Canning

[Rich]

There seems to be a lot of talk about canning. Is this the same as bottling?

If so why bother when everyone has a freezer these days?

[Sneezie]

:blink: For the first question, I don`t know if it`s the same Rich. And for the second one, I can because if done properly, it tastes freshly picked, unless you`re makin a salsa or jam or hot peppers etc. then of course it wouldn`t be like just picked. But it is better in my opinion. I do freeze stuff also. Canning is alot of work but very rewarding when you open that jar and it tastes and smells soooooo good!!!!! :P

[HarleyGal]

And you don't have to worry about losing everything if there is a power outage!! ;) :D

[DandyLioness]

I work with a lady who's from the UK and she says that Brits don't normally get into canning. (bottling). When I asked why, she said that they just couldn't be bothered.

I had ONE big spurt of canning my green beans. I made SOOOOOO many jars of pickled beans with garlic. They were lovely. But a few years later, I dumped the ones I had left, out... just they were getting too old. THEN I got rid of my canning jars and equipment! ^_^

[erdine]

I used to can everything I could get my hands on,but not anymore. I do make beet pickles, dills, jams and jellies. I spent hours doing peaches, cherries, blueberries, you name it. oh yes and I can salmon, gotta have that!

[MaryG]

Rich, although freezer jams are really tasty they don't last as long in the fridge after they've been opened. Canned (or bottled) jams last quite a long time after opening. Maybe it's because they've been cooked at high temps and that kills bacteria. The freezer doesn't kill bacteria, it just stops it from growing until it's thawed out.

It's a lot more work though but some things are just better canned.

[DandyLioness]

F R E S H C A N N E D S A L M O N :mellow: :mellow: :mellow:

[erdine]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Dandy, you are so right! and smoked salmon,mmmmmmmmmmmm.

[DandyLioness]

erdine.... yes... smoked is THE best! :wub: :mellow:

[Rich]

OK so it's the same as bottling.

Jams, fair enough, but we don't eat enough to make it worthwhile. Never heard of freezer jams.

Smoked salmon from a jar? :unsure:

We have a box of 36 Kilner jars which were DW's grandfather's. They were used in the olden days when people used to do it over here.

[MrSeedy]

Mason Jars are the standard canning jars over here Rich, but it's not so common here nowdays either. One thing to remember as well and I hate to say it , but though ocmmercially canned stuff is considered very safe, I heard somewhere that many cases of food poisoning come from incorrectly canned "home canned goods". You sure can get some nice flavors you might not find available in commercial canned goods, but one has to be extremely careful in the process.

[erdine]

I use a pressure canner for non acid foods, like salmon. it's almost a must. for fruit I use the water bath. you have to be careful with your sterilizing and things,and it's a lot of work.
Dandy, do you can your smoked salmon? we don't, I freeze it after it's smoked.

[Sneezie]

:blink: Erdine years ago when my dh went salmon fishin, I would can it. With a teas. of salt and I think it called for a tables. of ketchup. I made salmon cakes, salmon stew, you name it out of that. Ahhhhhh good eatin! Never tried smokin any though..................I even can my venizen. Sooooo good! :rolleyes:

[Rich]

Canned Venison??? It's a different world.

[SilenceOfTheClams]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/SilenceOfTheClams/um.gif

I tried smokin' salmon..... couldn't keep it lit......

[DandyLioness]

No, I don't can smoke salmon - We freeze it, like you mentioned. :wub:

[erdine]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Clams.
all I put in my salmon is coarse salt, has to be coarse, and some vinegar. never heard of ketchup being used.
I have never canned venisson, but know many people who do. they say it's so good, but venisson and I dont' mix that well.

[Ginny42]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Clams!!!


I never heard of canning meat, how do you go about doing that? Is it in some kind of liquid, or do you make a stew first and then can? :unsure:

[bjmots]

The onlly things I can are jams and jellies. But I'd be very interested in knowing how to can venison.

[Rich]

Canning venison.

1. Take one deer sized jar.
2. Insert deer
3. Fill with formaldehyde
4. Screw on top.

Ta-da!

[HarleyGal]

Great minds think alike!! :lol:

I was just thinking that the hard part about canning venison is getting the deer into the little jar!! :lol:

(actually it's kind of scary to think that Rich and I are on the same wavelength!!)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[mla2ofus]

I used to do a LOT of canning when the kids were at home. Besides the normal beets, beans, pickles and fruits, I canned venison and chicken and whole baby red potatoes. When I didn't want to cook I just opened the jars, boiled the food for 20 minutes and had an "instant dinner". I used to can around 800 Quarts of veggies and fruit, 120 QUARTS! of jams. I froze the carrots and corn though. About 80 quart bags each. I had some BIG eaters! Now I can 30 to 40 pints of beans, 10 pints each of the different pickles, and a couple of batches of jam. I still make a lot of applesauce without sugar but season it like you would apple butter. SOOOO good with breakfast! You do have to be very careful and also be sure to bring the food to a boil for 20 minutes in lower elevations and 30 minutes at higher elevations.

[MaryG]

Ooo Harley - hmm, if you and Rich are on the same wavelength maybe you shouldn't play with him anymore.

mla2ofus - that plum sauce I made today had to be boiled first for 30 minutes, sieved and boiled again for 45 minutes, put in hot jars and boiled in a hot water bath for another 30 minutes! I'd like to see the bacteria that could live through THAT.