Violet

I am sorry but you cannot safely can zucchini unless it is in a relish or mixed with the right amount of tomatoes. I hope you did not can it plain or mix with the corn.

Applesauce and more applesauce. We had to strip DF's trees, since they apparently have Black Rot. It is about a month early, but we do not want to lose the whole crop. More sugar is required with green apples, but at least we will have plenty of sauce.

 

Of course, this is the year he had a bumper crop.

Virginia,

Sorry about the black rot. Have you thought about apple pie jam and also apple pie filling ? It is good with green apples.

How big are the black film canisters ? You mean those little ones ? The video was removed so I can't see it.

I have small black canisters my diabetes test strips come in with a flip top lid. I throw them away, but if that is what you want I can save them. Won't take much for postage to mail.

Ahhh, thank you . Big hugs back to you !!!! You made my day !

Now, you are the kind of person I TRULY don't mind helping anytime.

Have a good weekend.

How do I?...Ferment

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Fermenting Yogurt at Home

Brian A. Nummer, Ph.D.

National Center for Home Food Preservation

October 2002

Introduction

Yogurt is made by adding Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus into heated milk. After this inoculation the milk is held at 110°F ± 5°F until firm. The milk is coagulated (thickened) by an increase in acidity from lactic acid produced by the bacteria. With its slightly sour taste, creamy texture, and good nutrient content, skim or whole milk yogurt remains a healthy food itself and one that can be used in recipes from appetizers to desserts.

History

Yogurt is thought to have originated many centuries ago among the nomadic tribes of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Milk stored in animal skins would acidify and coagulate. The acid helped preserve the milk from further spoilage and from the growth of pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms).

Ingredients

to make 4-5 cups of yogurt:

1-quart milk (cream, whole, low fat, or skim) — In general the higher the milk fat level in the yogurt the creamier and smother it will taste. Note: If you use home-produced milk it must be pasteurized before preparing yogurt.

Nonfat dry milk powder — Use 1/3-cup powder when using whole or low fat milk, or use 2/3-cup powder when using skim milk. The higher the milk solids the firmer the yogurt will be. For even more firmness add gelatin (directions below).

Commercial, unflavored, cultured yogurt — Use ¼-cup. Be sure the product label indicates that it contains a live culture. Also note the content of the culture. L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus are required in yogurt, but some manufacturers may in addition add L. acidophilus and/or B. bifidum. The latter two are used for slight variations in flavor, but more commonly for health reasons attributed to these organisms. All culture variations will make a successful yogurt.

(Optional) 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey.

(Optional) For a thick, firm yogurt swell 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in a little milk for 5 minutes. Add this to the milk and non-fat dry milk mixture before cooking.

Tools

Double Boiler, preferred or regular saucepan 1-2 quarts in capacity larger than the volume of yogurt you wish to make.

Cooking or Jelly Thermometer. A thermometer that can clip to the side of the saucepan and remain in the milk works best. Accurate temperatures are critical for successful processing.

Mixing spoon

Yogurt containers, e.g. cups with lids or canning jars with lids.

Incubator: a yogurt-maker, oven, heating pad, or warm spot in your kitchen. To use your oven, place yogurt containers into deep pans of 110°F water. Water should come at least halfway up the containers. Set oven temperature at lowest point to maintain water temperature at 110°F. Monitor temperature throughout incubation making adjustments as necessary.

Processing

Pasteurization for any non-commercial milk.

Heat water in the bottom section of a double boiler and pour milk into the top section. Cover the milk and heat to 165°F while stirring constantly for uniform heating. Cool immediately by setting the top section of the double boiler in ice water or cold running water. Store milk in the refrigerator in clean containers until ready for making yogurt.

Combine ingredients and heat.

Heating the milk is a necessary step to change the milk proteins so that they set together rather than to form curds and whey. Do not substitute this heating step for pasteurization. Place cold, pasteurized milk in top of a double boiler and stir in nonfat dry milk powder. Adding non-fat dry milk to heated milk will cause some milk proteins to coagulate and form strings. Add sugar or honey if a sweeter, less tart yogurt is desired. Heat milk to 200°F, stirring gently and (a) hold for 10 minutes for thinner yogurt or ( hold 20 minutes for thicker yogurt. Do not boil. Be careful and stir constantly to avoid scorching if not using a double boiler.

