Since I don't have a dohicky to measure pH, what's the best bet (time wise) for boiling/simmering a sauce for long term storage?
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cooking Boiling sauce time
- Thread starter imaguitargod
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I did say that I don't have anything to measure pH....not even test strips. 
What is the boiling temperature of "sauce"? If it's below the suggested 190F then without a pressure cooker you can't reach it.
If you're going to keep it in the fridge and eat it all up within a couple of weeks you should be safe. If your plans include long term storage you should get a pressure cooker or the pH meter. Best of luck to you IGG.
If you're going to keep it in the fridge and eat it all up within a couple of weeks you should be safe. If your plans include long term storage you should get a pressure cooker or the pH meter. Best of luck to you IGG.
patrick said:
? You can definitely get to 190degF without a pressure cooker....
The period of time that you "cook" the sauce vs PH are mutually exclusive. You need to cook the sauce for 15minutes at 190degF AND you need to ensure that the PH is below 4.2 (preferrably in the 3.6 range)
pH meter. Yes, you said you didn't have one, but can safely. Order one, then can.
thehotpepper.com said:
But but but.......but I don't have money! Nah, I'm only really thinking of keeping the sauce for a month at max.
Hmmm.....still don't have the money, but if I made more sauces, I would totally buy that. Thanks for the link THP!thehotpepper.com said:
If you have enough acidity in you're food you don't need a pressure cooker. However, for low acid foods it's a must. I make wild raspberry jam,all of the time and my mother-in-law cans tomato's all of the time without a pressure cooker. They honestly stay good for a LOOOOOONG time in the cupboard as well. with just a long water bath. I still have a jar of jam from over a year ago that's just fine. I opened it a few days ago and tasted good as ever. Didn't get me sick either. However, if the PH isn't right a water bath is NOT safe!
POTAWIE said:
Inhibition of Clostridium botulinurn Type E in Model Acidified Food Systems
The potential for growth and toxigenesis of a mixture of three strains of C. botulinum type E in model food systems at pH levels of 4.600 and 4.200 was investigated. Whole shrimp, shrimp puree, tomato puree, and tomato and shrimp puree were acidified to pH levels of 4.200 and 4.600 with acetic or citric acid. Inoculated and uninoculated control samples were tested during 8 wk incubation at 26°C. No significant C. botulinum growth or toxigenesis was detected in the food systems over the 8 wk test period and the pH of the various foods remained generally constant. This investigation affirms the safety of the generally accepted inhibitory pH level of 4.6 in the food systems studied.
. I know if it's acidic it's ok from what I've learned, but I'm not sure which end of the PH is acidic and which is more of a base.