Canning and Food Preservation

For those who can tomatoes, do you use the citric acid. I did but can’t stand the citrus taste of the tomatoes, so I deleted it this year. I pressure canned my tomatoes and only added salt. Guess I’ll see if they keep. What say you?
I've canned tomatoes and salsa for years well over 50 and I've never water bathed or pressured them any in all those years I've had maybe 5 have something go wrong and I know that's thousands of quarts, pints, half gallons Not bragging just used a tried and true method that was used long before I was born you heat your mixture whether it be tomatoes, salsa, or whatever it is if it has mainly tomatoes in it except for yellow tomatoes those are low in acid. You get the mixture to a rolling boil slow hard whichever long as its a full boil you get your jars hot lids and all then slowly add mixture to the jars filling accordingly and this is important put in a teaspoon of plain salt no iodine, I normally use a tablespoon but was always told a teaspoon was plenty put lids on seal and flip over till cooled down for a bit. and you're done. Peppers and such pickling I've always did 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water with a teaspoon of salt at the finish. Peppers and such can be stuffed beforehand fill to within according height making sure to puncture each one of the bigger ones to let out air. Heat your vinegar and water to a rolling boil and pour in slowly to the pepper jars.
 
I've canned tomatoes and salsa for years well over 50 and I've never water bathed or pressured them any in all those years I've had maybe 5 have something go wrong and I know that's thousands of quarts, pints, half gallons Not bragging just used a tried and true method that was used long before I was born you heat your mixture whether it be tomatoes, salsa, or whatever it is if it has mainly tomatoes in it except for yellow tomatoes those are low in acid. You get the mixture to a rolling boil slow hard whichever long as its a full boil you get your jars hot lids and all then slowly add mixture to the jars filling accordingly and this is important put in a teaspoon of plain salt no iodine, I normally use a tablespoon but was always told a teaspoon was plenty put lids on seal and flip over till cooled down for a bit. and you're done. Peppers and such pickling I've always did 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water with a teaspoon of salt at the finish. Peppers and such can be stuffed beforehand fill to within according height making sure to puncture each one of the bigger ones to let out air. Heat your vinegar and water to a rolling boil and pour in slowly to the pepper jars.
Thats the way I do tomato products also other than heating the jars to 235 in the oven and pull them to fill. Works every time!
R
 
well I'll put this out here, If any of you who live fairly close need to use a pressure canner I've got extras and I'd be willing to let someone borrow one if needed not for an extended period mind you but within reason like if you got a bunch of stuff you needed to pressure. I know I'm just one of those trusting kinda saps lol don't worry I'd have to know where you lived so if it got lost on its way home lol
 
For anyone in the area looking one the Walmart in Nashville has 2 Presto 16 quart pressure canners in stock as of 4:37pm. $78

9/20/20 edit-- The Wilson store also had 2 in stock this morning.
 
Last edited:
Canned 28 quarts of peaches yesterday. The peaches from the Peach Truck are really good and dang easy to process.
 
Canned 28 quarts of peaches yesterday. The peaches from the Peach Truck are really good and dang easy to process.
Have you tried pickled peaches? They are excellent! The vinegar left over after the peaches are et makes a great vinegarette. I got a recipe if you need one.

R
 
what kind were they
Cling Free but Chicken Lady can't remember the exact kind. She bought two boxes. When she got them home they were hard as a rock. The guy said let them set for 2-3 days and they would be perfect and he was right.

 
Anyone else having issues the with bottoms of the ball quart mason jars blowing out?

Things I’ve tried to rule out:
They aren’t on direct heat.
They aren’t being cold shocked - brine and jars are warm when I put them in the water bath.
The lids are finger tight.
Processing time is 5 mins.
Headspace is correct (1/2”)

disclaimer: these are brand new jars i
 
Anyone else having issues the with bottoms of the ball quart mason jars blowing out?

Things I’ve tried to rule out:
They aren’t on direct heat.
They aren’t being cold shocked - brine and jars are warm when I put them in the water bath.
The lids are finger tight.
Processing time is 5 mins.
Headspace is correct (1/2”)

disclaimer: these are brand new jars i
Did you order these off AMZ? I've heard of counterfeits on there. Does anything look "off" with the lids? Wish I had more for you.
 
Bought from tractor supply several months ago. They feel thinner than older jars. Sometimes the bottoms pop immediately as I put them in the bath but this weekend one popped as I was taking it out after 5mins of processing.
 
Dang that's too bad. IF these are real Ball jars and not counterfeit, my best guess would be that the case was dropped and there is a hairline crack in the jars. Is this happening with jars from more than one case?
 
Anyone else having issues the with bottoms of the ball quart mason jars blowing out?

