Master Food Preservers

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

General Information

Why Preserve Food? ▪ Eat nutritious, healthy food year round – buy in season ▪ As gardeners you can control how it is grown ▪ You control use of any preservatives ▪ Get to ‘shop’ in your own pantry ▪ Do need special supplies ▪ May or may not save money ▪ Does take extra time and effort – ‘slow food’ movement

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Preservation choices

➢ Boiling water method - high acid foods

➢ Pressure canning method – low acid vegetables, meat, fish

➢ Freezing – majority of foods

➢ Drying – special storage

➢ Jam / Jelly / etc – fresh fruit flavors

➢ Pickling & Fermentation – fun & unique flavors

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Safety is Important

▪ You may have grown up doing food preservation with mother or grandmother ▪ Don’t use ‘old methods’ or recipes before 1988 – must be research tested! ▪ Take a class is best ▪ Use proven information sources – WSU ▪ Read entire recipe before starting ▪ Follow step by step directions and don’t change anything

▪ Processing times determined by acidity, size of jar, thickness of food

▪ Food safety is critical to your health

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Safety is Important

FAT TOM ▪ Food ▪ Acidity ▪ Time ▪ Temperature ▪ Oxygen ▪ Moisture

What microbes need to grow All factors need to be controlled

Food Poisoning is real! ▪ Clostridium botulinum ▪ Type A in soils in WA ▪ Life threatening illness ▪ Young, elderly, pregnant & immunosuppressed

Vegetative bacteria & molds killed by boiling at 190 F

Spores are resistant & requires heat under pressure at 240 F to kill

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Boiling Water Method

Canning Acid Foods ▪ Most fruits – high acid 4.6 pH ▪ Tomatoes

▪ Newer varieties need acid added – lemon juice ▪ Making salsa requires special instruction

Acidity level determines the type of canning

method used

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Necessary Supplies

▪Mason Jars – Ball or Kerr ▪ Variety of sizes ▪ Check for nicks or cracks ▪ Don’t use old ‘mayo’ jars

▪ Rings & lids ▪ Assure lids are in date (on box)

▪ Jar funnel ▪ Thin rubber spatula ▪ Jar lifting tongs ▪ Towels

▪ Hot jars on cool counter will crack

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Necessary Supplies

▪Canner with lid ▪ Porcelain over steel ▪ Aluminum ▪ Needs to be flat bottom

▪ Jar rack inside canner ▪ Don’t use open kettle method or oven canning

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Boiling Water Method

▪Prepare food ▪ Choose fresh firm fruit ▪ Wash & cut

▪ Prepare jars & rings ▪ Wash in hot soapy water ▪ Rinse well ▪ Dishwasher easiest

▪ Prepare lids ▪ Used to place in hot water to soften rubber ▪New formula – the sealing compound requires no heating

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Boiling Water Method

▪Place food in jars ▪ Raw pack - then add hot syrup or water ▪ Hot pack - boil in liquid briefly then add to jars

▪ Add any ingredients ▪ Fruit fresh – ascorbic acid ▪ Discourages browning

▪ Remove air by running spatula around sides ▪ Adjust to proper head space fill level stated in recipe ▪ Clean rim & threads with wet paper towel ▪ Place lid & ring on jar to finger tightness – don’t over tighten

Jelly ¼ - high acid ½ - low acid 1 inch

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Boiling Water Method

▪ Fill canner with water - bring to boil (180 degrees) ▪ Place jars in wire rack - opposite ▪ Gently lower jars into water ▪ Assure 1-2 “ of water covers jars ▪Bring to rolling boil ▪ Cover with lid and turn down heat to gentle boil ▪ Set timer & boil for exact time stated on recipe ▪ Turn off heat and wait 5 minutes ▪ Remove jars straight up with jar lifter ▪ Set jars on towel or rack to cool ▪ Listen for ‘popping’ of jar to seal ▪ Allow to cool 24 hours ▪ Remove rings – will rust ▪ Assure jars labeled with produce & date

Test seal 3 ways

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Pressure Canning Method

▪ Used for low acid foods ▪ Vegetables, meats & fish

▪ Prepare vegetables by washing & cutting ▪ Raw pack into jars ▪ Add boiling water to ½” of top ▪ Add Canning salt - if desired ▪ Run spatula around edge to remove air bubbles ▪ Recheck head space ▪ Wipe rim & threads to assure good seal ▪ Secure lid and ring

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Pressure Canning Method

▪ Types of Pressure canners ▪ Dial gauge – range 0-20 psi ▪ Weighted gauge 5 – 10 – 15 psi

▪ Dial gauges - tested each year ▪ Assure rubber gasket seal is good ▪ Pre-boil 2-3 inches water ▪ Place jars without touching into canner ▪ Allow steam to escape vent 10 minutes to exhaust all air ▪ Place weight on vent or close petcock

