Practicing our new skill... preserving.

[gunnerbob]

My wife and I have started preserving food finally. It's going well and I think we have the hang of it.

Anybody have some advice from lessons learned and maybe some items to preserve most wouldn't think of?

Thanks

[TekGreg]

My wife and I have started preserving food finally. It's going well and I think we have the hang of it.

Anybody have some advice from lessons learned and maybe some items to preserve most wouldn't think of?

Thanks

Bob, the problem is, we don't know what you've been doing, how you've been doing it, or what you've been doing it to! Are you canning? Drying? Smoking? Fruits? Meats? Something we've never heard about? Let us know what you're doing and maybe we can add on to the list!

[gunnerbob]

Sorry, we're canning fruits at the moment.

[Tucker's Mom]

I do not know about canning, but I have smoked and dried meat, fruits and vegetables. Buying canned vegetables and fruits is a regular occurence here in our house as well as circulating them for use. I have a fixed list of what to buy regularly and replaces the ones we have downstairs in the basement with the new ones I bought when I do my supermarketing for supplies.

[Caribou]

Canning is great. I mostly do meat and fish but other stuff as well. Corned up some moose and put that in jars, made great rubens. Partly cook your beans then finish them off in the pressure canner just like the fish. Want some beans for a soup, they're all ready to go. Just a little brag, my refries are better than store bought. Hash, stew, and many other things can be put up in jars. I once found a jar of my fish that was over ten years old. It had been lost at the back of a shelf for at least that long. I just had to try it out. It tasted good and I am here to tell the story.

If you don't know how to jar up stuff the local college might give classes. If you can find someone that knows how to can, one time through the pressure process and once through the hot bath process with supervision and you should be set to go. You can do both in a day but with food preparation and clean up you will probably want to do one process a day. I prefer to do multiple batches in the same day as clean up is the same.

You can use the jars over and over so once you are set up the cost in minimal. You can sometimes get mason jars at garage sales so keep an eye out. A friend of mine reuses the lids but it is not recommended and I would not do it unless I had no choice. He also reuses the jars that he buys stuff in from the store like salsa. This really makes me nervous but his family is still breathing so I'll keep quiet. There are some rules to follow and a final test after the jars have cooled but I will let your teacher explain all that to you. Whether you put it up yourself or buy it off the shelf listen for the air to hiss in when you open the can or jar.

[gunnerbob]

Thanks for the info!

[localgirl]

"Stocking Up" and "Putting Food By" are two great books for preserving.

[Tucker's Mom]

Canning is great. I mostly do meat and fish but other stuff as well. Corned up some moose and put that in jars, made great rubens. Partly cook your beans then finish them off in the pressure canner just like the fish. Want some beans for a soup, they're all ready to go. Just a little brag, my refries are better than store bought. Hash, stew, and many other things can be put up in jars. I once found a jar of my fish that was over ten years old. It had been lost at the back of a shelf for at least that long. I just had to try it out. It tasted good and I am here to tell the story.

If you don't know how to jar up stuff the local college might give classes. If you can find someone that knows how to can, one time through the pressure process and once through the hot bath process with supervision and you should be set to go. You can do both in a day but with food preparation and clean up you will probably want to do one process a day. I prefer to do multiple batches in the same day as clean up is the same.

You can use the jars over and over so once you are set up the cost in minimal. You can sometimes get mason jars at garage sales so keep an eye out. A friend of mine reuses the lids but it is not recommended and I would not do it unless I had no choice. He also reuses the jars that he buys stuff in from the store like salsa. This really makes me nervous but his family is still breathing so I'll keep quiet. There are some rules to follow and a final test after the jars have cooled but I will let your teacher explain all that to you. Whether you put it up yourself or buy it off the shelf listen for the air to hiss in when you open the can or jar.

If it is not too cold in Alaska, I'd buy a house next door to you...LOL...so I will just get a teacher in community college.

[Caribou]

If it is not too cold in Alaska, I'd buy a house next door to you...LOL...so I will just get a teacher in community college.

I know a good house for sale, good insulation and a great heating system. As warm (inside) as you want it. I'll even toss in lessons and canning equipment. :)