Canning Fruits
PEAS.--Peas for canning should be well formed and tender, and they should be canned as soon as
possible after coming from the garden. Proceed by washing the pods and shelling the peas. Blanch the
shelled peas for 5 to 10 minutes in live steam, and cold-dip them quickly.
Pack the peas into the jars, having them come to within 1/2 inch from the top, add 1 teaspoonful of salt
to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. Then adjust the jar lids and proceed according to directions
for the method selected. In the water bath, boil for 2 or 3 hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for 1-1/2 hours at a
pressure of 5 pounds or for 1 hour at a pressure of 10 pounds.
PUMPKIN AND SQUASH.--The canning of pumpkin and squash is advisable when there is any
possibility of their not keeping until they can be used. Prepare either of these vegetables for canning by
first peeling it and cutting the edible part into inch cubes. Blanch these cubes for 10 to 15 minutes in live
steam and cold-dip them quickly.
Pack the jars as full as possible, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jar, but no water. After adjusting the
jar lids, boil the jars of food for 1-1/2 hours in the water bath, or cook them for 1 hour at a pressure of 5 pounds
or for 40 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds in the pressure cooker. When finished, the jars will be found to be
only about half full, but the contents will keep perfectly.
If desired, pumpkin or squash may first be cooked as if preparing it for use and then put into the jars
for processing.
SUCCOTASH.--Of course, succotash is not a vegetable, but the name of a food that results from
combining corn and beans. These vegetables may be canned together to make for variety in the winter's
food supply, or each may be canned separately and combined later. Clean the ears of corn in the manner
previously directed; then blanch them for 5 minutes and cold-dip them.
Also, remove green Lima beans from the pods, blanch them for 10 minutes, and cold-dip them. Then cut and
scrape the corn off the cobs and mix it with an equal quantity of the beans. Pack the mixture into the jars to
within 1/2 inch of the top, add a teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water.
Adjust the jar tops and proceed according to the directions for the process to be employed. In the water bath,
boil for 2 hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for 50 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 35 minutes at a pressure
of 10 pounds.
TOMATOES.
--As has been stated, tomatoes may be canned successfully by the open-kettle method. If this method is to be employed,
the first part of the preparation is exactly the same as for the cold-pack method, except that the jars, jar tops, and jar rubbers
must be carefully sterilized.
For canning, firm tomatoes should be selected if possible, as they will keep their shape better than
those which are very ripe. If some are soft, they should be sorted out and canned for soup making or
made into catsup. After washing the tomatoes, proceed to blanch them. The length of time required for
blanching depends entirely on the condition of the tomatoes. They should be blanched for 1 to 3
minutes, or just long enough to loosen the skin. After blanching, dip them quickly into cold water and
remove the skins. These, it will be found, may be removed easily and quickly.
Pack the tomatoes thus prepared tightly into jars and fill them with boiling water, boiling tomato juice, or stewed
tomatoes. Add a teaspoonful of salt to each jar. Then adjust the jar lids and proceed according to the directions given
for the method selected. Boil for 22 minutes in the water bath; in the pressure cooker, cook for 15 minutes at a pressure
of 5 pounds or for 10 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds.
TOMATOES FOR SOUP.--If there are soft tomatoes at hand or if tomatoes are canned by the
open-kettle method, quantities of tomato juice will be available. Such material as this may be put
through a sieve and boiled down for winter use in the making of soups, bisques, etc. It may be canned
simply by pouring the boiling juice into sterilized jars and sealing them immediately.
TOMATOES AND CORN.--An excellent food combination results from combining stewed
tomatoes with corn. Such a combination may be canned safely by either the open-kettle or the cold-pack
method. The acid of the tomatoes helps to keep the corn, but the combination requires longer cooking
than just plain tomatoes.
Prepare each vegetable as for canning separately, but, if desired, cut the tomatoes into pieces. Mix the two
foods in any desirable proportion and, for the cold-pack canning method, put the food into the jars. Add 1 teaspoonful
of salt to each jarful, but no water. Then adjust the jar lids, and proceed to sterilize and cook the jars of food. In the water
bath, cook them 1-1/2 hours; in the pressure cooker, cook them for 50 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 35 minutes
at a pressure of 10 pounds.
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