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ellen_inmo

Will the experts please check this Bloody Mary Mix for safety?

ellen_inmo
9 years ago

Hello All, this is my first post of the year. I'm a safety-approved recipe only person. I was given this recipe that's been in a friends family for years. I'm concerned about whether or not it's safe. The recipe is pressure canned but time was not given. Will you all take a look at it for me?

Comments (11)

  • pixie_lou
    9 years ago

    Where is the recipe?

  • ellen_inmo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    22 pounds tomatoes
    1 cup sweet bell or banana peppers
    2 cups chopped celery
    1 cup chopped carrots
    2 cups chopped onions
    4 cloves garlic chopped
    5 jalapeños or 10 cayenne peppers

    Cook all ingredients, run thru colander. Add 1 tsp canning salt to each quart jar and seal. Makes 8 quarts

    Okay, the friend who gave this to me has been doing this recipe for years and others around here make it as well. There's a lot of details missing in the recipe, I'm assuming it's because he has those details memorized. Such as how long/pressure to process. Also it says colander......does that mean juicing it? I'd like to know what you all think about what my friends are making, and I'm certain that some friends are not pressure canning this at all.

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Yeah colander isn't going to do anything. I'd assume they mean blender or food mill like a Victorio. But what jumps out at me is there is no added acid of any kind and that would be required even with pressure canning.

    There is a similar approved recipe here called Shirley's Vegetable Juice Cocktail that many of us use. It requires 35 mins. pressure canning at 10 lbs adjusted per altitude. But it also calls for the added acid (lemon juice or citric acid).

    Dave

  • ellen_inmo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Okay, thanks Dave, nice to see ya here. Your information in the past has gone a million miles with me. So as far as this recipe, what can my friends do that would be safer......or at least I'd feel better about myself that I informed them and made that effort? And I will for sure find Shirley's recipe. I don't drink Bloody Mary's myself......but someday I might. Thanks again Dave.

  • ellen_inmo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Okay, I checked the NCHFP recipe and it says no more than 3 cups added vegetables for every 22 pounds of tomatoes. This recipe has 6(+) cups of added ingredients. However. I need clarification. Is the NCHFP recipe meaning that many fresh vegetables measured out or cooked down measurement?

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Here is the Shirley's Veggie Juice Cocktail

    Vegetable Juice Cocktail
    2 tbls celery seed
    7 quarts fresh tomatoes
    2-3 peppers
    3-4 onions
    2 carrots
    Lemon Juice
    Salt
    Sugar
    Cook tomatoes. Liquify other vegetables in blender or food processor and add to tomatoes along with celery seed. (If you need to, you can add just a little cooked tomato mixture to the blender to help liquify. That's what I did) Simmer 45 minutes, put through a food mill, return to pan and bring back to a simmer. Pour hot into hot jars and to each pint jar add 1 tbls lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Seal jars and pressure can 35 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.

    Makes about 7 quarts.

    what can my friends do that would be safer......or at least I'd feel better about myself that I informed them and made that effort?

    Do they want to know better? Usually we find that folks who have been making something like this for years aren't interested in changing their ways and even resent such advice.

    But if they are interested then the easiest thing to do would be to print out the NCHFP instructions for them. At the very least they need to add the lemon juice or citric acid. They are counting on the acidity of the tomatoes (which is low to begin with) to cover all the really low acid vegetables they are adding.

    And set a specific processing time. 35 min for quarts would be the minimum I can see and longer would be safer. Given all the low-acid vegetables they are adding then Mixed Vegetables processing time is 75-90 mins.

    Dave

  • ellen_inmo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow, that's significant. And oh yes I've already learned to avoid many many people, including my own family members, on this subject. And even posted on my greenhouse website, Facebook page, and greenhouse itself that discussions of improper canning methods will not be discussed in my presence. All I do is sell plants, but I will not partake in the conversations and someone hold me liable. Thanks Dave. I will do my civic duty and report your suggestions to my friends. They can do what they want with it, my job here is done. Appreciate ya, and think of you often these past 4 years, and think of you as an "angel" to us all.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    But I though in pressure canning no acidification is needed.
    Am I wrong ?

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    9 years ago

    The NCHFP doesn't differentiate between BWB and pressure canning in their acidification instructions so yes, some misunderstanding has taken place somewhere.

    "Acidification: To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes."

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    But I though in pressure canning no acidification is needed.

    That is far too much of a generalization. Acidity is very relevant, even in pressure canning. The need for added acid depends on the food in question and on the processing time. In general, the less acidic the longer the processing time has to be.

    In this case there was both no acid and no processing time stipulated since it is an untested recipe. Plus they were adding more than 2x the recommended amounts of other low-acid vegetables. So the choice in this case is add the acid and PC process for a reasonable length of time OR process as mixed vegetables at the max time of 75-90 mins.

    Dave

  • ellen_inmo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks Dave. I couldn't fathom processing anything for 90 minutes! Mixed vegetable products requiring that much time would just get frozen in my kitchen. I did inform my friends of your information. What they do with it is up to them. But I feel better as their friend that I had this analyzed by you. I feel like I did my "duty".