Preserving

Freezing, Dehydrating, Canning are all methods to preserve food at its peak for later consumption. None of these methods are hard. Most comprehensive cookbooks will contain a section detailing “how-to.”   But the easiest way to learn is to “do it” with someone else.

You will be pleased with the improved flavor of your food over “store-bought.” This is because you can control the condition of the food and what you are putting with it. You don’t need to saturate your dehydrated fruit with sulfur; which is detrimental to the kidneys. Or add food colorings, extra sugars, and chemicals to your frozen and canned foods.

Dehydration actually locks in the most nutrients and is probably the easiest method for many fruits. Wash, pit, and if need be slice and apply a color keeper. (This is a solution that you dip fruit that would turn brown in. You can use lemon juice, pineapple juice, or one of the brands available in the “Canning Section” of the market. The store versions are usually a powdered Vitamin C derivative you mix with water.) Then lay your fruit out on screens or racks to dry. Vegetables you may need to blanch before slicing and dehydrating.

If using the great outdoors cover with cheesecloth to keep the pests off. There are some very good dehydrators available and there are some lousy ones. Look for variable temperature and a fan to help circulate the air. Otherwise you will be constantly opening the dehydrator to turn food and trays. Store your dehydrated foods in freezer bags or glass jars. I keep jerky and fruits in the freezer only bringing out a bit at a time. Veggies I keep in the pantry.

Nutrients in breads are stored in the bran and germ and do not deteriorate with freezing. But vegetable and fruit nutrients are stored in the juice and can deteriorate with freezing. Freezing also seems to break down the cell walls more, causing the produce to be “mushier.” Consider the texture you want when you use the fruit. Frozen peaches work great in a smoothie, but may remind you of overly processed baby food when served alone.  Berries are simple to freeze. Stem if needed. Rinse with cold water in a colander. Remove any that should be used immediately or are too soft. Shake off excess water. If strawberries are large you might want to halve or quarter. Lay in single layer on cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for about 2 hours. Once frozen measure into freezer bags, containers, or jars and keep in freezer.

Canning is a process of treating with heat to cause a vacuum sealing of the jar. In the process you are trying to kill any bacteria and toxins that may have contaminated the food. This is why there are precise instructions for different foods. Each type of fruit or vegetable has a different level of acid. This level of acid is the key to how you should process the food. Low-acid foods need to be pressure canned, while high-acid foods may be canned in a water-bath canner or pressure canner.  Again you may want to treat fruit that will turn brown with a color keeper.

To can you need canning jars. These are mason type jars made to withstand the pressure and heat of the canning process. They use a lid with some type of seal. Most today use a lid that has a sealing compound already applied. You heat the lids up to soften the sealing compound. Fill clean hot jars with your produce and syrup or water to the head space directed in your instructions. This is to allow for expansion. These may be hot or cold depending on the food. Clean the top, set on the lid, screw on the ring and place in canner. Follow directions for the type of canner for the specific food, size of jar, and your specific altitude.

Some tips I’ve learned from my mom and others:

• Peel pears with a potato peeler. Even a young child can learn to do this job safely.

• Place clean hot jar in a pan to fill. I use a 9 x 13” cake pan. If you slop it is in the pan and not down the side of your stove or cabinets.

• It pays to have a jar lifter. I burnt my fingers many times!

• Prepare as much fruit as you can do up quickly.

• If a jar doesn’t seal, you can reprocess it or put it in the refrigerator to use as soon as possible.

• Use only very-light to light syrup for a more natural fresh fruit flavor. And you don’t need any sugar to freeze.

• Salt is optional for most produce.

• It helps to have at least two people to assembly line prepare the food for canning.

• Consider canning somewhere beside your kitchen. I can in a basement kitchenette. I know of others who use an outdoor kitchen set-up with a camp stove.

• Buy your lids all through the year. Local stores seem to run out during “Canning Season” and cost more. WinCo seems to have the best prices all year long.