26
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
(Household
Preservation of Food
Home Canning, Preserving
Jelly-making, Pickling
Drying
Compiled by
OLIVE E. HAYES
Provincial Instructor of Household Science
BULLETIN No. 83
'.ISIIKD i;v mi: I
LTURE
VICTOB
This Manual is based on research and experience,
supplemented ~by information procured from the
Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, New York
State College of Agriculture, Columbia University,
and from other sources.
Additional copies may be obtained upon request.
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
HOME CANNING.
HAT is canning? Canning is the method of preservation
based upon a simple plan of keeping bacteria away from
food products, and has been devised in the last century.
This has come more and more into common use, until
to-day it is employed to an almost incredible extent. The method
spoken of is canning. The food is not treated by any antiseptic for
the prevention of bacterial growth, but reliance is placed simply upon
devices for keeping all bacteria from it. If this can be done, the food
will not be subject to their action and will never spoil.
Bacteria are almost universally distributed in earth, air, and water.
This fact makes it extremely difficult to protect food from their action,
and without special devices it is quite impossible to do so. All food
material meats, fruits, or vegetables is sure to contain bacteria
when it reaches the home or the canning-factory. From some source,
either air, water, or earth, every kind of food material is sure to become
contaminated. We must recognize, then, that bacteria will be found
with absolute certainty in every kind of fresh food. Hence the process
of keeping food by protecting it from bacteria must consist of two
steps : ( i ) Some means must be devised for removing the bacteria
already present in the food; (2) the access of all other bacteria must
be absolutely prevented. If these two objects can be accomplished, the
food will be protected from bacterial action and thus protected may be
preserved indefinitely. No limit has ever been found, and we have no
reason for questioning that it might be preserved for centuries without
any subsequent change, provided it could be kept absolutely free from
the attack of micro-organisms. This method therefore offers almost
unlimited possibilities in the way of preserving food for future use.
It demands care in its application, but the results when properly
obtained are permanent.
Success in canning necessitates the destruction of these organisms.
A temperature of 160 to 190 Fahr. will kill yeasts and moulds.
Bacteria are destroyed at a temperature of 112 Fahr. held for the
proper length of time. The destruction of these organisms by heat
is called sterilization.
METHODS OF CANNING.
There are four principal methods of home canning. These are :
(i.) Single-period or Cold-pack Method.
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
(2.) Fractional or Intermittent Sterilization Method.
(3.) Open-kettle or Hot-pack Method.
(4.) Cold-water Method.
Of these methods the one recommended for home use is the
Single-period or Cold-pack Method. It is much the best because of
its simplicity and effectiveness, and in this book detailed instructions
are given for its use. The outlines of the various methods are as
follows :
( i.) Single-period or Cold-pack Method. The prepared vegetables
or fruits are blanched in boiling water or live steam, then quickly cold-
dipped and packed at once into hot jars and sterilized in boiling water
or by steam-pressure. The jars are then sealed, tested for leaks, and
stored. Full details of this method are given in the following pages.
(2.) Fractional or Intermittent Sterilization Method. Vegetables
are more difficult to can than fruits because of the presence of spore-
bearing bacteria, which are more resistant to heat than yeasts or moulds.
These bacteria will live and decompose vegetables even with the exclu-
sion of air. They reproduce by spores which retain vitality for a long
time even at boiling temperature, and on cooling will germinate. For
this reason, therefore, in order to completely sterilize some vegetables
it is necessary to boil for one hour on three successive days. The boil-
ing on the first day kills all the living bacteria, but does not kill the
spores. As the jar cools the spores germinate and the boiling on the
second day kills the fresh crop of bacteria. The third boiling is to
ensure perfect sterilization. This method is known as the Intermittent
Method and is strongly recommended for the canning of peas, beans,
corn, asparagus, greens, pumpkin, and squash. Variations in soil,
moisture, and climatic conditions from year to year make cause of
failure one year when success has always attended the One-period or
Cold-pack Method.
(3.) Open-kettle or Hot-pack Method. Vegetables or fruits are
cooked in an open kettle and packed in hot jars. There is always
danger of spores and bacteria being introduced on spoons or other
utensils while the jars are being filled. This method should never be
used in canning vegetables; even with fruits it is not as desirable as
cold-pack.
(4.) Cold-water Method. Rhubarb, cranberries, gooseberries,
and sour cherries because of their acidity are often canned by this
method. The fruits are washed, put in sterilized jars, cold water is
added to overflowing, and the jars are then sealed. This method is
not always successful, as the acid content varies with the ripeness and
the locality in which the fruits are grown.
HOME CANNING.
COLD-PACK METHOD ONE PERIOD.
The One-period or Cold-pack Method is to be preferred to all
other methods, as it decreases the work of canning and with an
occasional exception is just as effective as the Intermittent Method.
It is the method used in canning-factories where the food is canned
under pressure, but it may be used in the home, and the following
equipment used:
Equipment.
(r.) A wash-boiler, new garbage-pail, or galvanized tub may be
used. The cover should be tight fitting. To ensure a tight-fitting
cover an inch rim should be soldered on the cover (as is shown in
Fig. i), so that it will give a tighter fit and make the boiler hold the
Fig. 1. A false bottom of wood (or of wire) placed in an ordinary
wash-boiler makes a good outfit. 'Note rim on cover.
steam. Instead of a rim the cover may be adjusted with cloth (as in
Fig. 2), and this will serve the same purpose.
(2.) A false bottom should be used which would allow a J^-inch
space at the bottom for the circulation of water. The rack prevents
the jars from coming in contact with the hot metal of the bottom of
the boiler; therefore preventing the breakage of the glass jar. . The
false bottom could be of wire netting of size suitable for the boiler
used. A rack made of strips of wood similar to the one shown might
be used, or a board which has been bored full of holes at regular
intervals.
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Fig. 2. Adjustment of. ordinary cover with cloth gives, a
tight fit and boiler will hold the steam.
Terms Explained.
(i.) Scalding is pouring water over the food in order
(a.) To loosen the skin:
(b.) To eliminate objectionable acids and acrid flavour:
Fig. 3. Blanching with wire basket.
HOME CANNING.
(c.) To start the flow of colouring-material.
(2.) Blanching is boiling the food in water or steaming. Use a
cheese-cloth bag, or a wire frying-basket or strainer, to lower the food
into the water. The blanching process is used :
(a.) To loosen the skin:
(b.) To eliminate acids and acrid flavour:
(c.) To reduce bulk:
(d.) To make the Intermittent or Fractional Method unnecessary.
Fig. 4. After being blanched the product is
immediately dipped in cold water.
(3.) Cold-dip is to chill quickly by dipping into cold water the
fruits or vegetables. Purposes of cold-dip are:
(a.) To harden the pulp under the skin and thus permit the
removal of the skin :
(b.) To coagulate the colouring-matter and to make it harder to
dissolve during the sterilization period:
(c.) To make it easier to handle the products in packing.
Jars and Lids must be Thoroughly Sterilized.
Jars which have not been thoroughly cleaned when they are
emptied of their former contents, or which had contained mouldy
fruit and had not been thoroughly washed and sterilized, contain a
number of resting spores.
See that the jars are sound, without groove or nicks, and that
they are perfectly clean. Thoroughly scald whh boiling water. A
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
good method is to wash the jars and put them in a large kettle of warm
water. Let the water come to a boil, and boil for five minutes. Lift
jars from kettle with a long sterilized stick as required.
See that rubbers and tops are sound and let them stand in scalding
water for a few minutes. Always use new rubbers of a good thick
quality. Adjust the rubbers before filling the jar.
DIRECTIONS FOR CANNING VEGETABLES BY THE COLD-
PACK METHOD.
(i.) Choose vegetables that are young and have made a quick
growth.
(2.) Do not use very dirty vegetables.
(3.) Can vegetables as soon as possible after picking. This is par-
ticularly necessary with asparagus, peas, beans, and corn.
(4.) Clean the vegetables and prepare them as for cooking.
(5.) Grade the vegetables if there is much variation in size, so
the contents of each jar will be as nearly uniform in size as possible.
(6.) Do not attempt to handle too large a quantity of vegetables
at once, especially in hot weather. The various steps in the canning
process must be followed in rapid succession to prevent loss of flavour
from what commercial canners know as " flat sour."
(7.) Blanch or scald the vegetables by plunging them into a large
quantity of boiling water. (A wire basket or a cheese-cloth may be
Fig. 5. Blanching with cheese-cloth.
HOME CANNING.
used for this, as is shown in cut.) The blanching or scalding should
be continued just long enough to make the vegetables sufficiently flex-
ible to pack easily or to loosen the skins sufficiently to allow them to
be quickly scraped off. Spinach and certain other delicately flavoured
greens should be blanched in steam, instead of in boiling water, until
they are thoroughly shrunken. (Method for doing this is shown in
Fig. 6.) One-half teaspoon soda may be added to each gallon of
water to help set the colour of green vegetables.
(8.) Chill the outside of the vegetables by immersing them quickly
in a large vessel of cold water. Do not attempt to cool the vegetables
by this cold-dip.
