Home Canning fruits and vegetables
For how long do the canned fruits and vegetables stay? Is it possible to keep them for 2 - 3 years?
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billieboy
Jul 23, 2009 11:44 AM
Take this course from the University of Georgia. It's free and will answer all your questions and you will be sure you are canning safely. Do not rely on others for your safety. Take the course.
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re: billieboy
If you are in the States,many counties offer canning classes. Many county extension offices also publish lots of good, tested recipes and directions online, available to anyone. Ball makes a very good book on canning basics, which is easily available in libraries and stores.
As to the question about home produce, no there is no need to use home goods. It is important to use produce that is in good shape and to remove any blemishes or bruises before processing.
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re: billieboy
billieboy
Jul 25, 2009 08:41 PM
I was looking at this post again and I noticed I did not give you the link....sorry
BTW, I am Canadian and they still let me take the course free. Wonderful course and I can everything I can get my hands on with confidence. Thank you Georgia.
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If they are properly sealed, yes they will be safe to eat after 2-3 years. However, I have found that flavor and texture begin to suffer after 2 years. My experience has been with peaches, cherries, and tomatoes. The tomatoes are least affected in either texture or taste. With jams, darkening is common and they often seem sweeter to me. Note that all my experience is with high-acid foods. I don't really know about things like green beans.
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re: unknownwarrior
They can be purchased. Canning is a great way to hang onto good prices from awesome sales!
If you are planning on canning low-acid foods (any vegetable besides a tomato, in other words), you must pressure-can them -- not doing so can literally be deadly. dct mentioned green beans, which can harbor botulism if not pressure canned.
Pressure canners can be purchased for between $20 and $200, depending on size and other factors. I have a small pressure cooker that holds only pint jars, and it cost $20 at the end of canning season. You should be able to find them at mega-marts, hardware stores, and online, of course.
A water bath canner (basically a very large, lightweight pot) is fine for high-acid and/or high-sugar stuff like salsa, jams, jellies, etc.
Rice is a no -- but you can freeze cooked rice! Beans are a yes. They must be soaked before going in the jars, but the long pressure canning finishes the cooking.
I agree with billieboy and dct about using information from county extension offices and state universities -- even if you're not in the states, the information on their websites is invaluable. They'll have all the basics -- techniques, general instructions, processing times, recipes -- and lots of other info!
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