preservation Query about preserving

[AnnieAnnie]

Hi all,

New to this site, but what an amazing resource to have found!

Have been making chutneys/jams/jellies and sauces for a while, but always from other people's recipes. I quite fancy having a go myself and have found some great recipes on here to try. However, I'm totally confused about talk of 'canning'. We don't use this term in England and have no idea what it refers to. I also have no idea about 'water baths'. I have never seen this in any English recipes, only sterilising the jars and using sufficient vinegar. Any English people out there who know what this is all about? Very confused!

Look forward to sharing some recipes soon

AA

 

[Burning Colon]

that term is confusing....isn't it? one would think by now the term would have been adjusted to more modern terms or terms that suit the technology.

i am not English, in the Britian term, i do speak English, I read English, I drink English tea......being part of the Commonwealth and having to share English veruses American literature(being Canadian) that would make me the perfect translator!

Canning is jarring(i think i can use the term mason jar), a water bath is the sterilization of the jars prior to filling by placing the jars into a large pot of boiling water. some people just put the jars directly into the water then fish them out(remove them) - i use tongs, others use a jar lifter that the jars are put into, then handily lowered into the pot of boiling water. the jar lifter is then easily lifted out when sterilized by using its handle. A alternative to water bath sterilizing is pressure cooking sterilization which requires a pressure cooker.

i just finished canning ...er...ah...jarring, some sauerkraut about 1 hour ago and am now in the process of making a new batch.

 

[AnnieAnnie]

Haha, the perfect translator indeed

Thanks for the reply. Here, the most common way is to use sterilising tablets in water and then submerge the jars for about 15 minutes. That's what I do too as it's the easiest. I'm pretty sure that gets the same results as the other methods I've read about on here.

I never knew how much difference there was between English English and the US. My boyfriend's from Norway (where they all speak perfect English)and his family speak 'American English'. They wonder why I can't always understand them! I bet you speak differently again.

I don't think I have ever eaten sauerkraut. I roasted some tomatoes, onions and garlic for some sort of chutney yesterday and this morning I will have an experiment!

Thanks again,

AA

 

[AnnieAnnie]

Ok, after reading through this site and looking in chutney/jam books that I have and generally searching through the internet, I'm pretty sure that there is no advice about water bathing in England. We just sterilise jars and that's it (presuming the jam has been cooked and has sufficient preservative e.g. vinegar in it). I cannot find a single thing that says you should water bath the contents afterwards. Guess we just have different rules. Very odd.

AA

 

[Downriver]

A belated welcome to THP AnnieAnnie.

The boiling water canning process does more than just sterilize the jars.

The "authority" on home canning and food preservation in the U.S. is the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), which was created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The University of Georgia maintains their website. They even offer a free on-line course on canning.

You might want to browse around a while, There's a ton of info there.

Good luck and happy (and safe) canning!