managing your garden’s bounty
DESCRIPTION
Managing Your Garden’s Bounty. Barbara Ingham Extension Food Scientist www.foodsafety.wisc.edu. Freezing, Drying, and Canning. …… Which method will you choose? Our aim: safe, high quality food. Getting Started…Supplies. Inspect jars and rims, purchase new 2-piece lids - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Managing Your Managing Your Garden’s BountyGarden’s BountyManaging Your Managing Your
Garden’s BountyGarden’s BountyBarbara InghamBarbara Ingham
Extension Food ScientistExtension Food Scientistwww.foodsafety.wisc.eduwww.foodsafety.wisc.edu
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Freezing, Drying, and Freezing, Drying, and CanningCanning
…………Which method will you Which method will you choose?choose?Our aim: safe, high Our aim: safe, high quality food.quality food.
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Getting Started…SuppliesGetting Started…Supplies
Inspect jars and rims, purchase new 2-piece lids
Purchase freezer containers
Clean your dehydrator
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Getting Started…CannersGetting Started…CannersBoiling Water Canners• High acid or acidified
foods (pickles, salsa, fruits)
• Fitted with a rack• Use with a tight-fitting
lid
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Getting Started…CannersGetting Started…CannersPressure Canners • Low acid foods (meat,
vegetables)• Dial gauge – checked
every year for accuracy, inspect gasket and vent
• Weighted gauge – inspect gasket and vent port
• Fitted with a rack
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Getting Started…Produce• Start with tested varieties• Harvest at the proper maturity• slightly under-ripe or peak of
ripeness• never rotten produce or produce
from dead plants• Discard diseased produce
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Getting Started…RecipesGetting Started…Recipes•Use ONLY up-to-date,
research-tested recipes! Current canning instructions date from 1994 (or more recent)
• Don’t (necessarily) do Don’t (necessarily) do what Mom told you!what Mom told you!
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Cold Preservation of Fresh Produce
• Rapidly chill leafy greens, peas and corn• Avoid refrigerating cold-sensitive
produce: tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes
• Storing Fruits and Vegetables from the Home Garden, 2006 (A3823)
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Freezing• Set home freezers to 0°F or below• Rapid freezing is best (smaller ice
crystals & less damage)• Blanching for quality, not safety!
Blanching time = cooling time• Proper packaging is critical for quality• Freezing Fruits & Vegetables (B3278)
Drying Foods• Air drying for herbs; Sun drying for
fruits (ONLY!)• Controlled drying using an oven or
dehydrator is best• Select a dehydrator with temperature
control and a large fan• Resource: www.uga.edu/nchfp/
Two Types of Canning• Boiling Water Canning
(212°F) – fruits and acid-added foods
• Pressure Canning (240°F or above) – meats and vegetables (dial gauge or weighted gauge canners)
• Remember…adjust for elevation!
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How do we know which canning method to use?
What is the pH (acidity) of the food?below pH 4.6 above
Boiling Water Fruits, Pickles, Salsa
PressureMeat, Vegetables
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Don’t harm your family with these canning methods!
• Boiling water canning of meats and vegetables
• Eliminating the canning step• Dishwasher or oven canning• Steam canning of meat &
veggies
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Tips for Successful Canning• Properly pre-treat jars and lids• Fill jars with hot liquid (never cold!)• Leave the proper headspace• Jars covered with 1-2 inches of boiling
water in Boiling Water Canning• Vent Pressure Canner for 10 minutes• Adjust for elevation
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NEW in Canning• Always add acid to tomato products to
ensure safety• Check pickle recipes for safety• Use approved recipes for salsa• If jars fail to seal, reprocess within 24
hours
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Home Canning Resources• Using & Caring for a Pressure Canner(B2593)• Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series (2008):
canning fruits, salsa, vegetables, meat, tomatoes, pickles & jam (www.foodsafety.wisc.edu)
• Ball Blue Book www.freshpreserving.com/ • National Center for Home Food Preservation (
www.uga.edu/nchfp/)*Resources from 1994 or later!
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Don’t Forget • Process at the correct temperature
(boiling water or pressure canner)• Follow an up-to-date, research tested
recipe• Adjust for elevation
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*Note: darker areas on the state map have an elevation above 1,000 feet. Increase time when boiling water canning; increase pressure when pressure canning.
The RULE of Canning
A sealed jar ≠
A safe jar
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5 Tips for a Successful Season1.Start with research-tested recipes. Just because it’s
in print, doesn’t mean it’s safe!2.Use recipes that are up-to-date, from sources no
older than 1994.3.Start with equipment in good working order.4.Leave your creativity behind.5.Contact your local Extension office for help with food
preservation questions.
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Happy Preserving!Happy Preserving!Happy Preserving!Happy Preserving!
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