Canning foods is a very easy process once you understand how it works. It is possible to can a huge variety of fruit and vegetables once you have the proper supplies and you know what to do. By canning the fruits, you will allow them to preserve their delicious flavors for years to come. It will also allow you to give them away as gifts to friends or relatives. When you start canning fruits, you need to make a small investment in the supplies. Here are the supplies you will need while canning, and how you should choose them.
The jars are the most important decision when canning. You will have many different choices for the way the jar seals, the shape of the jar, and the exact dimensions. You ca choose from decorative jars to give as gifts, or industrious jars that you can stack by the dozen in your pantry. Find out what the options are, and decide on what you think will work the best based on how much fruit you will have and what you plan to do with it.
The syrup is the trick to what allows the fruit to be preserved. The most basic kind of syrup is a mixture of sugar and water, usually a 1 to 2 ratio respectively. However, you can also use corn syrup, brown sugar, or honey for interesting flavor combinations. While you may only be changing the syrup, it can alter the taste of your fruit in an extreme manner. Look on the internet and see what kind of syrup “recipes” are the most popular.
It is always a good idea to label your cans of fruit. Put your name, the date of canning, the contents, and any other information that you feel is relevant. If you are giving the cans as gifts, you can include a cute little message to the recipient. But with the vital information on there, you can make sure that your canned fruit is always well documented, and you know which cans are from which year. You can create labels with almost any computer.
Your first time canning can definitely be intimidating. But once you have done it once and you understand what is required of you, you will be much more comfortable with it in the future. You will even become familiar with brands and techniques that you prefer.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Using Canning Machines to Get Your Work Done
Canning a lot of fruit can become a ridiculous and tedious process. If you have a whole crop of fruit trees that produce on a yearly basis, then you will need to pay a lot of mind to the canning. Instead of manually filling up each jar with the appropriate amount of fruit and sealing it off, you can buy canning machines to do it for you. With the turn of a crank, the canning machine will separate the fruit from the peels and seeds, and deposit it into whatever jars you are using. Finding a canning machine is pretty tough nowadays since they are fairly outdated, but their usefulness can still serve people who have a home fruit business. There are several places that you can look for one.
First, you might ask around locally. If you live in an area with many local fruits, there are likely to be many people who can them on a yearly basis. If they like to keep up with canning technology, you might be lucky enough to find someone with an old canning machine lying around. Offer them a fair price for it, and you can get what you need and take it off their hands. If you don’t know where to ask, take out an ad in the paper or go around to yard sales. Many canning machines have been manufactured, and the odds are that there is at least one near you.
If you don’t live in that sort of area, or your search is proving to be fruitless, you can widen your search area. Make a posting in one of the many free online classified forums such as Craigslist. You may even find someone who has already tried to sell one on there. If not, make a posting of your own and say what exactly you are looking for. With so many people visiting on a daily basis, the chances are fairly high that you will be able to find what you want. You may end up having to pay for shipping if the item isn’t close enough to go and pick up. But if you really want the canning machine, you will be willing to pay it.
Since canning machines are generally older pieces of equipment, you should also check at estate auctions if you hear about them. Either way, good luck in finding your machine.
First, you might ask around locally. If you live in an area with many local fruits, there are likely to be many people who can them on a yearly basis. If they like to keep up with canning technology, you might be lucky enough to find someone with an old canning machine lying around. Offer them a fair price for it, and you can get what you need and take it off their hands. If you don’t know where to ask, take out an ad in the paper or go around to yard sales. Many canning machines have been manufactured, and the odds are that there is at least one near you.
If you don’t live in that sort of area, or your search is proving to be fruitless, you can widen your search area. Make a posting in one of the many free online classified forums such as Craigslist. You may even find someone who has already tried to sell one on there. If not, make a posting of your own and say what exactly you are looking for. With so many people visiting on a daily basis, the chances are fairly high that you will be able to find what you want. You may end up having to pay for shipping if the item isn’t close enough to go and pick up. But if you really want the canning machine, you will be willing to pay it.
