Canning Books

[amylizzie]

Hi everyone! I've been lurking for awhile and am ready to purchase some books on canning. Does anyone have any recommendations besides the Ball Blue Book, which I just bought. I am thinking about the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, but wonder if it is a lot like the Ball Blue Book? Any info will be greatly appreciated. You all have really inspired me!

 

[big brown horse]

Hi!

Welcome to ss! I don't own any canning books, sorry. I just wanted to welcome you here.

 

[TanksHill]

Welcome!!!

I have the Ball book and then refer to my basic cook books for other things. I think it's just easier to google exactly what your looking for.

This is a good site to reference.

http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm

gina

 

[Lady Henevere]

I just got the Ball Complete Book today, but I don't have the Blue Book so I can't compare. If you have questions about it, I will do my best to answer. Welcome to SS!

 

[Farmfresh]

Welcome, welcome!

My favorite canning book is an oldie called "Stocking Up". It has how to info for lots of stuff.

 

[sufficientforme]

I really like the additional recipes in the complete book, I just got it at the library and copied a lot of interesting recipes rather than buying it.

I use the internet for most recipes I use, just make sure they are coming from a reliable source as a lot are not considered safe canning practices.

Have fun, it is quite addicting!

 

[patandchickens]

Is there a particular type of canning (waterbath, pressure-, or both?) that you are mainly interested in; and what types of products are you most interested in (jellies/jams/marmalades, pickles/relishes, sauces/condiments, canned fruit, canned veggies, or more mixed type things like canned soup or chili or other convenience meals?)

Some books are better for one type of thing, some for another.

Pat

 

[TanksHill]

Pat do you have a suggestion for a book on soup and stews?? I would love to get some one jar meals done. I am afraid of consistency issues I don't want mushy!!

gina

 

[patandchickens]

Caveat, I do not pressure-can myself (er, that came out sorta wrong, but you know what I mean LOL) -- but according to my mother who grew up with pressure canners being a normal piece of kitchen equipment, you don't need special canning-oriented recipes, you just make whatever you normally make for *eating* (or use any stew/soup recipe book I suppose if you like following recipes), but don't cook it completely before canning, as it will finish cooking/softening somewhat during the pressure-canning process. Or for very fragile ingredients, leave them out and add back when you open and heat the product to eat.

So Mom has a kind of amused attitude about the modern concept of using special recipes for pressure-canned products. (Mind you this is the person who apparently, back when she was an agricultural biochemist in the 50s and 60s before I unexpectedly came along, used to cook and can things in the lab autoclave, and claimed to even have a cake recipe that came out decently in the autoclave )

Sorry I can't help you beyond that, but I bet other people will

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[amylizzie]

Thanks everyone! Great info. Cookbooks are becoming outdated with the internet. It seems there are lots of great online sources for recipes that are totally free, and I hadn't really thought about the possibility of canning stuff I normally make. How do you know how long to process things like that? Is it just a matter of experience?