Here’s your chance to answer my mail. Are you a canning whiz?
"I want to make a batch of chili, which includes ground beef. The recipe calls for 90 minutes of processing in a pressure canner. I don't have a pressure canner, so is it ok if I waterbath my chili for 180 minutes instead?"
"I noticed paraffin wax being sold in the canning supplies section and I remember my mother using wax to seal her jam jars when I was a little girl. Seeing the wax block on top of my jam brings back happy childhood memories! Can I use paraffin wax to seal the jars instead of waterbath canning my jams and jellies?"
"Browsing through Facebook the other day, I saw an ad for homemade salsa for sale. In the ad's picture, all the jars were on her kitchen table upside down. Why were the jars upside down?"
"I've noticed on You Tube that there are MANY ways to can! (Waterbath canning, steam canning, sun canning, open kettle canning, pressure canning, canning in the slow cooker/ microwave / dishwasher...) As long as the jar seals, then it's safe, right?"
"I keep hearing people talking about the dangers of Botulism. What are the signs and symptoms of Botulism?"
"I want to can applesauce and I have a safe, tested recipe to do so. The recipe calls for pint jars, but I only have half-pint jars on hand. Can I safely use the smaller jars instead of the size the recipe calls for?"
"
"I have a safe, tested recipe for pressure canning potatoes. It says to peel the potatoes first, but I want to keep the peels on for nutritional value. Can I do this safely?"
Someone just gave me their gently-used dial gauge pressure canner. I haven't had a chance to have the dial gauge tested yet but hopefully it's fine. I have some green beans that need to be canned today. Can I just pressure can the green beans a little longer than the recipe calls for to be on the safe side?
I was a little overly ambitious in my canning today! It's been a long day and I am exhausted! My last load in the pressure canner just finished processing and I’m waiting for it to release pressure before venting. Can I just let the cans sit overnight so I can go to bed? Or do I need to wait for it to release pressure, vent, and then take them out tonight before I go to bed?
"I am trying to eliminate sugar from my diet. Is it safe to can fruit without sugar?"
"We have as a salsa recipe that has been in the family for several generations and it is AMAZING! Can I safely can it at home"
"The doctor just put me on a low sodium diet. Is it safe to can vegetables without salt?"
"I'm canning to save money, but the lids are so dang expensive! I've seen people reuse their lids and it seals just fine. As long as the lid is in good condition and the jar seals, is it safe to reuse lids?"
"I'm hearing a lot of debate about whether or not we need to sterilize the jars before canning. Some people say they need to be sterilized, others say they don't. What is the current recommendation?"
"I have a lot of fruit to process this year. Can I speed the process up by stacking jars on top of each other inside the canner?"
Share your Results: