# Just finished my very first canning batch...



## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

and was wondering on what other things I could can. I did salsa and cranapple jelly. Waiting to see if the jelly gels. :sssh:

Question though: Could I use the water boil process to repackage foods? 

Example: We have one of those huge containers of pickles that has taken quite amount of space in the fridge for nearly a year. Obviously they can't be stored once opened out of the fridge.

Was thinking about slicing them up and pouring the pickle juice from them to can seal them. Then restore them on the shelf. Can you can foods that aren't hot? Would that work?


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

easy answer no...

Just make your own and seal it. Risk of botulism is way too high for not doing things the right way. Start with the blue book (bible for canning), and vary at your own risk.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

ashley8072 said:


> Was thinking about slicing them up and pouring the pickle juice from them to can seal them. Then restore them on the shelf. Can you can foods that aren't hot? Would that work?


What you could do is slice them up like you say, pack them in smaller jars with the liquid and reprocess them in a water bath. The high acid of the vinegar will prevent the formation of bacteria. The only problem with that is, you may lose the fresh crispness and end up with mushy pickles.


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## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok thanks. I'll have to look more into this.

On another note: I have a salsa recipe that's very good, but it doesn't require cooking. It's very simple. Diced tomatoes, onion, hot pepper and lemon juice. Would I have to cook it before canning it?


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

UncleJoe said:


> The only problem with that is, you may lose the fresh crispness and end up with mushy pickles.


Would Alum help?

Ashley - Pickles are very easy to make. I'd propose you start from scratch and make your own and just eat what you have in the fridge.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Ashley,

I would be very cautious and concerned about "repackaging" and suggest that your families health is not something to put at risk.

Salsa requires processing, yes it needs to be hot packed, and I don't recall if it's hot water bath or pressure canned. 

Buy the Ball Blue Book (canning bible) and closely follow their recipies and prodedures. Botulism is nothing to play with.


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## MichaelK (Aug 3, 2011)

Hi Ashley
Have to second everyone else's advice you need to start reading more first. Home canning can be divided into two broad catagories, water bath, and pressure canning. Do you know the difference between the two? If not, you potentially have to capability of killing yourself or your family members from botulism!

Basicly, water bath canning is only appropriate for foods with a pH less than 4.5. Don't know what that means? Don't know how to measure the pH of your salsa? Almost all the fatal botulism poisoning cases in the US are from botched home canning! People that used the wrong method for canning something that was contaminated with botulism spores. 

For any neutral pH food (chicken soup for example) you MUST pressure can it to be safe. Maybe you have great Grandmom's no-canning recipe for chicken soup. It worked for her, didn't it? By the way, why was it that great Grandma died at the age of 55?

There's lots of good canning information published. Take a look at Rodale press. I like their book, "Putting Food By". Always stick to "PUBLISHED" recipes for canning things. Remember that processing times (boiling, or steam pressure) change with the size of the jar and the consistancy of it's contents. A pint jar of carrots has a different time than a pint of chicken soup. You'll learn all this by reading.
Good luck,
Michael


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## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

Going to pick up the canning book today. My mom said that she has one, but we looked everywhere for it yesterday. This must be one awesome book.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Canning your own food is fun and fantastic. The flavor are like you've never tasted before. We started with pickles and have expanded into a LOT of food. Not as much for prepping, but just because we enjoy it!

Last years turkey carcus, simmered on the stove for 4 days after thanksgiving. Simmered that long not because of any particular reason, other than we were too busy to deal with it. OMFG, it turned into the best turkey soup I have EVER tasted. Figured the cost per qt (minus the energy to cook and can) to be approximately $0.25 per qt.

Spend a lot of time reading up on how to safely can your food. When in doubt, go to the next level of cooked. You can not substitute pressure canning with "longer" water bath times. Learn to understand the lid, and to identify when a jar has not sealed, AND when one is developing bad bugs.

When pressure canning, you must, MUST let it reduce pressure and cool naturally. Any attempt to "force" it, will lead to seal failure. Guess how I know that?


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## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok so an update on my first canning batch. The jelly...did not gel, but it makes great pancake syrup. So I'm leaving it as is. lol! The salsa I don't think I left in long enough and I WAS keeping it in the fridge to eat...and it's all been eaten. lol!

I just finished my second canning experience. I did more salsa since everyone loved it so much, but I'm hiding this batch and I made extra for work and home. Problem though, I had a jar that didn't seal. Maybe I didn't completely clean the edges...I've no idea. It leaked while in the water. I'm currently re-doing it, but I just checked my other jars that the lids did work on, and they look like they had leaked some in the process. They have sealed and were processed long enough. Is this common?

Is it normal for the water afterwards to be yellowish? Also, I've noticed that the jars have a white powder covering them after they cool. Are these both normal things to expect?



MichaelK said:


> Hi Ashley
> Have to second everyone else's advice you need to start reading more first. Home canning can be divided into two broad catagories, water bath, and pressure canning. Do you know the difference between the two? If not, you potentially have to capability of killing yourself or your family members from botulism!


It's really not that hard, but I lack having anyone around that has even the slightest experience to help me for those in between questions. Anyone that I have talked to about canning, I get a different story. I am using the water bath method with cold pack for the salsa. pH done with lemon juice. Pint jars, and I'm at 945ft altitude. Bath time was 40min.


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## Riverdale (Oct 31, 2009)

bczoom said:


> Would Alum help?
> 
> Ashley - Pickles are very easy to make. I'd propose you start from scratch and make your own and just eat what you have in the fridge.


Yes alum will help.

So will grape leaves.


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## Riverdale (Oct 31, 2009)

ashley8072 said:


> but I just checked my other jars that the lids did work on, and they look like they had leaked some in the process. They have sealed and were processed long enough. Is this common?
> 
> Is it normal for the water afterwards to be yellowish? Also, I've noticed that the jars have a white powder covering them after they cool. Are these both normal things to expect?
> 
> It's really not that hard, but I lack having anyone around that has even the slightest experience to help me for those in between questions. Anyone that I have talked to about canning, I get a different story. I am using the water bath method with cold pack for the salsa. pH done with lemon juice. Pint jars, and I'm at 945ft altitude. Bath time was 40min.


The white powder on top of your lids is most likely disolved solids from yoou water (check the water hardness) 

The Ball Blue Book is indespensible for canning, freezing and drying.
Yesterday, we (pressure) canned 5 qts of potatoes and 15 pts of carrots.

On the docket today, (water bath) bread and butter pickles and pickled jalapenos and pressure canned stewed tomatoes (wife does not like "vinegery" canned tomatoes) for canning (and maybe some chicken) and apples in the Excaliber (9 drawer dehydrator) (when the peppers get done). Tomorrow, more chicken and more potatoes.

But seriously, get thee the Ball Blue Book


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