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Can What You Grow
Is the fresh produce you've grown in your garden too much for your family to eat in one season? Does much of it go to waste? Canning the fruits and vegetables you've grown in your garden keeps you from wasting your harvest and provides a store of produce over the winter months for you to enjoy. Not only will you have a stockpile of healthy food available in your pantry, you also can save money at the supermarket.
Visit your local True Value hardware store for the expert advice and products you need, then follow the steps below to start canning.
Canning uses pressure and heat to preserve fresh food inside a jar or other container. Canning kills harmful bacteria and seals in freshness. Because the food in your can or jar will be completely sterile, it won't spoil until you open it. Once a can is open and is no longer airtight, airborne bacteria have access to your food. That's why you have to "Refrigerate contents after opening.”
Vegetables
Vegetables are the easiest produce to can, but different vegetables may require different methods of canning. For tips on how to preserve the particular produce in your garden, check the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) at the University of Georgia. This site has detailed steps on how to preserve almost any kind of food.
The steps below outline basic guidelines for canning most types of vegetables.
Step 1. Prepare Containers and Vegetables
Depending on how much produce you're canning, you'll need quite a few mason jars or similar containers in half pint, pint or quart sizes. Wash all the jars and their lids with hot water and soap to sterilize them — preferably in a dishwasher. Be sure the jars aren't cracked and are otherwise sound.
Gather the vegetables you're planning to can. Be sure they're as fresh as they can be. If your veggies are coming straight from the garden, can them as soon as you've picked, inspected and washed them.
Step 2. Fill and Seal the Jars
Fill the jars with your vegetables, leaving an inch of space at the top. Use a knife to get rid of air bubbles at the bottom of the jars by scraping along the sides of the filled jars.
Screw on the lids, making sure they're tight and secure without over-tightening the lids. Air will continue to escape during the rest of the canning procedure.
Helpful Tip:
- If the lids on your jars are too tight, air can't escape and create the seal necessary to keep your food preserved and free of harmful bacteria.
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Step 3. Start Canning
Fill the pan inside a large (approximately 20 quarts) pressure canner with about 3” of water. Place your jars into the hot water inside the canner using a jar lifter, submerging the cans halfway underwater. Be sure to follow the canner manufacturer's instructions, as preparation steps can vary.
Lock the canner lid securely. Turn up the heat to its highest position and allow steam to vent for approximately 10 minutes, then completely seal the canner and allow pressure to build inside.
Be sure you monitor the amount of pressure closely during the process. Let the pressure build to the appropriate level for canning as directed by the manufacturer. Once you've reached the required pressure, maintain that pressure for the amount of time directed, usually about 20 minutes. Regulate the pressure using the heat controls on your stove, turning the heat down to lower pressure and turning it up to increase pressure.
After 20 minutes or the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down. When the pressure gauge has gone down to zero, let the steam inside escape through the vent.
Stay Alert!
- When removing the pressure canner's lid, tilt it away from your face so the hot steam inside won't cause injury.
After the canner has cooled, remove the jars and let them cool completely. This can take up to 24 hours. Once the jars have cooled, check to make sure the jars sealed properly. You'll know the jar is sealed correctly if the lid is indented — if you press on it, the middle of the lid won't depress and pop back. If any of your jars didn't seal correctly, be sure to eat those vegetables as soon as you would fresh produce.
Fruit
Like different types of vegetables, fruits can require different canning procedures depending on what you’re canning. Most recipes for canning fruit call for a simple syrup — a mixture of sugar and water — which preserves the fruit and its flavor. Depending on what kind of fruit you're working with, you'll either use a light or heavy syrup. Again, consult the NCHFP web site for specific canning steps for particular fruits.
Step 1. Prepare Containers and Fruit
Prepare your containers and fruit as you would for vegetables. Wash the jars and lids in a dishwasher to sterilize them. Pick only the freshest fruit you have and wash it thoroughly in cold water. You may need to peel the fruit depending on what type you're using.
For each quart you're canning, mix one cup of water with ¼ to ½ cup of sugar. The type of syrup you make depends on how sweet the fruit is and how “syrupy” you want your syrup to be.
Step 2. Fill and Seal
Fill the jars with fruit and your sugar/water mixture. Use a knife to get rid of air bubbles at the bottom of the jars by scraping along the sides of the filled jars. Leave an inch of room at the top for the contents to expand.
Screw on the lids, making sure they're secure but not too tight. If the lid is too tight, air can't escape and create the proper seal.
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Step 3. Start Canning
Make sure you follow the instructions provided with your pressure canner. Place your canned fruit inside the canner and make sure that the water inside covers the containers halfway.
Lock the canner lid and turn up the heat, allowing the pressure to build inside the device. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and monitor the pressure closely. Maintain the pressure for the directed amount of time, usually about 20 minutes. Just as you did when canning vegetables, regulate the pressure using the heat controls on your stove.
When finished, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down. Open the container after the pressure gauge has gone back down to zero, taking care to open it away from your face.
Let the jars cool for about 24 hours. Then check to make sure the proper seals formed inside the jars by pushing down on the lid. If it pops back after you press it, the lid didn't seal properly. Be sure to refrigerate the contents of these jars and consume within a few days.
Nice work! You'll now have a stockpile of delicious, healthy food on hand long after the summer harvest. For all your lawn and garden projects, head to your local True Value hardware store to get the tools, products and expert advice you need to start right.
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