to prevent spoilage. Sweet relish and pickle recipes do not adapt well to sugar-free canning. Jams and jellies can be made without added sugar but will resemble more of a fruited gelatin dessert than a true jam or jelly.

Q. Why should I add acid to tomatoes?
A. Because tomatoes can vary in acidity, United States Department of Agriculture
recommends adding 2 T. bottled lemon juice, ¼ t. citric acid or 4 T.
vinegar to a quart of canned tomatoes. Many new varieties of yellow, pink or
tomatoes claim to be low in acid but often the higher sugar count masks the
acidity. For a safe canned tomato product, added acid is necessary. Select
only disease-free, firm tomatoes for canning.

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