In this chapter, you find a list of the tools and utensils you need to complete your tasks. Some tools, like a jar lifter or a lid wand, are only used for canning. Other tools, like pots, pans, and knives, are used throughout the year for everyday tasks. Purchase good-quality tools and equipment; their quality and durability will pay for themselves many times over.
If your local stores aren’t familiar with the canning and preserving items you’re looking for or you’re having trouble locating them, head to Chapter 22, where you can find a list of sources for canning and preserving supplies.
Assorted Basic Tools
The tools that make canning and preserving easier are many of the very same tools that are in most well-stocked kitchens. When a recipe recommends a tool for canning, there’s a practical reason for doing so. Using the proper tool for the job decreases the chance of a jar failing to seal or being able to harbor bacteria. It can also reduce the chance of mishaps and injuries.
Key basic tools and utensils
If you’re serious about any work in the kitchen, these basic tools are indispensable. Purchase the best quality you can afford. Good-quality items will grow old with you.
Knives: You need three basic knives: a paring knife, a multipurpose knife with a 6-inch blade, and an 8-inch (some people prefer a 10-inch) chef’s knife. When purchasing quality knives, look for two options: stamped or forged blades and blades made of stainless or high carbon steel (tempered steel knives are no longer the epitome of high quality cutlery). Ceramic is another high quality knife, but these high priced knives are easier to damage than their steel counterparts. Also, if you select knives that are balanced, the knife will do the work for you.
Properly caring for your knives protects your investment. Keep your knives razor-sharp. Store them in a block or a magnetic knife storage strip so they don’t touch each other. Hand-wash them (dishwashers are notorious for being hard on dishes, and knives take the brunt of banging around with the other silverware).
Measuring cups: Accuracy in measuring ingredients is essential to achieve the correct balance of ingredients for canning. There are two types of measuring cups: those for measuring dry ingredients, like flour, sugar, and solid fats, and those for measuring liquid ingredients (see Figure 2-1).
Liquid measuring cups are made from glass, plastic, or metal. With glass measuring cups, you can easily see the amount of liquid in the cup.
Measuring spoons (see Figure 2-2): These come in graduated sizes from 1/8 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons. Note: Don’t use adjustable measuring spoons for canning foods; they move too easily and could give the wrong measurement.
To avoid having to stop and clean your measuring spoons whenever you measure the same amount of wet and dry ingredients, have two sets handy, one for dry ingredients and the other for wet ingredients.
Figure 2-1: Measuring cups for dry and liquid food products.
Spoons: You need at least a couple of cooking spoons made of nonreactive metal (like stainless steel) that won’t change the taste of acidic foods they come in contact with. Some choices for nonreactive metals are stainless steel, anodized aluminum, glass, or enameled cast iron. You can also use an assortment of different-sized wooden spoons (see Figure 2-2).
Rubber spatulas (refer to Figure 2-2): These are available in a variety of colors and sizes, from flat to spoon-shaped. Use heat-resistant ones for cooking items containing sugar. Check that the end does not easily come off the handle, a common problem with less-expensive spatulas.
Tongs: Tongs are handy for all types of kitchen chores, especially moving large pieces of food into and out of hot water. Try the spring-loaded variety in different lengths. Don’t overlook a locking mechanism. It keeps the tongs closed when you’re not using them.
Ladle: Use a ladle that’s heatproof with a good pouring spout.
Potholders: Protect your hands from hot items. Have twice the amount of potholders available that you think you’ll need.
Potholders often get wet during canning. Have enough on hand so that you don’t have to use wet potholders. Heat quickly transfers through a wet potholder (in the form of steam), causing a severe burn.
Kitchen towels and paper towels: Use these for cleaning your jar rims and as a pad for your cooling jars.
Figure 2-2: Mis-cellaneous kitchen tools: wooden spoon, box grater, timer, measuring spoons, rubber spatula, and lemon juicer.
Graters: A box grater (refer to Figure 2-2) gives you four or more options for shredding and grating. A microplane grater (see Figure 2-3) is an updated version of a rasp (a woodworking tool) that’s perfect for removing the zest from citrus fruit.
Zester (see Figure 2-3): Before the microplane grater, a zester was the tool for removing citrus fruit zest (just the skin without the bitter white part). It’s still an asset when you need a small amount of zest (a teaspoon or less), but for larger amounts, use a microplane grater.
Scissors: Use scissors instead of knives to open food packages. Avoid cross-contaminating bacteria by washing your scissors after opening meats.
Timer (refer to Figure 2-2): Choose a timer that’s easy to read, easy to set, and loud enough to hear if you leave the room. Consider getting two to ensure accuracy.
Waterproof pens and markers: Select ones that don’t rub off.