Cool and inoculate.

Place the top of the double boiler in cold water to cool milk rapidly to 112-115°F. Remove one cup of the warm milk and blend it with the yogurt starter culture. Add this to the rest of the warm milk. The temperature of the mixture should now be 110-112°F.

Incubate.

Pour immediately into clean, warm container(s); cover and place in prepared incubator. Close the incubator and incubate about 4 - 7 hours at 110°F ± 5°F. Yogurt should set firm when the proper acid level is achieved (pH 4.6). Incubating yogurt for several hours past the time after the yogurt has set will produce more acidity. This will result in a more tart or acidic flavor and eventually cause the whey to separate.

Refrigerate.

Rapid cooling stops the development of acid. Yogurt will keep for about 10-21 days if held in the refrigerator at 40°F or lower.

Yogurt Types

Set yogurt: A solid set where the yogurt firms in a container and not disturbed.

Stirred yogurt: Yogurt made in a large container then spooned or otherwise dispensed into secondary serving containers. The consistency of the “set” is broken and the texture is less firm than set yogurt. This is the most popular form of commercial yogurt.

Drinking yogurt: Stirred yogurt to which additional milk and flavors are mixed in. Add fruit or fruit syrups to taste. Mix in milk to achieve the desired thickness. The shelf life of this product is 4-10 days, since the pH is raised by fresh milk addition. Some whey separation will occur and is natural. Commercial products recommend a thorough shaking before consumption.

Fruit yogurt: Fruit, fruit syrups, or pie filling can be added to the yogurt. They are placed on top, on bottom, or stirred into the yogurt.

Yogurt cheese: Line a large strainer or colander with cheesecloth. Place this over a bowl and then pour in the yogurt. Do not use yogurt made with the addition of gelatin. Gelatin will inhibit whey separation. Let it drain overnight covered with plastic wrap. Empty the whey from the bowl. Fill a strong plastic storage bag with some water, seal and place over the cheese to weigh it down. Let the cheese stand another 8 hours after which it is ready to use. The flavor is similar to a sour cream with a texture of a soft cream cheese. A pint of yogurt will yield approximately 1/4 lb. of cheese. The yogurt cheese has a shelf life of approximately 7-14 days when wrapped and placed in the refrigerator and kept at less than 40°F. For uses, recipes, and more information on yogurt cheese see the "Resources"; section below.

Frozen yogurt: Follow directions given with most home ice cream makers.

Trouble-shooting

If your:

Milk forms some clumps or strings during the heating step. Some milk proteins may have jelled. Take the solids out with a slotted spoon or in difficult cases after cooking pour the milk mixture through a clean colander or cheesecloth before inoculation.

Yogurt fails to coagulate (set) properly. Milk proteins will coagulate when the pH has dropped to 4.6. This is done by the culture growing and producing acids.

Adding culture to very hot milk (+115°F) can kill bacteria--Use a thermometer to carefully control temperature.

Too hot or too cold of an incubation temperature can slow down culture growth--Use a thermometer to carefully control temperature.

The starter culture was of poor quality--Use a fresh, recently purchased culture from the grocery store each time you make yogurt.

Yogurt tastes or smells bad.

Starter culture is contaminated--Obtain new culture for the next batch.

Yogurt has over-set or incubated too long--Refrigerate yogurt immediately after a firm coagulum has formed.

Overheating or boiling of the milk causes an off-flavor--Use a thermometer to carefully control temperature.

Whey collects on the surface of the yogurt. This is called syneresis. Some syneresis is natural. Excessive separation of whey, however, can be caused by incubating yogurt too long or by agitating the yogurt while it is setting.

Food safety, spoilage and shelf life

Yogurt provides two significant barriers to pathogen growth: (a) heat and ( acidity (low pH). Both are necessary to ensure a safe product. Acidity alone has been questioned by recent outbreaks of food poisoning by E. coli O157:H7 that is acid-tolerant. E. coli O157:H7 is easily destroyed by pasteurization (heating). Therefore, always pasteurize milk or use commercially pasteurized milk to make yogurt.

