Available:*
Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
---|---|---|---|---|
33607003523456 | Adult Nonfiction | 641.42 JEANROY | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
Get your food preservation skills in the can
Craving a juicy peach in the barren midwinter? Yearning for a cupful of home-grown tomato soup before the seeds are even in the ground? Canning makes you the ultimate boss of your food supply all year 'round and helps you reduce costs and maintain quality control over what you eat--and to be prepared in times of food shortages. And Canning & Preserving For Dummies shows you how to do it all, helping you explore hundreds-of-years-old traditions of food preservation in the comfort of your own home.
In a friendly and step-by-step style, longtime canner and owner of TheFarmingWife.com Amy Jeanroy takes you inside the canning world to show how modern technology and techniques have made it easy to use the four main methods of preservation--water-bath and pressure canning, freezing, and dehydrating--to keep your pantry packed with delicious, out-of-season delights. She also clues you in on how to match preservation technique to food for the most flavorful results--and what supplies to keep on hand for your next canning adventure.
Know the benefits, from healthier eating to self-reliance Follow the latest food safety guidelines Get guidance on food storage in urban living Cook up tasty recipes with your preserved delightsWhatever draws you to canning--saving money on groceries, healthy living, or the sheer fun of doing it--this book is stuffed with all the goodness you need to keep your palate happy whatever the season is!
Author Notes
Amelia Jeanroy is passionate about packing her pantry with tasty foods from her small farm and using them to create delicious, healthy meals. She is the blogger behind thefarmingwife.com and the author of a weekly newsletter full of recipes for using and storing summer garden produce. Amy has been canning and preserving foods for more than 20 years.
Table of Contents
Introduction | p. 1 |
About This Book | p. 1 |
Foolish Assumptions | p. 3 |
Icons Used in This Book | p. 3 |
Beyond the Book | p. 4 |
Whereto Go from Here | p. 4 |
Part 1 Getting Started | p. 5 |
Chapter 1 A Quick Overview of Canning and Preserving | p. 7 |
Appreciating the Benefits of Canning and Preserving Your Own Food | p. 8 |
Introducing Your Techniques: Canning, Freezing, and Dehydrating | p. 9 |
About canning food | p. 10 |
About freezing food | p. 12 |
About dehydrating food | p. 13 |
Holding the Keys to Canning and Preserving Success | p. 13 |
Chapter 2 Gathering Your Canning and Preserving Gear | p. 15 |
Keeping Basic Kitchen Tools at the Ready | p. 15 |
Essential tools and utensils | p. 16 |
Important pots, pans, mixing bowls, and more | p. 20 |
Specialty equipment to make work easier | p. 20 |
Add as needed: Handy but nonessential items | p. 22 |
Canning Equipment | p. 23 |
Canning vessels | p. 23 |
Must-have canning tools | p. 23 |
Required Tools and Equipment for Freezing Food | p. 29 |
Necessary Tools and Equipment for Dehydrating Food | p. 30 |
Chapter 3 On Your Mark, Get Set, Whoa! The Road to Safe Canning and Preserving | p. 31 |
Dispelling Your Fears of Home-Canned and Home-Preserved Food | p. 32 |
Preparing your food properly | p. 32 |
Packing your jars with care | p. 33 |
Choosing the right canning method and following proper procedures | p. 35 |
Checking your equipment | p. 36 |
Knowing the Acidity Level of Your Food | p. 37 |
