Facing The Fear

[canesisters]

After hearing my Mom's horror stories about pressure cooking - and my grandmama's horror stories about pressure canning - and various other folks who made it sound like something just a little more dangerious than setting up a fireworks factory in the bathroom - I've finally gone and done it.


A friend brought her canner over and helped me put up 8 pints of green beans last weekend. IT WAS SO EASY!! And not at all scary. I can't wait to do it myself!

So - wha's a good 'starter' receipe? Can you can squash?

 

[baymule]

You need this.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete...04325557&sr=8-1&keywords=ball+book+of+canning

 

[canesisters]

I've got one. But after getting it and finding out that I couldn't do much more than tomatoes & pickles without a pressure canner, I set it aside. The canner came to work today and I'm ITCHING to get home with it. I know that I had a bunch of squash almost ready yesterday... I might have to go by the grocery just so I can play with it tomorrow night.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I pressure canned squash once. Never again. It's pure mush. Even frozen squash is better and that's not saying much.

 

[catjac1975]

The old ones did not have a pressure release valve as the new ones do. I have a set of pots that are not exactly a pressure cooker. The are use like one but do not achieve full pressure. You steam veggies with just a bit of water, close the valve and turn off the heat. The light pressure continues to cook the food with out any fuel. For a busy cook you can reduce the time of cooking by hours with a real pressure cooker. It makes meats very tender though very stewed. I have never heard a modern horror story.

 

[so lucky]

Yeah, Cane, may as well get your self a 6 quart pressure cooker now, so you can really enjoy the benefits of pressure cooking. I make stews and soups pretty often, starting with a frozen beef shank. Depending on the thickness, you can thaw out and cook to fork tender in about a half an hour. (And you know how long it takes some of those cheaper cuts of meat to tenderize after they are actually cooked to "done") I don't put the cut-up stew veggies under pressure, though, because it will reduce those taters to mush in no time.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

You can can squash, like Ridge said it turns a little mushy, but do you really need solid squash for pies and other baked goods?

 

[journey11]

Congratulations on your purchase. You will be addicted to canning in no time!

I agree that squash is better frozen. I go ahead and bake the squash (winter squashes), then scoop out the puree into quart-size freezer bags, then use it for pies and soup. Or if you want to do summer squash--slice, blanch and drain well, then pack into freezer bags. Those I use mostly for summer squash casserole or reheat lightly then toss in with other mixed steamed veggies.

 

[Jared77]

I think the FDA is no longer recommending canning squash or pumpkin over concerns regarding food borne illness. The squash doesn't get hot enough all the
through to be safe because it's so dense

I know previously they recommended curbing the squash and canning it that way but I think even that practice is discouraged.

We love our canners here. I didn't grow up with it, I was self taught because we had so much extra that we had to do something to save it.

LOTS of really good recipes out there and TEG is loaded with them too. Welcome to the madness!!!!

 

[AMKuska]

I learned how to can this year. I admit to being a little uneasy myself, but it turned out to be both fun and easy.