DIVE IN, HAVE FUN!

While the basic principals of canning and food safety have not changed in over a century, technology and new products have made it easier and safer than our mothers and grandmother’s ever imagined. Many foods that were once considered taboo to seal in a jar can be done safely using the correct process. And the recipes . . . !!!!!!!!

Ten years ago your Market Manager was overhauling our pantry to accommodate a heart patient. Learning from Viki (of Richter Farms!) and her niece that you could put dry beans in a jar and pressure can them successfully was a major breakthrough. Over time that knowledge changed our pantry and our lives. In the years since I expanded on that and developed recipes to fill a jar with dry beans, meat, vegetables, seasonings and broth for things like White Chicken Chili and Spicy Split Pea Soup. It means so much that my husband can open a jar and have a good healthy soup without anything added that could harm him. Just the fact that its coming out of a glass jar makes it better than coming out of a metal can with chemicals in the liner.

The rest of this section is devoted to education and resources. For experienced canners some of it may be redundant, but we hope everyone will find something fun and inspiring as you pursue your own healthy choices and lifestyle.

A pressure canner is one of those investments that will serve for generations if properly taken care of. Many brands use gaskets that can become leaky and/or brittle over time. Sometimes pressure gauges quit. Thankfully the Wiregrass has a great resource in Bridgett Brannon, an ACES extension agent in Andalusia, who can check out your canner and tell you if it’s A-OK or needs some work. Bridgett’s number is 334-714-1248. If you can’t get to Bridget pickyourown.org has some great troubleshooting tips and links, and thankfully Amazon carries many replacement parts for those rare time they may be needed.

If you need a good primer to help decide what’s best for you, this article from Simply Canning should help remove some of the mystery about different types of canners. For what it’s worth your Market Manager uses one very old All American 910 fitted with new parts and a newer All American 915. Others within our Market family cherish their Presto’s and Mirro’s. Regardless of what you use, TAKE CARE OF IT, and if you take the bold step to can outside on a turkey fryer type burner, put a steel plate under it to diffuse the heat so it don’t warp.

If you opt for a second hand canner you should get a second (experienced) opinion on it before investing. Sometimes they can be more expensive than a new one.

And if you’re in the market and the budget can handle it, Carey, Nesco and Ball all make electric canners that you can program and walk away from. They look and work similar to the Instant Pot but are larger and more sophisticated.

Lastly, social media has made it possible to connect with experienced canners who can answer questions, advise and even point old hats like moi in the right direction. The Rebel Canners facebook group is where I learned to use diffusers on my outdoor canning station to prevent warping. While this group is not “strictly by the book” like some, you can learn things like whether dishwasher, microwave, oven or boiling water sterilization is best for the preservation project you want to do next.

Oh the possibilities!!

THANK YOU Debbie M. for telling us that ACES will inspect canners – this is such valuable information!

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!