Things I’ve tried to rule out:
They aren’t on direct heat.
They aren’t being cold shocked - brine and jars are warm when I put them in the water bath.
The lids are finger tight.
Processing time is 5 mins.
Headspace is correct (1/2”)

disclaimer: these are brand new jars i
Here's some pretty good lists of things to look for.

What we do:
Jars in sink full of hot water.
Liquid boiling on stove.
Food at room temp.
Water in water bath just at simmer. Make sure there is enough water in canner to cover jars about 2".
Transfer basket, masher, lids and rings ready to go. Also have towel on table for cooling.
Pour hot water out of jar, put food in jar, pour liquid in jar, mash bubbles out, lid and ring on, put in basket, transfer to canner.
Bring canner up to just a rolling boil, set timer and watch water level. Very important.
Times up, turn propane off, pull lid off canner, let stuff set 5 or 10 minutes.
Pull jars out, set on towel about 3" apart, listen to pops.

Other stuff.

"The bottoms broke out of my jars

This commonly happens during water bath canning. The reason is simple: hot jars put into a cool canner or cool jars put into a boiling canner make the bottoms of the jars crack and break during processing. Always make sure your jars are hot and the canner a little below boiling before you put them together. You can hold your jars in another canner full of boiling water or even hold them in a sink full of hot water so they stay reliably hot. Then pack them quickly and put them into a very warm canner. Even when pressure canning, I always take the time to heat my canner a bit so I’m not putting hot jars of food into a cold canner. By doing this simple step, I have no jar bottoms break during processing.

Another cause of broken jars is setting your jars of hot, processed food directly on a kitchen counter or table to cool. Setting them near an open window with a cool breeze blowing on them will also cause breakage. So will canning outdoors and putting the hot jars, right out of the canner, on a table in a windy area. Make sure there is no wind or breeze, and always set your hot jars on a clean, dry towel and they will cool safely … in one piece!

Tunking jars together while very hot can result in broken jars. The jars should also have enough space between them to create a good airflow. A good airflow results in a good seal."



"The problem is thermal shock breakage, characterized by a crack running around the base or lower part of the jar and sometimes extending up the side.

Possible causes:
1. Filling cold jars with boiling food and liquid.
2. Filling jars with cold food, water or syrup.
3. Not using a rack in the boiling water or pressure canner.
4. Setting hot jars to cool on a cold surface.
5. Setting hot jars to cool in a cold draft.
6. Splashing hot jars with cold water.
7. Glass damaged by cleaning jars with soap impregnated steel wool.
8. Glass damaged by using a metal utensil to remove air bubbles.

Possible Solutions:
1. Jars must be kept hot until ready to fill.
2. Food must be kept at room temperature and liquid must be boiling.
3. Jars must be kept at least 1/2-inch above the bottom of the canner during processing. 4. Set jars 1-inch apart on a rack or towel to cool.
5. Cool jars at room temperature, away from drafts.
6. Cool jars where they cannot be accidentally splashed with water.
7. Use nonabrasive sponges and cleaners when washing jars.
8. Use a nonmetallic utensil to remove air bubbles."
 
Thanks, yes, I’ve run through most of those. Just to be clear they are breaking in the bath. And it’s probably 1 out of 3. Generally try to get them in the bath as quickly as possible so they don’t have time to cool. It’s very odd because the failure is almost identical each time however they all go through the same process and there isn’t a significant difference in timing/delays. I only do 3-4 jars every few weeks because I only have a hobby garden so my production isn’t that high. I only use wooden utensils to release trapped air, etc.
 
Dang that's too bad. IF these are real Ball jars and not counterfeit, my best guess would be that the case was dropped and there is a hairline crack in the jars. Is this happening with jars from more than one case?

I have very few in rotation and it’s from a single flat. I was thinking it could be isolated like you’re suggesting. I was concerned if I started mixing the flats I’d lose track if one seemed more defective than the other.
 
If a knuckle dragger was getting the pallets off the truck he might have dropped them to hard. Suggest you buy another flat and see how they act. Also hold the jars up to the light and see if you see anything looking like a defect.
 
... hold the jars up to the light and see if you see anything looking like a defect.
Yes if you have a lighted magnifying glass that will help. Definitely inspect them closely.
 
I have broken a few jars in the past just as you described. What my problem was boiling my bath too hard, cut the heat back and have not lost one since. I believe your jars are alright, just try not be in a rush.
 
I've only had one blow out over the past few years, I contributed it to not enough head space.

