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| Hi all, I was hoping someone could explain some confusion I'm having when I read the instructions in the Blue Book. On page 74 there are two different tomato sauce recipes - basil garlic tomato sauce and Italian tomato sauce. They are pretty much the same except the Italian one has more spices and celery etc. However, the Basil Garlic one says to process in a bwb, while the Italian one says to pocess in a pressure canner. Why the difference in processing? This is very confusing to a beginning canner. ALso, I thought I saw in another post that anything with olive oil had to be pressure canned? This confuses me more since the recipe that says to use BWB uses olive oil, while the pressure canner recipe has no olive oil. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I thought I saw in another post that anything with olive oil had to be pressure canned While most are, you can't make such a broad general statement with any accuracy. In general, there are very few approved recipe that allow for oil. However those that do (assuming from reputable source) have been extensively tested and approved. What causes a lot of confusion for new canners is that they try to compare recipes, to generalize from one to another. You can't do that and it is amazing how much confusion disappears when you quit trying. :) Each approved recipe stands on its own. The Basil Garlic sauce has added lemon juice - 1 T to each pint - the Italian Sauce does not. That is one reason why it can be BWB processed - added acid. Plus it calls for only 1 T of oil used to saute the garlic and onion. The Italian Sauce contains almost 2x the amount of low acid vegetables - onions, celery, and peppers - as the Basil Garlic does and no added acid. So it has to be pressure canned. The Basil Garlic calls for 20 pounds of tomatoes. The Italian only 4 quarts. So the Basil-Garlic is 90-95% tomatoes which are rather acidic all on their own. Another reason why it can be BWB processed. The Italian is only approx. 60-70% tomatoes and the rest is all low acid ingredients so requires pressure canning. OK? Dave |
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| Dave, ok that makes sense and I will stop questioning the directions. :) Regarding the olive oil: My Italian husband makes a sauce recipe that has been his family forever. When my husband makes it, he uses probably about 2 cups of olive oil per big pot. For years I've been freezing this sauce to use as needed, but was all excited about the thought of canning it instead. I'm guessing from what you've said that canning this sauce is not a good idea. (it's also got meat in it, sausage and pork) |
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| It is always your choice but no, with that much oil, sausage and pork the odds are high that it wouldn't be considered safe to do so per the guidelines. As we often say here, the most basic rule of safe home canning is that you can not safely can your own made up recipes. That is the first thing they teach you in classes. But the only way any recipe can be evaluated for canning safety is to see the specific recipe and all its details, measurements, amounts and instructions. His recipe could have 4 cups of vinegar added for all I know. :-) But including meats makes it a whole different ballgame. Dave PS: it is fine to question directions when they come from questionable sources. But NCHFP and Ball books are the foundation sources. There is no reason to question their recipes. |
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| Ok dave thanks. Im sure i can use one of the approved recipes for cannimg. Btw, why would the sauce be ok for freezing but not cannimg? Ten years of freezing it has never posed a problem for my family. Just wondering. |
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| Sorry but that is an apples and oranges comparison. :) Freezing and canning are two entirely different processes with nothing in common other than they both preserve food. Totally different methods, totally different environments are created, totally different shelf life. Freezing merely temporarily suspends, it doesn't kill, any pathogenic bacteria action. It resumes as the food thaws. Frozen food has a limited freezer storage life. It also doesn't prevent moisture loss, oxidation of the food, or destroy spoilage enzymes. Canning destroys the enzymes with heat, prevents oxidation of the food, and kills most bacteria, molds and fungi. But it also creates an anaerobic environment within the jar and seals it with a vacuum for essentially unlimited shelf storage. When not properly done that environment can allow for the growth of any remaining pathogenic bacteria within the jar. Dave |
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| Hi Dolivo...I had the exact same questions when I was new. I couldn't understand why one recipe was safe to do one way, and another was so vastly different, and seemed to break the rules, was also safe. keep in mind that I use canning recipes only from the go-to reliable sources such as So Easy to Preserve, NCHFP, Ball Blue Book, Ball complete, and a couple of others that have been vetted here. What I've learned is that these recipes have been scientifically tested for safety. These recipes may differ substantially from each other, but they have been tested to be safe. No, I would not can a cooking recipe, ESPECIALLY one with oil or other ingredients we are not supposed to can, including milk, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, etc., However, one of the go-to books (don't remember which one) has some oil in the spaghetti sauce recipe. I remember asking the question how it could