Preserving Food
Any of the following methods can be used, pick one that suits your lifestyle best, and if you know how to boil water, you can learn how to preserve your own foods. Preserving with a friend, neighbor or getting the kids to participate in this project is very rewarding. This is an educational experience to share and enjoy with others for many years to come. If you are not familiar with canning and freezing methods, the best book you can buy is the “Blue Book” put out by Ball. You can find an offer for this book in just about every box of Ball canning jars or online at Amazon.com.
Canning
By far one of the most popular ways to preserve your food. From soups to pickles and jams to preserves, canned foods can last for years, but it is suggested to use within one year. Be sure to sterilize you canning jars and always check for nicks and cracks in the glass. Discard any jars that have nicks and cracks for safety reasons. Canning jars come with directions on sterilization and these safety steps need to be taken. Canning can be tricky, not all of the lids will seal, and not all lids will seal properly. Be sure to check your seal before storing your food. Do not use any other glass jars for canning, they are not intended for this purpose. Follow the simple directions on the instruction sheet that comes with all canning jars, never reuse a flat, the rubber ring will never seal twice.Canning rules are set to keep your family safe and must be followed. Remember to label and date all of your food. Use permanent marker or waterproof pens.
Dehydrating
All fruits and vegetables can be dehydrated in their natural state, but blanching and dipping certain fruits and vegetables can help retain the color, flavor and soften tissue for quicker dehydrating and reconstitution. Plastic webbing is flexible and easy to pop off the fruit or veggies if stuck. Be sure to turn your food on the dehydrating racks halfway through the drying process. This will help keep the food from sticking and will dry faster. Store your dehydrated foods in canning jars. Be sure to check your dehydrated food 3-5 days after dehydration is complete to make sure there is no moisture collecting in the jars. If you detect moisture, put your product back on the rack and continue the drying process. Use canning jars; they’re the best for an air tight seal. Read the directions of your dehydrator before getting started.Freezing
Another popular way to preserve your food and is also considered one of the best ways to keep the freshness in your food. This is the ideal way to preserve meat, but also great for soups, vegetables, fruits and more. Just read freezing directions because some fruits and vegetables need to be blanched or cooked before freezing. Always buy “freezer” bags, do not use regular plastic bags. Freezer bags are specially made to keep air out and helps keep frozen foods fresh longer. A vacuum sealer system is even better, it extends the life of your frozen food and the food will not get freezer burn. Vacuum sealed foods, can last for years. Never freeze raw potatoes or any green leafy vegetable (i.e. lettuce, collar greens, escarole etc.)Root Cellaring
There are many different kinds of root cellaring, but the main concept is the same. It's food storage located below the surface of the ground. The temperature will be cooler and more evenly regulated for a steady supply of fruits and vegetables through the winter months. Study the temperature and humidity requirements for individual fruits and vegetables. Some foods require higher temperatures and humidity levels; this can make a dramatic difference in the shelf life. Determine which foods should not be stored together or close together (such as potatoes, apples and tomatoes. Potatoes stored next to apples will give your apples a musty, moldy taste and apples stored to close to tomatoes will cause premature ripening of the tomato-this goes for peaches and pears as well). Keep a supply of clean wooden crates, cardboard boxes or fruit baskets handy to store the foods that need a dryer environment. Examine your food periodically to check for spoilage, sort the foods frequently so you can examine and discard spoiled or spoiling foods. Spoiled food will make the food touching it spoil more quickly. Remove all blemished fruits and vegetables and rotate to avoid an excess of spoilage.
