.Step-by-Step Guide - LOW-ACID FOODS
Source of Recipe
homecanning.com
Vegetables, meats, poultry and seafoods are such a natural part of family meal planning that canning these low-acid foods ensures an economical and well-balanced diet throughout the year. Low-acid foods are easy to preserve, yet require special handling to eliminate the risk of spoilage due to botulism. In order to prevent this type of spoilage, low-acid foods MUST be heat processed using a steam-pressure canner.
The spoilage organism, Clostridium botulinum can be present in any food. It is itself destroyed at boiling temperatures, but it has the ability to form toxin-producing spores that can survive the boiling treatment. These spores thrive in a moist, low-acid environment without the presence of air – the exact conditions found in a sealed jar of low-acid food.
The growth of Clostridium botulinum spores is prevented when filled jars of low-acid foods are “processed” at a temperature of 240°F for the established time. The only way for a home canner to achieve a 240°F temperature is in a steam-pressure canner. (Boiling water canners heat only to 212°F, the temperature of boiling water.) Because Clostridium botulinum spores do not grow in the presence of acid, high-acid foods can be safely processed in a boiling-water canner.
Low-acid foods include vegetables, soups, stews and ragouts, meats, poultry and seafoods. Recipes that combine high-acid foods, such as tomatoes, with low-acid foods, such as vegetables or meats, are considered low-acid foods.
For additional information regarding processing, selection of produce and preparation of jars and two-piece vacuum caps, refer to Canning Basics.
Step-by-Step Guide - LOW-ACID FOODS
1. Before you begin, review the recipe and assemble the equipment and ingredients. Follow guidelines for recipe preparation, jar size, canning method and processing time.
2. Visually inspect home canning jars for nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges that may prevent sealing or cause breakage. Check bands for proper fit. Examine lids to ensure they are not scratched and the sealing compound is even and complete. Wash jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water; rinse.
3. Inspect the steam-pressure canner. Check lid and gasket to be sure an airtight seal can be achieved. Clean vent pipe. If you are using a dial gauge canner, the gauge must be tested for accuracy each year prior to its use.
Fill canner with 2 to 3 inches of water. Place over high heat; bring to a simmer. Keep water at a simmer until jars are filled and placed in the canner.
4. Place Ball brand or Kerr brand home canning jars in a large stockpot or boiling-water canner. Cover jars with water and place over high heat. Bring water to a simmer; reduce heat and keep jars hot until ready to use. A dishwasher may be used to preheat jars.
5. Prepare food as recipe directs.
6. Place Ball brand or Kerr brand lids in a small saucepan. Cover lids with water. Bring water to a simmer; keep lids hot until ready to use. DO NOT boil lids.
7. Fill hot jars one at a time with prepared food. Do not use an assembly line method for filling jars. Allow proper headspace. Overfilling or underfilling can result in seal failure.
Headspace is determined by food type. For all low-acid foods, allow 1-inch headspace.
8. Remove air bubbles by sliding a nonmetallic spatula such as a Ball® Bubble FREER™ or rubber spatula between jar and food; press gently on the food to release trapped air. Repeat around circumference of jar. After removing air bubbles, readjust headspace if required.
9. Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue. Center lid on jar with sealing compound next to rim.
10. Apply band, screwing down evenly and firmly – just until fingertip tight. “Fingertip tight” is as snug as the band can be applied with your fingertips. This allows the lid to vent air during processing. The lid must exhaust air in order to form a vacuum seal.
11. Place jar on rack in canner. Repeat steps 7 – 10 for each jar. When all jars are filled or canner is full, check that water level in canner is about 2 to 3 inches or that recommended in manufacturer’s manual.
12. Lock canner lid in place, leaving vent open. Adjust heat to medium-high. Allow steam to escape through vent pipe steadily for about 10 minutes in order to vent canner. Close the vent, using the weight or method described for your canner. Gradually adjust heat to achieve and maintain recommended pounds of pressure. Regulate heat only with gradual changes.
At altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level, process at 10 pounds of pressure in a weighted gauge canner or 11 pounds of pressure in a dial gauge canner for the specified time for the food type and jar size used. At altitudes higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, increase the pounds of pressure to that recommended for your elevation. See altitude chart in Canning Basics.
13. When processing time is complete, remove canner from heat. Let canner stand undisturbed until pressure drops naturally to zero.
When dial gauge registers zero or when no steam escapes from weighted gauge when it is nudged, wait 2 minutes before removing cover, being sure to tilt it away from yourself.
14. Lift jars from canner without tilting and place them upright on a towel to cool in a draft-free place. DO NOT retighten bands or test for a seal while the jars are hot.
Cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
15. After jars have cooled, check lids for a seal by pressing on the center of the lid. If the lid is pulled down and does not flex up or down when pressed, remove the band and slightly lift the jar by the lid. Lids that do not flex and cannot easily be removed with your fingertips have a good seal. Refrigerate or reprocess any unsealed jars.
16. Remove bands; wash, dry and store separately. Wipe jars and lids with a clean, damp cloth; dry. Label and store jars in a cool, dry, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
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