One trend for 2011 was an interest in food preservation, and an increase in sales of Ball Jars (the jars sold for canning.) Years ago I made pickles – and tried canning for the first (and only) time. I am considering trying canning again this summer. Over the holidays, I talked to my brother, David J. Baumler, who is an expert in fermentation and canning. Dave is a researcher in Cellular and Molecular Biology, a CIBM Post-doctoral fellow at the Genome Center the University of Wisconsin Madison, and an avid creator of homemade salsas, pickled green beans, and peppers. He helped explain the canning process, and the renewed interest that is occurring in food preservation.
Dave said that there has always been a correlation between a reduction in jobs, a recessive economy and an increased interest in canning. He said that with the current economy, and the increased interest in gardening and growing food – that it makes sense that canning and preservation are making a comeback.
When you grow your own food, you end up with a large batch of a vegetable, usually too much that you can eat. What can you do with a big batch of tomatoes, peppers, or other food? One solution to this is to preserve and can it.
Years ago, Dave increased the number and variety of pepper plants that he grew. During summer, he would have a huge batch of peppers and had a choice of drying, freezing, and canning/preserving them. This led to Dave learning how to can.
Fermentation was the primary method of preserving food before refrigeration. It remains today as a viable and sustainable way to preserve food. The canning process starts with fermentation as the first step – where certain bacteria are broken down, acid is made, and the food is “preserved.” This is done by cooking the food item with sugar or lemon, which later turns to vinegar. An increase of salt and fermentation to the food helps bring the pH of the food to below 4.5 – which Dave said is the “magical number” of food preservation.
In a pH of 4.5, Dave explained that no bacteria can survive that can cause disease. The bacteria called clostridum botulinum (aka botox) is one of the main bacteria that can cause death, and can not live at the pH of 4.5 or more. Due to this, most canning recipes have you add at least 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice, to help adjust the pH to a safe level.
The other important component to canning is using heat to prevent mold from growing in the canned goods. Most recipes call for boiling jars in hot water for 15 minutes, in order to kill any living mold spores. If this is done correctly, canned foods can be stored at room temperature for a year.
Today, canning is cheap and easy to do. Dave said that he got inspired to can when he saw the price of pickled specialty foods such as pickled green beans or brussel sprouts costing $8.00. Also, he had grown to like the flavor of pickled vegetables.
How to get started canning? Many universities (such as University of Madison in WI, or Ohio State University in OH) have food extension programs that have tested recipes for canning, workshops, workshops, and certification classes about preserving food and canning.
In 2009, a group called Canning Across America got started which includes cooks, food lovers and gardeners who wanted to revive the lost art of canning. The group does demonstrations, has recipes, and advice on getting started.
Image Source:
University of Wisconsin
Links:
Tested Recipes for Canning- UW Madison