Since canning machines are generally older pieces of equipment, you should also check at estate auctions if you hear about them. Either way, good luck in finding your machine.
Canning Labels Help You Sort All of Your Canned Goods
When you undergo the large process of canning fruit, you should be very thorough in labeling the jars. If you have large amounts of canned fruit from the past, and you plan to can lots of fruit in the future, then it is important to know the contents and date of each jar that you produce. And if you plan to sell the canned fruit or give it away as gifts, you will probably want a nice pleasant label with customized graphics. Using computers and label making software, you can create professional quality labels from your home computer. It will help you create canned fruit that looks nice and helps you keep track of each batch.
First you will have to figure out what dimensions you want your labels. Cut out a piece of paper to use as a template, and hold it up against the jar. Make sure it doesn’t wrap too far around so that the text is fully visible at all times. Once you have decided on a good size that goes well with the size of the jar, you can begin the actual graphic design. Use photo editing software and create the blank label. You should be able to specify the size when you make the canvas to draw on. If you can’t, just try to get the same side ratio and you can specify the exact size when you print. Print off a sample one to make sure you have the size exactly how you want it.
Once you have the outline for the label, you can start to add the different components. You can create your own personal drawings, or find them online. There are many different places that you can find small clipart of fruit. Add whatever fruit the jar contains. Then you can add text easily with your photo editing software. This may be the name of the person you are giving the jar to, or a short message to them. You should always include your name, the date, and the contents of the jar. You can also add lines or borders around the outside of the art and text to give it a more artsy feel.
After you have it all done, all you need to do is buy sticker paper from your local office supply store. You can use it in your printer just like a regular piece of paper, then peel it off and stick it onto your jar.
First you will have to figure out what dimensions you want your labels. Cut out a piece of paper to use as a template, and hold it up against the jar. Make sure it doesn’t wrap too far around so that the text is fully visible at all times. Once you have decided on a good size that goes well with the size of the jar, you can begin the actual graphic design. Use photo editing software and create the blank label. You should be able to specify the size when you make the canvas to draw on. If you can’t, just try to get the same side ratio and you can specify the exact size when you print. Print off a sample one to make sure you have the size exactly how you want it.
Once you have the outline for the label, you can start to add the different components. You can create your own personal drawings, or find them online. There are many different places that you can find small clipart of fruit. Add whatever fruit the jar contains. Then you can add text easily with your photo editing software. This may be the name of the person you are giving the jar to, or a short message to them. You should always include your name, the date, and the contents of the jar. You can also add lines or borders around the outside of the art and text to give it a more artsy feel.
After you have it all done, all you need to do is buy sticker paper from your local office supply store. You can use it in your printer just like a regular piece of paper, then peel it off and stick it onto your jar.
Choosing Canning Jars for Your Canning Project
When you undergo a canning project, the jars are one of the most important aspects. You want to take everything in consideration in order to allow yourself to do the canning as quickly as possible, as well as store the jars easily. You also want to save money, but you don’t want to purchase cheap jars that will break easily or take forever to can your produce in. If you get stuck with a bunch of sub-standard jars, you will have to deal with it for a while to come, and you won’t be able to reuse them for future canning purposes. So when shopping for jars, you should think about the following factors, and consider these jars as possibilities.
If you have a huge amount of fruit that needs canned, you should look into buying cans that can be quickly sealed. Being able to pop a seal on is extremely helpful when dealing with huge amounts of fruit. These jars might cost a few cents more per piece, but when you are dealing with hundreds at a time you will find that the time saved makes it worth every penny. If you plan to be canning for years to come, you should purchase them in bulk. The more you buy, the cheaper they will be per can. You have to choose a good balance between saving money and overbuying, though.
You can also choose to stick with more traditional jar choices, and get a better deal for the money you pay. The sealing process is usually the same on these standard jars, and takes a bit longer. However, the jars are usually of a high quality, and will keep your fruit fresh and edible for a very long time. If you have a few days that you can set aside for pure canning labor, then these jars are a good choice. But if you have a job that you need to get back to, and too much fruit to handle, then these might prove slightly too tedious.