Adjusting for Your Altitude | p. 37 |
Spoiler Alert: Identifying Food Spoilage | p. 38 |
Meeting the spoilers | p. 38 |
Determining what you need to dispose of | p. 40 |
Part 2 Water-Bath Canning | p. 43 |
Chapter 4 Come On In, the Water's Fine! Water-Bath Canning | p. 45 |
Water-Bath Canning in a Nutshell | p. 46 |
Foods you can safely water-bath can | p. 46 |
Key equipment for water-bath canning | p. 47 |
The Road to Your Finished Product | p. 49 |
Step 1: Getting your equipment ready | p. 49 |
Step 2: Readying your food | p. 51 |
Step 3: Filling your jars | p. 51 |
Step 4: Processing your filled jars | p. 52 |
Step 5: Removing your filled jars and testing the seals | p. 53 |
Step 6: Storing your canned food | p. 54 |
Adjusting Your Processing Times at High Altitudes | p. 55 |
Chapter 5 Simply Fruit (Yes, a Tomato Is a Fruit) | p. 57 |
Picking and Preparing Your Fresh Fruit | p. 58 |
Identifying the proper degree of ripeness | p. 58 |
Cutting and peeling: Necessary or not? | p. 59 |
Deterring discoloration | p. 59 |
Raw pack and hot pack | p. 59 |
Lining your jars with liquid | p. 60 |
Fresh Fruit Canning Guidelines | p. 62 |
Chapter 6 Sweet Spreads: Jams, Jellies, Marmalades, and More | p. 83 |
Introducing Your Sweet Spreads | p. 84 |
Choosing Fruit for Sweet Spreads | p. 85 |
Getting Up to Speed with Fruit Pectin | p. 85 |
Commercial pectin basics | p. 85 |
Types of commercial fruit pectin | p. 86 |
Setting Up without Adding Pectin | p. 87 |
Water-Bath Canning: The Key to Sweet Spread Canning Success | p. 89 |
Chapter 7 Condiments and Accompaniments: Chutney, Relish, Sauce, and Syrup | p. 99 |
Expanding Your World of Condiments and Accompaniments | p. 100 |
Enjoying the surprising flavors of chutney | p. 100 |
Reveling in your relish | p. 100 |
Satisfying your salsa needs | p. 101 |
Savoring syrup with a berry base | p. 101 |
Chapter 8 The Art of Pickling | p. 109 |
Bring on the Brine | p. 109 |
Gathering the ingredients | p. 110 |
Following the appropriate brining process | p. 111 |
Keeping that crunch | p. 113 |
A Few More Prep Tips to Ensure Tasty Pickled Treats | p. 114 |
Picking Pickling Equipment and Utensils | p. 115 |
Part 3 Pressure Canning | p. 129 |
Chapter 9 Don't Blow Your Top: Pressure Canning | p. 131 |
Understanding the Fuss about Low-Acid Foods | p. 132 |
Choosing Your Pressure Canner | p. 132 |
Cover: With a gasket or without | p. 134 |
Gauges | p. 136 |
Vent tube, pipe vent, or petcock | p. 138 |
Overpressure plug (or safety valve) | p. 138 |
Rack | p. 138 |
A-Canning You Will Go: Instructions for Successful Pressure Canning | p. 139 |
Step 1: Gearing up | p. 139 |
Step 2: Preparing your food | p. 141 |
Step 3: Filling your jars | p. 141 |
Step 4: Placing the jars in the canner | p. 142 |
Step 5: Closing and locking the canner | p. 142 |
Step 6: Processing your filled jars | p. 143 |
Step 7: Releasing the pressure after processing | p. 143 |
Step 8: Removing and cooling the jars | p. 144 |
Step 9: Testing the seal and storing your bounty | p. 144 |
Disposing of Spoiled Products | p. 145 |
If your jar is still sealed | p. 145 |
If your jar has a broken seal | p. 146 |
Pressure Canning at Higher Altitudes | p. 146 |
Chapter 10 Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest | p. 149 |
Selecting Your Vegetables | p. 150 |
Picking the perfect produce | p. 150 |
Vegetables not recommended for pressure canning | p. 150 |
Prepping Your Veggies for Pressure Canning | p. 151 |
Cleaning your vegetables | p. 151 |
Raw packing versus hot packing | p. 152 |
