Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Just because I can(ned) doesn't mean I will again

After a very brief and very intense obsession with canning, I will need to be talked into trying it ever again. It was a great idea in theory: next year, I would grow double the vegetables, preserve the bounty in a variety of ways to enjoy throughout the year - jams of course, pasta sauce of course, but also special chutneys and sauces that would be the envy of the most expensive shelf at Whole Foods. Though it was immensely time consuming and nerve-wracking, I did accomplish the latter goal. Below, I will chronicle the production of seven perfect jars of bruschetta. I estimate each eight ounce jar to cost $24.


Here's the rundown on canning night:

  • 8:30pm to 8:35pm - figured out how to jerry-rig a rack to put on the bottom of the pan. I ended up using screw rings tied together with yarn.


  • 8:35pm-9:15pm - cut tomatoes (my own heirloom beefsteaks). I really can't tell you why it took so damn long to cut the tomatoes.


  • 9:15pm-9:30pm - gathered the rest of the ingredients (white wine, white vinegar, dried basil, dried oregano, water, my own ajo rojo garlic, sugar...

  • ...and also balsamic vinegar.



  • 9:30pm to 10:10pm - washed and heated glass jars and lids, and also cooked the liquid and herb ingredients.


  • 10:10pm to 10:30 - filled jars. Since I was not using a true canner, and only my large pots and pans, I could only process three jars in each pot! I had 3 burners going to process my seven half-pint jars.
  • 10:30-11am - processed the three batches of bruschetta


  • 10:50pm-11:15 - cooled jars and cleaned up a bit

Total time involved: 2 hours and 45 minutes!!!

Here is the finished product - a gorgeous little jar of bruschetta. The plan is to give as gifts (to very special people!) along with some french bread or crackers, and a little bottle of olive oil.


How I calculate the cost for each $24 jar of bruschetta - my hourly work wage (I would imagine my free time would cost even more though!!!), the cost of jars, new tools (a kit that contains a jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, etc.), vinegars, wine, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. I didn't even calculate the "cost" of my tomatoes - always a precious commodity in the Greenish Thumb garden in August when blight, pests, neglect, take over. Each tomato could easily be a $64 Dollar Tomato, though I only used a market price to calculate my cost.

As I conclude and reflect on the business of canning...

Along with some very beautiful and certainly costly little jars of bruschetta, are many questions. First and foremost, why would I ever want to do this messy and labor intensive project again?

I do recognize that much of what slowed me down was my lack of experience and the fear that was put in me by the book I read on preserving. I stood with a kitchen full of measuring cups, timers, pots, and pans having learned that if every minute detail is not followed exactly, the jar will burst, or I will feed my family botulism spores.


Though I basically read a 2 inch book cover to cover (including most of the recipes) before I began, now as I conclude, I am left with more questions than answers:

  • Does a concave seal mean there's nothing to worry about with regards to the seal? Ever?

  • Is it ok to see very tiny air bubbles near the top of the jar?
  • Is it possible to deviate ever so slightly from the recipe - for instance, by using fresh instead of dried herbs?

  • Can I stack jars in a canner?

  • How can I chop tomatoes more efficiently!?

  • Should I buy a canner?

  • Will I ever gain confidence using the jar lifter?

  • Is my fear that glass will explode into a million shards all over my kitchen warranted?

  • Was I justified in screaming at my child, and later my husband, when they got too close to the jars right after I JUST said, "Don't touch the jars for 24 hours or you'll mess up the seal and all my hard work will be for nothing!"?

Any ideas, tips, comments, thoughts would be appreciated!!!

10 comments:

  1. * Does a concave seal mean there's nothing to worry about with regards to the seal? Ever?
    >>Push on the lid. Is it solid, doesn't pop up? It'll be good for a long time. Ever? No... but at least a year or two.

    * Is it ok to see very tiny air bubbles near the top of the jar?

    >> Should be fine, as long as you got a good seal.

    * Is it possible to deviate ever so slightly from the recipe - for instance, by using fresh instead of dried herbs?

    >>They say you shouldn't with tomatoes. Tomatoes cause botulism more easily than any other canned fruit. Always stick with tomato recipes - but know that there are TONS of recipes out there.

    * Can I stack jars in a canner?