Once you are an experienced canner, you will be able to know which jars you need immediately. Until then, you will just have to try out a few different brands and begin to experiment with which ones you are most comfortable with. Eventually you will find one that you wouldn’t mind sticking with.
If you have a huge amount of fruit that needs canned, you should look into buying cans that can be quickly sealed. Being able to pop a seal on is extremely helpful when dealing with huge amounts of fruit. These jars might cost a few cents more per piece, but when you are dealing with hundreds at a time you will find that the time saved makes it worth every penny. If you plan to be canning for years to come, you should purchase them in bulk. The more you buy, the cheaper they will be per can. You have to choose a good balance between saving money and overbuying, though.
You can also choose to stick with more traditional jar choices, and get a better deal for the money you pay. The sealing process is usually the same on these standard jars, and takes a bit longer. However, the jars are usually of a high quality, and will keep your fruit fresh and edible for a very long time. If you have a few days that you can set aside for pure canning labor, then these jars are a good choice. But if you have a job that you need to get back to, and too much fruit to handle, then these might prove slightly too tedious.
Once you are an experienced canner, you will be able to know which jars you need immediately. Until then, you will just have to try out a few different brands and begin to experiment with which ones you are most comfortable with. Eventually you will find one that you wouldn’t mind sticking with.
Canning Your Fruits for Later Consumption
If you’ve ever lived somewhere with a fruit tree or two, you have probably realized that the fruits are produced at an extremely fast rate. Usually the fruit comes off the tree faster than you could possibly eat it, even if you are giving them to your friends and neighbors as well. Therefore, at the zenith of your trees fruit production period, you may think about doing a canning project to save a large number of your fruits for your later enjoyment. All you need to buy is a few supplies, and put a few days into slicing and canning the fruit. They will last for a huge amount of time, and make for great gifts.
Naturally you need the fruits first. Pick them at the ripest time of year, and pick all of them. Cut them up however you prefer to have them cut. This depends on all of your personal preferences, although you might find some tips saying that it works better to cut them a certain way in order for the syrup to get full permeation. Dump all of the appropriate portions into each jar. Usually you will dump the fruit into the jar until there is about an inch of space above it, without packing it down. Then you will proceed to making the syrup.
The syrup is simply a mixture of water and sugar. The exact ratio depends entirely on the fruit that you are dealing with, but 1 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of water is a fairly standard amount. After you have the fruit up to an inch below the opening of the jar, you will fill it up with syrup until the syrup is at the same level (so that it filled up all the cracks between pieces of fruit without going up higher). Then top it off with another little dash of syrup to take care of the fruit on the top, and seal the jar. After this, you will have a perfect can of fruit.
This is just a general overview of the process. Without knowing what fruit you are dealing with, it is impossible to get into specifics. For each different kind of fruit, there are minor alterations you can make in order to maximize the taste that you get out of it. As soon as you start learning these, you will be a very happy canner.
Naturally you need the fruits first. Pick them at the ripest time of year, and pick all of them. Cut them up however you prefer to have them cut. This depends on all of your personal preferences, although you might find some tips saying that it works better to cut them a certain way in order for the syrup to get full permeation. Dump all of the appropriate portions into each jar. Usually you will dump the fruit into the jar until there is about an inch of space above it, without packing it down. Then you will proceed to making the syrup.
The syrup is simply a mixture of water and sugar. The exact ratio depends entirely on the fruit that you are dealing with, but 1 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of water is a fairly standard amount. After you have the fruit up to an inch below the opening of the jar, you will fill it up with syrup until the syrup is at the same level (so that it filled up all the cracks between pieces of fruit without going up higher). Then top it off with another little dash of syrup to take care of the fruit on the top, and seal the jar. After this, you will have a perfect can of fruit.
This is just a general overview of the process. Without knowing what fruit you are dealing with, it is impossible to get into specifics. For each different kind of fruit, there are minor alterations you can make in order to maximize the taste that you get out of it. As soon as you start learning these, you will be a very happy canner.
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