Canning & Preserving All-in-One For Dummies®
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Canning & Preserving All-in-One For Dummies®
Canning & Preserving All-in-One For Dummies®
Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2011936916
ISBN 978-1-118-03419-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-17201-8 (pdf); ISBN 978-1-118-17202-5 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-118-17203-2 (eMobi)
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
Eve Adamson is a New York Times best-selling author who has written or coauthored more than 50 books on food, cooking, dieting, and lifestyle subjects, including several other For Dummies guides, several books on the Mediterranean diet, and a book on craft beer. Eve is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and a self-taught home cook who loves to travel and sample the cuisines of different regions and cultures. She lives in Iowa City with her family. To find out more about Eve, visit her website at
Traci Cumbay cooks and eats quite a bit and then writes about the experiences for publications in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she lives with her husband and son.
Karan Davis Cutler, a former magazine editor and newspaper columnist, is the author of seven other garden books. She publishes regularly in horticultural magazines and is an eight-time winner of the Quill & Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association of America.
Suzanne DeJohn, a writer and horticulturist at the National Gardening Association for 14 years, now writes, gardens, and runs a pet-friendly B&B in northern Vermont.
Kathleen Fisher was an editor of The American Gardener, published by the American Horticultural Society, and a longtime newspaper reporter and magazine editor. The author of several books and many articles, she died in May 2005.
Theresa A. Husarik is a writer, photographer, crafter, fiber person, and animal lover who lives on a small plot far away from the heart of the city. When she is not tending to her brood (which includes llamas, alpacas, angora goats, cats, dogs, peacocks, and chickens), Theresa can usually be found either behind the computer writing something or in the craft room making something.
Amy Jeanroy has been canning and preserving foods for 20 years. She is passionate about filling the pantry with useful, delicious foods and creating healthy meals from her own small farm. Amy is a Master Gardener, Food writer for Foodista.com as well as an Herb Garden writer for About.com.
Rob Ludlow, his wife Emily, and their two beautiful daughters, Alana and April, are the perfect example of the suburban family with a small flock of backyard chickens. Like countless others, what started out as a fun hobby raising a few egg-laying hens has almost turned into an addiction. Rob owns and manages (BYC), the largest and fastest-growing community of chicken enthusiasts in the world.
Bryan Miller is a food and wine writer and a former restaurant critic for The New York Times. He has written and cowritten 11 books. In the past 25 years, he has received numerous awards, including three writing awards from the James Beard Foundation and the organization’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Marty Nachel is a freelance writer on beer and brewing. A former president of the Chicago Beer Society and founding member of the Brewers Of South Suburbia (B.O.S.S.) homebrew and beer appreciation club, Marty has been brewing his own award-winning beers since 1985. His articles have appeared in All About Beer magazine, Brew Magazine, Brew Your Own magazine, Celebrator Beer News, Drink magazine, and Epicurious.com. His first book on the microbrewing industry, Beer Across America (Storey Communications), was published in July 1995. Marty’s second book, Beer For Dummies (IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.), followed in 1996.
The National Gardening Association (NGA) is committed to sustaining and renewing the fundamental links between people, plants, and the Earth. Founded in 1972 (as “Gardens for All”) to spearhead the community garden movement, today’s NGA promotes environmental responsibility, advances multidisciplinary learning and scientific literacy, and creates partnerships that restore and enhance communities. For more information about the National Gardening Association, write to 1100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT 05403, or visit its website at or .
M. Brittain Phillips didn’t used to think much about toxins, but after working with Dr. Wootan, he’s not putting anything in his shopping cart without checking the label for high fructose corn syrup. (It’s everywhere!) He studied biology and English at DePauw University, and he’s happy to report that he finally found a way to combine the disciplines. He works and writes in Charleston, South Carolina.
Marie Rama grew up in the restaurant business surrounded by a large Italian family of food professionals and entrepreneurs. She has worked as a pastry chef, a recipe tester, and an account executive and spokesperson for national companies and associations, such as Tabasco Sauce, Korbel Champagne, and Sunkist Growers. In addition to Cooking For Dummies, Marie also wrote Grilling For Dummies (with John Mariani) and is working on a cookbook that celebrates the many uses and irresistible enticement of bacon. Marie has two sons, Nicholas and William, and lives in Yonkers, New York, with her husband and literary agent Mark Reiter.
Tom Schneider’s passion for authentic barbecue arose during his high school days in Oklahoma and burgeoned over 20 years of uncovering traditional barbecue joints while traveling the United States. Tom is primarily a self-taught cook who, for the past decade, has leveraged his commitment to barbecue into award-winning barbecue recipes while competing in sanctioned barbecue competitions and formal barbecue judging. Tom is owner and pit master for Poppi-Q Bar-B-Que, a specialty catering business in the Indianapolis market.