(9.) Pack the vegetables firmly in sterilized, tested jars to within
J/2 inch of the top.
(10.) Add i teaspoon of salt to each quart jar and J/ teaspoon
of salt to each pint jar. Some vegetables, especially corn, are
improved by the addition of a small amount of sugar as well.
Fig. 7. Position of clamp
during sterilization.
Fig. 8. Position of clamp
after sterilization.
(n.) Fill the jars with boiling water to within y 2 inch of the top.
(12.) Place a new rubber on each jar, adjust the cover, and
partially seal it.
(13.) Place in sterilizer in which there is sufficient warm water
to cover tops of jars about I inch. If this is done, little or no liquid
is lost from jars during sterilization. Do not allow jars to touch
in sterilizer, as this will usually cause breakage.
(14.) Sterilize the jars for the required length of time, counting
from the time the water begins to boil.
(15.) Keep the water boiling during the sterilization period.
(16.) Vegetables may be successfully sterilized by the Cold-
pack One-day Method. It is very occasional that vegetables grown
8 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
in the Western Provinces contain bacteria which necessitates the
Three-day or Intermittent Method. If, however, results are to be
absolutely certain, the intermittent process of sterilization as
described is safest unless the steam-pressure canner is used.
(17.) Remove the jars from the sterilizer, seal them, and invert
them to cool, being careful to avoid a draught on the jars; but cool
them as quickly as possible, especially in canning peas, beans, corn,
asparagus, and greens.
(18.) When jars are cold wash them and set away.
Asparagus.
Wash, scrape off scales and tough skin. With a string bind
together enough for one jar. Blanch tough ends from 5 to 10
minutes, then turn so that the entire bundle is blanched 5 minutes
longer. Cold-dip. Remove string. Pack, with tip ends up. To
each quart jar add I teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and cover
with boiling water. (The vinegar assists in retarding the growth of
certain bacteria characteristic in asparagus.) Put on rubber and
adjust top. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, com-
plete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Cauliflower.
Wash and divide head into small pieces. Soak in salted water
I hour, which will remove insects if any are present. Blanch 3
minutes. Cold-dip and pack in jars. Add I teaspoon salt to each
quart jar and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and adjust
top. Sterilize 60 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal,
and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 30 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Carrots.
Select small, tender carrots. Leave an inch or two of stems;
wash; blanch 5 minutes and cold-dip. Then remove skin and
stems. Pack whole or in slices. Add I teaspoon salt to each quart
jar and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and adjust top.
Sterilize 90 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal,
and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
HOME CANNING.
Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts.
The method is the same as for cauliflower, except that the
vegetables are not soaked in salted water. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes.
Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Beets.
Wash beets and twist off stalks, but do not cut or break root,
as this causes the loss of colour. Boil until more than three-
quarters cooked. Blanch in cold water and rub off skins and stems.
They may be packed in jar whole or cut in halves or quarters. If
the root is cut lengthwise rather than across, not so much of the
colour and flavour is lost. Add 2 tablespoons salt, y$ cup sugar,
and % cup vinegar to each quart jar. (Vinegar helps to retain the
colour and retard the growth of bacteria.) Cover with boiling
water. Put on rubber and adjust top. Sterilize 30 minutes in hot-
water bath. Remove, complete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 10 minutes at 5 Ib. pressure.
Corn.
Use the corn when it is freshly picked. Remove the husks and
silk, blanch tender ears 5 minutes, older ears 10 minutes. Cold-dip
and cut from cob. Pack lightly to within y 2 inch of the top of the
jar, as corn swells during sterilization. Add I teaspoon salt, and
I tablespoon sugar if desired. Cover with boiling water. Put on
rubber and adjust top. Sterilize 180 minutes in hot-water bath.
Remove, complete seal, and cool. When canning on the cob, pack
jars alternating butts and tips. Sterilize corn on the cob 4 hours
in hot-water bath. Canning corn on the cob, except for exhibition
purposes, is a waste of space.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 90 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Greens.
Allow to stand in salty water for 10 minutes to free from
insects. Wash in several waters until no dirt can be felt in the
bottom of the pan. Blanch in steam 15 minutes (mineral matter
is lost if blanched in water). Cold-dip. Cut in small pieces and
pack, or pack whole. Do not pack too tightly. Add I teaspoon
salt to each jar and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and
10
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
adjust top. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, com-
plete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
WATER LINE
Fig. 6. Spinach and greens should not be blanched in
hot water. They should be blanched in steam from 10
to 15 minutes. This cut shows a simple method of
blanching in steam, by placing them in a colander in
a kettle with tightly fitting cover. There should be
not more than an inch or so of water on the bottom
of the kettle and the water should not touch the greens.
A steim-pressure canner is excellent for use in blanch-
ing greens.
Parsnips.
The method is the same as for carrots.
Peas.
Those which are not fully grown are best for canning. Shell,
blanch 5 to 10 minutes, and cold-dip. Pack in jar. Add i teaspoon
salt and cover with boiling water. If the jar is packed too full,
some of the peas will break and give a cloudy appearance to the
liquid. Put on rubber and adjust top. Sterilize 180 minutes in hot-
water bath. Remove, complete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Peppers.
Wash, stem, and remove seeds. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes. Cold-
dip and pack in jars. Add I teaspoon salt, cover with boiling water.
HOME CANNING. 11
Put on rubber and adjust top. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water
bath. Remove, complete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Pumpkin Winter Squash.
Remove seeds. Cut the pumpkin or squash into strips. Peel
and remove stringy centre. Slice into small pieces and boil until
thick. Pack in jar and sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 rhinutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
String Beans.
Wash and remove ends of strings. Blanch from 5 to 10
minutes, depending on age. Cold-dip. Pack immediately in jar,
placing pods lengthwise in jar. Add i teaspoon salt and cover with
boiling water. Put on rubber and adjust top. Sterilize 120 minutes
in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal, and cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 60 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
Tomatoes.
Select tomatoes that are ripe, but not overripe, free from
blemishes, and of medium size if possible. They should be red to
the stem end, since green parts produce poor flavour and colour.
Imperfect tomatoes may be used for catsup and puree, or made into
a hot liquid and used for filling in spaces left in a jar after it is
packed with whole tomatoes. Scald a few tomatoes at a time in
boiling water for from y* to 2 minutes, using a wire basket or a thin
cloth. Dip them into cold water and remove them quickly. With
a small sharp paring-knife cut out the stem-core ; then with a quick
turn of the wrist twist the skins from the tomatoes without remov-
ing the pulp. If the pulp adheres to the skin, the tomatoes have
been scalded too long or not long enough. In packing the scalded
tomatoes into the jars, pressing them down firmly with a wooden
spoon, fill the jars to within ^4 m ch of the top with boiling tomato-
juice. Add i teaspoon salt for each quart and from I teaspoon to
i tablespoon sugar if desired. Put on rubber and adjust top.
Sterilize 22 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal, and
cool.
With steam-pressure outfit sterilize 15 minutes at 5 to 10 Ib.
pressure.
12 PRESERVATION OF F.OOD.
Swiss Chard.
Cut white stalks from leaves. Can each separately and accord-
ing to the method described for greens. The stalks, however,
should be blanched in boiling water instead of in steam.
DIRECTIONS FOR CANNING MEATS BY THE COLD-PACK
METHOD.
Meats may be canned as successfully as fruits and vegetables if
proper methods are employed. The Fractional -or Intermittent
Sterilizing Method should not be used, as this particular method
allows the development and reproduction of the bacteria producing
ptomaine poisoning.
METHOD i.
Free the meat from the bone and cut it in pieces of such sizes
that they will go into the jars easily. If additional flavouring is
desired, sear and brown the meat quickly in hot fat in a frying-pan,
but do not cook it through. Pack the raw meat solidly in tested
clean glass jars, rilling the jar to within y^ inch from the top.
Sprinkle the top of the meat with ^2 teaspoon salt for each pint
of meat. Add no water. Celery-leaves, onion-juice, or other season-
ings may be added if desired. Adjust on the jar a new rubber of
good quality. Place the cover on the top of the jar and adjust but
do not fasten the upper wire clamp, or, if a Mason jar is used, partly
screw on the cover. Place the jars in a sterilizer in which there is
warm water which covers the tops of the jars about I inch. Sterilize
the meat by cooking it from 4 to 5 hours, beginning to count the
time when the water around' the jars reaches the boiling-point.
Keep the water jumping. Before removing the cans from the
sterilizer complete the sealing of each jar by adjusting the lower
wire of the clamp, or, in the case of a Mason jar, by screwing the
top tight. Do not invert the jar while it is cooling. If the jar were
inverted, the fat, which is lighter, would rise to the bottom of the
jar and cool and harden there. When the jar is left upright the fat
comes to the top of the jar and hardens there, forming an extra seal.
METHOD 2.
Sear the meat in a hot oven in hot fat or in boiling water, and
steam it or simmer it until it can be torn apart. Pack the meat into
the jar; fill the space with stock which is made by boiling the broken
bones and skin in water until the stock will form a jelly when cooled.
