BPA in canning jars

I just read a post about how Bisphenol-A (BPA) is part of the rings, lids and seals that we use to preserve our harvests. BPA is a poison. Here's a link about the effects of BPA: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/484739_5

Check out these links:
- http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/is-there-bpa-in-your-home-canning.php
- http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=921820
- http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/home_canning_faq/42.php
- http://frugalcanning.blogspot.com/2009/09/used-jar-lids.html

That's just a small sampling.

BPA has even been found in some baby food jars! Yes, those we find at the grocery store! AND supposedly in most pre-canned products on any grocery shelf.

Those purported to have BPA in the lids/rings are Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, and Bernardin brands. I heard a rumor that Weck Canning jars don't have BPA but can't find confirmation on their website ... they don't even address it.

This makes me very glad that I dehydrate almost everything.

I gotta figure out an alternative to canning. It was bothering me, anyway, about how I needed to buy new lids every year. What did people do to "put up" their harvests before jars were invented?

Food Storage Shelf Life

I just got an e-mail from a good friend that stated a lot of canned food and properly-stored dry good will last a long time. Here's the jist:

When stored away from light and heat, in airtight moisture-proof containers at temperatures between 40-70 degrees F:

30+ YEARS
-wheat
-corn
-white rice

30 YEARS
-apple slices
-macaroni (pasta)
-rolled oats
-potato flakes

20 YEARS
-powdered milk

INDEFINITE
The following items have an indefinite shelf life (last a very very long time!) when stored in the original packaging, away from heat and light and moisture (and bugs/rodents!):
-salt
-baking soda
-granulated sugar

Canned foods when stored away from moisture (to prevent rusting of cans) and away from variations in temperature (not in attic or garage) should last 20, 30, 100 years! These include jams, fruits, veggies, and even meats! The vitamins and nutrients degrade but studies show protein levels stay pretty much the same, although the taste ain't all that great!

For items I grow myself, I've been dehydrating then using a seal-a-meal and storing small baggies in mason jars (unprocessed). I'd like to re-pack some of my supplies. I used to buy bulk dried fruits from http://www.justtomatoes.com/ because my kid loves them but am switching to www.thereadystore.com because they have better prices. Need to buy blackberries, blueberries, mango and green peas... he loves these!

Sorry... I digressed! When I buy pasta and huge bags of rice (among other things(, I'd divide in smaller portions and seal-a-meal'd them. But I don't want to keep doing that. I'm thinking I'd like to seal in a mylar-bag and put in a bucket (used and cleaned icing bucket from bakeries). Will buy the supplies after we move (hopefully within another month).

Here's a link for the mylar supplies: http://www.survivalunlimited.com/buckets.htm

I would also like to #10 can (that's the can that things from Providant Pantry come in) my own supplies but I can't find a supplier for a non-Mormon. Anyone have a link and a cost?

NOTES:
1. The info above said "wheat" or "corn" - not the flour made from those. Grains should be stored whole, and ground when ready to use.

2. I can't find info on storing gluten-free grains like quinoa. I'm going to assume that properly sealed in mylar bags or #10 cans that the whole grains of quinoa, amaranth, etc. should be good for at least a couple of years. Hope so.

3. The info said "pinto beans" - sure am hoping it's good for other legumes, like lentils, split peas, black turtle beans, white navy beans, etc. We just don't like pinto beans much.

4. Not on the list was honey but we've all heard the story of honey from ancient Egyptian tombs that was still edible and delicious.

5. Before I store bought-rice, I always freeze it for 2 days to kill any bugs. Starting to do that with almost everything I buy to store!

6. I just read that a lot of dry goods can be preserved in quart canning jars, with just the tight seal of lids and rings, and not processing. Anyone done this?

Recipe: Berry and Apple Jam

I've seen recipes for blackberry-and-apple jam, and blueberry-and-apple jam, and found this recipe to work well with both. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of cooking apples (windfalls are fine)

2/3 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 pounds blackberries or blueberries

4 pounds sugar

Directions:

Peel, core and slice the apples. Place them into a medium-to-large saucepan with the water and lemon juice. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add the berries and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, at a simmer (low heat) until the sugar is dissolved. Then bring up to a boil. Boil rapidly until the setting point is reached (you'll be able to tell by how thick it gets). Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal with immediately. Or let cool and seal with paraffin.

