Making Salsa

Add comment August 11th, 2009

Salsas are very popular and may outrank Ketchup in sales of condiments. Some people like it hot and spicy, others like it mild and mellow. Either way, homemade salsa is one of the most popular homemade foods. Salsas are easy to make at home. They can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for a short time. However, when homemade salsas are canned it is very important to use a tested recipe and process them correctly to destroy the bacteria that can cause botulism-a dangerous food poisoning. Follow the recipe instructions exactly and do not alter the proportions.

The texture and flavor of salsas may vary depending upon the ingredients and spices used. Salsas usually are a combination of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, acid, salt and spices. Red and green tomatoes may be used. Tomatillos (Mexican husk tomatoes) may be used in some recipes. Different types of peppers may be used, from mild green chiles for a milder product to Serrano or jalapeno peppers for a hotter product. However, the proportion or amount of peppers called for in a recipe should not be changed.

Be careful when working with hot peppers. Wear rubber gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes. The volatile oils in hot peppers can cause severe chemical burns.

Below is one of my favorite recipes. I make some every year with tomatoes from my garden and then I use it during the winter.  I use it in meat loaf, omelets, and with chips.  It’s a very simple recipe but good. I sometimes add fresh cilantro at the time when I serve it or I might also add fresh garlic.

Chili Salsa (makes 6 to 8 pints)

5 pounds tomatoes (3 quarts chopped)
2 pounds peppers (2 quarts chopped)
1 pound onion (2 ½ cups chopped)
1 cup vinegar (5%)
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Peel chiles as directed below.  Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split.  Dip in cold water, slip off skins, and remove cores.  Coarsely chop tomatoes, peppers and onions.  Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan.  Heat to boiling, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Fill pint jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top.  Put on lids and process in a boiling water canner:

15 minutes for altitudes of 0 to 1000 feet
20 minutes for altitudes of 1001 to 6000 feet
25 minutes for altitudes above 6000 feet.

Check out the National Home food preservation Web site for more recipes and home canning information.  Although some people consider salsa-making to be a creative art, it needs to be a science if you plan to can it.

If you enjoy creating your own salsa from end-of-the-season produce, plan to freeze it instead of canning it.  You could also can crushed tomatoes and create salsa with seasonal vegetables throughout the year.

Food Preserving: Better Safe than Sorry

Add comment August 6th, 2009

I’ve spent several Tuesday evenings this summer attending the Master Food Preserver training being offered by the Stephenson County Extension. I enjoy growing my own veggies and am interested in eating more local foods year-round, so this course seemed like just the thing for me. As I have no experience whatsoever with any kind of food preserving (other than memories of my mother freezing homemade applesauce when I was a kid), I’ve been soaking up loads of interesting information during the classroom and practicum parts of the class.

 

It seems that food preserving is a skill that waned in popularity, but is now making a comeback, just like knitting, sewing, baking, and veggie gardening. For those of you who are curious about getting started, I’d like to share some things I’ve learned. This might be of interest even for more experienced folks, as new discoveries are constantly being made at the University of Georgia, the national hub for research on food preserving. Guidelines for safe food preserving change as new discoveries are made. Indeed, researchers have found that means of food preserving that were once considered safe, are in fact not so. When it comes to the well being of one’s family, I feel it’s better safe than sorry.

 

There are only two safe ways of canning, depending on the type of food being preserved: the boiling water canner method and the pressure canner method. The former is used for high-acid foods like fruits and tomatoes, as well as jams, jellies, and pickles, while the latter is the only safe way to can other vegetables, meats, and poultry. The bacteria that causes botulism can be killed only at temperatures above 240°, a temperature that can be reached only in a pressure canner.

 

The open-kettle method, which was common in the past, is now considered unsafe. Foods were heated in a pan, then poured into jars. A lid was placed on the jar, but there was no further processing in a canner. Spoilage was common because bacteria, yeast, and mold were not killed by processing. There is a real risk of botulism with this type of canning.

 

Steam canners are also no longer considered safe, because the steam does not heat the jars in the same way that submersion in boiling water would. Canning in a microwave oven, standard oven, slow cooker, crock pot, and in the sun are all viewed as extremely dangerous.

 

Even though you may have a canning recipe that has been passed down in your family, you should be careful because some old recipes call for processing that is now considered unsafe. Cookbooks that are safe to rely on include the Ball Blue Book Guide To Preserving and So Easy to Preserve (published by University of Georgia Extension, and available through your local county Extension office). They’re chock full of great recipes and are the safest source of guidelines on the most up-to-date canning, freezing, and dehydrating methods.

Learn how to freeze, can the food you grow or get from local farmers

Add comment June 17th, 2009

Gardens are starting to produce these lovely , fresh vegetables and many people are visiting the local farmers markets. There is an increased interest in preserving some of those foods to enjoy this winter. Supporting local agriculture helps all of us in the Northern Illinois area. It’s good to know how the food you eat is being produced, and buying locally directly from a farmer or at the farmers market helps our local farmers.

Home canning and freezing is not a complicated process, however, strict guidelines need to be followed in order to keep the food safe. Be sure to follow the USDA research based recommendations and do not rely on old family recipes or any recipe book prior to 2006.

The two most common forms of food preservation are canning and freezing.

Freezing: Freezing is an easier and quicker way of preserving food. It costs between 38 and 50 cents a year to maintain a freezer for one pound of food, not including the cost of the produce. A couple of very important things to remember are: Use the proper packaging to protect flavor, color, moisture content and nutritional value from the dry conditions of the home freezer.  Also,  for vegetables, be sure to blanch for the recommended time.  Blanching stops the action of the enzymes that cause loss of flavor, color and texture.

Canning:  This method of preservation may be a less expensive way of storing produce, but more time and energy are spent to prepare and process the foods. Canning some foods can be difficult for beginners and it requires preserving foods by using methods that keep the food safe when stored at room temperatures. A pressure canner is needed to ensure safe low-acid canned foods. There are no safe boiling water canning options for vegetables, meats and seafood, soups and some other mixtures of foods.

Use up-to-date canning recommendations: Always use tested recipes and directions form a reliable source. Ignoring the recommended procedures can result in home canned products that may make you or your family members ill. Following are some recommended resources.

Two recommended resource recipe books: 
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, available from National Home Food Preservation
“The Ball Blue Book, available at most local stores that provide home canning supplies

Questions about Specific Canners:
National Presto Industries: 800-877-0441 (Parts and Service)
Mirro: 800-527-7727

Questions about specific canning products: 
Mrs. Wages: 800-647-8170
Sure-Jell: 877-535-5666
Splenda: 800-777.5363

Local University of Illinois Extension Offices also offer classes and help with Home Food Preservation.

With knowledge and reliable resources your home canning experience will be fun and successful.