Labels: You can make labels from masking or freezer tape, customize your own on your home computer, or order small quantities from a company like My Own Labels (see Chapter 22).
Cutting board: A good cutting board protects your knives while providing you with a movable work surface.
Candy thermometer: A candy thermometer accurately registers the temperature of candy and sugar. In canning, it’s used to check the temperature of cooked items. Some candy thermometers have marks indicating the gel point for jelly (220 degrees). Purchase a candy thermometer that’s easy to read with a base to support the thermometer so the bulb portion doesn’t touch the bottom of your pan. If this occurs, your temperature reading won’t be accurate. Many come with a clip attached to keep the bulb off of the bottom.
Figure 2-3: Microplane grater and zester.
If you can, store a second thermometer in a handy location. If you accidentally break one while canning, you will have a backup.
The following items aren’t absolutely mandatory, but they’re certainly nice to have. If you don’t already have these items in your kitchen, add them as you find the need for them. They don’t take up a lot of room, and you’ll find yourself constantly reaching for them when you can.
Vegetable peeler: Use this for peeling carrots, potatoes, and apples.
Potato masher: This makes quick work of smashing your cooked fruits or vegetables.
Lemon juicer (refer to Figure 2-2): This tool works on any citrus fruit and allows you to extract the juice in a hurry. Just cut your fruit in half, insert the juicer point into the fruit, and press away.
Measure your juice and keep seeds and pulp out at the same time by squeezing your fruit into a mesh strainer resting on the edge of a measuring cup.
Melon baller: With a melon baller, you can easily remove the seeds from a halved cucumber without having the seeds end up all over your kitchen.
Corer: This tool removes apple cores without damaging the fruit. This is a real timesaver when you’re handling pounds of apples.
Cherry/olive pitter: There’s nothing better for removing cherry and olive pits. Purchase the size of pitter that holds your fruit size.
Pots, pans, mixing bowls, and more
You probably already have an assortment of pots, pans, and mixing bowls. If not, don’t worry: You don’t need to purchase everything at one time. Start with a good basic assortment and add pieces as you find a need for them.
Pots: Pots have two looped handles (one on each side of the pot), range in size from 5 to 8 quarts, are deep, and allow ample space for the expansion of your food during a hard-rolling boil. A good-quality, heavy-bottomed pot provides even heat distribution for cooking jams, jellies, or o
ther condiments.
Saucepans: Saucepans range in size from 1 to 3 quarts. They have a long handle on one side of the pan and usually come with a fitted lid.
Mixing bowls: Keep a variety of mixing bowl sizes in your kitchen. Look for sets in graduated sizes that stack inside each other for easy storage. Bowls made from glass and stainless steel are the most durable.
Purchase mixing bowls with flat, not curved, bases. They won’t slide all over your kitchen counter while you work. When mixing vigorously, place a damp dishtowel under the bowl. This prevents the filled bowl from sliding.
Colander: Colanders aren’t just for draining pasta. They’re perfect for washing and draining fruits and vegetables. Simply fill your colander with food and immerse it in a sink full of water. Remove the colander from the water and let your food drain while you move on to other tasks.
Wire basket: A collapsible wire or mesh basket with a lifting handle makes blanching a breeze. Place your filled basket of food into your pot of boiling water. When the blanching time is up, lift the food-filled basket out of the boiling water.
Specialty equipment to make work easier
All the items in this list are indispensable for your canning chores. They all save you loads of time.
Food processor: Purchase the best-quality food processor you can afford. It should be heavy and sturdy so that it doesn’t bounce around on your kitchen counter as it’s processing away. Figure 2-4 is one example of a food processor.
Food mill: A food mill (see Figure 2-5) purées fruits and vegetables as it removes the peel and seeds. You accomplish this by manually cranking the blade, which forces the pulp through the mill. Look for a food mill that rests on the edge of your bowl or pot, which enables you to use one hand to stabilize the mill while you crank the blade with your other hand.
Figure 2-4: A food processor.
Figure 2-5: Food mill.
Blender: A blender purées fruits and vegetables in a hurry, but you need to remove the peel and seeds first. Be cautious of incorporating too much air into your food.
Food scale: A food scale is essential when your canning recipe lists your fruit or vegetables by weight. The two most common types of food scales are spring and electronic. Examples of these are shown in Figure 2-6.
A food scale with metric quantity markings makes converting recipe ingredients a breeze.
A spring scale (sometimes referred to as a manual scale) allows you to place a bowl on the scale and manually adjust the weight setting to 0 before weighing your food. After placing your food on the scale, read the indicator on the dial to determine the weight.
An electronic scale is battery operated with a digital readout. It’s more costly than a spring scale but easier to read. Look for one with a tare feature. This allows you to set the scale to 0 if you add a bowl to hold your food. If you have a choice, choose an electronic or digital scale.
