Home › Canning and Preserving › A Water-Seal Outfit

A Water-Seal Outfit

sterilization is more not expensive.

Steam-Pressure Canners. Canning is very rapid when sterilization is done in steam maintained at a pressure. There are several canners of this type. Each has a pressure gauge and safety-valve; and they carry from five to thirty pounds of steam-pressure. They are made of aluminum and of iron; and, when properly equipped, are very satisfactory either for canning or for general cooking. Utensils. It is important to plan so that whatever may be needed will be ready for use. For home canning, glass jars are more satisfactory than tin. All types of jars which seal readily may be used. Those having glass tops are much more satisfactory than those with screw caps. The new "Victory" jar is to be preferred to all others, having a wide mouth, glass top, and no curves.

Tests for Jars.-Jars should be tested before they are used. With glass top, fit cover to jar. If top rocks when tapped it should not be used on that jar. If the wire clamp is either too tight or too loose it should be taken off and bent until it goes into place with a light snap. All sharp edges on top and jar should be filed or scraped off. With screw-top jars, screw the top on lightly without the rubber. If thumb nail can be inserted between top and jar, the cover is defective. If the edge is only slightly uneven it can be bent so that it is usable. Put on the rubber, and screw top on tightly, and then pull the rubber out. If the rubber returns to place, the top does not fit properly, and should not be used on that jar.

Tests for Rubbers.-Buy new rubbers every year, as they deteriorate from one season to another. A good rubber will return to its original size when stretched. When pinched it does not crease. It should fit the neck of the jar snugly, and be fairly wide and thick. It is cheaper to discard a doubtful rubber than to lose a jar of canned goods.

Preparation. There are certain essentials for the successful canning of fruits or vegetables. These include clean, fresh materials, perfect containers, good rubber rings, heating for sufficient time to insure preservation, and air-tight sealing. These essentials must be secured in any method of canning. Definitions of Terms. -The most important steps in the coldpack method are: (1) blanching; (2) cold-dipping; (3) packing in clean containers, adding hot water or syrup at once, then immediately half sealing; and (4) processing in the sterilizer. Spoilage of food is nearly always due to carelessness in one of these steps. 1. Blanching consists in plunging the fruits or vegetables into boiling water, or exposing them to steam for a short time. This is necessary with all vegetables and some fruits. It insures thorough cleansing, and removes objectionable odors and flavors and excess acids. It starts the flow of coloring matter; it reduces the bulk of greens, and causes shrinkage of fruits, increasing the quantity which may be packed in a container.

For blanching in boiling water, place the food in a wire basket or piece of cheesecloth. The blanching time varies from one to fifteen minutes, as shown in the time-table on page 323, and the products should be kept under water the whole period.

Spinach and other greens should not be blanched in hot water, but in steam to prevent the loss of the mineral salts, volatile oils, and other valuable substances. Place such vegetables in a colander and set this in a vessel which has a tightly fitting cover. In this BLANCHING GREENS IN vessel there should be an inch or two of water, but it should not touch the greens.