Add ^2 teaspoon salt to each pint of meat. Sterilize the meat for
HOME CANNING. 13
3 hours as in Method I. Unless the meat is first browned it does
not have so good a flavour as that of raw meat steamed in the can.
Canned Chicken.
Chicken may be successfully canned by either of the two
methods suggested. A fowl weighing 2 Ib. when dressed should
make a pint can of solid meat and a pint of stock thick enough to
jelly. A fowl weighing 3 Ib. should fill iy 2 pint cans.
Chicken Stock.
All bones and trimmings of the chicken should be covered with
cold water, salte4, and allowed to stand overnight. Slowly simmer
until flesh drops in shreds from the bones and the liquid or stock is
concentrated. Seasonings such as grated onion and a bit of celery-
leaf may be added. Strain the stock if desired, reheat it, and boil
it for 10 minutes. Pour it into sterilized jars, and sterilize it as
described in Method I.
CURING OF FISH.
A manual on the curing of fish has been issued by the Provin-
cial Fisheries Department (Bulletin No. 2), and copies may be
had upon application to the Provincial Fisheries Department,
Victoria, B.C.
DIRECTIONS FOR CANNING FRUIT BY THE COLD-PACK
METHOD.
(i.) Select well-grown, firm, and not overripe fruit.
(2.) If possible, can fruit on the day it is picked.
(3.) Wash, pare, or otherwise prepare the fruit ; remove all
bruises or decayed parts.
(4.) If there is much variation in size, grade the fruit so that
the contents of each jar will be as nearly uniform as possible.
(5.) Blanch or scald in boiling water a small quantity of the
fruit at a time. The number of minutes required for blanching is
given in table. Do not blanch cherries, berries, or plums.
(6.) Chill the outside of the blanched fruit by immersing it for
a brief period in a large vessel of cold water. Do not attempt to
cool the fruit thoroughly by this cold-dip.
(7.) Pack the fruit firmly in clean, tested jars to within y 2 inch
of the top.
(8.) Fill the jars to within % inch of the top with boiling syrup
or hot water.
14 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
(9.) Place a new rubber on each jar, adjust the cover of the
jar, and partially seal it.
(10.) Sterilize the jars for the required length of time. The
jars should be immersed in sufficient boiling water to cover the
tops to the depth of about I inch. Do not begin to time the sterili-
zation until the water boils rapidly. Keep the water boiling during the
sterilization period. Remove the jars from the sterilizer, s'eal them,
and invert them to cool. Avoid a draught on the jars, but cool
them as rapidly as possible.
(n.) Wash the jars thoroughly, label them, and set them away.
Store red fruits in a dark place to prevent loss of colour.
CANNING FRUIT WITHOUT SUGAR.
Fruit may be canned in water instead of syrup without in any
way affecting the ease of canning, the keeping quality of the fruit,
or the wholesomeness of the product. When a sugar shortage
existed this method enabled housewives to conserve the fruit sur-
plus. In times when sugar is plentiful this method is not advisable,
as sugar adds to the attractiveness of texture and flavour of fruits
preserved with it.
CALIFORNIA SYRUP FORMULA.
The following syrups are made according to the California
Syrup Formula. The amount used depends upon the ripeness of
the fruit and the fullness of the pack.
(i.) Very Thin Syrup. One cup or less sugar to I cup water and
heat to the boiling-point.
(2.) Thin Syrup. One and one-half cups sugar to I cup water
and heat to the boiling-point.
(3.) Medium Thin Syrup. Make in the proportion of 1^2 cups
sugar and I cup water; boil 2 or 3 minutes or until the solution
begins to be syrupy.
(4.) Medium Thick Syrup. Make in proportion of ij^ cups
sugar and I cup water; boil 5 minutes.
(5.) Thick Syrup. One and one-half cups sugar and I cup water ;
boil 8 to 12 minutes or until it forms a soft ball in water.
NOTE. In making syrups see that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved
before the syrup is allowed to boil, else the sugar is apt to candy
in the bottom of the jar.
Apples.
Pare, core, then blanch and cold-dip. Pack in jars and add
syrup. Boiled cider may be used instead of syrup if desired. Ster-
ilize the required length of time.
HOME CANNING. 15
Cherries.
Stone the cherries ; and, if sour cherries, allow J^ Ib. sugar to
every pound of cherries. If sweet cherries, l / Ib. sugar. Put the
cherries and sugar in layers in a porcelain-lined kettle, let stand i
or 2 hours, then place over a moderate fire and bring to boiling-
point. Skim and can immediately in hot sterilized jars. Seal and
set away to store.
Pears.
The Bartlett pear is the best variety for canning. Remove
skins, cut in halves, or other desired shape. They may be canned
whole with the stems on. Pears discolour rapidly as soon as peeled,
and for this reason they should be dropped into cold water and
allowed to stand until ready to can. Pack in jars, add syrup, and
sterilize the required length of time.
Apples with Pinapple.
4 Ib. apples. i% Ib. sugar,
i good-sized pineapple. I quart water.
Pare, core, and quarter the apples. Pare the pineapple, and
with a silver knife carefully remove the eyes, then grate it. Cover
the apples with boiling water, bring quickly to a boil, then simmer
gently for 5 minutes. Put the sugar and water in another kettle,
stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved, then add the grated
pineapple, and bring the whole to boiling-point. Lift the apples,
drain and slide them carefully into the syrup. Simmer until the
apples are tender, and can in hot sterilized jars. Seal and set away
to store.
Peaches.
Blanch, cold-dip, then peel, cut in halves, and remove stones.
Procure meat from pits. Add to fruit and pack in jars. Cover with
syrup. Adjust covers and sterilize the required length of time.
"RAW CANNING" OF FRUITS.
METHOD i.
Small fruits like raspberries, strawberries, or sliced peaches can be
sterilized so as to retain their shape and colour and natural flavour with-
out actual cooking. Pack fruit into sterilized jars. Make a medium
thick syrup, and while it is boiling pour it over the fruit and seal tightly.
Put the jars in a kettle or wash-tub and fill the vessel covering tops
of the jars with boiling water, cover closely, and allow the jars to
remain until the water is cold.
4
16 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
METHOD 2.
It has been found that strawberries and raspberries may be canned
without subjecting the jars to further heat after they have been filled
with the boiling syrup. If this method is used, select freshly picked
fruit which is sound and firm. Strawberries should be first washed,
then hulled, so as to prevent loss of juice and colour. Fill sterilized hot
glass jars with the berries and make a firm pack. Fill jar to overflow-
ing with a medium thick syrup which is boiling hot (the directions for
which are given). With a sterilized fork lift up the fruit, allowing the
air to escape, and refill with syrup. Seal and clamp immediately.
NOTE. A lighter syrup should not be used, as there is not
always sufficient heat in it to sterilize the fruit. Raspberries and
strawberries usually spoil because of the presence of yeasts and
moulds. These spores are on the surface of the fruits and so are
destroyed by the boiling hot syrup.
Berry Preserves.
Wash, drain, and hull the berries. Add an equal weight of sugar.
Crush the berries with the sugar and mix them well. Allow the berries
to stand for 24 hours, stirring them occasionally until the sugar is
dissolved. Seal them in glass jars and keep the jars in a cool, dark
place. Strawberries and raspberries canned in this way are excellent
for shortcake. Red currants may be canned in the same manner.
Sun Preserves.
METHOD i.
Fruits that lend themselves especially well to the following method
of preserving are strawberries, cherries, white currants, and rasp-
berries. Use a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Put a layer of
fruit in the bottom of a preserving-kettle and add I or 2 tablespoons
water. Alternate the layers of sugar and fruit. Heat the mixture
carefully until the sugar is dissolved; avoid crushing the fruit if pos-
sible. Boil the moisture for from 5 to 7 minutes. Pour it on to large
platters and set it in the sun for a day. It should thicken or jelly on
the platter. After it is cold and thickened, transfer from the platter
to sterilized jars and seal or cover at once with paraffin.
METHOD 2.
Fruits that lend themselves especially well to the following method
of preserving are peaches, apricots, raspberries, and plums. Carefully
wipe or pick over the fruit to be preserved. Cut peaches, plums, or
apricots in halves and remove the pits. Spread the fruit on racks or
HOME CANNING. 17
boards and set it in the sun to dry for one or two days. The fruit
should not be left out overnight to gather moisture. Weigh the fruit
and use a pound of either brown or white sugar to each pound of fruit.
Pack alternate layers of fruit and sugar in jars, being careful to have
the top layer of sugar. The sugar will dissolve gradually and form a
thick rich syrup around the fruit. The mixture should be kept covered,
but need not be sealed.
18 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
PRESERVES, CONSERVES, ETC.
Grape Preserves.