Discard batches that fail to set properly, especially those due to culture errors. Yogurt generally has a 10-21 day shelf life when made and stored properly in the refrigerator below 40°F. Molds, yeasts and slow growing bacteria can spoil the yogurt during prolonged storage. Ingredients added to yogurt should be clean and of good quality. Introducing microorganisms from yogurt add-ins can reduce shelf life and result in quicker spoilage--"garbage in, garbage out". Discard any yogurt samples with visible signs of microbial growth or any odors other than the acidity of fresh yogurt.

Always use clean and sanitized equipment and containers to ensure a long shelf life for your yogurt. Clean equipment and containers in hot detergent water, then rinse well. Allow to air dry.

Kitchen Notes

When making this recipe in our test kitchen we used a saucepan instead of a double boiler. Despite constant stirring we still had some minor scorching. We took care not to stir or scrape the scorched area. During the cooking step milk proteins formed strings that we scooped out with a slotted spoon. We inoculated our entire batch of milk with starter and poured the mixture into separate containers. To some containers we added different amounts of honey or sugar stirring to dissolve the sweetener, while others we left plain. Our yogurt reached pH 4.7 in approx. four hours, pH 4.6 in approx. five hours and pH 4.5 in approx. six hours. The yogurt set was firm after six hours and the taste was mild. The yogurt was immediately refrigerated until the next day. On the following day we processed the yogurt into some of the variations listed above under "Yogurt Types".

Resources

The following information is provided as a courtesy to the reader. No endorsements are made or implied for commercial products and none have been tested in our labs or kitchens. For commercial products other makes, models, or alternatives are almost certainly available.

Cultures and Probiotics

Yogurt Bacterial Culture. Scimat 2000. http://distans.livstek.lth.se:2080/yog-cult.htm. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Probiotic Bacteria Associated with Fermented Foods (An Ohio State University Food Science publication). http://www.fst.ohio-state.edu/People/HARPE...Probiotics.html. Accessed 13 Apr 2004.

Commercial Yogurt Sites

About Yogurt. http://www.aboutyogurt.com. The website of the National Yogurt Association. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Dannon http://www.dannon.com. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

For uses, recipes, and more information, Dannon, a commercial yogurt maker, has created a brochure on yogurt cheese http://www.dannon.com/ pdf/yogurtCheese.pdf. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Yoplait (General Mills Co.)http://www.yoplait.com. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Yogurt Makers (Incubators).

Salton Electric Yogurt Maker. approx. $14.99 http://www.esalton.com/store/... Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Yogourmet Electric Multi Yogurt Maker by Lyo-San Co. approx. $60. http://www.lyo-san.ca/english/yogourmet.html. Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker. approx. $44.95 http://www.donvier.com/products/yogurt.html Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

Miracle Yogurt Maker Model JC70. approx. $49.95. http://www.miracleexclusives.com/Yogurt_Makers.html Accessed 26 Mar 2004.

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Reviewed by Joseph Frank, Ph.D., Department of Food Science and Technology University of Georgia and Elizabeth Andress, Ph.D. and Elaine D’Sa, Ph.D. for the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 00-51110-9762.

Document Use:

Permission is granted to reproduce these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of reproduction) provided the authors and the University of Georgia receive acknowledgment and this notice is included:

Reprinted with permission of the University of Georgia. B.A. Nummer. 2002. Fermenting Yogurt at Home. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service.

References to commercials products, services, and information is made with the understanding

I find that the acidiphilous capsules work much better than eating yogurt. I take some capsules each day.

Clear Jel is not the same as regular cornstarch. It has been modified, or changed. Regular cornstarch breaks down and gets watery in canning. Only Clear Jel is to be used in pie fillings. No low acid things, like gravy, are safe to can. It is only pie fillings or jams that can be safely thickened before canning. Oh, and a few special relishes that have a little thickening. Used to be flour was used in some of them, but even now they are being redone to say Clear Jel.

No pumpkin butter or sweet potato pie filling. I don't know where you saw sweet potato pie filling, but it would not have come from any safe food preserving book or site.