Sometimes a dash or two of cinnamon added to the blueberries completely changes the taste... yum!

Copyright (c) 2009 V P Lawrence-Williams

Recipe: Blueberry Jam or Preserves

Blueberries are so cheap this week so I'm buying lots. I don't have time to make jam this weekend (since we're getting the house ready to sell and move) but I'll freeze as many as I can afford to buy. I'll make the jam after the house is ready to put on the market. This recipe will make a big batch.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups crushed fresh (or frozen) blueberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
7 cups of sugar
2 pouches of Certo fruit pectin

12 8-ounce jars with lids, sterilized
or
20 4-ounce jars with lids, sterilized

Directions:
Prepare the jars (boil 10 minutes). Prepare fruit in a large (5+ quart) pan on the stove. Add lemon juice and sugar. Mix well. Bring to full bubbling boil and stir constantly while mixing for 5 minutes over high heat. Add the Certo to the mixture and boil for another minute, stirring constantly. Move from heat; skim off foam, then quickly (while boiling hot) ladle into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims and add lids, screwing on tightly. Turn upside down for 5 minutes (to help move the bubbles around) then turn back upright. Let set for 1 hour, cooling.

Seal each jar with paraffin when the jam is cool.

Preserving Asparagus by Canning

It's almost too late to can your asparagus, but if you still have some growing, or find some on sale at the local farmer's market, go for it!

I don't can much because I prefer to dehydrate, but some friends swear by doing it this way:

= = = =

Directions:

1. Wash the asparagus (green or white). Only use perfect asparagus, with no blemishes.


2. Cut off the tough ends.


3. White asparagus should normally be peeled before canning.


4. Blanch, if desired, for 3 minutes to help retain color.


5. Can using the hot pack method, with 1-inch of headspace.


6. Pour lemon juice and salt over the stalks.


7. Pour hot water over the stalks, keeping that 1-inch of headspace.


8. Process in a pressure canner for 30 minutes for pints, or 40 minutes for quarts, at 11 pounds or 10 pounds for a weighted gauge.


9. For elevations above 1,000 feet above sea level, adjust. Click here.


10. After processing, remove from boiling water. Place jars on a towel, keeping at least 1-inches in between to allow air flow. Cool.


11. Label with contents and date.


12. Store in a cool dark place.
    

Calculations for Pint Jars:

asparagus (approx)... 1 3/4 pounds

boiling water... as needed

lemon juice... 1/2 tablespoon

canning salt... 1/2 teaspoon

pressure canning processing... 30 minutes

Calculations for Quart Jars:

asparagus (approx)... 3 1/2 pounds

boiling water... as needed

lemon juice... 1 tablespoon

canning salt... 1 teaspoon

pressure canning processing... 40 minutes

Copyright (c) 2009 V P Lawrence-Williams

Altitude and Elevation Adjustments for Canning

We live near Denver, Colorado at the elevation of 5,280 (the "mile-high" city!), so when canning, we definitely have to adjust for the elevation. Here's a bit of info to help you.

Water boils when its vapor pressure exceeds the atmospheric pressure, which reduces as the altitude increases. Water will boil and maintain a lower temperature at higher altitudes than at sea level. These lower boiling point temperatures increase the cooking times for any food, they increase the processing time for canning in a water bath and they increase the pressure required to process in a pressure canner.The temperatures and processing times that we publish are from sea level up to an elevation of 1,000 feet. The charts below indicate the adjustments that should be made for each processing method at different elevations.

Source: http://canningusa.com/IfICanYouCan/TechniqueAltitudeAdjustment.htm

= = = =

If you don't know your elevation, call your County Extension office. They should be able to tell you.

= = = =

Adjustments for Boiling Water Bath Canner:

Altitude in Feet = Increase processing time
1001-3000 = 5 minutes
3001-6000 = 10 minutes
6001-8000 = 15 minutes
8001-10,000 = 20 minutes

= = = =

Adjustment for Pressure Canner:

Altitude in feet = Dial Gauge Canner (PSI) = Weighted Gauge Canner
0-1000 = 10 = 10
1001-2000 = 11 = 15
2001-4000 = 12 = 15
4001-6000 = 13 = 15
6001-8000 = 14 = 15
8001-10,000 = 15 = 15


p.s. Sorry - I haven't figured out how to do charts here!