Weigh the grapes and allow 24 lb. sugar to I Ib. fruit. Rinse the
bunches of grapes in cold water, drain, and squeeze the pulp from the
skin of each grape. Heat the pulp gradually and cook until the seeds
come out easily; 10 or 15 minutes will be required. Pass through a
sieve just fine enough to keep back the seeds. Cook the skins and
the pulp 10 minutes, then add the sugar and continue cooking until the
liquid thickens slightly. Store in earthen or glass jars.
Grape Conserve.
3 Ib. seeded grapes. 3 Ib. sugar,
i Ib. English walnuts (broken into small pieces).
Measure the ingredients and cook them together as for jam. The
juice of one orange and the peel of half an orange cut in small pieces
may be added for variation.
Tomato Preserves.
i peck tomatoes (chopped). 6 Ib. sugar.
4 or 6 lemons (sliced thin).
Cook the mixture until it is thick and clear, pour it into ster-
ilized jars, and seal.
Orange Marmalade.
12 thin-skinned oranges. 3 lemons.
Wash and slice the fruit as thin as paper or grind it fine. To every
quart of fruit add i^ quarts of water and let the mixture stand over-
night. In the morning cook it slowly until tender, about 3 hours,
leaving the lid off. Measure the cooked fruit and add an equal amount
of hot sugar. Cook the mixture until a drop or two will jell on a
cold plate, about 10 minutes. If bitter marmalade is desired, use
about 6 bitter oranges and 6 sweet oranges.
Amber Marmalade.
Take one, each, grapefruit, orange, and lemon; wash and wipe
and cut in quarters ; then thorough peel and pulp, cut into thin slices,
discarding seeds. Add 7 pints cold water and let stand overnight.
Cook with the cover off until the peel is tender. It will take several
hours. Set aside overnight. Heat again to the boiling-point and add
10 cups (5 Ib.) of hot sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally until the
PRESERVES, CONSERVES, ETC. 19
syrup thickens slightly on a cold dish, or when the marmalade is put
in a glass the peel will remain distributed from bottom to top of
glass.
Citron, Melon, or Watermelon Preserves.
Remove the green outer rind of the melon and cut the remainder
in pieces of small size. Cover with cold water and add a tablespoon
of salt for each quart of water. Let stand overnight in the salted
water; then drain and rinse thoroughly. Cook in boiling water until
transparent. Drain carefully. For each pound of rind make a syrup
of 24 lb. sugar and J/ cup water and skim thoroughly; then add the
melon, and for each pound add y* oz. ginger-root and 2, tablespoons
vinegar or I lemon cut in slices; a few sticks of cinnamon may be
added to the syrup. Cook about 20 minutes, or until the pieces of
melon look rich and full. Skim from the syrup into jars; boil the
syrup until rich and thick and pour over the fruit in the jars.
Pear Chips.
8 Ib. pears. 4 Ib. sugar.
54 Ib. preserved ginger. 4 lemons.
y 2 tablespoon ground ginger.
Select pears which are firm and not overripe. Remove stems,
wipe, quarter, and core; then chip into small pieces (but do not remove
skins). Add sugar and ginger and let stand Overnight. In the morn-
ing add lemons cut in small pieces, rejecting seeds, and cook slowly 3
hours or until thick. Put into marmalade-glasses and cover with
paraffin.
Quince Honey.
Pare and grate 5 large quinces. To I pint boiling water add 5 Ib.
sugar. Stir over fire until sugar is dissolved, but do not allow the
syrup to boil until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. When boiling,
add quince and cook 15 or 20 minutes. Turn into glasses. When cold
it should be about the colour and consistency of honey.
Spiced Gooseberries.
4 pints partially ripe gooseberries.
3 Ib. brown sugar. I teaspoon salt.
i cup vinegar. y% teaspoon cayenne.
i teaspoon whole cloves. I teaspoon whole cloves.
Few sticks of cinnamon. J< oz. ginger-root.
Tie spices in a bag. Cook vinegar and sugar 5 minutes. Add
spice and remaining ingredients and cook slowly I hour. Keep in
stone jar or glasses.
20 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Spiced Currants.
4 Ib. currants. 2 tablespoons cloves.
2 Ib. brown sugar. I teaspoon salt.
2 tablespoons cinnamon. i cup vinegar.
Remove stems and wash currants. Add the remaining ingredients
and boil 20 minutes. Keep in stone jar or glasses.
Apple Butter.
i bushel apples. 8 quarts cider.
Cover and boil until tender. Rub the pulp through a strainer and
cook 30 minutes longer; then measure. For each gallon add 8 cups
sugar, 2.y 2 tablespoons ground cloves, and 2^ tablespoons ground
cinnamon. Stir and boil 20 minutes longer; fill into jars and seal
with paraffin.
Apple Butter without Sugar,
i bushel sweet apples. 8 quarts cider.
Cook until tender; put through a strainer and cook until thick.
Add 3 tablespoons ground cloves and 3 tablespoons cinnamon. Give
3 to 4 hours' slow boiling; fill into jars and seal with paraffin.
Red Currant Conserve.
5 Ib. currants. 2 Ib. raisins
5 Ib. sugar. (chopped finely).
5 large oranges (use the rind of 3 boiled and chopped
and the juice of all).
Boil mixture for 25 minutes or a little longer. Seal in glasses.
Raspberry and Currant Preserve.
6 quarts currants. 6 Ib. sugar.
8 quarts raspberries.
Pick over, wash, and drain currants. Put into a preserving-kettle,
adding a few at a time, and mash. Cook i hour ; strain through double
thicknesses of cheese-cloth. Return to kettle, add hot sugar, heat to
boiling-point, and cook slowly 20 minutes. Add i quart raspberries
when syrup again reaches the boiling-point. Skim out raspberries, put
in jar, and repeat until raspberries are used. Fill jar to overflowing
with syrup and screw on tops.
Mint Jelly.
The best mint jelly is made with the juice of underripe apples as
a basis. Wash fresh mint-leaves thoroughly. To i cup mint-leaves
(packed solid) add i cup boiling water; set the mixture on the back
of the stove and steep it for i hour. Lay a piece of cheese-cloth over
PRESERVES, CONSERVES, ETC. 21
a bowl, pour the steeped mint-leaves into it, twist the ends of the
cheese-cloth, and press out all moisture. To I cup concentrated apple-
juice add 2 tablespoons mint- juice. If the mint flavour is not sufficiently
pronounced, add a drop or two of mint extract. Use ^ cup hot sugar
to each cup of juice, and boil the mixture rapidly until the jelly test
can be obtained. Just before it is poured into the scalded glasses colour
it green with vegetable colouring-matter.
Cider Apple Sauce.
Reduce 4 quarts cider to 2 by boiling. Add enough pared, cored,
and quartered apples to fill a good-sized kettle. Cook slowly for 4
hours. Pour into jars and seal or keep in stone jars.
Raspberry or Strawberry Jam.
3 Ib. raspberries or strawberries.
6 cups sugar. 3 cups water.
Put sugar and water in porcelain kettle on stove. Stir and dis-
solve sugar, not allowing it to boil until sugar is dissolved. Boil
until syrup will hair well from spoon. Add fruit and boil quickly
from 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often, or until fruit-juice will jelly.
Remove from heat, partially cool, and skim. Pour in stone jars or
jelly-glasses.
NOTE. If the berries are put into the hot, thick syrup and
cooked quickly, more of their natural colour is retained. Better
results are obtained when made in small amounts.
Black, Red, or White Currant Jam.
4 Ib. currants. 4 Ib. sugar.
y* cup water or apple- juice.
Stem currants, add to apple-juice, and boil, stirring often until
currants are cooked. Heat sugar and add to fruit. Stir until dis-
solved and boil 5 minutes or until thick. Turn into glasses and
cover.
Damson Jam.
4 Ib. damsons. 4 Ib. sugar.
Damsons make the best jam and jelly if they are the real English
damsons. Very few are grown in Canada. They are a small sour blue
plum and when cooked are of a rich red colour. Wash fruit ; place in
kettle with a little water. Cook until plums are soft enough to remove
pits. Pits may be removed if desired. Heat sugar and add to fruit;
stir until dissolved and boil 3 minutes. Turn into glasses and cover.
The jam should be jellied and be of a rich red colour.
22 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
JELLY-MAKING.
In order to make good jelly, fruit- juice must contain two ingre-
dients, acid and pectin. The pectin is generally known as a substance
in fruits which makes jelly " jell." It is found in the largest quantities
in the cores, seeds, and hard parts of fruit, and as the fruit ripens it
is changed into a substance which has very little of the jellying property.
For this reason it is important to use fairly ripe fruit and to include
cores, seeds, and skins in the first boiling to extract the juice.
Test for Pectin. To test fruit- juice for pectin, add i teaspoon
ordinary alcohol to I teaspoon cold fruit-juice. If pectin is present,
a solid mass, which is pectin, collects. This indicates that in making
jelly i part of sugar should be used to i part of juice. If there is no
pectin, the solution should remain clear.
