HOME PRESERVERS’ HANDBOOK | y

3. Pressure Cooker.—This*is the safest method, especially for meat, fish, or
vegetables. Berries are apt to break and be jam-like in appearance if canned in a
pressure cooker. Follow manufacturer’s directions. Keep pressure steady—a fluctu-
ating pressure is apt to cause loss of liquid from the jars. Let the pressure gauge
drop to zero and wait for 5 minutes before opening pressure cooker. If you do not
take this precaution you are apt to lose liquid from the Jars.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS

1. Select only sound fruits and oeneeatihas picked if possible the day they are
to be canned. Grade according to size. Do not can underripe or overripe foods.

2. Blanch by plunging the product into boiling water or steam for a given
length of time. Blanch only a small quantity at a time—so that the boiling will be
checked for as short a time as possible. The object in blanching peaches, beets and
tomatoes is to remove the skins. We blanch asparagus and spinach to make the
product more pliable so that it may be easily packed. In canning berries and all soft
fruits blanching is dispensed with.

Greens are blanched by steaming rather than plunging into boiling water.

3. Cold Dip.—Plunge fruit or vegetables directly from boiling water into cold
water. The chief reason for cold dipping is to cool the product so that it will be
easily handled, and in some cases cold dipping helps set the color. Remove from the
cold dip as quickly as possible. Some vegetables do not require cold dipping.

4. Packing.—Pack fruit or vegetables firmly, otherwise the jars will not be
full because of shrinkage during processing. Avoid packing corn, peas, and lima
beans too tightly because they swell during cooking. Also do not pack spinach and
other greens too tightly because it is difficult for the heat to penetrate through such
a solid mass. Add boiling water and salt to vegetables, | tsp. salt to a quart (use
water in which vegetables were precooked, unless it 1s strong and dark); add boiling
syrup to fruit. The liquid should come to within % inch of the top of the jar. Adjust
rubbers and partly seal glass-top jars; adjust clamps or screw bands on self-sealing |
type of jar. Completely seal tins.

5. Process—Read general directions describing different methods of processing.
Refer to chart for processing time.

6. Label and store in a cool, dry place.

Note: Home canned meat, fish or vegetables should be heated to boiling tem-
perature for 10 to 15 minutes before being served. |

CANNING SYRUPS

The average amount of sugar used for canning will be approximately % Ib. for
each quart of canned fruit. A syrup made of | cup sugar to. 14 cups water and
boiled five minutes is a popular proportion. For a sweet fruit you may increase
the water to 2 cups; and for a tart fruit, decrease the water to | cup.

A simple method 1s to add 2/3 to | cup sugar per quart (depending on the sweet-
ness of the fruit) directly to each jar; then add boiling water to within % inch of
top of jar.

If desired, a light corn syrup or a mild flavored honey may be substituted in
whole or in part for the sugar used in canning. The flavor of, the fruit will be some-
what changed.