The Tilsons

Today we realized the magnitude of our decision to order such a gargantuan amount of food.  Food of this quantity needs jars, lids, screw bands, TIME, PATIENCE…and if you are going to can a crazy amount of food - like say 800 lbs, do yourself a favour and buy a propane tank, a large burner and the biggest pressure canner you can buy (ours actually fits 26 pints and 18 quarts).

I figured you all should have a leg up if you’ve made the same commitment we have.  Here is a post of all the helpful canning tips and hints we could think of, so that you could breeze through your canning experience instead of barricading yourself in the kitchen and screaming at the top of your lungs while your husband and roommate cower in the corner.

Canning Tips & Hints

1. CANNING Canning is not scary.  Follow the rules and you will avoid all terrible things.  That is why the Bernardin book asks you to boil pickled beets for 30 minutes. (Read: 30 minutes!  Well when I made them, we boiled them for ten.  Even that was sometimes too long, and we never died.  I’ve been canning like this for 30 years and I am just fine) … get my point?
2. SEPTEMBER. September is canning month, I mean you can pretty much can all picking season, but September is when it all starts to get crazy.  Do yourself a favour and quit your job before September, not in the middle of it like I did so that you have huge piles of tutorials to write in between fruits.
3. CANNING SUPPLIES. Stock up at the end of the canning season the year before.  Of course hindsight is 20/20, know that Canadian Tire, Home Hardware and the Superstore all carry canning supplies.  The Superstore is cheapest, Home Hardware is the most local.
4. CANNER. While you don’t need a pressure canner, they are great to have.  You can use them like a boiling water canner, and if you get a large one, you can do waaaay more in a turn.  Cheaper on gas and allows for more sleeping.
5. JARS. Between 2 and 3 lbs of food fits in a jar.  Plan accordingly and buy extra, just in case someone in your family brings in tomatoes that are ripening on the vine to add to your already monsterous pile of 40lb boxes.
6. LIDS.  Lids apparently need to be used by the end of the year, but I am going to make a call.  You can use em next year too.  Some of the stuff the Bernardin book says, I think, is for the sole purpose of stressing out a canner and making money.  That being said, don’t reuse the lids…
7. TOMATOES. Tomatoes ripen at different times….
8. LEMON JUICE. Lemon juice is your safety because it is the acidity of food that is detrimental in deciding weather it can be canned in a regular water bath canner or a pressure canner.  Somehow, we lucked out and got bottles of lemon juice at Capers, 2 for $6!  You would think they would capitalize on tomato canning season!  (or maybe not everyone buys 12 bottles of lemon juice?)
9. PEACHES Canning peach quarters is easier than canning peach halves because you can easily get the air bubbles out, which means your syrup level won’t drop below the top of the fruit.
10. SUGAR VS HONEY Some people don’t can because of all the sugar they have to use.  Well, not any more.  Honey grows here, sugar doesn’t.  Honey is not genetically modified, sugar risks being so (Especially now that “they” are considering the GMO of Sugar Beets in Canada).  Honey tastes nice and doesn’t have the same kick in the adrenals that sugar does.  However, canning with honey can be tricky because of its liquid state.  It takes time to find the recipes. Give it a shot, we did, and we are loving it.  Remember that sugar does not preserve - it sweetens (although it does react with pectin to make a solid jam, so get a sugarless pectin if you are going to make the leap) You do not need sugar to preserve your food.
11. RECIPES.  Choose recipes from this century.  Remember that there were no rules, and people got sick…. It may seem like too much time in the bath, but its better safe than sorry. Figure out your recipes ahead of time - if you are doing a lot of fruit, you will inevitably run out of honey (more than once -remember, honey keeps for what seems like infinity) cinnamon and lemon juice.  It is nice to know what you are out of before you have the pectin in the jam - especially if travelling by bus.
12. (GRAND)MOTHERS. Remember that you and your (grand)mother’s opinions will be different.  She canned 20 or more years ago, when there was no big Bernardin book, or even rules.  Back when wax was still used to seal jam…”I have a rule- when we can at my house, we follow my rules, when we can at your house, we follow yours”  Feel free to use that quote at any time.
13. HELP Teach people how to can, they will do it for free (or for some food), follow your rules and allow you to rest a little.  Resting is good.

We’ll add to this as we think of them - best of luck in all of your canning adventures!  Feel free to comment with your tips