Food Preservation

Food Preservation and Waste Reduction

Why preserve food?

Saving money with markets and flipp savings, depot organique, sammi, bulkB

Reduce food waste

Eat more local and seasonal

Reduce salt, sugar and preservatives

Customize recipes

Canada`s food waste - more than half our food is wasted!

Leachate and landfills

Create thoughtful, affordable, unique gifts

GETTING STARTED:

• The Illustrious mason jar
• Food Safety: Botulism, sterilize (hands, surfaces, tools, bowls, jars) freshness, following instructions for temperatures and time frames
• Troubleshooting: Signs things have wrong, recovering recipes
• Connecting with community: Ball, FB groups, Online forums

PRESERVATION METHODS

• Fermentation - Process/Tasting/Demo
• Pickling -  Process/Tasting/Demo 
• Water bath and pressure canning
• Freezing 
• Drying and dehydrating (dehydrator, emergency, oven, camping meals)
• Salting, Freeze-drying, Alcohol-immersion
• Oils (infusions, preserving herbs in ice) 
• Minimal Processing – Cool Storage and Room Temperature 
• Mylar reusable bags

PICKLING

• From a canning perspective, there are two categories of pickle. There are refrigerator pickles and processed pickles.

• When you make refrigerator (they're also known as quick pickles), you pack your vegetables into a jar (or other container) with spices and aromatics and pour over hot pickling liquid. These pickles are allowed to cool on the counter and are stored in the fridge once they've returned to room temperature. This is a great method if you have a small amount of produce to preserve or if you're working with fragile vegetables that don't do well when exposed to the heat of the canning pot. They last up to 2 months.
• Preserved pickles begin their life in much the same way that a refrigerator pickle does. Vegetables and spices are packed into clean mason jars and are then filled with a vinegar-based pickling liquid (made with 5% acidity vinegar). The jars are carefully tapped to ensure that all the trapped air bubbles get released. Lids and rings are attached and then the jars are processed in a boiling water bath canner for the amount of time that the recipe prescribes. Once processed, these pickles are shelf stable for up to a year.
• There's no rule that cucumbers are the only vegetable that can be pickled. This basic technique can be applied to green beans, okra, garlic scapes, beets*, hot peppers, asparagus*, cauliflower, carrots* and all manner of summer squash.
• If you plan to make a refrigerator pickle out of these vegetables, they will need a quick bath in some boiling water before they're able to be pickled. Spend the time and dirty the pot in order to blanch them for 30-60 seconds. The extra step pays off in flavor absorption.
• How do you pick a pickling method? Evaluate how much produce needs to be preserved. Take into account how quickly you think you'll eat up the pickles and how much fridge space would be needed to stash them away. 
• Select only ripe, firm, unblemished pickling cucumbers of the appropriate size for your recipe. Mushy cucumbers will not magically become crispy when brined.
•  Pickling cucumbers have a thinner skin than regular cucumbers, so they are best used within 2 days of harvest.
• Use pickling or canning salt which is pure salt without additives. Table salt has anti-caking agents and iodine which will make your brine cloudy.
• Don’t modify the amount of salt, sugar, vinegar, or water in a recipe. They work together to produce a safe pH level for the pickles and a good flavor balance.
• The jars need to be hot when you fill them. You can run clean jars though a sanitizing cycle in the dishwasher, or fill them with hot water and put them in a pot of hot water over low heat. I like to use the canning pot as a hot water bath. Don’t heat the jars in a dry oven; this can damage the glass. 
• Most pickles need to mature at least a week for the best flavor. Label the finished jars with the date they were made and the date they’ll be ready to eat.
• Grape leaves or alum are sometimes added to a pickle jar to enhance the crunchiness of the pickles.
• Chill pickles thoroughly in the refrigerator prior to opening for best texture.

PICKLED CUCUMBER RECIPE

A hot, sterilized quart jar

Cucumbers (enough to loosely fit into the jar, don't pack them in)

1-2 cloves of garlic

2 heads of fresh dill (dried can be used, about a tablespoon, but fresh is SO much better)

Brine:

1 1/2c. water

1/2 c. white vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. pickling salt

1/2 tsp. alum

        

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large saucepot, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer.
• Arrange jars on counter and dole out the spices to each. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars. You don't want to damage the cukes, but you do want them packed tight. 
• Pour the brine into the jar, leaving approximately ½ inch headspace. 
• Tap jars gently on countertop to dislodge any trapped air bubbles.
• Apply lids and let jars cool. When they've returned to room temperature, place jars in refrigerator. Let them sit for at least 48 hours before eating.