Recipe: Preserving Turnips

If you read the posting on March 10 about growing turnips, now you want the info on preserving them.

As you thin the plants, eat the washed thinnings in salads, or steam with onion and served with ham/ham hocks.

A lot of people just prefer the turnip greens, and leave the turnips to rot. Turnips are a good low calorie source of vitamin C and fiber. Turnip greens contain large amounts of vitamin A and especially large amounts of lutein which has been shown to help prevent cataracts and cardiovascular disease.



Eating Fresh:
Greens:
- cook like spinach, serve with vinegar or tobasco sauce
- add to a stir fry at the very last minute

Turnips:
- boil and mash like potatoes
- slice and serve with butter and seasonings to taste. Don't overcook.
- cook in stew or soup
- slice and serve raw VERY YOUNG turnip roots


Preserving - Short Term:
Greens:
- Freeze like spinach

Turnips:
- Store whole roots in refrigerator for a few weeks
- See recipe below for Purple Pickled Turnips

Preserving - Long Term:
Greens:
- Freeze like spinach

Turnips:
- Slice thinly (use a mandolin for same-size slices). Marinate in soy sauce, season to taste, and dehydrate until crispy. This is the recommended way to preserve turnips long-term.

The following recipe is to preserve the turnips short term. After a lot of research, I couldn't find pickled turnips for long-term storage.

Purple Pickled Turnips:

Ingredients:
5 pounds of turnips
1 can sliced beets (keep juice!)
Brine (see below)
1 chili pepper, halved
salt to taste

Directions:
Make brine with 1/3 parts boiled water to 2/3 parts white vinegar, and add salt to taste. Clean turnips and cut in half. Then cut each half into thick slices. Place turnips, beets and beet juice (important!) into a large jar. Cover with brine. Add the chili pepper. Refrigerate until turnips are completely pickled - able to tell if turnip is pink in the middle when cut. May take about a week. Will laste in refrigerator for a few weeks.

Copyright (c) 2009 VPLW

Recipe: Pickled Radish Relish

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to start sowing radish seeds, among other produce. Here's a recipe for putting up radishes - all kinds!

I found this recipe a while ago, and after a minor adjustment, found it a great way to take care of all of those radishes Hubby couldn't eat at once (I don't really like radishes - we grow them for him!)

Ingredients:
3 cups radishes
2 large ribs celery
1 large red onion
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
2 teaspoon dill seed
2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup vinegar (we use apple cider)
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Directions:
In a food processor or by hand, chop the radishes, celery and onion into fine dices. Combine with rest of ingredients in a large saucepan. (Cover if you're worried about insects.) Let stand for 3-4 hours. Uncover, place on burner and bring to boil - cook for ten minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving half-inch head space. Clean lips, adjust lids and process 1/2 pints and pints in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Adjust for altitude.

Serving: Top a cracker or slice of veggie, like cucumber or jicama. Add to dip for a nice "bite", or apply to a hot dog for something different.

Copyright (c) 2009 VPLW

Recipe: Pickled Carrots

It's never too early to start canning! If you have a winter crop of carrots going, this is a great recipe to preserve them.

Ingredients:
2 pounds baby carrots
1 cup sugar
2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon pickling spices

Directions:
Cook the carrots until just tender. Drain and remove skins if you prefer . Slice or use food processor to cut in sticks. In medium saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, vinegar, water and salt. Take a small cheesecloth bag, add the cinnamon stick and pickling spices, and tie it up. Add to the vinegar mixture in the saucepan, turn up the heat and boil 5 to 8 minutes.

Pack the hot carrots into 3 sterilized pint jars. Remove spice bag from the saucepan, and pour boiling hot syrup over carrots. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch headspace. Clean off lips to get a proper seal. Adjust caps. Process 30 minutes in hot water bath.

Note: vary recipe according to the size of your carrots, and your personal tastes.
Adjust processing time for your own canning product and elevation.

Copyright (c) 2009 VPLW