Processing Tips for Successful Results | p. 154 |
Under Pressure! Canning Vegetables | p. 154 |
Using Canned Vegetables | p. 158 |
Chapter 11 Don't Forget the Meats! | p. 187 |
Preparing for Pressure Canning Meats | p. 187 |
Tips for safety and efficiency | p. 188 |
Selecting and preparing the meat | p. 189 |
Meat canning, step by step | p. 190 |
Canning Meat Cut into Cubes or Strips | p. 191 |
Preparing the meat | p. 191 |
Filling the jars | p. 192 |
Canning Ground Meat | p. 192 |
Pick Your Packing: Canning Poultry | p. 193 |
Canning fresh poultry: Cold packing | p. 193 |
Canning previously frozen chicken: Hot packing | p. 193 |
Worth the Effort: Canning Fish | p. 194 |
Picking your fish | p. 195 |
Preparing fish and seafood | p. 195 |
Filling the jar | p. 195 |
Including Meats in Other Canned Mixes | p. 196 |
Chapter 12 Combining the Harvest: Soups, Sauces, and Sides with Beans | p. 207 |
Confidently Canning Food Combos | p. 208 |
Choosing the appropriate processing method | p. 208 |
Tips for a successful meal | p. 209 |
Getting your meal on the table | p. 210 |
Stocking Up on Soup | p. 210 |
Teaming Up with Tomatoes | p. 211 |
Rounding Out Your Meals with Beans | p. 211 |
Part 4 Freezing | p. 225 |
Chapter 13 Baby, It's Cold Inside! Freezing Fresh Food | p. 227 |
Defining Freezing | p. 227 |
Meeting the Spoilers of Frozen Foods | p. 228 |
Bacteria, molds, and yeast | p. 228 |
Enzymes | p. 229 |
Freezer burn and oxidation | p. 229 |
Ice crystals | p. 230 |
Gearing Up to Fill Your Freezer | p. 230 |
Knowing what should (and shouldn't) be frozen | p. 230 |
Evaluating your freezer | p. 231 |
Packaging Your Food and Filling Your Freezer | p. 232 |
It's a wrap! Choosing a container | p. 232 |
Tracking your frozen food trail | p. 235 |
Packing your freezer | p. 236 |
Thawing Out Your Frozen Food | p. 236 |
Choices for thawing | p. 237 |
Unplanned thawing | p. 237 |
To refreeze or not to refreeze thawed food | p. 238 |
Chapter 14 Meals and Snacks in a Snap: Freezing Prepared Foods | p. 239 |
The Whys and Wherefores of Putting Up Prepared Food | p. 239 |
Considering the benefits | p. 240 |
Removing the guesswork with meal planning | p. 240 |
Keeping the keys to quality in mind | p. 241 |
Freeze Convenience Meals Now, Thank Yourself Later | p. 242 |
Main dish casseroles | p. 242 |
Soups, stews, sauces, and stocks | p. 242 |
Save Some Dough: Freezing Breads, Cakes, and Other Treats | p. 243 |
Bread, buns, muffins, and rolls | p. 243 |
Cakes | p. 244 |
Cookies | p. 244 |
Pies | p. 245 |
Freezing Dairy Products and Nuts | p. 246 |
Making the Most of a Good Meat Deal: Freezing Meat, Poultry, and Fish | p. 247 |
Packing hints | p. 247 |
Thawing tips | p. 247 |
Chapter 15 Freezing Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs | p. 249 |
Mastering the Easy Art of Freezing Fruit | p. 250 |
The fruit freezing process at a glance | p. 250 |
Selecting mighty fine fruit | p. 250 |
Preparing your fruit for freezing | p. 251 |
Selecting a storage container | p. 252 |
Considering syrup concentrations | p. 252 |
Keeping headspace in mind | p. 253 |
Thawing and using frozen fruits | p. 253 |
Freezing Vegetables Like a Pro | p. 253 |
Simple instructions for freezing vegetables | p. 254 |
Taking a closer look at the blanching process | p. 254 |
Packing your vegetables | p. 255 |
Thawing and using your vegetables | p. 256 |
Freezing Fresh Herbs | p. 256 |
Properly prepping your herbs for freezing | p. 256 |
Adding creative flare to your frozen herbs | p. 257 |
Part 5 Dehydrating and Storing | p. 283 |
