I took a canning class
on the Culinary Institute recently. The average age group of the course
was rather high - I guess canning can be an old fashioned and somewhat quaint pursuit.
I have always been interested in canning - more for the endless gift-giving opportunities it
affords than for preserving out-of-season items, but haven't attempted it for concern with poisoning my gift recipients.
It appears improper canning could conveniently bring about
botulism and result in certain loss of life - oh my!
So I got a class to learn proper strategies and managing and
am today cautiously optimistic about my capability to impart pleasure without
harm.
I usually thought canning required a whole lot of tools and space, but actually you will
need relatively few items - at most basic level, proper canning jars
and lids and a pot large more than enough to
fill up with enough drinking water to pay the jars by
several in .. We focused on canning high-acid foods (pH value 4.6 or smaller) which require temperature
handling to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and will therefore be processed using a simple boiling drinking water canner
for the specified period of time. Low acid
foods should be prepared at temperature ranges of 240 levels Fahrenheit to eliminate parasites and follow a completely different process which is even more involved and had not
been covered in our class. High-acid foods consist
of fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, relishes,
chutneys, vinegars, etc.
Canning requires precisely following a strict set of directions that can't be altered with
the novice. This means adhering to the exact sugar content material
and jar size specified in the recipe as both are specifically linked to the processing period specified.
I recently read an excellent post on the process on Andrea's Recipe Box which I will reference in order
not to do it again the same information available there.
My favorite formula was for Apricot Jam which is my all-time preferred jam.
I'm excited to buy Ball's Blue Book of Canning (find my sidebar for
an Amazon link) to explore more great quality recipes and homemade
tiramisu cheesecake ideas. Even if you don't wish to
business into canning, you can certainly make the jam and refrigerate it for a couple weeks.
If you decide to can, your jam could keep to get a
year within a dark, cool place.
(Makes about 4 pints)
2 quarts pitted and crushed apricots (no need to
chop - huge pieces will certainly reduce to a good size and offer great consistency)
2 cups dried apricots, roughly chopped
¼ glass lemon juice
2 cups granulated sugar
Combine clean apricots, dried apricots and lemon juice in a
large pot over medium heat. Gradually stir in sugar
and increase warmth to high, stirring frequently
until thick. Ladle warm apricot jam into scorching jars, leaving ¼ in .
headspace. Remove air bubbles, modify lids and process a quarter-hour in boiling water canner.
Submitted by Sabra
Happy you and yopur recipes are back. The apricot jam noises delicious and your picture of
it really is superb. Your formula doesn't look like too difficult so
I can provide it a go. But I've a issue. Could Splenda become substituted
for the glucose for those of us who have to maintain a careful attention on the amount of sugar we eat?
Thanks.
You could definitely swap in splenda if you don't anticipate canning.
I'd not dare claim that you could properly do that if
you do. You should check one of the USDA
sites: or or with your regional COOP for guidelines.
Cooking (and eating) is really a passion. I enjoy discover new methods and dishes.
I really like tackling a fresh recipe. I really like
food preparation for others. I've a deep interest all things food:
the chemistry and procedure for cooking, the art of display, and the entire
aesthetics of meals.
What started like a interest for cooking,
therefore, has also blossomed right into a deep desire
for exploring the visual art of food via food photography (in the end, we eat with this eyes first).