The changing of the juice from a liquid to a jelly is brought about
by the combined effect of sugar, acid, and boiling upon the pectin of
the fruit- juice. Some fruits, such as peaches, quinces, pears, and sweet
apples, contain sufficient pectin but are deficient in acid, and when
making jelly from these fruits lemon- juice is added. A fruit that jells
with difficulty may be combined with one that jells readily; apples,
though possessing little flavour, have all the necessary jellying qualities.
When any desired flavour is added, good jelly results. Fruits suitable
for jelly-making are currants, ripe and partially ripe grapes, crab-apples,
sour apples, green gooseberries, wild cherries, and plums. Raspberries
may be used, though they jell less rapidly.
It is, of course, possible to supply the deficiency of either acid or
pectin. In oranges and lemons the white material between the pulp
and yellow rind is very rich in pectin. This may be extracted by grind-
ing or chopping fine the thick white part, soaking in cold water 12 to
24 hours, and then simmering i hour. Equally good results may be
obtained, however, by adding a generous supply of apple cores and
skins to the fruit before boiling to extract the juice. A deficiency of
acid may be likely overcome by adding some acid fruit. Rhubarb- juice
added to any fruit- juice will bring out the flavour and add zest to the
jelly. Tartaric or citric acid are perfectly safe fruit products and may
be obtained in crystalline form. One level teaspoon to a quart of juice
is usually sufficient ; however, this depends on the acidity of the fruit.
To test, stir the juice until all acid crystals are dissolved; then taste.
It should be about as acid as good tart apples.
JELLY-MAKING. 23
Apple Jelly.
Procure apples that are a little underripe. Wash and cut into
pieces without peeling or removing the cores and seeds. Put them into
a kettle, just cover them with cold water, and cook them until they are
soft and tender. Transfer them to a jelly-bag and let them drain.
Carefully avoid applying pressure if clear jelly is required. When the
juice has all drained out, measure it and return to the kettle. Allow
it to boil for 10 minutes. For each measure of juice add I measure
of hot sugar. Add sugar gradually, and when it is thoroughly dis-
solved allow jelly to boil about 5 minutes, when it should jell on a cold
plate. Pour into jelly-glasses and cover it with melted paraffin.
NOTE. Sweet geranium, peach, or mint leaves are often placed
on the surface of hot jelly before the paraffin is used. They give a
delicious flavour which is liked by many.
Quince and Apple Jelly.
Remove the fuzz from the quinces with a damp cloth. Cut into
small pieces and for every 2 measures of quinces add I measure of
apples. Put them into a preserving-kettle. Cover them with water
a*nd boil them until they are soft. Proceed according to the direction
given for apple jelly.
Currant Jelly.
Do not gather the currants just after a rain. Extract the juice by
pressing a few at a time in a cloth; then let drain through a cloth
without pressure. Let as many cups of sugar as there are of juice
heat in the oven without discolouring (stir often) ; then when the
juice boils add the sugar and let boil a few minutes or until a little
will jell on a cold plate. Cook but a small portion of juice at a time.
Currant Jelly, also Grape, Blackberry, Plum, Apple, etc.
Cut apples in quarters without removing skins or cores unless
defective, cut plums in halves, and pull grapes and currants from
the stems. A little water needs be added to apples and crab-apples,
quinces, and other dry fruit. Avoid the use of water with currants,
grapes, etc. ; let cook until the pulp is soft ; then drain without pressure.
Press the bag to get the last of the juice, and with this make a second
quality of jelly. Jelly made of dry fruits will harden if it is set aside
in the glasses, and if cooked to the consistency usually desired in cur-
rant and similar jelly will be too firm and solid in a few weeks. Equal
quantities by weight of blackberries and apples make delicious jelly.
Green gooseberries or green plums give a delicately tinted jelly.
24 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Cranberry Jelly.
Pick over -and wash 4 cups cranberries. Put in a stew-pan
with 2 cups boiling water and boil 20 minutes. Rub through a
sieve, add 2 cups sugar, and cook 5 minutes. Turn into a mould
or glasses. If boiling water is used more of the original colour is
retained.
PICKLING. 25
PICKLING.
Pickling is an important branch of preparedness for the winter
months. Vegetables and fruit are pickled and preserved by the use
of wholesome preservatives, such as salt, vinegar, spices, and sugar.
If in the making of pickles these preservatives are used in reasonable
amounts they will be a wholesome addition to a meal. Pickles give
flavour to a meal and so stimulate the flow of digestive juices ; but there
are pickles and pickles, and those made strong with vinegar and very
highly seasoned with spices should be eaten sparingly and never given
to children.
In pickling, vegetables are usually soaked overnight in a brine
made of I cup salt and I quart water. This brine removes the water
of the vegetable and so prevents weakening of the vinegar. In the
morning the brine is drained off.
Alum should not be used to make the vegetables crisp, as it is
harmful to the human body. A firm product is obtained if the vege-
tables are not cooked too long or at too high a temperature.
Enamelled, agate, or porcelain-lined kettles should be used when
cooking mixtures containing vinegar. Pickles put in crocks should be
well covered with vinegar to prevent moulding. Cucumber pickles are
sometimes coloured green with sulphate of copper, which is a deadly
poison. They are tinted green also by scalding in a brass or copper
kettle; but while pickles so coloured might not cause illness, no one
who pays any regard to health would venture to eat them.
Grape-leaves and cabbage-leaves are said to help in retaining the
natural green colour of cucumbers and unripe tomatoes. The bottom
,and sides of the kettle are lined with the leaves, the kettle is then filled
with the mixture to be pickled, and the top of the mixture is covered
with leaves.
Cold Tomato Relish.
Eight quarts firm ripe tomatoes; scald, cold-dip, and then chop
in small pieces. To the chopped tomatoes add :
2 cups chopped onion. 4 chopped peppers.
2 chopped celery. I teaspoon ground mace.
2 sugar. I black pepper,
i cup white mustard-seed. 4 teaspoons cinnamon.
y 2 salt. 3 pints vinegar.
Mix all together and pack in sterilized jars.
26 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Cucumber Pickles.
Soak in brine made of I cup salt to 2 cups water for a day and
a night. Remove from brine, rinse in cold water, and drain. Cover
with vinegar, add i tablespoon brown sugar, some stick cinnamon, and
cloves to every quart of vinegar used; bring to a boil and pack in jars.
For sweet pickles use I cup sugar to I quart vinegar.
Chili Sauce (i).
2 doz. ripe tomatoes. 2 tablespoons salt.
6 peppers (3 to be hot). i teaspoon each of cloves,
3 onions. nutmeg, and allspice.
54 cup sugar. i quart vinegar.
Simmer i hour. Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and seal
while hot.
Catsup.
Two quarts ripe tomatoes. Boil and strain. Add 2 *tablespoons
salt, 2 cups vinegar, i cup sugar, and i level teaspoon cayenne
pepper. Boil until thick. Pour into hot sterilized bottles. Put the
corks in tight and apply hot paraffin to the tops with a brush to
make an air-tight seal.
Beet Pickles.
Twist leaves and stalks from beets. Wash but do not cut roots
nor tops. Cover with boiling salted water and boil until tender, but
not soft. Dip in cold water. Rub off skins and trim. If beets are
small, leave whole. Cut larger ones in halves or quarters, cutting
lengthwise so as to retain as much of the juice and colour as possible.
Fill hot sterilized jars with the beets and cover with a boiling hot pickle
made of the following ingredients :
ij cups vinegar. 54 CU P salt.
I ^2 water. 54 teaspoon cayenne
i cup brown sugar. pepper.
Fill jars to overflowing. Seal and set away.
Celery Relish,
i doz. heads celery. 2 quarts vinegar.
3 onions. i tablespoon tumeric (level).
^2 lb. mustard. 2 tablespoons salt.
54 mustard-seed. y 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
4 cups white sugar. 3 tablespoons flour.
Mix ingredients, omitting the flour and tumeric, and simmer for
2 hours. Mix flour and tumeric together with a little vinegar or
water. Add to pickle - and cook 5" minutes longer. Bottle and seal.
PICKLING. 27
Rhubarb and Onion Pickle.
2 quarts rhubarb (cut in small pieces).
2 quarts minced onion. 1^2 pints vinegar.
Cook these together 20 minutes and add :
4 Ib. light-brown sugar. I tablespoon allspice,
i teaspoon pepper. J^ cloves,
i tablespoon salt. A piece of ginger-root.
1 cinnamon. A little mustard-seed.
Boil until fruit is soft. Bottle and seal. (NOTE. This makes
about 7 pints.)
Cherry Olives.
Cherry olives is a relish which is characteristic of the Kootenay
District of British Columbia. The cherries are prepared and served
as olives. The Royal Anne is considered one of the most suitable
varieties.
Prepare cherries by washing and clipping off a portion of the stem.
Pack them in jars and cover them with the following solution:
i pint vinegar. 2 tablespoons salt,
i pint water.
NOTE. No heating, no cooking; keep in a cool place.
Cherry Relish.
Remove the pits from cherries and drain them. Cover them
with a vinegar solution made in the proportion of ^ cup vinegar
to i quart water. After 5 or 6 hours drain the cherries, weigh them,
and add an equal weight of sugar. Allow the cherries to stand over-
night. Seal them in glass jars and keep them in a cool dark place.
