WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[miss_thenorth]

On Friday I did 14 quarts of tomatoes, and 7 quarts of tomato sauce. the sauce looks good. the tomatoesare all floated up to the top--touching the lid, and the water level is different in every jar. Is this all right or did I screw them up somehow? right now I am cooking more tomato sauce. I'm afraid to do more plain tomatoes b/c of the way the other ones turned out.

Any words of wisdom??

As far as the floating tomatoes are concerned, mine do that as well. I just give each jar a good shake to get the head space back at the top of the jar and the tomatoes back where they belong after the seal is made and the jars are cool. I do it as I am removing the rings, washing and labeling the jars for storage.

As for water level, be sure it is the same in each jar as you fill it and then cool the jars evenly. Sometimes the water will siphon out of a jar if you try to cool a pressure canner too quickly. If you are water bath canning I don't know what might cause a jar to siphon.

Thanks!! I am going to give my jars a shake right now--I didn't know whether I should or not. I waterbathed them, it may jsut be b/c of the tomatoes being up top, and some being up higher than others, that the liquid jsut looks different. i will know more after I shake them.

This is my first time doing tomatoes, anf I'm nervouse about poisoning my family.

Next time I will pressure can them. I have one, but since I got the tomatoes, and then had to do them, I didn't familiarize myself with how to use it, and if I chose a waterbath recipe, it would be safe.

It's really me procrastinating--I knew they were coming-- I should have read up on pressure canning (but I didn't want to blow the lid off by not doing it right)


Going to shake now.

If they are bad, the seal should break, right?

 

[Farmfresh]

Thanks!! I am going to give my jars a shake right now--I didn't know whether I should or not. I waterbathed them, it may jsut be b/c of the tomatoes being up top, and some being up higher than others, that the liquid jsut looks different. i will know more after I shake them.

This is my first time doing tomatoes, anf I'm nervouse about poisoning my family.

Next time I will pressure can them. I have one, but since I got the tomatoes, and then had to do them, I didn't familiarize myself with how to use it, and if I chose a waterbath recipe, it would be safe.

It's really me procrastinating--I knew they were coming-- I should have read up on pressure canning (but I didn't want to blow the lid off by not doing it right)


Going to shake now.

If they are bad, the seal should break, right?

You misunderstood me. I water bath can my tomatoes too. It is very safe that way. You do not need a pressure canner unless you are canning a low acid vegetable like green beans, carrots or beets etc.. or a meat based product.

The tomatoes tend to float up when they are fresh when they are packed as they are naturally more full of air pockets than if you would put a cooked tomato (like tomato sauce) in the canning jar.

You are not going to poison your family if you follow the recommended processing times and keep everything nice and clean. Just make sure the seal pops when you open the jar and then give the contents a good once over. Visually check the contents, it should look like the food it is supposed to be in the jar. Give the jar the old sniff test. If it smells like the food it is supposed to be and not a stale or flat smell or a "spoiled" smell it should be safe to eat. If you ever get a BAD jar you will know it!

Low acid foods and meats should always be boiled for 20 minutes. That heats the product through enough to kill any "baddies" that are still in the food.

Any problems or questions... just ask! Lots of people around here will be happy to help you.

 

[Farmfresh]

Today's canning:

10 more pints of green beans - Enough with the green beans already ! From now on I am taking my beans to work to see if I can sell them.

3 pints of salsa

4 pints and 1 quart of dill pickles

 

[Iceblink]

5 quarts of apple pie filling, 4 pints of applesauce, and 3 little 1/2 c. jars of pear butter. My fridge is full to bursting with apples and I have boxes of apples all over my kitchen, so I will be canning apples all this week! Yay! I love apples. And the end of canning season is in sight!

 

[Farmfresh]

WAIT ... there is an END to canning season? !

 

[TanksHill]

I hope not!

 

[freemotion]

Not for me! I can a lot more in the cooler weather, since I don't can veggies or sweet stuff.

 

[farmerlor]

WAIT ... there is an END to canning season? !

LOL! Nope, I can all year round. My canner is one of the most used toys in my kitchen, steam juicer is fixin' to be the second most used toy. I LOVE my steam juicer!!!...and the man who bought it for me.

 

[me&thegals]

I did 24 quarts of a family recipe tomato soup today. It is very thick with pureed vegetables and a spicy V-8 taste. We use it as a base for cabbage rolls, chili and vegetable soups, also satisfying on its own. This is my second batch, looks like I'll get one or two more this season. When the tomatoes begin spotting I no longer can them for storage but use for more immediate meals.
I canned these last weekend so this gives me 54 quarts so far.

Yesterday I dug 250 lbs of red potatoes. I'm not canning them but it was so much work that I need to claim my glory!
Very sore. :/

Sylvie, Sylvie. You simply cannot give a description like that without posting a recipe!!! Please

 

[sufficientforme]

Not for me! I can a lot more in the cooler weather, since I don't can veggies or sweet stuff.

Freemotion what do you can most beside catfood? when you say you can in the cooler months what is it?