Posted on: November 25, 2009

Yes You Can Yes You Can

With the rise in super-couponing, local foods, farmer’s markets and buying in-season and in bulk, canning is coming back – here’s how to get started:

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

Productive therapy is how Amy Grisak refers to home canning.

“There’s nothing more pleasant when it’s 20 degrees than to have the kitchen warm and you’re making jam,” says Grisak, a garden writer and food lover who lives in Great Falls, Mont.

Although Grisak has been putting food by since she was a preteen, many adults are returning to this craft after some years or trying it for the first time.

However, the motivation is different from the past when many fruits, vegetables and condiments weren’t available year round unless you preserved them, says Brenda Schmidt, brand manager at Jarden Home Brands, marketer of Ball fresh preserving products.

Consumers are embracing food preserving as local, green, healthy and adventurous, according to Schmidt, who uses the phrase “fresh-preserving” instead of canning.

It might not be a benefit that comes to mind, but canning also allows you to have convenient ingredients for meals.

“We’re seeing a lot of consumers who are interested in a local, sustainable lifestyle, eating local produce. Fresh preserving allows them to follow this lifestyle,” says Schmidt, of Daleville, Ind.

Parents like Grisak, who are concerned about what they’re feeding their families, also are fresh-preserving food.

Grisak cites the box of apples sitting in her garage, waiting to be turned into jars of applesauce for her two young children.

“I want to know what’s in the applesauce. When I make it I have control over what my household is eating,” says Grisak, who also makes no-salt tomato sauce to promote her family’s well-being.

Despite the image of food bubbling away on a stovetop, adding to the electric or gas bill, the eventual energy savings are worth it, according to Grisak (visit her at www.amygrisak.com).

“The initial outlay is the hot-water bath or the pressure canner (see sidebar). But then you don’t have the expense of a freezer,” she says.

Having the ingredients for dinner lined up in an attractive display on the shelf and not in a freezer, is especially appealing to Grisak’s family because they experience frequent power outages.

“That’s a big reason for canning today. You have the chance of a severe winter storm knocking out power and you lose everything,” she says.

Having dinner ready with the flip of the wrist is a selling point as well.

If you forget to thaw food from the freezer, the meal will be late to the table. If you have a jar of homemade spaghetti sauce in the cupboard, you’re good to go.

With all the advantages described, you may be tempted to try home canning.

Think about whether you’ll want to do it for several years before you spend your money, says Rita Ussatis, an extension agent with North Dakota State University, Fargo.

You’ll be investing in jars and lids specifically designed for safe food preservation, along with large cookware for either water-bath or pressure canning, according to Ussatis.

You’re less likely to lose your enthusiasm if you start with easier projects your family enjoys.

Tomatoes, pickles, jams and jellies are the top choices for fresh preserving among Ball consumers, according to Schmidt.

Learn the basic fresh preserving terms (below) then check reliable resources for information on safe canning in your part of the country.

© CTW Features

[Sidebar]

Can-ipedia: A Look Inside the Jar

Canning (or fresh-preserving) jars: Jars and lids that create a seal during processing to prevent oxygen from seeping into the food. Ball and Kerr brands are the two you’re most likely to find in supermarkets, hardware and mass-merchandise stores.

High-acid: Foods, such as pickles contain enough acid (a pH of 4.6 or lower) to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which could cause serious illness. You may use water-bath methods to fresh-preserve high-acid foods.

Experts used to put tomatoes in the high-acid column but are finding that new sweet varieties may not qualify. Check with your local cooperative extension service for recommendations.

Low-acid: Foods that don’t naturally contain enough acid to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria. Vegetables as well as, meat, poultry, dairy and many mixed foods are low-acid. Again, check with your cooperative extension service for advice.

Pressure canners: Large kettles deep enough to hold quart-size jars. The kettles, which are designed to process food under pressure, often feature turn-on lids with gaskets and dial gauges for indicating pressure. Pressure canners should include removable racks, an automatic vent, a vent port (for steam) and a safety fuse. Buy a new model, not a relic from a garage sale.

You’ll find a good step-by-step description of pressure canning at:

www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/using_press_canners.html

Water-bath or boiling-water canner: Large pots with fitted lids and removable racks so you can easily insert and lift out jars. The canner has to be deep enough that the jars are covered with an inch of boiling water during processing.

You’ll find a good step-by-step description of boiling-water canning at: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html

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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"

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