Preserving canning

It's no wonder more people reach for can openers than for canners.

No matter how wonderful the jams, jellies and pickles it produces, this decidedly old-fashioned method of preserving the harvest usually calls for huge batches of produce and hours of standing over a steaming vat of boiling water.

For time-strapped families who gather their produce at the grocer instead of the backyard garden, that just doesn't work.

But that might be changing. The canning industry is updating its image, offering fashionable takes on formerly utilitarian equipment, as well as easier and healthier small-batch recipes, some of which don't even require cooking.

Consumers seem to be responding.

"All of a sudden, canning is starting to rise," says Anne Zander, a family and consumer science extension agent with Colorado State University. "It's because people are hearing through the media that they should eat produce and eat locally."

A few generations ago, canning and home preserving was an essential means of putting up (as it is known) food for winter. But the advent of processed food coupled with families' demanding schedules have slowly eroded this art.

Today, it is estimated that just a quarter of families can, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.

Working to reverse that has meant the companies that sell canning supplies and develop recipes began focusing less on handling the harvest (and more involved preserving, such as meat canning) and more on hobby canning.

Most people today are interested in canning salsas, jams, jellies and pickles, says Elizabeth Andress, a food safety specialist with the home food preservation center.

Which doesn't mean that some of the more basic recipes are gone.

Vegetables still were the most frequently canned item, according to the center's 2000 survey. And Andress says in places such as Alaska, Washington and Oregon, many people still can fish.

The latest edition of the 100-year-old canning tome the "Ball Blue Book" tries to appeal to both crowds, still offering old standby recipes for wax beans and corn, but now also featuring low- and no-sugar jams, low-salt pickles and quick no-cook freezer jams.

Canning supplies themselves also have become more consumer friendly, says Lauren Devine, a product research and test kitchen scientist for Muncie, Ind.-based Jarden Home Brands, maker of Ball and Kerr preserving products.

During the past three years, Ball has made freezer canning much easier with new plastic freezer jars in two sizes. The jars, which are marked with a fill line and have screw-top covers, eliminate much of the guesswork.

The company also now offers a pectin (a natural substance that thickens jams and jellies) meant specifically for freezer recipes. This means mashed fruit and sugar can become jam without ever going near the stove.

Devine says the company marketed both the jars and new pectin to people who wanted grandma's jam but didn't have time for the "fuss." With no cooking, freezer spreads also are a safe way to get kids involved in canning.

The iconic glass canning jar also got a hip makeover. Ball recently launched its Elite Platinum jars, which are squat, wide and capped with matte silver lids intended to show off as gifts or serving jars.

Changing tastes also have influenced the canning industry.

This year, Ball simplified its pickle mix recipes and introduced new preservative-free salsa and marinara mixes that can be used with garden fresh tomatoes or can purchased from the grocer. The box even includes a shopping list.

"We tried to take out as many ingredients as possible that people could not pronounce," says Devine. "People don't want to pick up a jar of salsa and see 40 ingredients, some of them with chemical-sounding names."

And Ball recently partnered with San Francisco jam maker Carolina Braunschweig, who owns jam company cmbsweets, to create new recipes more in line with today's tastes.

In one, they paired raspberry wine, raspberries, cloves and cracked black pepper. In another, they created a peach and ginger jam with little sugar and the zing of fresh ginger and cardamom.

The Internet also is helping pull canning into the modern age. Jarred Home Brands offers online step-by-step guides and recipes.

And of course the Web is awash in personal sites dedicated to canning (though consumers must be careful about using untested recipes). Bad (and downright dangerous) advice still abounds, including that jam need not be processed in boiling water to be safe (it does).

Megan Divorcee of Concord, N.H., got hooked on canning a couple of years ago after picking strawberries at a local farm. Divorcee had more berries than she knew what to do with and tried a pectin-free jam recipe from the "Best of Gourmet."

Divorcee was hooked. "I like the whole berry-to-sparkling jar experience," she said.

Divorcee's bread and butter pickles and bumble-berry jam won ribbons at a county fair last year, and she's hoping her gooseberry rhubarb jam does well this year. She also planned to enter her raspberry chocolate jam, but it disappeared long before the fair.

Divorcee's found just one downside to her new hobby: short seasons for local produce.

"I really get uptight if I'm not out there picking," she said. "I feel like I'm really missing out."

The basics of canning

The basics of canning

Home canning isn't nearly as scary or time-consuming as you might think. Here are some basics:

•There are two ways to can food, in a boiling water bath (essentially a large stockpot of boiling water) or a steam-pressure canner (a specialized piece of equipment similar to a pressure cooker).

