by Karen Ward
If the headspace in your jar drops, add additional food and liquid to maintain the headspace stated in your recipe.
5. Wipe the jar rims, add the two-piece caps, and process the filled jars in a pressure canner (see Chapter 9).
Processing Tips for Successful Results
Because vegetables are low-acid foods, you must use the pressure-canning method outlined in Chapter 9. In addition to the pressure-canner-processing steps there, use these tips for producing a product of high quality that's safe for eating.
Get your supplies ready ahead of time. About one week before you begin pressure canning, assemble and check your equipment (see Chapter 9). Locate your recipe and review the ingredients you need to have on hand. Stopping at any stage of food preparing or processing adversely affects the quality of your final product.
During the canning season (summer), canning supplies may be in short supply and challenging to find. Inventorying your products early and purchasing missing items keeps you ready to can on a moment's notice. Jars, lids, and screw bands don't have a shelf life or expiration date.
If you add salt, use pickling or canning salt, which doesn't have preservatives, to eliminate cloudiness in the liquid.
Using or not using salt in your vegetables is a personal preference. Add 1/2 teaspoon to each pint jar and 1 teaspoon to each quart jar before adding the hot liquid.
Cover the vegetables with liquid, allowing the proper headspace. This prevents discoloration and spoilage. Head to Chapter 3 for detailed information on why headspace is important.
Release air bubbles. Releasing all trapped air bubbles between the food pieces prevents a decrease in the liquid level of your final product, keeping the correct air space in the jar. After releasing air bubbles, you may need to add additional food or liquid to the jar. Go to Chapter 3 for more information how to release air bubbles.
Be ready to process your jars immediately after filling them and process them exactly as the recipe indicates. This decreases the opportunity for microorganisms to reenter the jars.
Cool your jars. Let your jars cool naturally. This may take as long as 24 hours.
Pressure Canning Vegetables
This section offers instructions and guidelines for pressure canning some of the more common fresh vegetables. Included are tips for selecting your vegetables, determining the approximate amounts of fresh vegetables for yielding 1 quart of a finished product, and which method is preferred.
Before you begin, take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with the steps for pressure-canner processing in Chapter 9. Always check your recipe to ensure you're processing your food for the correct time, pressure, and jar size. Also keep in mind the following:
When canning at altitudes over 1,000 feet above sea level, refer to the altitude chart in Chapter 9 for pressure adjustments.
If it's safe to use either quart jars or pint jars for your vegetables, the correct processing time for each size is listed. Quarts typically take longer to process than pints because there's a larger amount of food to heat to properly destroy all microorganisms. If only one size jar is listed, that food may not be suitable for canning in the alternative-size jar due to the thickness of the finished product.
Use only one size jar (pints or quarts) for each batch of food. This allows you to complete the correct processing time required to evenly heat the jars and destroy microorganisms.
When using low-acid, pressure-canned vegetables, always boil your food for 15 minutes before you taste the food. For altitudes over 1,000 feet above sea level, extend the boiling period 1 minute for each increase of 1,000 feet.
Asparagus
Select firm, bright-green stalks with tightly closed tips. Stalks with small diameters indicate a young, tender vegetable. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces or can them whole, placing the tips of the stalks toward the top of the jar (be sure to trim them from the bottom to maintain the headspace indicated in the recipe).
Canned Asparagus
Canning asparagus is a great way to preserve this delicate vegetable. With only one short season, it is usually a special treat or pricy delicacy during the rest of the year. Keeping plenty on hand will ensure that your family can enjoy this treat any time it wants. In Chapter 8, you can find a recipe for Pickled Asparagus.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 30 minutes; quarts, 40 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 14 pints or 7 quarts
24 pounds fresh, young asparagus
Boiling water
Canning salt
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Wash the asparagus spears. Cut them into 1-inch pieces. In a 12-quart pot, bring water to a boil. Heat the asparagus pieces in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spears are bright green but still firm inside. Do not drain.
3 Loosely pack the cut spears into jars (don't press them down). Pour the boiling cooking liquid over the pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more liquid as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 30 minutes (pints) or 40 minutes (quarts). When the processing time is done, allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 23 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated0); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 301mg; Carbohydrates 4g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 3g.
Beans
You can put up either fresh or dried beans. Regardless which type of beans you use, be sure to thoroughly examine them:
Fresh beans: Select only those that are free from bruising, rust, or mushiness; discard any beans fitting this description.
Dried beans: Examine dried beans for any nonbean material, such as stems or stones.
Green (pole or bush), string, Italian, or wax
When you can green, string, Italian, or wax beans, select ones that are tender and small. Remove the ends and strings from the beans, as shown in Figure 10-1. Can them whole or cut them into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
Figure 10-1: Removing the ends and strings from green beans.
Canned Fresh Green Beans
Garden fresh green beans are a staple for any pantry. This is a great first recipe for the beginning pressure canner. Although this recipe specifically uses green beans, all colors of beans — green, yellow or purple — work equally well.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 20 minutes; quarts, 25 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 16 pints or 8 quarts
4 pounds fresh green beans
Boiling water
Canning salt
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 In an 8-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. While water is boiling, trim off the ends of the beans and cut them into 2-inch pieces.
