Bottling your own fruit

[patandchickens]

What the o.p. is describing is traditional methods that 'mostly' work fine, particularly when performed by people who've been taught by other lifetime-experienced people and so forth.

What most other posters are describing is the modern USDA food science type approach, which is aimed at getting the success rate higher than 'mostly' and aimed at people who are learning to do it on their own. (e.t.a. - I'm not sure how completely it *succeeds* at either of those things, but that's its *goal*)

It is a personal choice, what level/type of risk you're comfortable with.

Y'all, fruit IS ALREADY ACID ENOUGH to prevent growth of botulism bacteria. (Well, nearly all fruit. There are some exceptions, e.g. figs and ripe bananas and so forth).

The waterbath-processing of canned fruits and jam and suchlike IS NOT what makes it safe from botulism -- when botulism is a concern i.e. in low-acid foods, it requires a pressure canner, or very very long waterbath canning plus a certain degree of faith and luck. Waterbath processing merely helps kill off the smallish number of other spoilage microorganisms that can thrive in high-sugar environments, and also aids in the formation of an airtight seal.

Pat

 

[k15n1]

(deleted)

 

[JRmom]

What the o.p. is describing is traditional methods that 'mostly' work fine, particularly when performed by people who've been taught by other lifetime-experienced people and so forth.

What most other posters are describing is the modern USDA food science type approach, which is aimed at getting the success rate higher than 'mostly' and aimed at people who are learning to do it on their own.

It is a personal choice, what level/type of risk you're comfortable with.

Y'all, fruit IS ALREADY ACID ENOUGH to prevent growth of botulism bacteria. (Well, nearly all fruit. There are some exceptions, e.g. figs and ripe bananas and so forth).

The waterbath-processing of canned fruits and jam and suchlike IS NOT what makes it safe from botulism -- when botulism is a concern i.e. in low-acid foods, it requires a pressure canner, or very very long waterbath canning plus a certain degree of faith and luck. Waterbath processing merely helps kill off the smallish number of other spoilage microorganisms that can thrive in high-sugar environments, and also aids in the formation of an airtight seal.

Pat

You are 100% correct. I have put up jam before without water bath processing, but I did it by filling the EXTREMELY HOT sterilized jar with EXTREMELY HOT fruit - all the heat will secure a seal. However, I wouldn't raw pack fruit without processing. Like you said, it's a personal choice as far as the risk you are willing to take.

 

[patandchickens]

My point is mainly just that raw-pack canned fruit WILL NOT give you botulism, as typical fruits are too acid to permit clostridial growth.

The only "risk" is one of losing jars, to fermentation or mold. You will know whether there is spoilage, with canned fruits. As long as one proceeds cautiously and does not eat from jars that are funky or growing fur or anything like that, there is no health risk.


Pat

 

[moolie]

Okra, I don't mean in any way to imply that your preserving methods don't work or aren't safe and I do apologize if my words came out wrong in that regard.

I didn't ever mention botulism, merely that open-kettle canning isn't "recommended" and that "you just don't know what bacteria may creep into the jars in between sterilizing, filling, and closing up the jar."

I received two lovely Kilner jars of jam from my MIL for Christmas back in 1995 and one of them was moldy, which was so disappointing and such a waste of good food and hard work. (I still have the jars and still store dry goods like pasta and beans in them.)

My Mom never did open-kettle canning, so I've always followed her lead simply because it's what I know--and I rely on my Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving as much as I rely on my Mom and Oma's old recipes and the recipes I've found in my 1960s Better Homes and Gardens Canning and Freezing book.

Most people on this forum do not have a long family background with canning, they are here to learn "new" skills (old to some of us) and when learning a new skill it's usually best to follow current accepted guidelines.

 

[moolie]

Just did a quick google for info about using Kilner jars and found a few neat sites (if anyone is interested):

http://www.kilnerjarsuk.co.uk/

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/30009-preservation-basics/

http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/bottling-canning/Bottling-Canning-Methods.php

 

[okra]

Great links Moolie thanks