August 26th, 2014 FOOD PRESERVATION 101 Searcy Co. Extension Service Food Preservation Newsletter Do your jars have what it takes to get a blue ribbon? Quality standards might be something you ve never really considered unless you have entered items in the fair, but these standards are based on research that illustrates how highstandard canning products should appear. Since we do not open sealed jars in Arkansas fairs, judges rate jars based on looks alone. Quality of fresh products and the care with which it is handled are the major determinants of the appearance of the canned product. The fresh product should be young and tender. It should be free from defects such as blemishes, decayed spots, or sunburned spots. There should be no trash, foreign particles, or sediment in the jar. Air bubbles should not be present, and there should be no gas bubble or other signs of spoilage. Liquids in the jar should be fairly clear and free of cloudiness and sediment. Starchy vegetables may have a slightly cloudy liquid but should not have a starchy sediment. Liquid in tomatoes and berries should have a natural color characteristic of the product. Product pieces should be of uniform size and shape. This not only adds to the appearance of the product but also assures more uniform cooking. The pieces should be of a size and shape appropriate for the product. The color of the canned product should be that of a good cooked product. It should be uniform and should show no signs of over or under-processing. Canned vegetables jas should have product and liquid filled to within 1 of top of the jar. Starchy vegetables, like corn, shelled beans, and peas, need 1 1/4 inches since they expand more during heating. To achieve best symmetry of items like green beans, use a pairing knife to slice bean pieces to approxi-
filled to appropriate headspace of 1/2 with no floating fruit. Pieces should be of same size and shape, and the color should be characteristic of fruit. There should be no discoloration and syrup, if present, should be sparkling clear. The texture should be firm, yet tender and free from dark places, peel pieces, or sediment of any kind. Fruit juice and jelly have very similar characteristics. Both products should have a clear, sparkling color characteristic of the fruit. Juice should pour while jelly should be firm enough to hold shape of the container if turned out onto a plate. Jellies sealed with paraffin are not allowed. Both should be free from sediment, pulp, and crystals and should appear characteristic of the fruit. For pickles and fermented foods, the color should be even throughout and characteristic of product; fruit pickles will be bright in color. No artificial color should be added. Pieces should be of same size and shape, not ground or chopped finely. Liquid should be clear and free of sediment with a good proportion of liq- For meat, poultry, fish, and game, all should be trimmed of gristle and bruised spots before canning. The pieces should be somewhat uniform, and they should be sized for serving. A small amount of fat on top of the jar is acceptable; however, excess fat indicates fat left on the meat. This fat can melt and climb the sides of the jar. Meat may or may not be covered with liquid; liquid should be clear and may be slightly jellied; less than 1/2 fat on chicken and beef and 1/4 on pork. For dried foods, pieces should be same size and shape with no ragged edges. No moisture should be apparent in container and pieces should be uniformly dry throughout. The container should be a clear, clean glass container. A seal is not mandatory. For more detailed information, contact the Extension Office You be the judge. Are these blue ribbon winners? Answers on page 6
Asparagus Beans (green and waxed) Carrots Corn Whole Kernel Jams Marmalade Fruit Butters Look for uniform length and size of stalks, not less than 1/2 thick. Color should be bright, and scales at tips should be closed. Want fresh color, typical of variety. Pieces should be uniform in size, length, and color. Variety may be flat or round-podded, but both should not be included in one jar. May be canned whole if small. Diameter depends somewhat on variety but should be uniform within pack. If sliced, slices should be uniform, smooth, and fairly thin. Color may be very pale to deep orange, depending on variety, but should be uniform. Pieces should be cut to about threefourths depth of kernel. Color should be bright and consistent with variety. Jars should contain a single variety. Want a good proportion of corn and liquid. The liquid may be slightly cloudy from starch, but there should be no excess starch or sediment. Fruits crushed or ground to fine, uniform pieces and distributed evenly throughout a thick jelly-like syrup. Syrup may be gelled but is somewhat softer than jelly. There should be no free syrup Tender jelly with small pieces of fruit distributed evenly throughout. Very similar to a preserve except that fruit has been divided into small, uniform pieces. May be a single fruit or a combination of fruits. The shape of fruit should be retained. The pulp of fruit which has been cooked to a smooth consistency that show no separation of fruit and juice. Should move very slowly with a strong pull from the side of the container when turned to the side. It may move in a solid mass. Corn Cream Style Should be canned in pints only. Should be cut from cob at about center or kernel and cob scraped. Consistency should be thick not stiff. The liquid is cloudy from starch. Okra Tomatoes Tomato Juice Preserves Conserve Want young, tender pods. Small pods may be left whole; larger ones should be sliced. Color is dependent on variety. Liquid should be fairly clear and free of starchy sediment. Should appear firm, not mushy. Product should be evenly distributed throughout jar, not floating to top. It should be free from cores and green spots. There should be uniform, bright color characteristic of variety. Should have a good proportion of liquid to solid. Should have a bright red, uniform color. Should have no visible seeds, peel, or other foreign particles. As juice stands, slight separation of a clear liquid at the top may occur. If this separation is limited and if it is eliminated with a gentle shake, it may be acceptable. Very similar to jams, except pieces of fruit are usually larger. Generally contain whole berries or small fruits. If larger fruit is used, fruit should be uniform, unbroken slices. Fruit is cooked translucent. There should be a good proportion of fruit to syrup. Syrup should be consistency of honey but may be a soft gel. Then slices of lemon are acceptable additions to preserves. A jam made from a mixture of fruits, usually including citrus fruit, and generally containing raisins and nuts. Fruits should be uniformly and attractively cut and recognizable.