    >>No! Each jar should be covered by 1" of boiling water for the entire processing time. If the water is not boiling, the timer should not be ticking away. Invest in a "real" canning jar and rack. They are worth it.

    * How can I chop tomatoes more efficiently!?

    >>Buy a chopper. And teach your kids how to peel fruit.

    * Should I buy a canner?

    >>Definitely. My first canning experience (salsa) had me in tears. Now I can 100+ jars per summer, no tears needed.

    * Will I ever gain confidence using the jar lifter?

    >>Practice, practice, practice!

    * Is my fear that glass will explode into a million shards all over my kitchen warranted?

    >>No... not with boiling water canning. With pressure canning, maybe. It would be hard to cause an explosion with boiling water, though jars to break/crack occasionally it's not a dangerous thing - just messy.

    * Was I justified in screaming at my child, and later my husband, when they got too close to the jars right after I JUST said, "Don't touch the jars for 24 hours or you'll mess up the seal and all my hard work will be for nothing!"?

    >>I have a hard time holding myself back from poking the tops on my jars as soon as they come out of the canner. Sometimes they don't pop back up, which means I actually made them seal. It's fun. We haven't died from food poisoning yet, so I don't think it's much of a problem.

    ===

    Don't give up! Try something easier next time! All that chopping and mixing and everything just adds to the overwhelming aspect of it. Try something easy like canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. Eventually you work out a system where everything goes smoothly and painlessly. And maybe, just maybe, think about starting before 8:00 pm. :o) Do you know someone who cans? Ask them to come over and do it with you once - it can be a huge help.

    Happy Canning!

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  2. So did the white wine go into the cook or the recipe...teehee! Love the way you chronicle-lized the evening! End result looks great, Wendy! :)

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  3. I have never canned anything yet. Unless if you consider making pickled mangoes and papaya canning too. I can't help thinking of your jar of bruschetta. It looks very delicious.

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  4. Hi Wendy... I am passing you the Meme Award. If you already have it, you can always have another one, why not..... haha. Check out my latest post! ~ bangchik.

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  5. Thanks Julie for all these answers!!! That's really helpful! I just talked to my friend who also would can hundreds every summer when she tended her farm. She invited me to watch her and I do think that would be helpful. So I just wonder how you would know if your food was tainted with botulism? Would it smell or look different?

    Lynn, I was just dying to have a glass of wine, but the last time I drank while preparing dinner, my dinner guests were served majorly undercooked chicken. I had lost all sense! I was more than annoyed that I had to spend almost an hour chopping tomatoes - and tempting bottle of wine I refused to drink until after the whole process did not help!

    Autumn Belle - I think I would like to try pickled mangoes - do you mean like the ones served with Indian food? The spicy ones? I've yet to try it, but just might this weekend!

    Bangchik - that's so cool for the MeMe award! Thanks so much!!!! :)

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  6. You have convinced me that everything I ever believed about canning is true. Thanks for saving me tons of frustration. I enjoyed reading your post and most definitely had a good laugh. Thanks

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  7. Hello Wendy, I have not tried canning before. But for two hours or so, I think you did a good job! This is about the same amount of time if ever do 'kaya' (egg and coconut jam). Tired after that but the result is rewarding... made some wholesome home cooked food! Happy cooking!

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  8. You asked how you'd know if something carried botulism spores or might be otherwise spoiled... my best answer is that if anything at all appears 'off' about the food, toss it out. If the color isn't right, if the smell is off, if there's discolored food on the lid of the jar when you open it, don't eat it. Always better safe than sorry.

    Do you have a Ball Blue Book of Canning? If not, get one- they're about five bucks at most big box stores with the canning stuff. It's chock-full of recipes and also has a great Q&A section and covers tons of basics. I swear by it. :o)

    Thanks for the meme award! Looks like fun :-)

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  9. Stephanie - I cannot imagine how egg and coconut would go together! That's something I'll have to try!

    Julie - thanks for the tip! It's the Ball Complete book that has put the fear in me.

    Teresa - Maybe I'll attempt this again and let you know how it goes. I really don't want to discourage you!

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  10. Congratulations on attempting canning! Next time you'll be more confident. Where did you get those adorable little jars??? I'd love to find some like that for my jalepeno jelly.

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