Canning tips?

[GoGreen]

I canned a bunch of blueberry jam and blueberry chutney for the first time this summer -- and I although I followed the instructions on boiling the jars for 7-10 minutes, I'm still paranoid about it being foodsafe.

Are there any good rules of thumb for this? The little metal buttons did go down..but not right away. The jars had to cool a bit, and then I noticed they were down.

Also, is canning tomato sauce pretty much the same thing as jam?

Thanks!!

:hippie:

[StellaBlue]

It doesn't matter when the little metal buttons go down, as long as they do. Some jars need to cool before they will seal. That's one of my favorite parts of canning, hearing all of the jars popping.

Canning tomatoes is pretty straight-forward. I've not done sauce before, but I can juice and can stewed tomatoes. I know for the stewed tomatoes I have to use the pressure canner instead of the water bath canner.

Have you tasted the blueberry jam yet? My daughter and I canned some blackberry jam earlier this summer, so when we went and picked blueberries, I wasn't up for more jam, so we just froze them.

[GoGreen]

Hi Stella, Thanks for the reply!

We have been eating the jam and it's so good! It's a little liquidy, but that's because I cut way down on the sugar. It's still great in a PB &J and I make a mean blueberry vinegrete w/ it..great paired w/ some blue cheese on salad.

So why do you use the pressure canner for the stewed tomatoes? I have a fear of pressure cookers....irrational, I know. :)

[NCW_Woodnymph]

I made elderberry jelly and it turned out too thick to spread. Do you guys know what makes it runny or too set. I want to make a batch this year but I need to know what to change to fix it first. :D

[LIBRA]

Too runny not cooked long enough, to set cooked to long. Imo.

I just made salsa for the first time, its sooo good. All from my garden too!
I choped it all up, cooked it and canned it. took about 2 hours.


I LOVE the sound of all the jars popping too!

[Unkle_John]

If it does come out runny (like syrup) then it could be the gel that you bought at the store. We canned some salt creek plums and the gelling agent was old so it didn't set up. It's edible, just runny. Really good on pancakes and waffles.

[LIBRA]

Ya know what would be cool, to trade some of our goodies. I mean we'd have to pay shipping but I think it would nice. Well not just with anyone, but a certain few. Ok nevermind I take it back,lol :ufo:

Maybe its not such a great idea, toman may put exlax in it and we'd poo our brains out,lmfao!!!

[Hippie Staff]

Libra - LOLOLOL :D

[StellaBlue]

I have to use the pressure canner for the stewed tomatoes because I put peppers and onions in there too. It has something to do with the acidity of the food that is being canned on whether you use the pressure canner of the water bath.

I, too, was a little nervous when using the pressure canner, but it's no harder than the water bath. I have some issues getting the stupid lid on, it takes me several tries, but after that, easy-peasy.

[NCW_Woodnymph]

I like the idea of trading our stuff but in lou of that maybe we could swap some recipes?

[LIBRA]

I like the idea of trading our stuff but in lou of that maybe we could swap some recipes?


lol ya it may be better in the long run!!