CANNING TIPS

• Use only certified recipes: BALL.ca
• Follow instructions precisely 
• Ways to sterilize your jars for canning: You can run them through a short cycle on your dishwasher. You can place them in a large pot (12 quart) of water on top of a steaming rack (so they don't touch the bottom of the pan), and bring the water to a boil for 10 minutes. Or you can rinse out the jars, dry them, and place them, without lids, in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. 

Step 1: Fill the waterbath canner and heat the water to a boil.

Make sure you put the rack in the bottom of the canner before filling it. The water level needs to be 1-2 inches above the jars.

Step 2: Wash your jars, rims, and lids. Only sterilize jars, if necessary.

First wash them in hot, sudsy water and rinse them well. If you'll be making a recipe that requires processing the filled jars in boiling water for 10 minute or more, it's not necessary to sterilize them beforehand. If processing time is under 10 minutes, you do need to sterilize the jars before filling them. They can be sterilized in simmering water (180 degrees F) in the water bath canner for 10 minutes before removing and filling them. The jars should be hot (at a simmering temperature) when they are filled. 

It is no longer considered necessary to simmer jar lids in water before adding them to the tops of filled jars. This was previously recommended in order to insure a good seal; however the Ball company did extensive testing and determined this step to be unnecessary. Washing the lids in hot sudsy water, rinsing, and drying them is sufficient to prepare them for use. 

Step 3: Use a canning funnel to add sauce to each jar. 

Step 4: Measure and double check the headspace.

Use the measuring tool to make sure you've left 1/2" of headspace (the distance between the liquid and the top of the jar). Note: The amount of headspace required may vary in different recipes.

Step 5: Remove air bubbles.

Insert the flat end of the measuring tool down the side of each jar. Move it in towards the center of the jar. This will remove any air bubbles that might have formed. Repeat this 2 or 3 times around the inside of the jar.

Step 6: Clean the jar rims.

Use a damp paper towel or cloth to wipe the rims of the jars. Any sauce left on the rims can keep the jars from sealing properly. 

Step 7: Put lids on jars.

Place a clean lid on top of each jar.

Step 8: Place and tighten the rims on the jar lids.

Screw the bands down and tighten them just until you first feel resistance--this is called "fingertip tight". Don't over-tighten.

Step 9: Put jars in canner of boiling water.

Use the jar lifter to pick up the jars and place them in the canner. 

Add jars carefully to the rack on the bottom of the canner, making sure the bottoms are resting flat on the rack and remain upright. Put the first jars around the outside of the rack and move towards the center as you add more jars.

Step 10: Return the water to a full rolling boil. This may take a few minutes.  

Step 11: Bring canner to a full boil again and process for specified time.

With cover on, process jars at a gentle, steady boil for the time indicated in the recipe. Process time for the marinara sauce is 35 minutes for pint jars and 40 minutes for quart jars.  

Step 12: After processing time is up, turn off heat, remove canner lid, and leave jars in canner for 5 minutes.

Step 13: Remove jars with jar lifter and let cool.

Set them upright on a towel to cool with approximately 1 to 2 inches between them. Do not retighten the rims. You may hear a pinging noise as the jars cool and seal. The jars should not be disturbed for 12-24 hours. 

Step 14: Check the seals.

After they have rested for at least 12 hours, press the center of each lid. There shouldn't be any give to it. If it gives to your finger pressure, that means the seal isn't good. Refrigerate and use it soon, or freeze the contents.  

Step 15: Label and store.

Label each jar with the contents and date. Store in a cool, dark, dry place.

