canning/storing dry goods

[ORChick]

Thank you all for the responses. One last thing (I just want to make sure I have this in my head right)... ok two.

When I purchase dry goods at the store (beans, rice, flour, sugar, etc), I can

1: store them as is for normal use.

2: repackage them in a vaccum (foodsaver, oxygen absorber), for longer storage.

3: process them (by oven canning or freezing) to eliminate any "creepy crawly" and then package them for long term.

So... option #2 is just suspending the products in the vacuum until I open them, at which point the creepy crawly potential might still be there... do I have that right? I've read a lot about oven canning being "not safe", but if the point is to kill any potential for bugs on a product that's already been preserved (dried/dehydrated), wouldn't that be ok?

Thanks, I don't want to spend the time and money to put things up only to find their unusable in a time of need.

After opening your jars the potential for re-infestation exists certainly, but the chances of that happening are slim. I open the jar of dry beans (for example), and take out what I need at that time, and then I put the lid back on. "Creepy crawlies" in this instance are most likely pantry moths, and I don't have them flying willy nilly about the kitchen, so in those few moments that the jar is open they don't fly in. This is why I freeze things bought from bulk bins - because the chances that moths had got into the bins, and laid some eggs, is fairly high - but not from store bought plastic bags. The food has already been in that bag for awhile, and possibly treated (heat or something) at the processing plant. Any bugs, IMO, would have already made themselves noticeable.

As to oven canning your dried goods, I have never done it, and don't know much about it. But it seems to me that that would be extra work to no purpose. Yes, you will get a seal on your jar, and will kill any hitch hikers - but the seal isn't really necessary (as you will break it as soon as you remove any of the contents) - and the hitch hikers can be killed with less work by freezing. If your lids are tight bugs won't creep into the jars while they are on the shelf.

 

[KimV]

Kim, I have a lot of dry goods stored in canning jars. I put them in, put the lids on, and stash them in the freezer for a few days. That kills any unseen critters or eggs. Then I take them out and store them in the pantry. It's that easy. I don't bother with oven canning, but if it's possible I don't see why you couldn't do it that way.

Can I use the freezer in my fridge? Do I have to get the temperature down to a certain point?

 

[rmf11699]

for best long term storage, is it best to put my dry foods (beans, rice and such) into the mylar bag, insert an oxygen absorber, heat seal and then place in a food safe bucket?