No pureed squash of any type. You do it in cubes, then take out, mash, add your seasonings and milk at that time and use it. Probably takes 2 jars for a pie, I don't know for certain. I don't can and eat those foods.

Recommended storage for homecanned foods is a year, but then they are still safe longer than that, but the quality goes down from there.

Grow what you will eat. That is the best advice I can give. I do green beans, lots of tomatoes, pimentoes, jams, pie fillings, meat, chicken, tuna, etc. I sort of rotate things, do 2 years of beans, then do 2 years of tomatoes since we just have a little garden spot. It is just how we do things. We freeze zucchini, corn, asparagus, diced onions, and some things like that.

Go through the Ball Blue Book ( current one, of course) and then NCHFP online and study up. See what foods you think you will eat, then plant accordingly. I also make pickles and relish. I do sugar free things since I am diabetic.

You really would benefit from taking the free online classes here :

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html . It will help you learn the basics and why and why not can certain things. Lots of good recipes on the site, too. They are the leading authority on safe home preserving. The USDA guidelines come from there. Also, you can order their book So Easy to Preserve from there. Same info as online, though.

Zucchini cannot be canned by itself, only with tomatoes in a certain ratio or for pickles or relish . I don't use the zucchini as a cooked food, but for bread. I can my tomatoes plain so I can use them later however I want.

Ok, I have to get back to work.

Sorry, Pandora, but that is true. I would hesitate at dumping those jars. If you open them and they contain botulism, you put yourself at risk of getting it even if you don't eat it. It can be contracted if you have a cut in your skin or food splashes in your eye. Also, if it gets on your counter, in your sink, etc. then they are contaminated, too.

You really should toss the jars and all and not open them. Wrap the jars and all in a black trash bag and take it to the dump.

It is your choice, however, but this is the safe way to dispose of them since they have potential botulism toxin.

If you need a link on how to safely dispose of them here it is for you to read:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5626530_dispose-botulism-jars.html

Another one :

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/pdfpubs/4078.pdf

Kimba,

Unless you find a safe, tested recipe from a reliable source, such as the Ball Blue book or one of the Extension/USDA sites or books, you will not be able to safely can it.

You cannot safely use your own recipes for canning. This is a common misconception among many home canners. Please, do not trust recipes from online sites, recipes from Aunty Sally, or even many canning books. Well meaning people may provide recipes, but they have no food preservation safety training. You should see and hear the unsafe recipes and method I do. It is not a good thing....

The ph level and density will not be the same for starting with a sauce compared to fresh tomatoes. Elizabeth Andress, who wrote the USDA guidelines has answered this question for me and she said to not try to substitute canned tomatoes or sauce when a recipe states fresh tomatoes.

I highly suggest getting a current BAll Blue book or the other Ball book, their Complete Book of Home Preserving and also So Easy to Preserve from the Univ. Of Georgia.

You can also get the info from So Easy to Preserve from the Univ. of Georgia's website.

They are known as the leading authority on safe home food preservation.

If you need more help, either send me a private message or post on another thread.

I will be happy to help you.

Wanted to add, if you want to preserve your own recipes, you will need to freeze them, not can them.

FE iron tablets may help with female hair loss. You do not have to be anemic in order for the iron to work. Just learned this today. Got my iron tablets today. My doctor told me to try them for leg cramps and pain, then I looked at info online today and said it may also help with regrowing hair. I have hair loss, too. So, will see how it goes. Says it must be FE iron.

Carr, you can save yourself some money. Just buy the vinyl mesh window screen and cut it to fit your racks ! We teach people to do this. It is safe to use according to USDA.

It is not stiff like the ones you buy, but it works fine. The ones you order are more like the plastic canvas for needlework. They really don't need to be stiff.

No pureed pumpkin product is safe to can. It needs to be frozen. The USDA has tested numerous recipes and they cannot find one recipe that will stay consistently safe and free from botulism. The pureed pumpkin will not allow the heat to penetrate enough to destroy all bacteria. Not even in a pressure canner.

No pureed foods other than fruits like applesauce, pearsauce, etc. are safe to can.

Oh, thank you !! I already printed it out, as soon as I could copy and print it. Still in the printer.

I have been trying to figure out how to make this kind.

So easy, with Bisquick, too.

