Need instructing: Re canning recipes & Annie's Salsa

[Shandy]

I've been canning for years and years, but I've only done the straightforward stuff. I've rarely combined anything, and have never canned meats (prefer fresh).

 

But you all here have encouraged me to give it a try this year. Plus, my canning sister didn't do a garden this year, so I'm on my own with salsa.

 

So I did up a batch of Annie's Salsa. I really blew it somewhere!

 

I tripled the batch (we are a big family...we can't do scant pints). I forgot that I only tripled it, and put in 4 cans of tomato sauce instead of 3.

 

But I did something else wrong, because I ended up with 28 pints instead of 18.

 

I did use mostly Romas. Not much juice in there to drain out.

 

I went over the recipe a number of times, but I put in the measurements for tripling it, except that one can of tomato sauce.

 

And I pressure canned all of it. Did the 1 cup vinegar.

 

It's very tasty.

 

But here's my problem: I don't understand the dangers involved in mixing ingredients.

 

I know the rule about using the time for the ingredient that has the longest processing time.

 

But other than that, and the acidity issue which can be resolved by pressure canning if I'm not sure, what dangers are there?

 

Did my mistake(s) cause issue with the salsa? It was tasty enough. But am I going to have problems?

 

 

[Violet]

Shurleen,

I have no idea why you got so much more. If you added the full amount of the vinegar and pressure canned, I would think it fine.

 

That old rule about processing for the longest time doesn't hold true any longer. Reason is, that people still want to make up their own recipes and can them. Well, it also changes the density of the foods. Density is just as important as ph when canning. When new recipes and methods are tested at universities, they use special equipment to also check the density of foods. Unless the heat can penetrate the food exactly as the original recipe, the food can still be underprocessed, even though the ph is still the same. So, that is not a foolproof method of determining times.

 

I am not totally sure what you mean by not "understand the dangers involved in mixing ingredients."

If you will clarify that more so I totally understand what you mean I will do my best to help you out.

 

 

 

 

[Shandy]

I think you answered my question with the density information.

 

And I am a little concerned about the Annie's recipe, because it did turn out much denser than I would have thought it should.

 

Hmmm. When I finished canning, most of the jars had a layer of water/fluid on the bottom...about an inch's worth.

 

This morning the fluid was all absorbed and the salsa is quite thick. Tastes wonderful!

 

So I'm wondering...what if I accidentally put in another 8 cups of tomatoes but only put in 3 cups of vinegar, and then pressure processed? Do you think it would be ok given that scenario? That's the worst I think I could have done with this particular recipe.

 

Generally speaking, then, it's more a density issue than it is pressure cooking for the ingredient that needs the longest time?

 

If I have a recipe that I want to can, say Teriyaki Sauce, what would I need to know about combination canning to be able to do this?

[Violet]

Shurleen,

You tripled the recipe, correct ? However, you used the vinegar for the water bath method, but pressure canned ? If so, then it will be fine.

Sometimes tomatoes do separate. It happens especially with raw packed tomatoes or tomato juice. It is due to the pectins breaking down in the cell walls.

One of the number one rules of homecanning is never can your own recipes.

There is no way to test the acidity and density at home. Especially the density. In the labs they use thermocouplers, inserted into jars, then canned and tested. Even if a person tests the ph level at home, then cans a food, the ph can change once it is canned.

We feel this is risky. Even those of us I know at the extension office don't make up and can our own recipes.

I know with the pumpkin butter and other pumpkin things the scientists have not even been able to come up with a method that is foolproof. Shows me the complexity of the science behind it all.

There are recipes for sauces in some of the newer canning books. I would suggest using them. There are a couple books I know of that are safe to follow with sauce recipes.

Otherwise, freeze your foods.