Cheryl K. Smith has raised goats since 1998 when she got two Nigerian Dwarves. She published Ruminations, the Nigerian Dwarf and Mini Dairy Goat Magazine from 2001 through 2007 and published the book Goat Health Care (Karmadillo Press) in 2009. She has written for Dairy Goat Journal, Countryside, and other magazines. Cheryl served as legal counsel for the American Goat Society (AGS) from 2003 to 2005 and was on their board of directors from 2005 to 2009. She volunteers as a goat expert on allexperts.com. Cheryl lives in the community of Low Pass, located in the coast range of Oregon, with her herd of experimental miniature dairy goats, Mystic Acres Oberians.
Karen Ward, the author of Pickles, Peaches, and Chocolate, is a life-long home canner, home economist, and recipe developer. In addition to judging preserved food at the San Diego County Fair each year, Karen teaches canning and preserving to men and women of all ages. Karen has been a featured guest on many television shows, including QVC and HGTV’s Smart Solutions. She is a founding member of the San Diego Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a nonprofit organization mentoring women and providing scholarships in the culinary arts. Karen makes her home in San Diego with her husband, Chris.
Kimberly Willis lives with her husband, Steve, on a small farm in the thumb area of Michigan. When not writing, she works at the MSU Extension office in Lapeer County, Michigan, as a horticulturist and doubles as the resident chicken expert. Kim has raised a number of breeds of chickens and other types of poultry for over 30 years. Kim is also a garden writer and has numerous articles in print and online. You can read her work at or or her blog at .
Gerald D. Wootan, DO, M.Ed. is an osteopathic physician board-certified in family practice and geriatrics. He holds bachelor’s degrees in biology, psychology, and medicine, a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and a doctorate in osteopathic medicine with board certification in family practice and geriatrics. He is the medical director of Jenks Health Team in Jenks, Oklahoma, a medical practice that specializes in integrative medicine with a strong emphasis on natural detoxification and nutritional supplementation. Dr. Wootan is trained in and utilizes the Defeat Autism Now! protocol for treating children on the autism spectrum and is an active member of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
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Introduction
You’re not alone if you’ve thought about canning and preserving your own food but haven’t tried it because you’re afraid it’s too involved. Well, it’s time to set aside your hesitation. Today’s methods and procedures for methods such as pickling, freezing, smoking, and drying food are simple and easy. Many of the techniques may be similar to those your grandmother used, but you’ll find they’ve been perfected. In Canning & Preserving All-in-One For Dummies, you get all the information you need to can and preserve food safely.
About This Book
This book presents eight preserving methods — water-bath canning, pickling, fermenting and brewing, pressure canning, freezing, drying, smoking, and juicing — in an easy-to-understand format and walks you step by step through each technique. You don’t need any previous canning or preserving experience in order to start, or continue, your endeavor to become a first-class food preserver. Within these pages, you’ll find information like the following:
What to look for to ensure that you’re preserving the best, freshest fruits and veggies.
A list of supplies and equipment (complete with illustrations), as well as instructions on how to ensure that your equipment is in good working order.
What techniques help you preserve the best flavor in your foods and how to avoid spoilage and recognize it if it does occur.
Illustrations of different techniques and equipment, along with tips for making your food preserving journey fun and rewarding.
A whole host of favorite recipes for your enjoyment.
Consider this book your guide to discovering simple ways to preserve all the foods your family loves, without any mystery or confusion along the way.
Conventions Used in This Book
The recipes in this book include preparation times, cooking times, processing times, and the yield you should expect from your efforts. Here are some details that apply to all the recipes but aren’t repeated each time:
Use a vinegar with 5 percent acidity.
Use pure salt with no additives. (Canning or pickling salt is best.)
Flour refers to all-purpose flour unless otherwise noted.
Cook all food in heavy-bottomed pots and pans.
Use nonreactive equipment and utensils (items made from glass, stainless steel, or enamel-coated steel or iron).
Use glass jars and two-piece caps approved for home-canning.
Always use new lids for canning.
Start counting your water-bath processing time when the water reaches a full, rolling boil.
Begin counting your pressure-canner processing time after releasing air in the canner and achieving the required pressure.
Also, all temperatures are Fahrenheit. All recipes and processing times are developed for altitudes at sea level to 1,000 feet above sea level. (For higher altitudes, refer to the altitude adjustment charts for water-bath canning in Book II, Chapter 1 and for pressure canning in Book V, Chapter 1.)
Foolish Assumptions
In writing this book, we made some assumptions about you, the reader:
You know your way around a kitchen. You’re familiar with basic cooking techniques and food preparation methods.
You’ve never canned or preserved food or have relatively little experience with food preservation methods and want basic, easy-to-understand-and-follow instructions.