I am SO happy to have this recipe.

Hopefully I still have some stone ground cornmeal a gal in GA sent me. It was that sort of coarse type, ground at a local mill near her home.

Abigail, the beans in the stores have calcium chloride added. That is a firming agent that we also use in pickles. It is also in canned potatoes, all sorts of things.

I like kidney beans the best in taco soup. Getting to be that time of year for soups.

Then, of course, beans in burritos. A jar of green tomato salsa, a jar of homecanned beef, and some beans. Good eating !

Ok, Ambergris,

Maybe you are the one to help me ! My husband likes a more tough, chewy cornbread. i don't know how to make it like that. Mine is soft and cake like. So, please, if you can, help me make this sort of cornbread !!

Apples. Only have a few pounds left to peel and dry today.

Making more zucchini candy. Black cherry now.

Jori,

No, don't use the base to dry on. I am afraid you will ruin the dehydrator.

Jori,

You put the oven on the lowest it can go. Open the oven door. Place a fan beside the door to blow out the moisture. Not very energy efficient, but this is how it is done. Hope that helps you.

Ok, I am drying zucchini candy. Yep, zucchini candy. It looks rather bad since I am using grape koolaid, but that is what I had. That or cherry. My husband likes grape things.

I can post the results later and the recipe. I just tasted a bite before it went in. Tastes good !! Simmer peeled zucchini in sugar, water, and dry unsweetened koolaid powder.

So, for 20 cents of koolaid and the sugar, it is cheap. Dry for about 14 hours, it says, then dip in sugar if you want more like gumdrops. Turn and dry a few more hours.

You can use fruit juice, too, if you want. Pineapple juice is one idea.

Crazy,

You have safe egg storage info in your handbook or online.

You should wash them off, and dry. I think it is with a clean, damp cloth, not under running water. Get in the fridge within 4 hours of them being laid, if possible. Technically, you could eat them if not in the fridge, for up to about a week to 10 days, but again, the longer out, the more bacteria will grow.

This doesn't include those of us with health issues.

Since your dh is diabetic, you should be extremely careful, as you know,and not take risks with his food .

From Food Savvy:

While there is some romance to the idea of a wire basket of fresh eggs on the counter, this should not be done. Eggs spoil much faster at room temperature. Also, don't buy eggs that have been left out for display, for instance at the local farmer's market, as you don't know how long they have been at room temperature or maybe even warmer.

This booklet will help you. We sell this one, but you can see it online for free.

http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Resources/PDFs/PNW0397.pdf

I have no way of telling if the deli meat would have enough salt to preserve it. My instinct is to say no. It would be like leaving it out at room temp. for more than 2 hours.

Freeze it instead or make French dip sandwiches.

ncnewbie,

What you need is to first check your stove manf. to see if cannig will work on it at all. Some will cycle on and off and make it impossible to maintain heat to can on it.

Then, if you are able to use it, most likely you will have to get a Presto canner. They are the only ones that state on the box they are safe for glass top stoves.

For a BWB canner you can also use the Presto and just don't fasten down the lid, just sit it on top. That or use a stainless stock pot that is tall enough for water to cover over the tops of the jars by 1-2 inches and have room to boil. You will need to find a rack to fit in the bottom or use a folded towel.

The blue speckled enamal BWB canner with the ridged bottom are ONLY for gas stoves. Not electric of any kind. They don't make contact with the elements properly.

I think stevia is GROSS ! I tried the plant, I have tried different brands of store stuff. Yucky, yucky, yucky is all I can say.

You should not put the lids on the cakes to seal. That is how botulism grows fast, in the absence of air. They only are safe to keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Freeze for longer storage than that.

I am still not recommending baking in the glass jars, but if you do, these would be the safest ways to do so.

For meats or any other foods, you must reprocess within the first 24 hours of the initial canning. Otherwise not all bacteria may be killed since the bacteria count would be so high.

I remember the tubes. They were different shaped ones ! Hearts, stars, etc. I had forgotten about them.

Oh, I get lots of Pm's with questions. That is fine to do. Happy to help out. I want everyone to be able to learn and learn safely.

This is really great you are doing all of this ! I am very proud of you !!!

Hugs,

Violet