Figure 2-6: Two types of food scales: electronic and spring.
Vacuum-sealing machines: A vacuum sealer is the most efficient appliance around for removing air from food-storage bags. Use vacuum sealers for packaging dried foods or for storing raw or cooked foods in the freezer. Although it takes up room and can be costly, you’ll realize its full value after you own one. New on the market are hand-held vacuum sealers. They can provide a less-expensive alternative to purchasing an electric version.
Canning Equipment
The equipment in this section is especially designed for canning, which means you’ll use it during canning season but not much otherwise. Make sure you store these items in a safe, clean location. And be sure to look over every piece each time you use it to check for wear and tear.
Canning vessels
The kind of food you’ll be canning determines the type of vessel you’ll be using: a water-bath canner or a pressure canner. Refer to Chapters 4 and 9, respectively, for detailed information on using each of these vessels.
Water-bath canner
A water-bath canner, also referred to as a boiling-water canner, is a kettle used for processing high-acid foods (primarily fruits, jams, jellies, condiments, and pickled foods). The canner consists of a large enamelware or stainless-steel pot with a tight-fitting lid and a jar rack. Check out Chapter 4 for an illustration of a water-bath canner and instructions on how to use one.
Pressure canner
A pressure canner, sometimes referred to as a steam-pressure canner, is used for canning low-acid foods (primarily vegetables, meats, fish, and poultry) in an airtight container at a specific pressure. A weighted gauge or a dial gauge measures steam pressure in the canner. This ensures that the high temperature of 240 degrees is attained to safely process your food. Pressure canners and how to use them are described (and illustrated) in Chapter 9.
Canning tools
These tools are must-haves for water-bath or pressure canning. Safety in the kitchen is number one, and the right tools for handling hot, filled jars and other large canning equipment are indispensable.
Jar lifter
A jar lifter is one tool you don’t want to be without. It’s the best tool available for transferring hot canning jars into and out of your canning kettle or pressure canner. This odd-looking, rubberized, tonglike item (check out Figure 2-7) grabs the jar around the neck (the area just below the threaded portion at the top of the jar) without disturbing the screw band.
Figure 2-7: Jar lifters.
Foam skimmer
A foam skimmer, shown in Figure 2-8, makes removing foam from the top of hot jelly, jam, or marmalade easy while leaving any pieces of fruit or rind in the hot liquid. (The openings in slotted spoons are too large to achieve quick and efficient foam removal.)
Figure 2-8: A foam skimmer.
Home-canning jars
Over the years, many types of jars with many varieties of seals have been used for home-canning. The most commonly used jars bear the names of Ball and Kerr and are commonly referred to as Mason jars. They use a two-piece cap to produce a vacuum seal in the jar after heat processing.
To ensure safe home-canning today, use only jars approved for home-canning and made from tempered glass. Tempering is a treatment process for glass that allows the jars to withstand the high heat (212 degrees) of a water-bath canner, as well as the high temperature (240 degrees) of a pressure canner, without breaking.
Home-canning jars come in many sizes: 4-ounce, half-pint, 12-ounce, 1-pint, and 1-quart (see Figure 2-9). They offer two widths of openings: regular-mouth (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter) and wide-mouth (about 3 1/8 inches in diameter). Regular-mouth jars are used more frequently for jelly, jam, relish, or any other cooked food. Wide-mouth jars are mainly used for canning vegetables and pickles and meats, because it’s easier to get the large pieces into the wide opening.
Figure 2-9: Varieties of canning jars: wide-mouth, regular-mouth, and jelly jars.
Two-piece caps
Two-piece caps consist of a lid and a metal screw band (see Figure 2-10). They’re made specifically for use with modern-day home-canning jars.
Lids: The underside edge of the lid has a rubberlike sealing compound that softens when it’s heated. This compound adheres to a clean jar rim and creates an airtight seal after the heat-processing period. Lids aren’t reusable.
Screw bands: The screw band holds the lid in place during the processing period and secures it in place when storing an opened jar in the refrigerator. After verifying that your cooled jars have successfully sealed (refer to Chapter 4), you remove the screw band before you store the canned food. The screw bands may be used many times as long as there are no signs of corrosion or rust and they aren’t bent or dented.
Figure 2-10: Two-piece caps: lids and screw bands.
Mason jars
If the most commonly used glass home-canning jars bear the names of Ball and Kerr, why do we call them Mason jars? The Mason jar is named for its creator, James Landis Mason. He designed and patented a unique glass jar that uses a screw-top lid to create an airtight seal f
or food. This easy-to-seal jar replaced the large stoneware vessels that had previously been used for food storage.
Canning and Preserving For Dummies Page 4