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Pressure Canning Method

▪ Allow to come up to proper pressure – turn down heat ▪ Set timer & assure consistent pressure for time period ▪ Remove from heat ▪ Allow pressure to come down for 30 minutes ▪ Remove weight ▪ Remove lid – away from face ▪ Let sit 10 minutes ▪ Remove with lid lifter ▪ Place on towel or cooling racks with space between

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Altitude Adjustment

▪ Boiling Water method ▪ For every 1,000 feet add 5 minutes time to recipe

▪ Pressure Canning method ▪ For every 1,000 feet add 1 pound of pressure

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Freezing

▪ Quick, convenient and easy ▪ Can do small batches ▪ Packaging quality important ▪ Four factors responsible for loss of food quality

▪ Enzymes - blanching ▪ Air – exclude from package ▪ Large ice crystals – exclude all air / fast freezing ▪ Evaporation of moisture Store at constant 0 C temp. Avoid self defrosting freezers

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Freezing

▪ Prepare vegetable ▪ Sort, wash and cut

▪ Blanch vegetable for proper time in boiling water

▪ Destroys enzymes that change color, flavor, texture

▪ Remove from hot water and plunge into ice water ▪ Strain off water ▪ Place on towel to remove excess water

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Freezing

▪ Place into P, Q, G freezer bags ▪ Manually remove air ▪ Air removal prevents water migration & freezer burn

▪ Best to Vacuum seal bags ▪ Food Saver

▪ Assure produce and date are on label

Can freeze individual items on cookie sheet then transfer to bag so easily separates

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Drying

▪ Oldest method of preservation ▪ Fun for healthy snacks ▪ Removes water so lighter weight ▪ Wash & cut food into small sizes

▪ May pre- treat to prevent browning – fruit fresh ▪ Need to blanch vegetables

▪ Place in food dehydrator ▪ Circulates air ▪ Horizontal or vertical units ▪ Kept at 85-160 degrees

▪ Sun & solar methods not approved ▪ Oven method 140 degrees takes longer - need to keep door open

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Drying

Examples ▪ Herbs ▪ Fruits & leathers ▪ Grapes to Raisins

▪ Condition before storage

▪ Meats – jerky ▪ Vegetables to rehydrate in soups/stews

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Drying

▪ Store in oxygen and moisture proof containers

▪ Glass jars ▪ Freezer bags ▪ Vacuum seal

▪Label contents and date

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Jam & Jelly

▪ Preservation by adding sugar that binds water

▪ Use granulated white sugar ▪ Don’t use brown sugar or molasses

▪ Use tested recipes for proper ratio of fruit, pectin, acid & sugar ▪ Methods of ‘jamming’

▪ Cooked method ▪ Boiling water to process ▪ Freezer method store 1-3 years

▪ Use ½ pint jars best ▪ Paraffin seal not recommended

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Jam & Jelly

➢ Jam – pieces of fruit ➢ Jelly – Juice from fruit ➢ Preserve – whole fruit ➢ Conserve – jam or preserve includes dried fruit or nuts ➢ Fruit butter – cook down to spreading consistency ➢ Syrup – pourable liquid ➢ Marmalade – fruit peel & pulp in a clear jell

Great as homemade gifts

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Jam & Jelly

▪ Wash and prepare fruit for choice of consistency ▪ Granulated sugar is added

▪ Low sugar recipe ▪ Sugar substitute recipe

▪ Pectin often added ▪ Can be liquid or powder ▪ Some fruits have natural pectin to bring about gel

▪ Some low acid fruits need lemon juice added ▪ Label fruit and date

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Pickling

▪ Preservation is with acid and salt ▪ Many vegetables can be pickled

▪ Cucumbers (pickling ‘cucs’) ▪ Dill, Bread & Butter, Sweet

▪ Beans / carrots / beets / asparagus ▪ Supplies needed

▪ Whole pickling spices / herbs ▪ Place in spice bag

▪ Non-iodized Canning Salt ▪ Vinegar – cider or white ▪ Garlic / onion / pepper ▪ Some call for sugar

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Pickling

Making Dill pickles ▪ Scrub cucumber ▪ Cut off blossom end

▪ Has softening enzyme ▪ Firming of cucumber

▪ Soak in ice water ▪ Pre-treat with Alum

▪ Cold pack into jars ▪ Pour boiling brine in jars ▪ Secure lids / rings ▪ Boiling water method used

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Fermentation

▪ Many vegetables can be fermented ▪ Pickles / cabbage ▪ Kimchee (No approved recipe)

▪ Making sauerkraut ▪ Clean stoneware crock ▪ Shred cabbage finely ▪ Add Canning salt – dry method ▪ Firmly pack in crock pot

WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Volunteer Community Educators– cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.

Fermentation

▪ Put plate on top and weigh down ▪ Cabbage must be covered by brine ▪ Cover with clean cloth ▪ Store at 70-75 degrees ▪ Fermentation occurs 4-5 weeks ▪ May need to add more brine ▪ When ready raw pack in jars ▪ Processing by boiling water method

Enjoy the fruits of your laborAny Questions?