•The water bath method is used for foods that are high in acid, such as fruits, jams and spreads, as well as pickles and tomatoes to which vinegar is added. Jars are submerged and boiled for set periods, varying by recipe. The temperature of the water (212 degrees) destroys molds, yeast and some bacteria (which also are inhibited by the acidity of the food).

•Canning foods low in acid, such as meats and most vegetables, requires the higher temperatures (240 degrees) reached with a steam-pressure canner. The steam in a pressurized canner circulates around the jars, heating the food inside.

•Both methods require adjustments for high-altitude locations, where water boils at temperatures lower than what is needed to kill bacteria. With the boiling method, longer processing is required. With steam, more pressure is necessary.

•In addition to canning jars and tops, basic equipment includes either a boiling or steam-pressure canner, a rack to keep the jars elevated inside the canner (allowing water or steam to surround the jars), tongs for holding the jars when hot, and a canning funnel.

•Water bath starter kits that include all essential equipment can be found online for about $40; the individual items also are widely available at most hardware and kitchen shops. Steam-pressure canners can cost considerably more (Target.com offers one for $89.99, but larger models can cost more than $500).

Follow directions to the letter

The secret to safe and satisfying canning is following the rules and well-tested recipes. Here are some basic guidelines:

•Follow recipes exactly. Do not create your own or tweak others. Safe canning depends on specific quantities of ingredients and processing times. Only use recipes from trusted sources, such as extension offices and canning suppliers.

•Old-fashioned glass-topped canning jars may look nice, but they aren't safe. Ditto for old pickle or mayonnaise jars from the grocer; you can't rely on them to hold their seal. Use only new jars and tops intended for home canning.

•If you are new to canning, get a good canning book, such as Ball's "Ball Blue Book." Many cooperative extension offices at state universities also are good resources for tips, tested recipes and questions.

•Check your jars the day after you can. If they are not sealed or if they show spoilage, don't eat the contents. If the jar failed to seal, but the food appears fine, eat or refrigerate it immediately.

•Jams that fail to set can be used as sauces.

Banana-strawberry freezer jam

3 large bananas, peels left on

3 cups crushed strawberries (about 1#189; quarts fresh)

1#189; cups sugar

1 pouch (1.59 ounces) freezer jam pectin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the bananas on baking sheet. Do not peel. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Peel the bananas and place them in a small bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the bananas.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup mashed bananas, the strawberries and sugar. Let stand 15 minutes. Gradually stir freezer jam pectin into the fruit mixture. Stir for 3 minutes, then let stand 5 minutes.

Ladle jam into plastic food storage containers or freezer canning jars, leaving a #189;-inch head space. Cap, label and freeze.

Makes five half-pint jars (16 servings per half-pint).

Nutrition values per serving: 20 calories, 0 fat, 5 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 0 protein, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium.

"Ball Blue Book" (2007)

Strawberry margarita preserves

Equipment

Water bath canner

Rack or basket for holding jars inside the canner

6 half-pint glass canning jars with new two-piece lids

Candy thermometer

Tongs for lifting hot canning jars

Ingredients

6 cups hulled, halved strawberries

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped tart apples

#188; cup lemon juice

4 cups sugar

#189; cup tequila

#189; cup orange-flavored liqueur

2 teaspoons strawberry schnapps (optional)

Fill a canner (a large covered pot fitted with a rack or basket that holds canning jars inside the pot) about two-thirds full with water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Place six canning jars in the canner and leave them there until they are needed. Place the jar lids and bands in a small saucepan of water and simmer for at least 10 minutes.

While the water in the canner comes to a boil, in a large stainless steel saucepan combine the strawberries, apples and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. When the preserves reach 220 degrees on a candy thermometer, stir in the tequila, orange-flavored liqueur and strawberry schnapps.

Reduce heat to medium-high and return the preserves to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off and discard any foam.

Use the tongs to carefully remove the jars from the canner. Ladle hot preserves into the jars, leaving #188;-inch head space. Remove any air bubbles by running a plastic knife along the inside of the jar and adjust head space, if necessary. Wipe the rim of the jar clean, then center a lid on it. Screw the band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.

Use the tongs to place jars in the canner on the rack, ensuring they are completely covered with water by at least 1 inch. Cover, bring to a boil and process (boil) for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars and cool. After 24 hours, check jars to ensure they have sealed. The lid should not have any give when you press it in the center. If the center of the lid can be pressed up and down, refrigerate the jam; it is not safe to leave at room temperature.

Makes six half-pint jars (16 servings per jar).

Nutrition values per serving: 45 calories, 0 fat, 10 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 0 protein, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium.

"Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving" (2006)