Canning clarification

[Fritz_Monroe]

I've looked at a bunch of the posts here and I'm looking for a little clarification on what I can can. I read about people doubling what they cook so they can can the left overs and have basically heat and eat meals.

 

Can I can just about any of the soups and stews that we make? I mean as long as it doesn't include milk and doesn't have a lot of oils. The milk part is easy, but how do I determine if there is too much oil in it to can? If I made a chili with meat, is there a way to remove the excess fats so I'd be able to can it?

[Shari]

I cook one night, refrigerate the stuff. The fats harden and I pick it off and am ready to serve and/or can the next night. Leave noodles out when you can. They can be added at the time you heat to serve.

[WormGuy]

When I make chili I drain the meat in a colander and I stir the chili while putting it in jars so that any remaning fat is fairly well even in the jars.

 

If I make soup, I skim the fat off off before adding the vegetables. So far this works for me.

 

You can rinse the meat with water, reheat it and rinse a second time, or chill it in the fridge, covering it with water so the fat rises to the top and then skim the fat off.

 

Let us know what you canned and how it turns out.

 

 

 

John

[Fritz_Monroe]

I'm still doing my homework. I have to convince the wife first. And we've been trying to do some vegetarian meals. Big reason for this is to eat what we are trying to store, but they also tend to be healthier. My wife's cholesterol is slightly elevated, so we want to bring it down.

 

I saw that I shouldn't can noodles, rice, etc. Is this just because the noodles turn to mush? Or does it have something to do with the egg in them?

 

And is there a way to can dry stuff like flour?

[Darlene]

Starches and thickeners like flour, cornstarch, noodles, can NOT be canned either...

 

The reason for that is that the flours interfere with the heat and pressure properly penetrating through the jars.

 

I am a woman of experience with canning. Yes, I have canned with noodles and such and it was disgusting. What I do nowadays, is I can my soups, say like chicken soup, when I go to open it, I throw in a handful of dry noodles into the pot, pour over the soup, and simmer until the noodles are cooked. It's actually awesome that way because the noodles soak up the flavor of the broth, and I'd never do it any different now.

[Fritz_Monroe]

Darlene, do you mean that the thickeners themselves can't be canned? Or do you also mean things that make use of thickeners? If I make up a stew and thicken it up a bit with some flour, can I still can it?

 

So if you make up some chicken noodle soup, do you just make up the soup and take a bunch out of the pot to can and then put in the noodles to finish off?

 

[Darlene]

FM, if you make up a pot of stew and thicken it with flour, no, I would not suggest you can it. The flour you used to thicken the stew would interfere with the proper processing and heat filtration during the canning process.

 

When I make a batch of chicken soup, I can it all. If I only canned part of it, then I'd still cook the noodles in the broth of the remaining soup. You hafta try it, it just tastes so much different, but better...at least to me.

[HSmom]

My guide to canning: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html If it's there, it can be canned. If my ingredients only include those items (plus herbs/spices: salt, oregano, etc - but not sage), then I can it up. You won't find anything there that includes grains (wheat, rice, etc), so don't can those. Pretty much it's meat, vegetables and fruits that can be canned.

[Snowmom]

 

When we were doing so much canning in 1999, I canned chili and a few other meal type things. I canned sausage, bacon, as well as just the beef, chicken, and turky, as well as pork sirloin, and ribs without bones. But, no noodles, or rice.

 

Do enjoy doing your .

 

 

 

[dogmom4]

Snowmom, what does canned bacon taste like? What do you use it for?

[Fritz_Monroe]

Darlene, how about if bean flour was used as a thickener? I promise I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just trying to get a handle on what we would be able to can.

[Violet]

Beanflour would still thicken the food, so it cannot safely be used. Neither can dried instant potatoes, etc.

I don't know of any USDA approved method for canning bacon. If you can it, do so at your own risk.. it isn't something I would ever recommend.

There are methods for sausage, but the method that says to add fat to the jars is not safe, just packed in broth, tomato juice, or water. The directions will state to drain off all excess fat.

If meatballs are canned, then no oatmeal, breadcrumbs, etc. are safe to add.

The main things that are fine to can and open would be properly canned soups, stew, and chili, then plain meats, poultry, and fish. Spaghetti sauce may also be canned for a quick meal.

I would recommend using the Ball Blue Book or the USDA recipes on this site. http://128.192.83.157/faq/FAQ_home.php

There are a lot of books published and information online that are not safe to follow.

Fritz, I was also going to add that flour and other grains lower the acidity of the foods, too, not just thicken. That lower acidity makes them unsafe to can, as well. Fat and butter can allow botulism to survive, even during pressure canning. One reason the bacon would be considered unsafe to can, due to all the fat.

[Darlene]

Fritz, I know you're not trying to be difficult. I'm like you at times, asking very detailed questions about things, wanting to make sure every thought is expressed so that I 'get' the whole picture accurately. So don't ever worry about asking questions...it makes me feel more comfortable when you do, cause then I know over time, you're understanding better the things I, and we, are trying to share.

 

And yes, I forgot about the acidity levels dropping...that's obviously an important reason too. So many of these things can be canned, and then thickened, or 'finalized' when it is heated back up. That's what I learned how to do...can safely, and then finish it off to the final product when I go to eat it.

[Fritz_Monroe]

Thanks again.

 

I was thinking that it had to do with the flour. But it's the actual thickener that causes the problem. I think I get it. Once I get started canning, I'm sure I'll have a bunch more questions.

[CrabGrassAcres]

Anything used as a thickener in home canned stuff tends to separate anyhow. Rice and pasta get mushy. If you use potatoes use the waxy kind, not the baking/flaky kind.

 

If you are making a huge pot, just ladle out the stuff you want to can into the sterile jars before you thicken it or add noodles. It doesn't hurt to fill your jars before the veggies/meat/beans are fully cooked as the canning process will finish the job. I usually get everything ready and fill the jars before I cook the stew/chili/whatever and it isn't as likely to be overcooked.