Food preservation | Imamother

Happy Mom

Wed, Apr 08 2009, 1:23 am

None of it's hard, but like any new skill, there's a learning curve. There is an initial cost to getting started, but how much you spend depends on where and how you shop (like everything else!). What the costs are depend on what kind of food preservation you're looking into. I've written the details of what you need to get started canning on my blog, along with how I cut down my initial expenses (under food preservation category). Dehydration only requires a dehydrator, and I've also written about what I bought, where I got a good deal on it, and why I bought that particular one.

It's a fun and productive hobby, and if you do it right, you can save a lot of money, too! Within a few months of buying all my canning supplies, we had already recouped our expenses.

(I'm really interested to see how many people respond to this, because virtually no one in the frum community that I've mentioned it to has even heard of canning, let alone done it!)

Wed, Apr 08 2009, 8:29 am

I enjoy it, and I hope you will too! "Putting food by" by canning, freezing and drying is not hard to do but must be done correctly to avoid serious food-borne illness. The Ball Blue Book is a good canning reference, with explanations and recipes. I believe there is a newer Ball book out recently as well. The USDA and Cooperative Extensions also have a lot of good information; I don't know what the Israeli equivalent might be. Home-canning may make you feel nostalgic, but while you should free to plant heirloom tomatoes, it isn't a good idea to use heirloom recipes; modern equivalents will make sure there is a safe acid level (not too low), and direct you to use the correct canning method.

Acidic foods, including fruits, are processed in a hot-water canner - essentially a great big pot, and not expensive. Low-acid foods, including most vegetables, require a pressure-canner, which is a greater expense. If you use a large pressure cooker for household cooking, that may be fine. (I don't do either pressure cooking or canning, so I can't be too specific about models). The jars are sturdy, reusable, and can be used for about anything! The only recurring expense in canning is the lids, which are not reusable.

I find freezing easier, but I do use a foodsaver which was a substantial initial expense. I also have done some drying using my warming drawer.

Canning isn't hard - after all, everyone did it until commercially preserved foods became widely available. Let us know if you want to give it a try!

creativemommyto3

Wed, Apr 08 2009, 9:48 am

Thanks so much for all the information.. I love to freeze also.. now that Pesach made me clear it out.. I want to make good use of it. I actually have two.

After reading happy mom's blog I went and looked on ebay for a pressure canner and they seem to list it as pressure cooker/canner.. are those one and the same thing.. I see pressure cookers here in israel all the time. I have to do some research about the jars.. I am a bit nervous about buying them online b/c I am afraid they will break in shipping. I have this one big glass jar that I know ppl use for pickling pickles. That will be my first experiment as cucumbers are really cheap now in Israel.

I am doing this to be frugal and b/c it is reminiscent of times like in the "Little house on the prairie".. and my Bubby A"H used to can peaches when she was a young married lady.

Happy Mom

Mon, Apr 13 2009, 12:27 am

A pressure canner can be used as a pressure cooker, but a pressure cooker can't be used as a canner. Confusing, isn't it? Smile

So if it's listed as a pressure cooker/canner it's fine.

The pressure canner I bought was only $80 from Amazon, and shipping was included for that price. Obviously since you're in Israel it would be more, but the Presto 23 quart canner is what I got and was very worth it. You don't need an expensive canner to do the job. I don't think I would have been comfortable getting a used pressure canner before having done any canning, because I wouldn't have known safety-wise what to look for. Also, be aware that you'll have to kasher something used (didn't know if you were looking for new or used models on Ebay) even if it was never used for cooking, since liquids often leak out of the jars when being canned. A pressure canner can double as a water bath canner, so once you get that you don't need anything else. I'm guessing that your start up costs would be pretty high, if you have to have glass jars sent overseas to you, unless you have local sources of canning supplies. Imo, the fastest payback in canning is to can expensive items like chicken and meat or specialty items.

A freezer is great, but has it's limitations - like if your power goes out, you're stuck. And if you prepare food for a busy night, you still have to take the time to defrost it - usually at least an hour of reheating time is necessary. With canned food, you just empty the jar, and quickly heat it up for an instant meal. I like having a freezer, dehydrator, and canner because it gives me several options that work together well and provide a lot of flexibility.

Don't assume you'll save a lot of money right away by canning - it will depend very much on your initial costs and the price you buy food at, etc. It generally takes a while for the costs to be amortized. But I love it and am so glad I took the time to learn.

babula

Sun, May 10 2009, 5:23 pm

hi ...I thought I was the only one who canned. I make pickles, jams and grape juice every summer and autumn. I pick wild choke cherrys and make jam and buy peppers, tomatoes, plums and peaches at the farmers market. I tried pressure canning once so far without success but as you said its a learning experience and sometimes trial and error.

Its very satisfying to "put food by"