Chapter 16 Light and Nutritious: Dehydrating Food | p. 285 |
Setting Up for Food Drying Success | p. 286 |
Understanding key food drying factors | p. 286 |
Assembling the necessary equipment | p. 287 |
Putting suggested drying strategies in play | p. 287 |
Choosing a Drying Method | p. 288 |
Quick and consistent: Investing in an electric dehydrator | p. 288 |
Getting results with a conventional oven | p. 290 |
Setting your trays in the sun | p. 291 |
Storage Solutions: Protecting the Life of Your Dried Food | p. 293 |
Chapter 17 Dehydrating a Variety of Delicious Fresh Fruit | p. 295 |
Putting Your Best Fruit Forward | p. 296 |
Understanding what impacts the dehydrating process | p. 296 |
Making time for pretreating | p. 296 |
Navigating Your Fruit-Drying Experience | p. 298 |
Drying fruit step by step | p. 298 |
Evaluating dryness | p. 299 |
Rehydratingand Enjoying the Labors of Your Drying | p. 300 |
Chapter 18 Dehydrating Vegetables for Snacks and Storage | p. 319 |
Vegetable Drying at a Glance | p. 320 |
Following some basic rules | p. 320 |
Storing and using your dried produce | p. 321 |
Signs of trouble: Good food gone bad | p. 321 |
Drying Common Vegetables | p. 322 |
Mixing It Up for Soups, Stews, and More | p. 325 |
Chapter 19 Drying Herbs | p. 353 |
Selecting, Drying, and Storing Common and Not-So-Common Herbs | p. 353 |
Chamomile | p. 356 |
Dill | p. 357 |
Marjoram | p. 357 |
Mint | p. 358 |
Oregano | p. 359 |
Rosemary | p. 360 |
Sage | p. 360 |
Stevia | p. 361 |
Tarragon | p. 361 |
Thyme | p. 362 |
Getting Creative with Herb Cooking: Rubs and Blends | p. 363 |
Herbs for Teas | p. 363 |
Chapter 20 Helping Your Food Keep Its Cool: Cold Storage Spaces | p. 371 |
Cold Storage Must-Haves | p. 372 |
Exploring Your Cold Storage Options | p. 373 |
Tried and true: The traditional root cellar | p. 373 |
DIY storage spaces | p. 374 |
Following Simple Cold Storage Rules | p. 378 |
Preparing Foods for Cold Storage | p. 379 |
Apples | p. 379 |
Beets | p. 380 |
Cabbage | p. 380 |
Carrots | p. 381 |
Garlic | p. 381 |
Onions | p. 382 |
Pears | p. 382 |
Potatoes | p. 382 |
Tomatoes | p. 383 |
Turnips | p. 383 |
Part 6 The Part of Tens | p. 385 |
Chapter 21 Ten (Plus) Troubleshooting Tips for Your Home-Canned Creations | p. 387 |
Jars That Don't Seal Properly | p. 388 |
Jars That Lose Liquid During Processing | p. 388 |
Jars with Cloudy Liquid | p. 389 |
Dark Spots on Your Jar's Lid | p. 389 |
Jelly with the Wrong Consistency | p. 389 |
Cloudy Jelly or Jelly with Bubbles | p. 390 |
Moldy Jelly | p. 390 |
Jelly with Very Little Fruit Flavor | p. 391 |
Glasslike Particles in Your Jelly | p. 391 |
Hollow, Shriveled, Discolored, or Slippery Pickles | p. 391 |
White Sediment at the Bottom of the Pickle Jar | p. 392 |
Food That Floats in the Jar | p. 392 |
Food with an Off Color | p. 393 |
Chapter 22 Ten Common Food Storage Problems and How to Solve Them | p. 395 |
I never use up all my stored food, and so it goes to waste | p. 396 |
I don't know how much to preserve | p. 396 |
My family doesn't want to eat the food | p. 396 |
I don't have any more room and I am not done | p. 397 |
I don't know what I have already stored | p. 397 |
I don't know which preservation technique to choose | p. 397 |
I don't know how to use the food I have preserved | p. 398 |
My preserved food looks weird | p. 398 |
I used up all the food that I stored | p. 398 |
I don't know where I'll store food if I start preserving it | p. 399 |
Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide | p. 401 |
Index | p. 405 |