FREEZING TIPS

• Freezing fruits and vegetables can be a good way to preserve your harvests, but it is not recommended for all types of produce. Freezing preserves fresh foods because it stalls the activity of enzymes that cause color loss, nutrient loss and flavor changes. 
• Freezing has a unique effect on fruits and vegetables because these foods have a high water content. This water is stored within cells, and the walls of these cells provide a crunchy texture. When frozen, the water expands, damaging the cell walls. As a result, once defrosted, some fruits and vegetables turn soft, mushy and watery. 
• Keep in mind that the decision of whether to freeze a fruit or vegetable depends on how you plan to use it. In recipes like stews, casseroles or puréed soups, where texture isn’t important and a watery consistency might not hurt, you can get away with adding some frozen vegetables. But when it comes to eating them raw and enjoying the best possible flavor, skip the freezer and pick another form of preservation for these fruits and veggies. 
• Prior to freezing, wash properly, dry and divide into easy portions. This way you can just take out of the freezer what you need for a recipe without worrying about the entire bag. 
• If properly stored, fruit and vegetables can last up to a year in your freezer.
•  Blanching most vegetables will keep them at their peak. (Blanching means dropping the vegetables into boiling hot water, then immediately into ice water then drying. 
•  The easiest way to freeze your fresh herbs is to put them in ice cube trays with a small amount of water or oil.

DONT FREEZE:

Melon, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Celery, Lettuce, Citrus, Peppers, Radishes

WASTE REDUCTION

• Food Storage: General tips 
• Meal planning (group meals, grocery lists, website) Shop with a plan - a plan for a week of meals, think of the space to tidy the food, use the reusable containers

• Other ideas of reducing waste:
  Potlucks
  Swap meals and preserves
  Compost and vermicomposting
  Buy bulk
  Participate with a CSA program (a food basket)
  Buy a farmer's market
  Buy local products
  Make more meals yourself - and also sauces, mixtures of spices
  

FURTHER LEARNING:

Book - Wild Fermentation

Book - Preserving food

Book - Ball Book of Home Canning

Youtube - Gillbrook farms

Youtube - Linda`s Pantry

Website - Bernadin

Website - Ball

OVEN DEHYRDRATION

You'll need:

Lemon juice (for fruits)

Mandolin slicer or knife

Wax paper

Cookie sheets (or any flat pan)

Spatula

Prepping the foods

How you prep foods depends on what you are dehydrating. Here are some tips for the best results:

• To prevent fruits from turning brown, soak them in a half-and-half mixture of lemon juice and water for five minutes before drying.
• For foods to dry evenly and thoroughly, the pieces need to be the same size and thin. Around ¼-inch (0.63-centimeter) slices are best. If your knife skills aren't the best, try using a food mandolin.
• Put a sheet of wax paper on your cookie sheet and lay your foods on top. This will prevent a sticky situation when you try to remove the foods from the sheet.
• The temperature of your oven is key for proper dehydration. Too hot and your foods will scorch or burn. You'll want the oven's temperature to be under 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 Celsius) for the best results. Unfortunately, most ovens won't give you many temperature options under 200 degrees. Don't worry. Simply set your oven to "warm" and you'll be all set. If you do have temperature options, 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) is usually optimal for a wide range of foods.
• In the beginning of the drying process, you can speed things along by cranking the heat up to 150 degrees to 160 degrees F (65 degrees to 70 degrees C) until the surface moisture has evaporated. As soon as the surface of the foods seem dry, lower the heat to 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).
• Many ovens have hot spots that can cause some areas to dry faster than the others. Throughout the drying process, be sure to rotate the pans so they all dehydrate uniformly. This is particularly important when using an toaster oven because there usually isn't a fan to distribute heat evenly.
• Flip the foods over several times throughout the drying process so that all sides get dried evenly.
• Space the pans 1.5 inches (2.54 cm) apart so that air can circulate around the foods as they dry.
• Oven drying times vary, depending on the food. Plan on it taking 6 to 10 hours. Drier foods take less time, while juicier foods take longer. If the food is sticky or moist, it isn't done drying.

Pros Of Dehydrating In The Oven:

Almost everyone already has an oven so do not need anything to get started.

No need to spend money on extra equipment

Doesn’t take up any counter space

Cons of Dehydrating In The Oven:

Takes longer than using a dehydrator.

Takes a lot more energy and is less efficient than a dehydrator.

Harder to maintain constant temperature and airflow leading to poor quality dehydrated foods.

Pros Of A Dehydrator:

Fine control over temperature and airflow

Energy efficient and take less time to dry food than an oven

Can dehydrate more produce in one go

Cons Of A Dehydrator:

Takes up counter space

Can be expensive depending on the model

Does make some noise as fans will be running continuously

Should I Get A Dehydrator Or Use The Oven?

If you plan to dry food more than a few times a year or if you have a lot of produce you want to dry then a dehydrator is a good investment in my opinion.