3 Tightly pack the cut beans into the prepared jars. Pour the boiling water over the beans, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactiv
e utensil, adding more water as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts). Allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 10 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 292mg; Carbohydrates 2g (Dietary fiber 1g); Protein 1g.
Dried beans (kidney, navy, pinto, split peas, and so on)
Rinse the dried beans before you soak them to remove any dust or dirt particles: Do this by placing the beans in a colander and running cold water over them while stirring them with your hands or a spoon.
Canned Dried Beans
Dried beans are a great way to add protein and richness to many dishes. Beans are inexpensive and work well blended as a thickener, a recipe-extender, and a plain stick-to-your-ribs addition to any meal. Add rice to beans and you have complete protein. Delicious! Dried beans suitable for canning include peas, soy, lima, and so on.
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 12 hours soaking time
Processing time: Pints, 40 minutes; quarts, 50 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 14 pints or 7 quarts
3 pounds dried beans (or dried peas)
Canning salt
1 Rinse the beans in a colander and remove any stones or broken bean pieces. Place them in a 12-quart pot and cover them with cold water. Let the beans soak at least 12 hours (set them to soaking overnight).
2 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
3 Pour out the soaking water and add more cold water to cover the beans. Bring the covered beans to a boil and allow them to boil for 30 minutes, or until they're tender. Do not drain.
4 Using a slotted spoon, loosely pack the hot beans into your canning jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Pour the cooking liquid over the beans, maintaining the proper headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more liquid as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
5 Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 40 minutes (pints) or 50 minutes (quarts). Allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)
6 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 71 (From fat 2); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 292mg; Carbohydrates 13g (Dietary fiber 4g); Protein 5g.
Beets
Select beets with a deep red color. A beet with a diameter of 1 to 2 inches is the most desirable size for pressure canning. Larger-size beets are best pickled (head to Chapter 8 for information on pickling and a Spiced Pickled Beets recipe).
Canned Beets
To preserve the bright, red color of the beet, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (with an acidity of 5 percent) to each quart of liquid before sealing the jars.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 30 minutes; quarts, 35 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 14 pints or 7 quarts
21 pounds beets without tops
Canning salt
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Scrub your beets clean of dirt and remove the tap roots (see Figure 10-2). Place the cleaned beets in a 12-quart pot and cover them with water. Boil the beets for 15 to 20 minutes. When beets are cool enough to handle, the skins will peel off easily. Remove them from the water and peel. Trim the remaining root and stem. Leave small beets whole, and cut larger beets in half for a better fit in the jar. Reserve the cooking liquid.
3 Pack the beets into your prepared jars. Pour the cooking liquid over the beets, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar or 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more liquid as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (see Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 30 minutes (pints) or 35 minutes (quarts). Allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 72 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 416mg; Carbohydrates 0g (Dietary fiber 0g); Protein 0g.
Figure 10-2: A trimmed beet ready for precooking.
Bell peppers (green, red, orange, yellow)
Sweet, firm bell peppers produce the best results. With so many beautiful colored peppers available, a jar of canned bell peppers could turn into a lovely gift.
Because of the extremely low acid level in this vegetable, you must adjust the acidity level of the bell peppers by adding bottled lemon juice. Use only pint or half-pint jars for this extremely low-acid vegetable.
To peel peppers easily, heat them in a 400-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the skin blisters. Then cover them with a damp cloth and let them cool. Voilá! You can now easily remove skins with a knife or simply by rubbing them with your hands as you run cool water over the pepper.
Canned Bell Peppers
Canned peppers come out tender and full of flavor. Heat them up with sautéed onions and hot sausage.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Half-pints, 35 minutes; pints, 40 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 10 half-pints or 5 pints
5 pounds sweet peppers
Boiling water
Canning salt
Lemon juice
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Wash the peppers and cut them into quarters and remove the stem and seeds. Meanwhile bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
3 Pack flattened peppers firmly into jars. Pour the boiling water over the peppers, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt to each half-pint jar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil, adding more water as necessary to maintain the proper headspace (see Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a pressure
canner at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes (half-pints) or 40 minutes (pints). Allow the pressure to return to 0, wait an additional 10 minutes, and then carefully open the canner lid. (Head to Chapter 9 for detailed processing instructions for pressure canning.)
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (refer to Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks. Prior to eating or tasting, boil the food for 15 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 32 (From fat 2); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 584mg; Carbohydrates 8g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 1g.
Carrots
For canning, choose carrots with a diameter of 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Canned carrots make a favorite side dish even faster. Once reheated, add brown sugar and butter for a sweet treat.
Canned Carrots
Carrots are an inexpensive vegetable at farmer's markets during their season, and canning is an excellent way to preserve them. They keep all of their sweet flavor and the texture remains very nice.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 25 minutes; quarts, 35 minutes
Pressure level: 10 pounds
Yield: 6 pints or 3 quarts
12 pounds of carrots, peeled and without tops
Canning salt
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For information on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Rinse and scrub the carrots with a brush to remove any dirt. Alternatively, remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Remove the carrot tops. Cut the carrots into 1/4 -inch slices or dice the carrots, being sure that all the diced pieces are approximately the same size.
3 Place the sliced or diced carrots in a 12-quart pot and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow the carrots to simmer for 5 minutes, or until they're still slightly firm in the center but tender on the outside. Do not drain.