Re-Canning Food

[Jeepers]

I like the 'idea' of re-canning food.  Every time I'd ask about it I'd get "Why would you want to do that?!" Sigh. The same reason I 're-home' bulk food. Because living alone + Sam's Club = too much in one can for one person to consume at one time. Same as to why a single person would buy 1 potato. Because one person may only want a baked potato once a month or so. Sorry, kinda testy about the 'why would you wanna' question.

 

Living alone and being a prepper can have it's own set of problems and solutions. I want a well stocked pantry and I prefer the commercial ( French's, Heinz) etc. taste of foods I grew up with. But buying a dozen jars of something verses buying 1 large can and dividing it into a dozen is not very economical.

 

Anyway...I was watching canning videos AGAIN and saw Homestead Tessie redoing her mustard. She even water bath processed it. I could do that. I'd love to have those jars of condiments on my shelf. She said she was doing catsup next. And holy Saaaaweet Baby Ray! Oh yeah. She even put some in the squirt bottles for the fridge. And look at those cute little jars.They are definitely OCD approved!   

 

So what do you all think? Am I missing something here? Is it safely doable?

 

I miss my canner so much.

 

The video has a long intro and outgo so the good stuff is between 0:55 and 3:27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwO-dLXRoC8

 

[Ambergris]

https://ask.extension.org/questions/277860 The guy who answers this question is described as an expert. 

I checked through other places, and most of them say yes, sure--IF you pressure can instead of water bath canning.  Others say "yes, I water bath these, although I pressure can meat" or something like that.

I have personally eaten recanned ketchup.  It was dark and kinda gummy.  Tasted like a barbecue sauce that had gone off.  Not sure what brand it started off as.

[Jeepers]

Thanks. That helps a lot. I know there are recipes out there for making ketchup but I've never tasted it. I THINK Mrs. Wages even has a packet of the dry stuff that you just add tomato sauce to. Or maybe it's Ball. I'll have to check into that.

 

A big container of mustard like Tessie had would last me 2-3 years canned up. I know old bottled ketchup gets really dark. I've seen it in my pantry but never tasted it.

 

I'm not opposed to pressure canning it. Most of the time I'd rather pressure can than water bath can anyway.

 

I'm putting mustard, ketchup and bar-b-q sauce on my to-do list for next years canning. 

[Midnightmom]

I prefer the complimentary packets of mustard, ketchup, and mayo that you can get from deli's and fast food places. I don't use mustard very often, and never the ketchup (mainly because of the HFCS in it), but they are good to have around in case a "guest" would like to have some on their food. They mayo packets are for "traveling/boxed" lunches. I also make sure the brand I am taking does NOT include HFCS. 

 

I am actually thinking of making a big batch of SF ketchup and jarring it up. I have a recipe but am not sure what the canning procedure is for it...yet.  

Once I have that made it's just a few more steps to make BBQ sauce, sweet & sour sauce, and cocktail sauce.  

[Ambergris]

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/tomato_ketchup.html

[Jeepers]

Midnightmom, I save those packets too. I have mustard, ketchup, mayo, Taco Bell, Arby sauce, Arby marinara sauce, Burger King bar-b-q sauce, KFC butter and 'honey' and some small packets of relish. They will go bad though. I had some ketchup packets bloat on me. Luckily I found them before they exploded. That would have been a mess. Probably look like a crime scene.  

 

Speaking of Arby...has anyone heard from Sass lately? Hope she is doing well! 

[Midnightmom]

Ambergris-

Thank you for the link. My recipe  is very similar, 'cept I start with tomato sauce (from a can!) and use erythritol instead of cane sugar. 

I am so glad to see that this can be water bathed! Never done that before, but it's GOT to be easier than pressure canning, right??? 

[Jeepers]

Not necessarily easier but definitely faster for sure!