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Home canning advice request
Mesophilic:
I figure with how resourceful this crowd is, someone has to ba a home canner.
Apricots are coming off and we got a bumper crop from our tree this year. When I was a kid Grandma did the canning while us boys did the field work. Well, she's gone and so are is her knowledge.
1) making apricot jam...skins on or off?
2) water bath method at 8000 feet...most sites say to add 20 mins to the boil time for hot pack pints, will it hurt anything if I go a little longer?
3) these apricots are very flavorful but not as sweet or tart as what I'm used to. With that in mind, would they still be considered an acid fruit? Should I add a little lemon juice to lower the PH?
4) would you trust the water bath method at high elevation?
5) in place of boiling jars and lids, can I use a no rinse sanitizer like Starsan? Used to be a homebrewer and learned a few things from that side of the fence. Boiling anything doesn't sterilize it, that's why we have pressure canners and autoclaves. So if I'm only sanitizing by boiling, it aure would be much easier to sanitize with a sanitizing solution.
The thought of botulims suffocating me and my family is right up there with drowning, fire, and scorpions on my list of ways I'd rather not die. In fact, if I don't really know a person well and they give me home canned goods that I can't fake an allergy to, I usually throw it away and return the empty jar telling them the product was wonderful next time I see them...I hate wasting food but see part about drowning, fire, and scorpions... :-[
Pat B:
Google Ball Canning Company They have all the answers.
Have you considered dehydration?
Mesophilic:
--- Quote from: Pat B on July 22, 2019, 06:55:57 pm ---Google Ball Canning Company They have all the answers.
Have you considered dehydration?
--- End quote ---
Making a batch of fruit leather right now. First batch came out of the dehydrator this morning and turned out great.
I'll give Ball a google, thanks.
Hawkdancer:
The hot water bath works very well to sanitize even at 8,000 feet, in a covered pot. The extension service should have specific advise for your altitude and apricots. Might also try freeze drying some in a frost free freezer. Good luck, they should make good jam!
Hawkdancer
TrevorM:
There's a USDA Publication on home canning that'd probably be helpful.
Another alternative of course would be preserving them in Alcohol.
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