be safe when we weren't supposed to can with oil. Well, that particular recipe has been tested and we know the source. I would NOT can that recipe if it had been published on a questionable canning site, youtube video, canning books that don't have science or credentials to back them up. I was assured here, as Dave already did, that if the recipes are in the books we've mentioned, they are safe. Just be sure to follow the recipe exactly and don't make substitutions. yes, there are some legitimate subsitutions that can be made, ingredients that can be left out, etc., but until you know which ones you have leeway with, don't do it. Or ask here. Hope that helps. if you have a sauce recipe that is absolutely perfect the way it is, but isn't suitable for canning, by all means prepare it for freezing. Perfectly safe. I do it all the time. I have canning recipes for canning, and cooking recipes that I either eat fresh or freeze. Jill |
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| Jill, thanks so much for your advice and encouragement! :) I'm having fun learning all about canning, or "jarring" as my husband insists it should be called. :) Right now I'm looking for low sugar peach jam recipes! I went to my neighbors tonight and picked about 30 lbs of lovely peaches off their tree. I can't stand all the sugar the regular recipes call for.....7 CUPS??? are you serious?!?! so I'm trying to find some lower sugar ones. :) |
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- Posted by balloonflower CO 5b (My Page) on Sat, Sep 7, 13 at 0:43
| Dolivo, I had the same reaction last year when I went to learn how to make jam, starting with peach. Personally, I use Pomona's pectin, which can be used with low or no sugar, honey or any other type of sweetener as you desire. It's generally sold at natural grocer type stores (Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc) and is available online and on Amazon. Some do not like the mouth feel this type of pectin makes, but I don't notice it (though I also started with it). If you buy Pomona's, there is a recipe card inside that lists the amount of fruit, sugar, pectin, etc. I have not used other brands of low-sugar pectin, but believe they come with basic recipes as well. Pomona's also just came out with a cookbook that has a peach maple jam that's on my list to try this week. 3/4c maple syrup to 4c mashed peach puree. Last year, I ended up making up a recipe for peach-chardonnay low sugar jam using Pomona's. Now, the downside of the low-sugar jams is they don't last as long, since sugar is a main preservative in traditional jams. The colors will also tend to fade or brown, especially with peach, after quite a few months on the shelf. You also don't get as many jars from a recipe--makes sense if you're not doubling the size with sugar. See the thread listed below--it had a lot of good info on jam making and the safety/quality issues that apply to fruit. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Jam Discussion
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| ballonflower, thanks for the great advice. Quick question, can you add fruit fresh to the pamona pectin recipes to keep the jam from turning brown? (I didn't realize making jam would be so complicated) |
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| Question: I hear a lot here mentioning BALL BLUE BOOK. Who is/are its author(s) ? I could go and search and find out but since you are here, I am her .. it is better to become a public information for other members like me, too. |
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| The Ball Blue Book is published by the Ball Corporation - the same corporation that makes all the jars, lids, mixes, and other canning equipment - and has been the 'bible' for canning and home food preservation for over 100 years. The current edition, published in 2010 is the 100th anniversary edition. It is required reading for anyone interested in home canning. It bases all of its recipes and instructions on the USDA/NCHFP guidelines and lab testing resources and is updated approximately every 4 years. It is sold wherever canning supplies are sold and is priced at approximately $6 and is available online from numerous sources including amazon. ____________ dolivo - Ball Lo/No Sugar pectin is the alternative to Pomona and also includes recipes for all the common fruit. NCHFP also provides recipes for lo/no sugar jams as does the BBB and many other approved canning books. As already mentioned, low sugar preserves simply don't have the appearance or shelf life of sugared preserves and while you can add Fruit Fresh its effects will still fade and lo sugar preserves will darken. They also tend to mold more quickly. This is because all the preservative effects of the sugar are lost. Also keep in mind that while some of the sugar amounts may sound high but they are in proportion to the amount of fruit too. More fruit=more sugar. Less fruit=less sugar. Dave |
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| How about Spiced Peach jam? For 6 jars of jam I like 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg. Not only does it add flavor but would kind of help mask the discoloration. Just a thought... Edie |
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| edie, that sounds really tasty :) I'll have to try that. Dave and everybody, thanks for the great discussion and info. I've decided that for my first jam making attempt, I am going to do a traditional recipe with all the sugar. Later on, when I'm more confident in making jam, I can experiment with low/no sugar recipes. I'll let you all know how it goes! Thanks :) :) |
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