The vinegar .solution that has been drained off may be used in
making various kinds of sweet pickles.
Mustard Pickles.
(MacDonald Institute, Guelph.)
2 quarts cucumber. 4 cups brown sugar.
2 small silver onions. % Mb. mustard-seed tied in
i head cauliflower. muslin bag.
3 green peppers. 54 ground mustard.
3 red peppers. J^ oz. tumeric.
y 2 gallon best cider vinegar. I cup flour.
Wash and prepare vegetables ; put each kind to soak separately in
strong hot brine which will float an egg ( i cup salt to 2 cups water) .
28 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Let stand overnight. Drain and rinse in cold water. Put the vinegar,
sugar, and spices together and heat to boiling-point. Add vegetables
and scald for 5 minutes. Lift vegetables into sterilized jars; thicken
the vinegar with flour and mustard which has been mixed to a paste
with cold vinegar. Stir vinegar while thickening and cook 5 minutes ;
then pour over vegetables into jars. Seal.
Ripe Cucumber Pickle.
(MacDonald Institute, Guelph.)
12 large ripe cucumbers. ^ cup mixed whole spice, cloves,
6 to 12 onions. and allspice.
3 pints vinegar. I tablespoon ground mustard.
2 cups sugar. I ,; curry-powder.
4 tablespoons flour.
Wash and peel cucumbers, taking out seeds and pith. Add onions
and sprinkle well with salt and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse
in cold water. Boil vinegar, sugar, and spice together in a bag. Add
vegetables and let scald 10 minutes. Remove vegetables to bottles and
thicken vinegar by adding the flour, mustard, and tumeric, which have
been mixed to a paste with a little cold vinegar. Pour over the
vegetables and seal.
Sweet Pickle (Gherkin).
1 quart vinegar. Some small pieces of horse-
2 tablespoons mustard-seed. radish.
2 whole allspice. 2 cups brown sugar.
2 peppercorns. i teaspoon cloves.
2 pieces ginger-root. A stick of cinnamon may be
2 blades mace. added if desired.
Prepare the vegetables, soak in brine overnight, drain and rinse.
Heat vinegar, sugar, and spices together. Let boil for 5 or 10 minutes ;
put vegetables in hot sterilized jars and fill to overflowing with the
vinegar. Seal.
Chili Sauce (2).
35 large tomatoes. 6 cups vinegar.
4 small red peppers. 2^2 cups sugar.
10 average-sized onions. 5 tablespoons salt.
Chop onions and peppers together, add to other ingredients, and
boil 3 hours. Bottle and seal.
PICKLING. 29
Pickled Beans.
Five Ib. butter beans, cut small and cooked for y 2 hour in salt
water. Mix together I cup flour, I cup mustard, 3 Ib. brown sugar,
2 tablespoons celery-seed, and 2 tablespoons tumeric. Add 3 pints
vinegar, stir until smooth, and boil 5 minutes. Add beans and bring
to the boiling-point. Bottle and seal.
Chow Chow or Piccalilli.
I medium cabbage. J/ doz. cucumbers (ripe
i cauliflower. or green).
3 quarts onions. 2 heads celery.
NOTE. Red or green tomatoes may be added if desired. One
or two green or red peppers. Prepare vegetables and chop each
fine. Sprinkle with salt and let stand overnight. Drain off liquid.
Make a sauce as follows:
3^ quarts vinegar. 6 tablespoons mustard.
3 or 6 cups sugar. 2 tumeric.
% cup flour.
Add cooked sauce to the vegetables and cook 10 to 15 minutes.
Bottle and seal.
Corn Relish (i).
i small cabbage. 2 tablespoons flour.
1 large onion. i*/2 cups brown sugar.
6 ears corn. 2 hot peppers.
2 tablespoons salt. i pint vinegar.
1^2 tablespoons mustard.
Steam corn 30 minutes. Cut from the cob and add to the
chopped cabbage, onion, and peppers. Mix the flour, sugar, mus-
tard, and salt; add the vinegar. Add mixture to the vegetables and
simmer 30 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and seal
while hot.
Corn Relish (2).
Cut the corn from 2 dozen ears ; chop rather fine i head cabbage,
4 large onions, 4 green peppers, and i red pepper, first discarding
the seeds of the pepper; add i quart vinegar and set to boil. Mix
together 3 cups sugar, ^ CU P flour, l / 2 cup salt, ]/^ cup dry mustard,
and i teaspoon tumeric; when well mixed stir in I quart vinegar,
and then stir the mixture into the hot vegetables. Let simmer ^
hour; add 2 teaspoons celery-seed and store as canned fruit or
vegetables.
30 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Table Relish.
Chop :
4 quarts cabbage. 6 large onions.
2 tomatoes (i quart 2 hot peppers.
to be green).
Add:-
2 oz. white mustard-seed. 54 CU P salt.
i oz. celery-seed. 2 Ib. sugar.
2 quarts vinegar.
Simmer i hour. Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and seal
while hot.
Apple Chutney.
12 sour apples. ^2 cup currant jelly.
i onion. 2 cups sugar.
3 peppers (i red). The juice of 4 lemons.
i cup seeded and i tablespoon ground ginger,
chopped raisins. % teaspoon cayenne.
i pint cider vinegar. i tablespoon salt.
Chop the apples, onions, and peppers very fine, add the vinegar
and jelly, and let simmer i hour, stirring often. Add the other
ingredients and cook another hour, stirring constantly. Store as
canned fruit.
Cranberry Sauce.
Pick over and wash 3 cups cranberries. Put in stew-pan with
i cup boiling water. Boil 10 minutes; then add iJ/ cups sugar.
vStir until dissolved.
NOTE. When cranberries are put into boiling water they keep
their colour better.
French Pickle.
Chop fine y? peck green tomatoes, i head cauliflower, 15 white
onions, and 10 large green cucumbers. Put a layer of vegetables
into a porcelain dish and sprinkle with salt ; continue the layers of
vegetables and salt until all are used; let stand overnight; then
drain, discarding the liquid. Heat 3 quarts cider vinegar, 3 Ib.
brown sugar, % cup tumeric, Y^ cup black pepper-seed, i oz. celery-
seed, 24 CU P mustard-seed, and 3 red peppers chopped fine. Heat
to the boiling-point and pour over the vegetables. Let stand over-
night; then drain the liquid from the vegetables, reheat, and again
pour over the vegetables. Repeat this process the third morning;
then when the mixture becomes cold, stir into it j4 lb- ground
PICKLING. 31
mustard and I teaspoon curry-powder mixed with I cup olive-oil
and 3 cups vinegar (use less mustard and vinegar if desired).
Sweet Pickled Peaches.
y 2 peck peaches. YT. cup water.
2 Ib. brown sugar. I oz. stick cinnamon.
I pint vinegar. J/ oz. whole cloves.
Boil sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon 20 minutes. Dip peaches
quickly in boiling water; then rub off the skins. Stick each peach
with 2 or 3 cloves. Put into syrup and cook until soft, using one-
half peaches at a time. Pack in sterilized jars and add syrup. Seal.
Sweet Pickled Pears.
Follow recipe for sweet pickled peaches, using pears in place of
peaches.
Beet Relish.
i cup chopped cold 2 tablespoons lemon-juice.
cooked beets. 2 teaspoons powdered
3 tablespoons grated sugar.
horse-radish root. I teaspoon salt.
Mix ingredients in order given. Canned beets may be used
instead of fresh ones, and bottled horse-radish if of strong flavour
and well drained. This is delicious served with cold meat or fish.
Dill Pickles.
Cover cucumbers "of medium size with clear water. Next day
drain and wipe dry. Pack in fruit-jars, using plenty of fresh dill
between. To each J^-gallon jar add 2 small red peppers, 2 bay-
leaves, and 2 thin slices horse-radish root. To 6 quarts water add
I Ib. rock salt. Heat mixture to boiling-point ; add I quart vinegar.
Pour at once over cucumbers, covering them well. Seal tight while
hot. Dill pickles will keep in covered kegs or crocks without being
sealed. Dill is a hardy plant of medicinal value and may be suc-
cessfully grown in any vegetable-garden.
32
PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
A TIME-TABLE FOR CANNING VEGETABLES WHICH ARE MOST SAFELY
CANNED BY THREE PERIODS OF STERILIZATION OR THE SO-CALLED
INTERMITTENT METHOD.
(From Cornell Reading Course for the Farm Home.)
Food.
Time of
Blanching.
TIME OF COOKING.
First Day.
Second and Third Days.
Asparagus
Minutes.
5
5
6-10
6-10
5
5-10
6-10
5
Minutes.
60
60
60
60
60
60-75
60
60
75
75-90
75
60
Minutes.
60
60
60
60
60
60-75 (depending
of pack) .
60
60
75
75-90 (depending
of pack) .
/ ^)
60
on closeness
on closeness
Beans
*Beets ..
*Carfots
* Cauliflower
Corn
*Parsnips ..