If you’ve canned and preserved food, it was long enough ago that you want to find out more about the newer, safer, and easier techniques that are recommended today.
Perhaps most importantly, you want to stock your kitchen with more natural, healthier, homemade alternatives to standard supermarket fare.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is organized into parts, called books. Each part includes tried-and-true, tested recipes and preserving tips that offer you a lot of practice for each technique.
Book I: Getting Started with Canning and Preserving
With so many misconceptions about canning and preserving, Book I offers an explanation of each food preservation method and dispels any fears you may have about each technique. Book I is a good starting point if you’re new to canning and preserving or if you’ve been away from any of these techniques for a while. You can find information on specialty equipment and utensils for each method.
Don’t overlook the information on food safety. It’s important to know what dangers may occur — and how to recognize them — if you skip any processing step, make adjustments to your recipe or change a processing method and time.
Book II: Water-Bath Canning with Fruits
If you like sweet spreads, relishes, or pickled food, start with Book II. Water-bath canning is the most popular food-preserving method and the easier of the two approved canning methods. Book II leads you step by step through the process while explaining what foods are suitable for this preserving method. You can try dozens of recipes, from jam and jelly to chutney and relish.
Book III: Mastering the Art of Pickling
There aren’t many people who don’t enjoy the crunchy taste of a flavorful pickle. Bringing that flavor to a wide variety of foods is both fun and useful. You can then have an assortment of bright tastes in your pantry all year round. After you discover the art of pickling, you can spend a lifetime trying out new recipes and unique flavors all your own.
Book IV: Fermenting and Brewing
Add fermenting and brewing to your list of culinary hobbies, and a whole new world of taste awaits. Both are age-old ways to preserve and create new foods from the ordinary. Try some of the recipes in Book IV and bring your pantry foods to a new level of taste!
Book V: Pressure Canning
Pressure canning is the approved method for processing food that’s naturally low in acid — vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood, for example. These foods contain more heat-resistant and hard-to-destroy bacteria than food that’s safely water-bath processed. Book V carefully describes the procedure and steps for canning these foods, whether vegetables or meals of convenience.
Book VI: Freezing
In this book, you discover that your freezer is more than a place for leftovers and ice cream. Utilize this cold area for planning and preparing your meals with a minimum of time and effort. After reading Book VI, you see why the proper freezer containers and packaging methods, combined with correct thawing practices, prevent damage to your food while preserving its quality, flavor, and color.
Book VII: Drying and Root Cellaring
Drying, which preserves food by removing moisture, is the oldest and slowest method for preserving food. Book VII explains how to dry a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs for future enjoyment.
You also won’t want to miss the instructions for making fruit leathers. Who doesn’t like to unroll the dried sheets of pureed fruit? This is one time your kids can play with their food and get away with it.
Book VIII: Smoking, Salting, and Curing
After you’ve tasted a well-cured piece of meat, you’ll be hooked. In Book VIII, you find out the multitude of ways to coax delicious flavors from some of your regular foods. You discover the mystery behind the cured meat selection and master the fine art of smoking your bounty.
Book IX: Juicing
More than a smoothie, juicing is a way to bring big nutrition to a small glass. In Book IX, you find out how to choose the right ingredients and the best machine for the job. You also try out a wide range of recipes that are both sweet and savory. The perfect meal in a glass awaits!
Icons Used in This Book
The following icons appear throughout this book and point out specific points or remind you of items you’ll want to be sure not to miss:
This icon directs you to tips or shortcuts we’ve picked up over the years. The information here makes your work easier and hassle-free.
When you see this icon, pay special attention. The information tells you about a potential problem and how to overcome or avoid it.
These bits of technical information are interesting, but you can skip them, if you want to. That said, the info contained in these paragraphs makes you seem like you’ve been canning and preserving since you’ve been walking.
Where to Go from Here
Although you can start in any portion of this book, don’t skip Chapter 1 of Book I. It describes safe processing methods and tells you how to identify spoiled food. If you have any doubts about canning and preserving safety, this chapter puts your fears at ease.
If you want to know about a particular food-preservation method, go to the book devoted to that method. Each book begins with a chapter that explains the technique. Review these initial chapters before selecting a recipe to make sure that you have a decent idea of what that particular food preservation method requires.
If you still can’t decide where to start, review the recipes and start with one that sounds good to you! Then just back-track to the general techniques chapter as you need to.
Book I
Getting Started with Canning and Preserving
In this book . . .
In Book I, you discover the benefits canning and preserving your own food can bring to your life. You see what tools and supplies make the food preservation process run smoothly and safely. You also find out whether what you’ve heard about canning are myths or truths. The chapters here introduce you to the language of canning and preserving, as well as outline the ingredients and equipment you need to begin filling your pantry with delicious and healthy fare.