Putting Food By - Janet Greene [73]
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
In R-enamel or white enamel cans. Fill, leaving only ¼ inch of headroom. (Optional: add ½ teaspoon salt to No. 303 cans, 1 teaspoon salt to No. 401.) Fill to brim with boiling cooking water. Exhaust to 170 F/77 C (approx. 10 minutes); seal. Pressure-process at 10 pounds (240 F/116 C)—No. 303 cans for 75 minutes, No. 401 for 115 minutes. Remove cans; cool quickly.
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
Rutabagas (and White Turnips)
Root-cellaring is best, but rutabagas are good to ferment like Sauerkraut (see how in “Curing with Salt and Smoke,” Chapter 20)—in which case they are canned like Sauerkraut, below.
Salsify (Oyster Plant)
Like parsnips and horseradish, this delicately flavored, old-fashioned vegetable is able to winter in the ground, and it may be root-cellared. With a little extra attention so it won’t discolor, it cans well.
GENERAL HANDLING
Pressure Canning only. Use Hot pack only. Use jars or C-enamel cans.
Its milky juice turns rather rusty when it hits the air, and you may prevent discoloration of the vegetable by either one of two ways: (1) scrub roots well, scrape as for carrots, and slice, dropping each slice immediately in a solution of 2 tablespoons vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt for each 1 gallon of cold water; rinse well, cover quickly with boiling water, boil for 2 minutes; pack Hot. Or (2) scrub roots; in a solution of 1 tablespoon vinegar to each 1 quart of water, boil whole until skins come off easily—10 to 15 minutes; rinse well in cold water, skin, leave whole or slice; Hot pack.
HOT PACK ONLY
In jars. Fill, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Add fresh boiling water, leaving 1 inch of headroom; adjust lids. Pressure-process at 10 pounds (240 F/ 116 C)—pints for 35 minutes, quarts for 40 minutes. Remove jars; complete seals if using bailed jars.
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
In C-enamel cans. Fill, leaving ½ inch of headroom; add fresh boiling water to brim. Exhaust to 170 F/77 C (approx. 10 minutes); seal. Pressure-process at 10 pounds (240 F/116 C)—35 minutes for both No. 303 and No. 401 cans. Remove cans; cool quickly.
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
Sauerkraut (Fermented Cabbage)
By all means can your sauerkraut—unless you are able to guarantee cool enough storage for the crock after it is fermented.
GENERAL HANDLING
Low-temperature pasteurizing processing is adequate for a food as acid as this, though you may use a Boiling–Water Bath if you prefer. Hot pack only. Use jars or R-enamel or white enamel cans.
HOT PACK ONLY
Heat to almost simmering—180 F (80 C)—do not boil, and pack as directed below. If you don’t have enough sauerkraut juice, eke it out with a brine made of 1½ tablespoons salt for each 1 quart of water.
In jars. Fill clean, hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headroom. Add hot juice (or hot brine, above), leaving ½ inch of headroom; adjust lids. Process using the low-temperature pasteurization treatment, page 320, or Boiling–Water Bath—pints for 10 minutes, quarts for 15. Remove jars; complete seals if using bailed jars.
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
In R-enamel or white enamel cans. Pack Hot, leaving only ½ inch of headroom. Fill to the brim with hot juice or brine (again, as above). Exhaust to 170 F/77 C if needed; seal. Process using the low-temperature pasteurization treatment, page 320 or in a Boiling–Water Bath—20 minutes for either No. 303 or No. 401 cans. Remove cans; cool quickly.
• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.
Soybeans
Although not particularly interesting by themselves, soybeans are a splendid natural high-protein addition—aside from being an economical “stretcher”—for ground meats, stews, chowders, casseroles, etc. They are good keepers when dried and they also freeze well.
HOT PACK ONLY
Prepare and process like Lima Beans except increase the processing time at 10 pounds (240 F/116 C) to 55 minutes for pint jars,