Peas
*Pumpkin
Spinach and other greens
*Squash
5
*Succotash ..
.
* Those vegetables marked with a star are not as difficult to sterilize as the others,
and the risk of canning them by the continuous method is therefore less than with the
unstarred list.
A TIME-TABLE FOR CANNING FRUITS, ACID VEGETABLES, AND MEATS
BY THE SINGLE OR CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF STERILIZATION.
TIME OF
COOKING.
Food.
Time of
Blanching.
If the Hot- water
Bath is used.
If the Pressure
Cooker is used,
51b.
Apple cider
Minutes.
1-2
Minutes.
20
Minutes.
12
Apples
1-2
20-30
10
Apricots . .
1-2
16
10
Blackberries, dewberries
16
6
Cherries
16
10
Fruit juices
20
10
Grapes, plums .
16
10
Huckleberries . .
16
8
Peaches .... .
1-2
16
10
Pears . ,
1-2
20
10
Pineapples
60
40
Quinces
1-2
60
40
Raspberries
16
8
Rhubarb
1-2
16
10
Strawberries
16
10
Sauerkraut
60
50
Tomatoes
1-2
22
10
Tomatoes and corn
90
60
Tomato-juice .. ..
20
15
Meat
300
180
STORING CANNED GOODS.
33
A TIME-TABLE FOR CANNING VEGETABLES WHERE THE PRESSURE
COOKER is USED, OR WHERE THE OWNER is WILLING TO TAKE
THE RlSK OF THE UNCERTAIN SlNGLE PERIOD OF STERILIZATION
IN THE WATER-BATH.
Food.
Time of
Blanching.
TIME OF COOKING.
When the Hot-water
Bath is used (a
Risky Method).
Where th<
Cooker i
only Sal
ous Metl
51b.
Pressure
) used (the
e Continu-
od).
10 Ib.
Asparagus
Minutes.
5
5
6-10
6-10
5
5-10
6-10
5
Minutes.
180 (not advised}
180 (not advised)
120-180
120-180
180
180 (not advised)
180
180 (not advised)
200 (not advised)
200 (not advised)
200 (noi advised)
180
300
Minutes.
60
60
60
60
60
90
60
60
60
60
60
60
180
Minutes.
40
30
40
40
40
40
40
30
40
40
40
40
60
Beans
Beets
Carrots
Cauliflower
Corn
Parsnips
Peas - -
Pumpkin
Spinach and other greens
Souash
5
Succotash
Meat
STORING CANNED GOODS.
(The Cornell Reading Course for the Farm Home.)
Canned food should be set aside for two or
three days before storing, and then as a means
of special precaution it should be tested as fol-
lows : Loosen the clamp and grasp the jar by
the edge of the glass top. If the can leaks or
if decomposition has set in, the top will come
off, as is shown in Fig. 9. If the top stays on,
tighten the clamp again and the food is ready
for storage. If the top comes off, reject that
can of food.
Canned food and vegetables should be stored
in a dark place, as light destroys the colour,
leaving the food unattractive in appearance.
If the jar and its contents have been absolutely
sterilized and the jar is entirely air-tight, the
f j -11 -i 'e i 11 1 rr Fig. 9. Manner of
food will not spoil if held in a warm place. If testing a jar.
spoiling does occur, it will be due to one of the following causes:
(i) Some flaw in the can which makes it a slow leaker; (2) the pres-
ence of some microscopic organisms that have survived the cooking
34 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
process in spite of all care ; (3) a drying-out of the rubbers and hence
a breaking of the seal.
In some factories where foods are canned in glass jars racks
are made for holding the jars upside down in an inclined position,
thus keeping the liquid constantly in the top of the can and pre-
venting the rapid drying of the rubber.
FERMENTATION AND SALTING. 35
FERMENTATION AND SALTING.
The use of brine in preparing vegetables for winter use is much
to be commended to the household. The fermentation method is
in use in Europe, and is beginning to be better known in this
country as a means of making sauerkraut and other food products.
No cooking is required by this process. Salt brine is the one
requirement. The product may be kept in any container which is
not made of metal and is water-tight. The vital factor in preserving
the material is the lactic acid which develops in fermentation. An
important feature is that vegetables thus prepared may be served
as they are or they may be freshened by soaking in clear water and
cooked as fresh vegetables.
Sauerkraut.
The outside leaves of the cabbage should be removed ; then cut
crosswise several times and shredded very fine with the rest of the
cabbage. Immediately pack into a barrel, keg, or tub which is per-
fectly clean, or into an earthenware crock holding 4 or 5 gallons.
The smaller containers are recommended for household use. While
packing distribute salt as uniformly as possible, using I Ib. salt to
40 Ib. cabbage. Sprinkle a little salt in the container and put in a
layer of 3 or 4 inches of shredded cabbage, and then pack down with
a wooden utensil like a potato-masher. Repeat with salt, cabbage,
and packing until the container is full or the shredded cabbage is
all used. Press the cabbage down as tightly as possible and apply
a cloth and then a glazed plate or a board cover. If using a wooden
cover, select wood free from pitch. On top of this cover place
stones or other weights (use granite and avoid the use of limestone
or sandstone). These weights will serve to keep the brine above
the cover.
Allow fermentation to proceed for ten days or two weeks if the
room is warm. In a cellar or other cool place three to five weeks
may be required. Skim off the film which forms when fermenta-
tion starts, and repeat this daily if necessary to keep this film from
becoming scum. When bubbles cease to arise, if container is tapped,
the fermentation is complete. If there is scum it should be removed.
Pour melted paraffin over the brine until it forms a layer from ^
to y 2 inch thick to prevent the formation of the scum which occurs
if the weather is warm or the storage-place is not well cooled. This
is not necessary unless the kraut is to be kept a long time. The
kraut may be used as soon as the bubbles cease to rise. If scum
36 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
forms and remains the kraut will spoil. Remove scum, wash cloth
cover and weights, pour off old brine, and add new. To avoid this
extra trouble it is wise to can kraut as soon as bubbles cease to rise
and fermentation is complete. To can, .fill jars, adjust rubbers, and
seal. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water pack or 60 minutes in
steam-pressure outfit at 5 to 10 Ib. pressure.
SALTING WITHOUT FERMENTATION.
Cabbage, string beans, and greens are preserved with salt. The
amount of salt used will be one-quarter of the weight of the vege-
tables. Kegs or crocks make the best containers. Put a layer of
vegetables about an inch thick on the bottom of the container.
Cover this with salt. Continue making alternate layers of salt and
vegetables until the container is almost filled. The salt should be
evenly distributed, so that it will not be necessary to use more salt
than the quantity required in proportion to the vegetables used.
Cover the surface with a cloth and a board or a glazed plate. Press
a weight on these and set aside in a cold place. If sufficient liquor
to cover the vegetables has not been extracted by the next day, pour
in enough strong brine (i Ib. salt to 2 quarts water) to cover
surface around the cover. The top layer of vegetables should be
kept under the brine to prevent moulding. There will be some
bubbles at first. As soon as this stops set the container where it
will not be disturbed until ready for use. Seal by pouring very hot
paraffin on the surface.
HOME DRYING. 37
HOME DRYING.
Home vegetable and fruit drying have been little practised for
a generation or more, but during the past few years, with the high
price of glass, tin, rubber, and fuel, many have found this method
of preservation desirable. In the fruit districts of British Columbia,
prunes, apricots, cherries, plums, peaches, and corn have been home-
dried with splendid success.
The method is simple and practically all vegetables and fruits
may be dried. The cost is slight, for in every home the necessary
outfit in its simplest form is already at hand. Effective drying may
be done on plates or dishes placed in the oven with the oven door
partially open. It may be done on the back of the kitchen stove,
with these same utensils, while the oven is being used for baking.
It may also be done on sheets of paper or lengths of muslin spread
in the sun and protected from insects and dust. A sheet of tin laid
over a dripping-pan containing a small amount of hot water makes
a good substitute for a certain type of commercial drier. The pan
of water is kept over a slow heat sufficient to keep the water hot.
Barrel-hoops or frames made of laths may be covered with
galvanized-iron netting or with cheese-cloth and suspended above
the stove by a rope with a pulley arrangement, which makes it easy
to adjust the trays at the proper height. Some housekeepers use
window-screens on bricks as supports. Proper ventilation that
allows for a free circulation of dry air is more important than heat
in drying foods. For example, an electric fan placed before a dryer
may accomplish excellent results without the aid of heat.
DRYING FRUITS.
All fruits that are to be dried should be well ripened, but not
overripe. Fruits that are dried with the skins on should be dipped
quickly by the means of a wire basket or a piece of cheese-cloth into
a boiling solution of lye made in proportion of j Ib. concentrated
lye to 8 gallons water. They should then be rinsed two or three
times in clear water. The lye perforates the skin and thus facili-
tates evaporation. Moreover, it destroys micro-organisms that
might cause spoilage.
Most fruits are improved by being dipped into a thin syrup
before being dried. If the fruit is to be used in puddings, cakes,
breads, breakfast cereals, or as a confection, it may be sprinkled
with sugar before being dried ; if it is to be cooked for sauce, little
or no sugar should be added.