Got an excess of fresh veggies but tired of canning? Give these two options a try. Pull out your dehydrator and get to drying. After you ve dried items, store in glass jars, rigid freezer containers, clean metal cans, or plastic bags; however, plastic bags should only be used when food can be stored in refrigerator or freezer Vegetable Chips Dehydrated, thinly sliced vegetables or vegetable chips are a nutritious low-calorie snack. They can be served with a favorite dip. Vegetables to try are zucchini, tomato, squash, parsnip, turnip, cucumber, beet, or carrots. Vegetables should be thinly sliced with a food processor, vegetable slicer or sharp knife before drying. Source: So Easy to Preserve 4th Edition, University of Georgia National Center for Home Food Preservation Vegetable Flakes and Powders Vegetable flakes can be made by crushing dehydrated vegetables or vegetable leather using a wooden mallet, rolling pin, or one s dry, clean hand. Powders are finer than flakes and are made by using a food mill, food processor or blender. The most common powders are onion, celery, and tomato. Fresh Produce Dry Equivalents 1 onion 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder 1/4 cup dried minced onions 1 green pepper 1/4 cup green pepper flakes 1 cup carrots 4 tablespoons powdered carrots 1/2 cup (heaped) dried carrots 1 cup spinach 2-3 tablespoons powdered spinach 1 medium tomato 1 tablespoon powdered tomato 1/2 cup tomato puree 1 tablespoon powdered tomato 20 pounds tomatoes 18 ounces dried sliced tomatoes
Watermelon Rind Preserves (about 6 half-pint jars) Ingredients: 1 1/2 quarts prepared watermelon rind 1 tablespoon ground ginger 4 teaspoons salt 4 cups sugar 2 quarts cold water 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 thinly sliced lemon (optional) 7 cups water To Prepare Watermelon Rind Trim green skin and pink flesh from thick watermelon rind; cut into 1- inch pieces. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over rind; let stand for 5 to 6 hours in refrigerator. Drain; rinse and drain again. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain. Sprinkle ginger over rind; cover with water and cook until fork tender. Drain. To Make Preserves Sterilize canning jars. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 7 cups water. Boil 5 minutes; add rind and boil gently for 30 minutes. Add sliced lemon and cook until melon rind is clear. Pack hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4 headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath. Freezing Melons Preparation Select firm-fleshed, well-colored, ripe melons. Cut in half, remove seeds and rind. Cut melons into slices, cubes, or balls. Syrup Pack Pack into containers and cover with cold 30 percent syrup. Leave headspace (Wide mouth top opening 1/2 for pint, 1 for quart). Seal and freeze Unsweetened Pack Pack into containers, leaving headspace (1/2 ). Seal and freeze Peach Butter (about 8 half-pint jars) -2 quarts peach pulp (about 1 1/2 dozen medium, fully ripe peaches) -4 cups sugar To prepare pulp wash, scald, pit, peel and chop peaches; cook until soft, adding only enough water to prevent sticking. Press through a sieve or food mill. Measure pulp. To make butter add sugar; cook until thick, about 30 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, sterilize canning jars. Pour hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process 5 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath. Source: So Easy to Preserve 4th Edition, Univ. of Georgia
Canning Meat Tip Remove excess fat before canning. Fat left on the meat can melt and climb the sides of the jar during canning. If it comes in contact with the sealing compound on the lid, it Answers to Ribbon questions: : Far right jar of tomatoes is not blue ribbon quality, too little headspace. Others are probably blue ribbons. Not blue ribbon, too much headspace. Based on what we can see without being able to remove screw rings, jar on left would be blue ribbon because good use of jar space, clear color, peaches same size. Jar in middle would possibly be a blue or red ribbon, and jar on right would be a white ribbon. U of A Cooperative Extension Service Searcy County 511 Zack Rd Marshall, AR 72650 jblair@uaex.edu