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August
26, 2004
Prairie Fare:
Questions and Answers about Food Preservation
By
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
At this time of year,
questions about food preservation come flooding in as gardeners and farmers’
market shoppers preserve the season’s bounty. Whether you preserve
food or not, you could be the recipient of home-canned goods. It’s
always wise to be a savvy consumer, especially when home canning is involved.
Question: I received
a cookbook with lots of old family recipes, including recipes for home
food preservation. How can I tell if they’re safe?
Chances are the
recipes are no longer considered safe to use based on current research.
Compare the recipes to research-tested recipes on our Web site: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm
While you compare, ask yourself these questions: Do canned tomato and
salsa recipes have enough added acid? Do pickle recipes have enough
vinegar? Are jam and jelly recipes processed in a boiling water bath?
Are vegetable recipes pressure canned according to current guidelines?
Question: I’d
like to make some apple jelly this season. Is it OK to use paraffin wax
to seal the jars?
We don’t recommend
using wax to seal jars because there’s a risk the wax won’t
seal properly. Air could enter the jar through a crack and lead to spoilage.
We recommend using a two-part lid and also processing jellies and jams
in a water bath canner to inactivate molds and yeast. This will keep
your jams and jellies safe to enjoy during the cold of winter!
Question: I have a
large family and I’d like to pressure can corn and beans in larger
quantities than quarts. Do you have processing times?
All of our processing
times were tested with quarts as the largest container size. It would
not be safe to use these processing times with larger size jars. If
you have freezer space, you might consider freezing vegetables in meal-size
portions.
Question: I’d
like to can a salsa recipe I created. It has lots of onions and peppers.
Can I follow the directions from another recipe listed in your publication?
It’s safest
to freeze your salsa creation. All our recipes were research-tested
to be at the proper level of acidity for the processing time listed,
so all have the proper amount of added vinegar or lemon juice. Without
testing your recipe in a lab, we wouldn’t know if it’s safe.
Ours are quite tasty; you might want to give them a try!
For more answers to
food preservation questions, contact your local extension agent or visit
the NDSU Extension Service Web site. It features “Ask Extension”
questions and answers about food preservation and online research-tested
recipes. It’s found at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm.
When it’s time
to enjoy your harvest, consider this easy dessert recipe. You can use
either home-canned or commercially canned fruits.
Triple Fruit Crisp
1/4 c. and 3 Tbsp.
all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 20-oz. can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained
1 16-oz. can (or jar) sliced pears in light syrup, drained
1 16-oz can (or jar) sliced peaches in light syrup, drained
1/2 c. quick cooking oats, uncooked
1/4 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped topping (optional)
Combine three tablespoons
flour, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add pineapple chunks, pears
and peaches and toss gently to coat. Spray 10 x 6 x 2 baking dish with
cooking spray. Spoon fruit mixture into dish. Combine 1/4 cup flour,
oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add margarine and
vanilla, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon over fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand
10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with whipped topping.
Makes 8 servings.
Each serving has 185 calories, 3.3 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbohydrate
and 4 grams of fiber.
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Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu
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