How then, do we move backwards? How does a society, with most of the people having no clue of future events, move from being dependent on a vast and intertwined network of goods and services produced by the indigenous people of whereever, to a local resource and renewable energy based society, and do so in the timeframe available (20-30 years using the most liberal extimates, 10-20 with resonable estimates, 5-10 with worst case scenarios), all the while prices on everything increasing, world politics getting more militaristic, governments continuously reducing civil liberties, shortages of goods on the market and weather patterns resembling bad Hollywood movies?
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:15 am Post subject: Re: canning food
I canned some butter using direction online, was not heat processed once in the jar. When opened a year later, the stuff was just fine. I did experience a short shelf life once opened. A black mildew appeared within a few days after opening, I tossed it, opened another, same thing. Tried refrigerating the stuff, still got the mildew in the fridge.
I intend to try it again, this time with smaller jars and heat processing. _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:21 am Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
I have been checking out sites regarding tomatos and canning, especially with this salmonella scare. The water bath canner done properly will kill the salmonella, but I came across an article where 14 people were hospitalized in Russia, one died, after eating home canned tomatoes that were contaminated with botulism. The article recommended to not eat any tomatoes that are in jars that did not seal properly and to boil the canned tomatoes for 10 minutes before consuming.
Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to each quart and you should be fine.
Joined: Sep 16, 2007 Posts: 1076 Location: Oklahoma City, USA
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:10 am Post subject: Re: canning food
I recently heard a talk on canning where the speaker said if the pH is greater than 4.3 then you need to pressure can because of possible botulism (except for things with high salt or sugar like jams and pickles, they're fine), otherwise you can use water bath. If you're thinking of doing a lot of canning, a food pH monitor might come in handy. _________________ What, so I'm in no end game
Move my piece right off the board
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:50 am Post subject: Re: canning food
I make some really great BBQ Baked Beans which have hamburger in them. I wanted to get a real cannery to can them for me so I could sell them. The big snag that stopped me was the USDA rules for canned products that contain meat. They are very extensive and specific so that I could not find a small operation who could do it for me, only a large one where they wanted to do like 100,000+ cans as a minimum.
One thing I did learn from reading several canning guides was that I needed to pressure can them for 1 hour and 10 minutes to make sure they were safe. That was on the stove, perhaps you go go for less time in some commercial system where you use more pressure/temperature. I did a few batches on my stove to make sure my reciepe was right but was never able to go commercial.
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 282 Location: Tennessee
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:07 am Post subject: Re: canning food
Thanks for all the input! So far I have had good luck with canned butter that has been canned for awhile then opened up. I will definitely keep a close eye on each jar that is opened. What I did run into was some applebutter that I bought off the amish last week that when I opened the jar it was moldy-in the trash it went. I going to a pick your own farm this summer/fall and get a bunch of apples and make our own applebutter. Back to the butter, the only drawback I ran into was using it to make fudge-boy is that stuff greasy!!!! My family liked the VERY rich chocolate fudge, but I'm not a fan of seeing grease layers on top of my fudge. Definitely wasn't anything that I wanted to share in the office. If anyone has experience cooking with greasy amish cow butter-let me know. I did break down and buy a pressure canner. My plans were to freeze our green beans, but I'm so concerned if we get knocked off the electric grid we are going to have a mess on our hands. Its bad enough we have 1/2 beef in there now. Most of our fruits get canned in a sugar pack or made into jam. However, I do freeze some strawberries in quart packs with sugar so I can pull them out for strawberry short cake. Speaking of canning-another question for you all-I have read that you shouldn't can butternut squash unless its cubed. It looks like I am going to have a bumper crop this year. How long have you all been able to store the squash and any suggestions for best storage. Thanks for your input!
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:22 am Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
So far I have had good luck with canned butter that has been canned for awhile then opened up. I will definitely keep a close eye on each jar that is opened.
Quote:
It very difficult to tell if food contains botulism poison because you
Can't see it
Can't smell it
Can't taste it
"Currently, the only way to know for sure whether a food contains the botulism poison is through tests that can be performed at the laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. But, it takes several weeks to get the results of those tests."
