Cosmo Spring Garden 2022

[flowerbug]

i'd avoid doing things "under oil" as you've been describing it. generally this might be ok for items kept cold or frozen but sometimes people leave things out longer than they should.

anything that isn't going to be kept cold or in an acid enough environment or promptly eaten should be pressure canned, fermented (to get the acid from lactobacilli) or have other acidifiers added to it. when i put up garlic in the freezer i make sure to add some lemon juice to make sure the ground up garlic is going to be ok. you can use other acidifiers like apple cider vinegar, lime juice, orange juice, etc.

the basic problem with oil is that it may create an anaerobic environment and at room temperature that becomes home for C. botulinum bacteria...

 

[Zeedman]

i'd avoid doing things "under oil" as you've been describing it. generally this might be ok for items kept cold or frozen but sometimes people leave things out longer than they should.

anything that isn't going to be kept cold or in an acid enough environment or promptly eaten should be pressure canned, fermented (to get the acid from lactobacilli) or have other acidifiers added to it. when i put up garlic in the freezer i make sure to add some lemon juice to make sure the ground up garlic is going to be ok. you can use other acidifiers like apple cider vinegar, lime juice, orange juice, etc.

the basic problem with oil is that it may create an anaerobic environment and at room temperature that becomes home for C. botulinum bacteria...

+1
I too have reservations about storing vegetables in/under oil. Generally OK for short term, but even then I would keep them refrigerated. For long term, such things should be pressure canned or frozen per @flowerbug 's recommendations.

Hot peppers in oil might be well worth pressure canning - and that oil could be really useful. Makes my mouth water just thinking about the possibilities.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

+1
I too have reservations about storing vegetables in/under oil. Generally OK for short term, but even then I would keep them refrigerated. For long term, such things should be pressure canned or frozen per @flowerbug 's recommendations.

Hot peppers in oil might be well worth pressure canning - and that oil could be really useful. Makes my mouth water just thinking about the possibilities.

Can I pressure can them in the oil?

 

[flowerbug]

Can I pressure can them in the oil?

yes, you'll notice a lot of different sauces and spice combinations at the stores often have added oils, but they also likely have added acidicifiers to make sure the pH is low enough. pressure canning just makes sure that the temperature gets high enough (long enough) to kill any botulism bacteria or spores.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

+1
I too have reservations about storing vegetables in/under oil. Generally OK for short term, but even then I would keep them refrigerated. For long term, such things should be pressure canned or frozen per @flowerbug 's recommendations.

Hot peppers in oil might be well worth pressure canning - and that oil could be really useful. Makes my mouth water just thinking about the possibilities.

yes, you'll notice a lot of different sauces and spice combinations at the stores often have added oils, but they also likely have added acidicifiers to make sure the pH is low enough. pressure canning just makes sure that the temperature gets high enough (long enough) to kill any botulism bacteria or spores.

Thanks! I think I'll pressure can them. I like to be safe when it comes to home food preservation. I appreciate your and @Zeedman helpful advice.

@digitS' I used one scoop of the frozen garlic today for refried beans and it was delicious.

 

[baymule]

Good point on the oil/chilies. I buy chopped pimentos in tiny jars, but they are not in oil. I would imagine that the oil could be drained off and used in stir fry in and of itself. Let us know how your chilies turn out as canned.

 

[Branching Out]

i'd avoid doing things "under oil" as you've been describing it. generally this might be ok for items kept cold or frozen but sometimes people leave things out longer than they should.

anything that isn't going to be kept cold or in an acid enough environment or promptly eaten should be pressure canned, fermented (to get the acid from lactobacilli) or have other acidifiers added to it. when i put up garlic in the freezer i make sure to add some lemon juice to make sure the ground up garlic is going to be ok. you can use other acidifiers like apple cider vinegar, lime juice, orange juice, etc.

the basic problem with oil is that it may create an anaerobic environment and at room temperature that becomes home for C. botulinum bacteria...

May I please inquire as to how much apple cider vinegar one would use? Just a splash?? And does the acid environment cause the minced garlic to change colour? I read that the garlic can turn blue or green, which would not be my personal preference. I would like to be able to freeze minced garlic in small glass canning jars perhaps. (Next summer I am hoping to make garlic powder when I can put the garlic in the dehydrator outdoors-- but I don't want to try that now, indoors, lest the whole house begin to smell of garlic).

 

[meadow]

I would like to be able to freeze minced garlic in small glass canning jars perhaps.

We froze whole peeled cloves last year and it worked really well. Putting them through a garlic press is effortless (but does require cleanup). I think it may be hard to get a usable portion of frozen minced garlic out of a jar. Maybe if frozen as dollops on waxed paper?

 

[Branching Out]

We froze whole peeled cloves last year and it worked really well. Putting them through a garlic press is effortless (but does require cleanup). I think it may be hard to get a usable portion of frozen minced garlic out of a jar. Maybe if frozen as dollops on waxed paper?

When I freeze fresh bacon bits I put about 1/2" in the jar, and then a small circle of parchment on top of the bacon to separate it from the next layer. That has made it easy to just remove one portion at a time from the jar, and I think the same method could be used for minced garlic perhaps. I am a big fan of parchment paper. Whole cloves sounds even easier though, and I have a lot of singles floating around that were left over from when I planted a couple of weeks ago. I will give that a try for sure. Thank you!

 

[digitS']

Out of the food processor and dehydrator and into the freezer:


First time for doing this but we just had so many that it seemed like it was worth a try.