Q and A: Canning questions

Pear preserves

 I am new to canning. I am presently doing pear preserves. After I have added the pears and sugar it says to boil until the pears are translucent. Evidently I boiled them on a outdoor propane stove too long as the sugar became quite thick. The same thing has happened to the watermelon rind pickles that says to boil until translucent. Can I salvage these pears or must I throw them out and start all over?

 Joe Tubb

Wartburg, Tennessee

 I think that if you just heat the pears and watermelon rind in the syrup, then pack it in your hot jars and water bath as usual, you’ll have a decent preserve. Yeah, I think you did boil them too long. This is how we learn. — Jackie

Canning bacon

 We have been pressure canning bacon using the recipe given in a recent article in BHM — tastes good to me. Recently on a discussion group I read this was posted” I have read that home canning bacon is absolutely not safe. Does anyone have any scientific (ie; non-anecdotal) evidence to the contrary? …What’s your take on the lack of an “approved” recipe for canning bacon?

 Bob Taylor

Poulsbo, Washington

 This is another case of “approved” vs “experimental” canning recipes. Many years ago, there was a recipe for home canning bacon found in one of my old Kerr canning books! It was then “approved.” Now it’s not. The USDA’s book, Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving lists canning smoked fish, canned without brine, which is what the bacon would be. That’s safe; bacon is not? Sorry, I don’t buy it. I don’t “advise” canning bacon w/paper, but sure wouldn’t be against doing it myself. Years ago, the Government encouraged people to home can and spent time and money developing safe recipes which could be canned at home. Now this is not done, and I don’t know why. Very, very few (if any) people become sick from eating home canned foods in this country. But how many hundreds get sick from eating commercial foods and cellophane-wrapped produce from “safe” sources? It’s okay to spray with dozens of chemicals, then sell the food, but home canning is oh-so-dangerous? I’m stumped! — Jackie

 Freezing tomato puree

 I have an abundance of tomatoes this year and not a lot of time! Is it possible to run them through my Victorio strainer and then freeze that puree to can later? Also, I have a ton of frozen blueberries, can I use them to can blueberry sauce with?

 CJ Lehman

East Palestine, Ohio

 Yes, you may. To both questions. Just thaw out and proceed as if it were fresh. — Jackie

Canning frozen corn

 Can you can frozen corn? We want to can some Mexi Corn, I do not see a recipe for that to get the processing time. I am short on time so I do not want to use the fresh corn on the cob. I plan on using the processing time in the KERR canning book for corn.

 Judy

Federal Way, Washington

 Yes, you can use frozen corn to can. It won’t be as tender as fresh corn, but it will still be good. Just thaw it out and go ahead, as though it were fresh corn. — Jackie

Canning shell beans

 I am looking for a canning recipe for green beans called shelie beans. I have seen them in cans in the stores but I can’t find a receipt for canning them at home, do you know of one? I am 68, but you are my idol with all you know and have done. Wish I could have had your articles when I was younger.

 Marjorie Fox

Glouster, Ohio

 Thank you, Marjorie. I’m glad to help all I can. To can up shell beans, just shell them, then rinse and drain them. Pack loosely into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Do not pack. Add ½ tsp. salt to pints or 1 tsp. to quarts, if desired. Pour boiling water over them, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for 50 minutes at 10 pounds pressure, in a pressure canner. If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult your canning book for directions on increasing your pressure to suit your altitude, if necessary. You can also hot pack these beans by boiling them for 3 minutes in a large pot. Pack the hot beans into hot jars, then ladle hot cooking liquid over beans, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add salt, if desired. Process the same as for raw packed beans. — Jackie

Canning red beans and rice

 Do you have a length of time to can red beans and rice? Or maybe a recipe? I love your books and wish you would write another book on canning. Maybe some more meals in a jar or some more meat recipes and some more tidbits on recanning large cans into smaller portions.

 Joyce Pierce

Greenville, Alabama

 I’ve added a little (notice, A LITTLE) uncooked rice in a variety of canned recipes, using the length of time required for the ingredient needing the longest processing time. If you add too much rice, it’ll swell up so that it becomes too thick a product for safe canning. I may inspire a lot of people, and that’s a great thing. But I do tick off a lot of home economists who can by the book (the USDA and Ball Blue book). Of course that hurts a lot, but I do feel that a person needs to use some plain old common sense, as well as the Government’s and private corporation’s recommendations. It does seem that these entities are discouraging home canning, except for the jams, jellies, simple foods, and fancy dishes. My question is why don’t they spend the time and money researching all the foods we could be canning with their esteemed sanction? — Jackie