This sweet-and-sour salad is one of my favorite pantry staples. It can garnish smoked salmon and crackers, quickly season a cabbage salad, accent bean soups or burgers, and accompany grilled or roasted meats. A row of this sunny yellow relish in your pantry brightens dark days throughout the year and brings the sweet scent of summer to winter meals. For more information… …click to read more…
Pickled peppers have a multitude of uses. Pickled pepper rings can go on sandwiches, burgers, and tacos. Sprinkle them over salads or chop them with onion and add to mayonnaise for a quick tartar sauce. Serve them with vegetarian meals (such as rice and beans) to add interest to grain dishes. Or serve them with smoked fish or cheese on… …click to read more…
Canning relish recipes are a great way to preserve a variety of vegetables at the end of the season. From one basic relish recipe, you can create two different relishes, one red and spicy, the other green and zesty. Tip: Before you harvest or buy the fresh produce for any canning project, check that you have all of the required… …click to read more…
Clostridium botulinum is a common, everyday bacterium found in soil and on food. Only under certain conditions does it become harmful. In the absence of air, such as in canned foods, C. botulinum may produce botulin, the toxin that causes botulism poisoning. Historical perspective on botulism poisoning A century ago, botulism poisoning was a problem in improperly processed foods canned at… …click to read more…
When canning tomatoes safely at home, be sure to use tested canning recipes that add citric acid, vinegar or lemon juice. Tomatoes are a medium-acid food with a pH in the range of 4.5–5.2. You must use a tested canning recipe that has determined the amount of acid to add in order to increase the acidity by lowering the pH… …click to read more…
The canning preservation method involves just a few essential concepts. Once you learn the basics, canning is a great way to turn fresh food into shelf-stable products that are safe for storage at room temperature. The fundamentals of canning have not changed since Frenchman Nicolas Appert invented the process over 200 years ago. People have the most trouble with canning when… …click to read more…
If you want to try pressure canning low-acid meats and vegetables, here is a short tutorial on the essential concepts and a plan for getting started. Boiling Water Bath vs. Pressure Canning As you may know, there are two canning methods: boiling water–bath (BWB) canning and steam-pressure canning. Which method you use depends on whether the foods you want to… …click to read more…