On an additional note, the wife and I did 2 batches of concord grape jelly last night. The great thing is, the grapes are from the vines that my dad propagated for me from his vines in Pennsylvania several years back.
~20210908_084403.jpg
 
Last edited:
I think I'm going to jump full bore into this canning thing. My MIL makes an unbelievable salsa; it's deserving of preservation.
 
I think I'm going to jump full bore into this canning thing. My MIL makes an unbelievable salsa; it's deserving of preservation.
Buy everything you need Right F-ing Now. Do not wait for prices to come down. Canners and spare parts, canning tools, jars, lids and rings, citric acid, pectin, vinegar, canning salt, etc. On pressure canners, if you are young and/or have kids that are interested buy once and cry once and get the American Canner. The Presto canners are great and I have two getting ready to get a third. But, by the time you replace gaskets, vents and gauges a couple times the cost for and American doesn't look that bad.

I visit a lot of prepper type websites and the growth of new members is flat out amazing. Reminds me of pre Y2K. These new people are wanting stuff and pretty much will pay what ever it takes to get it.
 
I made my first batch of apple butter about a month ago. Bit too much cinnamon for my taste, but nobody in the family is sick so I’m counting it as a win. Fufi apples were on sale last week, $.99/lb, but I’m short on time. Might pay a premium for strawberries next week just for the experience of making preserves on a small scale. Making tomato paste is also on my list for next summer.

Smoked 5 lbs of red jalapenos last weekend, haven’t got an immediate use for them but thinking about a smokey hot sauce.

Wife rolls her eyes when she sees the pickled eggs, but I swear we were tossing at least a dozen a month anyway (she’s particular about sell-by dates) so why not. Siracha eggs are good, have a batch of curry eggs aging.

By the time we have fresh stuff at markets next year I hope to feel competent.

Oh, I tried smoking eggs along with the jalapenos, I don’t recommend it. Turns out that the yoke will cook at 170, but the white will not, so you get a yellow ball in snot when you open them. Next time I’ll try 220.
 
You had my mouth watering at the pickled eggs but quickly lost me at the yellow snot ball. Ill wait for an update on those smoky Jalapenos.....tasty!

R
 
How do you like the freeze dryer Ikarus? Is there anything you can't do with it....besides wheelies or burnouts?
R
 
As a homesteader and a prepper, I will say that learning to can safely is one of the most economical and thrifty things you can do to put away food. Especially if you are raising your own food, or foraging seasonally.

We spent the last two days putting up some ham and bean soup for our little tribe. We used ham we raised from our own farm, beans from bulk storage, left over rabbit stock for broth and a couple hand fulls of carrots per quart. Kune Kune are the breed of hogs we keep and though they grow slower they are very tasty, easy to keep and very small to manage when butchering time comes.

Any time we harvest a deer we put up 14 quarts worth. We do enough to fill our two Aluminum Cast American Cookers, make some Jerky and Freeze the rest. This is nearly free, long storage, wild/organic protein.

Also, every fall we usually put up a ton of apples we gather for free. We can Applesauce, Apple Pie filling as well as some cider.
 
As a homesteader and a prepper, I will say that learning to can safely is one of the most economical and thrifty things you can do to put away food. Especially if you are raising your own food, or foraging seasonally.

We spent the last two days putting up some ham and bean soup for our little tribe. We used ham we raised from our own farm, beans from bulk storage, left over rabbit stock for broth and a couple hand fulls of carrots per quart. Kune Kune are the breed of hogs we keep and though they grow slower they are very tasty, easy to keep and very small to manage when butchering time comes.

Any time we harvest a deer we put up 14 quarts worth. We do enough to fill our two Aluminum Cast American Cookers, make some Jerky and Freeze the rest. This is nearly free, long storage, wild/organic protein.

Also, every fall we usually put up a ton of apples we gather for free. We can Applesauce, Apple Pie filling as well as some cider.
Do you save the leaf lard (kidney lard) when you process your hogs, I have a hard time finding it.
 
Making pickled sausages this afternoon. Normally use this recipe I found on the internet.

This recipe is about as close as I've come so far.
Penrose (later bought by ConAgra Foods) mixed the spices into the sausage before cooking and pickling. So, in order to achieve the desired level of spicy goodness the brine needs to be VERY spicy!

This recipe makes a one quart jar of pickled sausage. Scale up or down as desired.

__- 1/2 cup water
__- 2 cups white vinegar
__- 1/2 tbs Ground Cayenne Pepper
__- 1 tbs red pepper flakes
__- 1 tsp minced Garlic.
__- 1 tbs dried minced onion
__- 1 tsp Paprika
__- 1/2 tsp white pepper
__- 1 tbs salt
__- Lg pinch all spice
__- 28 oz pkg Hillshire Farms 'lil Smokies, or other precooked link sausage, cut in two. (MUST be precooked!) Kielbasa sliced about 1/2 inch thick works also. Hot dogs just don't work.
__- Or, use to pickle Boiled Eggs!


Directions

1* On medium-high heat, combine the water, salt, vinegar, and spices.
2* Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes in a well ventilated area.
NOTE: when you're simmering the brine, make sure you have a ventilator fan running or a window and door open, the vinegar and Cayenne pepper boiling is kinda' hard on a the eyes! Almost like mace...
3* Place precooked sausage into a 1 qt sterile jar. Fill jar but don't pack tightly.
4* Pour the hot vinegar mixture in with the sausage, If there isn't enough, add some vinegar. Secure the lid.
5* Let cool, then place in the 'frige. keep Refrigerated after opening.
6* Ready to eat in 5 to 7 days.

When opened for the first time, there will be a layer of fat on top and the underside of the lid, remove if you want too.
 

Attachments

  • 5DC90BAD-D746-4CBC-9585-5C20579226BA.jpeg
    5DC90BAD-D746-4CBC-9585-5C20579226BA.jpeg
    79.1 KB · Views: 14
  • 47C53F49-10D6-4716-8FCD-8D23FFB55924.jpeg
    47C53F49-10D6-4716-8FCD-8D23FFB55924.jpeg
    102.4 KB · Views: 14
  • 7C885D0E-8CEE-45AB-B785-E0C2146CA49E.jpeg
    7C885D0E-8CEE-45AB-B785-E0C2146CA49E.jpeg
    92.4 KB · Views: 14
Do you save the leaf lard (kidney lard) when you process your hogs, I have a hard time finding it.

As they say...everything on the pig is good!!! HECK YEAH we collect the inner leaf lard!!!! Best lard there is...actually I've actually heard bear fat is the best but I've never had the honor. We jar up the white fat and just keep it in the Fridge in mason jars. Provides all the cooking grease or frying oil you could ever need!!! When we go to battering our meat rabbits, snapping turtle nuggets, blooming onions, wild foraged mushrooms, potato fritters etc. it's getting dropped into real pig fat!!!
 
Making pickled sausages this afternoon. Normally use this recipe I found on the internet.

This recipe is about as close as I've come so far.
Penrose (later bought by ConAgra Foods) mixed the spices into the sausage before cooking and pickling. So, in order to achieve the desired level of spicy goodness the brine needs to be VERY spicy!

This recipe makes a one quart jar of pickled sausage. Scale up or down as desired.

__- 1/2 cup water
__- 2 cups white vinegar
__- 1/2 tbs Ground Cayenne Pepper
__- 1 tbs red pepper flakes
__- 1 tsp minced Garlic.
__- 1 tbs dried minced onion
__- 1 tsp Paprika
__- 1/2 tsp white pepper
__- 1 tbs salt
__- Lg pinch all spice
__- 28 oz pkg Hillshire Farms 'lil Smokies, or other precooked link sausage, cut in two. (MUST be precooked!) Kielbasa sliced about 1/2 inch thick works also. Hot dogs just don't work.
__- Or, use to pickle Boiled Eggs!


Directions

1* On medium-high heat, combine the water, salt, vinegar, and spices.
2* Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes in a well ventilated area.
NOTE: when you're simmering the brine, make sure you have a ventilator fan running or a window and door open, the vinegar and Cayenne pepper boiling is kinda' hard on a the eyes! Almost like mace...
3* Place precooked sausage into a 1 qt sterile jar. Fill jar but don't pack tightly.
4* Pour the hot vinegar mixture in with the sausage, If there isn't enough, add some vinegar. Secure the lid.
5* Let cool, then place in the 'frige. keep Refrigerated after opening.
6* Ready to eat in 5 to 7 days.

When opened for the first time, there will be a layer of fat on top and the underside of the lid, remove if you want too.
Look for the recipe for Hawks Bar Pickled Eggs. It’s eggs and sausage. Something about it is sweet, something coming from the pickling spicy, so I need to play with it, but it is good. Also going to smoke the sausages next time rather than boiling. They say it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but I don’t believe them.
 
When we first got started canning we built our supply of jars up by getting our tomato sauce in Atlas glass. They are a little smaller than a real quart by not by much. We got the best sauce at the store and got to keep the glass. You'd have to check to see if it is still a savings to do it that way or not. A Saturday of garage sales or checking your second hand stores should get you plenty. I had nearly all of mine given to me.
 
Anyone have a good source for canning lids at a decent price? Prefer Ball, but if you have found off-brand lids of comparable quality I'd be interested in hearing your experience. Maybe even go in on a group buy if we can find someplace that sells in bulk at a discount?
 
Back
Top Bottom