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 282 Location: Tennessee
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:47 am Post subject: Re: canning food
Speaking of botulism, I took care of a 2 month old baby that the parents (on advice from friends) gave their baby karyo syrup for constipation and developed botulism and ended up on a ventilator-but eventually recovered. Botulism can show up in places that you least expect it. Some canning sites recommend boiling canned tomatoes for 10 minutes before eating them due to the botulism issue. You could probably do this with any canned foods before consuming.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:40 am Post subject: Re: canning food
If botulism is in the can or jar, there is little you can do. Pressure canning and hot water baths at packing is the only way to prevent growth. If a seal leaks and the bacteria get in, boiling it again may not be the answer. You may be able to kill off the bacteria, but its the toxins they leave behind that cause illness. 240 degrees will kill the bacteria in an hour and a half for low acid foods, thats 12 pounds of pressure at sea level. _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Joined: Sep 03, 2007 Posts: 594 Location: Sunny Virginia, USA
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
I going to a pick your own farm this summer/fall and get a bunch of apples and make our own applebutter. Back to the butter, the only drawback I ran into was using it to make fudge-boy is that stuff greasy!!!! My family liked the VERY rich chocolate fudge, but I'm not a fan of seeing grease layers on top of my fudge. Definitely wasn't anything that I wanted to share in the office. If anyone has experience cooking with greasy amish cow butter-let me know.
While I've not used butter like you describe I've done some research for chocolate treats. According to a food expert I talked to, chocolate items are notorious for pushing out fats and oils if they get too warm.
Have you tried a recipe where the chocolate fudge is a lower layer similar to these bing bars? Perhaps a layer of graham cracker crust below and marshmellow/graham layer above to make a s'mores type treat? _________________ When somebody makes a statement you don't understand, don't tell him he's crazy. Ask him what he means. -- Otto Harkaman, Space Viking
Joined: May 20, 2008 Posts: 282 Location: Tennessee
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: canning food
That recipe looks goooodddd! One of the biggest chocolate fans was reading over my shoulder-looks like I'm going to be trying out that recipe. Normally, when I make fudge I use the "no fail fudge" recipe and with regular store bought butter I haven't had any problems. The amish cow butter produced a more greasy fudge. Thanks-I'm always looking for good recipes-especially if they're not too complicated!
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
You could probably do this with any canned foods before consuming.
The safe canning recommendations say that all low-acid food should be boiled for 10 minutes before eating. Tomatoes are on the hairy edge of the low-high acid level. Heirloom tomatoes would lean toward the high-acid and be safer. But the acidity has been reduced in the newer tomatoes because consumers didn't like the bite. If you are canning tomatoes, the safe recommendation is to add lemon juice to increase the acidity. And boiling the 10 minutes is also recommended.
mystiek wrote:
has information on botulism and tomatoes
So with all this information about botulism, why would you risk "canning" butter (or cheese) which doesn't get processed, and could easily contain botulism which can't be tasted, can't be smelled, or can't be seen?
Call me dense. I'm not getting this. mystiek, I'm not trying to pick on you but let's provide safe canning techniques for a newbie. Ok? Obviously, anyone can preserve foods in any way THEY feel comfortable but know the facts. And I know that our forefathers (or mothers) canned stuff in ways that aren't deemed safe now but it doesn't mean that people didn't die from botulism poisoning. They did.
Wren, for goodness sakes, follow the guidelines in the Ball books and you will be just fine!!
Joined: Sep 16, 2007 Posts: 1076 Location: Oklahoma City, USA
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
Speaking of botulism, I took care of a 2 month old baby that the parents (on advice from friends) gave their baby karyo syrup for constipation and developed botulism and ended up on a ventilator-but eventually recovered. Botulism can show up in places that you least expect it. Some canning sites recommend boiling canned tomatoes for 10 minutes before eating them due to the botulism issue. You could probably do this with any canned foods before consuming.
Honey is another bad one for kids under 2. Their systems can't handle the botulism spores like we can. _________________ What, so I'm in no end game
Move my piece right off the board
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject: Re: canning food
mystiek wrote:
That recipe looks goooodddd! One of the biggest chocolate fans was reading over my shoulder-looks like I'm going to be trying out that recipe. Normally, when I make fudge I use the "no fail fudge" recipe and with regular store bought butter I haven't had any problems. The amish cow butter produced a more greasy fudge. Thanks-I'm always looking for good recipes-especially if they're not too complicated!
What do you see as the difference perhaps of the store butter and the Amish cow butter?
The only thing one can do when making butter is not to wash it well and therefore some buttermilk is left mixed in the butter. But that would make it LESS greasy.
As a small child I was often put to the task of making butter by shaking a pint jar three fourths full of cream, while watching TV.
All times are GMT - 6 Hours Goto page Previous1, 2
Page 2 of 2
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
News
Discussions
Resources
Members
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