38 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Metal trays for drying should be covered with cheese-cloth to
prevent acid action. Wrapping-paper may be used on trays in
an oven.
Juicy fruits require more ventilation in drying than do such
fruits as apples.
When fruit is sufficiently dry, it should be impossible to press
water out of the freshly cut ends of the pieces. The natural grain
of the fruit should not be apparent on cut surfaces. The fruit
should be leathery or pliable, and not so dry that it will snap or
crackle. In general, the drier the fruit the less chance there is
for spoilage ; but sweet fruits can safely contain more moisture than
those with a low sugar content. Fruit should be cooled quickly
after being dried in order to prevent a shrivelled and unattractive
appearance.
DRYING VEGETABLES.
Equally as great care should be given to the selection and
preparation of vegetables for drying as for canning. Good results
depend largely on the use of vegetables that are absolutely fresh,
young, tender, and perfectly clean. All vegetables should be washed
and cleaned thoroughly before being dried. If steel knives are used
for paring and cutting the vegetables, they should be kept clean and
dry to prevent discoloration.
After being cleaned and prepared, the vegetables should be
blanched as for canning, but not dipped in cold water. This
removes a strong odour and flavour from certain kinds of vege-
tables and loosens the fibre, which allows the moisture in the
vegetables to evaporate more quickly and uniformly. Moreover, it
helps to retain the natural flavours and colour. After being blanched
for the required number of minutes, the vegetables should be well
drained and placed between two towels or exposed to the sun and
air for a short time to remove the surface moisture.
The temperature at which most vegetables should begin drying
after the surface moisture is removed is 110 Fahr. ; and this should
be gradually increased to 150 Fahr., which makes it possible in most
cases to complete the drying in 2 or 3 hours.
STORAGE OF DRIED FOODS.
Dried fruits should always be stored in moist-proof containers
and in a dry place free from dust and flies. The best container is
a tin box, bucket, or can fitted with a perfectly tight cover. A glass
jar with a tight seal is a good container for dried fruits. Paraffin-
coated paper containers of various sizes can be found on the market.
HOME DRYING. 39
When vegetables are first taken from the dryer, if completely
dried, they are very brittle. They are more easily handled and are
in better condition for storing if allowed to stand for from i to 3
hours to absorb moisture to make them pliable before they are
stored. If they are allowed to stand for several days, they should
1)c heated to 160 Fahr. to destroy any insect-eggs that may be on
them, care being taken not to heat the vegetables higher than 160
degrees. Dried fruits should be examined occasionally in case of
some infestation. Upon the first appearance of insects, the fruit
should be spread in thin layers in the sun until the insects disappear ;
it should then be heated to a temperature of 160! Fahr. and re-stored
carefully.
Dried Corn.
Corn that is just right to use on the table should be selected for
drying. This will be somewhere between the " milk " stage, in
which the juice spurts out when the kernel is pressed open with the
thumb-nail, and the " dough " stage, in which the contents of the
kernel may be pressed out in a solid, soggy mass. Corn should be
dried as soon as possible after it is gathered, and it should be dried
as quickly as possible in order to retain the flavour. Left-overs of
cooked corn on the cob may be mixed with sugar and salt in the
proportions suggested and dried in the oven or over the stove.
METHOD i.
5 quarts corn (measure after it y 2 cup sugar,
has been cut from the cob). l /^ salt.
Strip off the husks and the silk and cut the kernels from the
cob. Do not cut the kernels too close, but press out all the milk
with the back of the knife. Mix the corn, sugar, and salt, place the
mixture in a pan over a vessel of boiling water, and stir it frequently
until all the milk has been absorbed. Spread the corn on plates and
dry it in a slow oven, stirring it frequently to prevent scorching.
It should be possible to complete the process in half a day, but a
longer period may be necessary.
METHOD 2.
Remove the husks and the silk. Place the ears in boiling water
for 5 minutes. With a sharp knife cut off the kernels and scrape the
cob. Place the corn in thin layers on platters. Dry it in a slow
oven or some other warm place, stirring it frequently.
40 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
Dried corn may be prepared for the table by any of the follow-
ing methods :
(i.) Soak the corn overnight in water. Heat it very slowly
for 2 hours or until it is soft. Add milk, butter, and seasonings.
(2.) Put the corn in a double boiler, add to it about i l / 2 times
jts volume of cold water, and set it where it will very gradually
heat to the simmering-point. From 2 to 3 hours will be required
for proper cooking. To save fuel, soak the corn for 3 hours in the
required amount of water, and then simmer it until it is tender.
Avoid vigorous boiling. The corn approximately doubles its bulk
during the preparation.
Dried String Beans or Wax Beans.
Wash the beans and carefully remove the strings from string
beans. The very young and tender beans can be dried whole.
Those that are full-grown should be cut in Y^- to i-inch lengths
with a sharp knife. They are then put into a bag of cheese-cloth
or a wire basket and blanched in boiling water for from 6 to 10
minutes, depending on the maturity of the bean. One-half tea-
spoon soda may be added to each gallon of boiling water to help set
the green colour. Remove the surface moisture according to the
directions already given. Young string beans dry in 2 hours, more
matured beans in 3 hours.
Spinach, Dried Herbs, and Seasonings.
(i.) Celery-tops, parsley, mint, sage, and herbs of all kinds need
not be blanched, but they should be washed well, sliced and cut,
and dried in the sun or in a drier. These are good for flavouring
soups, purees, gravies, omelets, and the like.
(2.) Spinach and beet-tops may be steamed for 2 minutes before
drying.
Dried Tomato Paste.
Tomatoes may be dried to a paste and used for soups, sauces,
scalloped dishes, and the like. One teaspoon of the paste will make
one dish of soup. The following method may be used : Blanch and
skin the tomatoes. Slice and place in kettle to boil, adding no
water. Boil the tomatoes until they are tender, rub them through
a sieve, and boil down the pulp over direct heat until it is so thick
it is difficult to cook without being stirred continually. Then place
it over hot water or in a slow oven where there will be no danger
of -scorching; then put it where the moisture will evaporate until
the pulp is stiff enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon.
HOME DRYING. 41
It may then be placed in hot sterilized jars and sealed; or it may
be spread on plates or pans in thin sheets and dried thoroughly in
a very slow oven from 130 to 140 Fahr. until it can be cut in
squares or rounds. It should then be stored. carefully in moisture-
proof containers.
Dried Cherries.
Dried cherries makes a most desirable substitute for raisins.
They may be prepared in the following way: Wash and remove
the surface moisture. Spread them, seeded or unseeded, in thin
layers on trays. If the cherries are seeded the juice that they loose
may be canned. If the skins of the cherries are tough and hard to
dry they should be treated with a lye solution, which has been
described. Dry them from 3 to 4 hours at no to 150 Fahr. Raise
the temperature gradually.
Dried Plums.
Small thin-fleshed varieties of plums are not suitable for drying.
Select medium-ripe plums, cover them with boiling water, cover
the vessel, and let steam for 20 minutes. Drain them, remove the
surface moisture, and dry them from 4 to 6 hours, gradually raising
the temperature from no to 150 Fahr.
Dried Prunes.
The skin of prunes is usually thick and tough and so prevents
the fruit from drying quickly. For this reason they are usually
treated with a lye solution, as has been described, and then rinsed
several times in clear water. They are dried in the same way as
plums. If dried prunes are properly cooked they make one of the
most delicious and pleasing fruit dishes. They should be soaked
from i to 2 days. If they are soaked in freshly made tea their
flavour is much improved and intensified. There should be liquid
enough to cover them and they should be cooked slowly in the
liquid in which they are soaked. The cooking should not take loni;
when they are thoroughly soaked. When cooked add sugar enough
to sweeten and a small amount of ground cinnamon if desired, or
grated orange-rind. The pits may be cracked and the meats added
to the fruit if desired.
Dried Peaches.
Peaches are usually dried unpeeled. Cut them in halves and
remove the pits. Leave the fruit on trays with the pit side up, and
42 PRESERVATION OF FOOD.
dry them at no to 150 Fahr., raising the temperature gradually.
Dry them for 4 to 6 hours, and longer if necessary.
Candied Fruit Peel.
The candied peel of oranges, grapefruit, and other citrous fruit
make a sweet which is economical, and it utilizes material which
otherwise might be thrown away. The skin may be kept in good
condition for a long time in salt water, which makes it possible to
wait until a large supply is on hand before candying them. The
salt water takes out some of the bitter taste. The skins should be
washed in clear water after removing from the salt water, boiled
until tender, cut into small pieces, and then boiled in a thick sugar
syrup until they are transparent. They should then be lifted from
the syrup and allowed to cool in such a way that all superfluous
syrup will run off. They should then be rolled in pulverized or fine
granulated sugar.
VICTORIA, B.C. :
Printed by WILLIAM H. CULLIN, Printer to the Kiiig's Most Excellent Majesty.
1019.
