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Monki Bread is excited to introduce Kitchen Monki member, Pryor Jones!

Hi Everyone! When Monki Bread asked me to participate to create a project about Canning, I was thrilled, because I really believe in Canning. Many people are thinking more about it. Canning is an Art. Canning is about Connecting. Canning is a way for us to get back our power about food. And most of all, Canning is a Journey.

I think it is really good to associate canning with gardening. Gardening brings on a Connection with the Earth, and starts manifesting subtle consciousness about food. If you are already a gardener, help others to get started. Is there a community garden already in your neighborhood that you could participate in? Do you have a deck or small patio with your apartment that you could accomplish a garden in pots? Perhaps a window sill to start a small herb garden? It may not be the season to actually start a garden right now, but many gardeners are planning for next years plantings, or, are accomplishing for a fall crop. I want to iterate that you can accomplish Canning Projects without gardening. I canned without gardening for years, but when I added gardening to my Canning Planning, it made the projects more personal.

Connecting with others that Can will influence your ideas, thoughts, and bring people and Life Situations together about the Art. Perhaps other members of your family would like to learn more and participate? Do you have a county extension office in your community that you could start to gain more information? Did any members of your immediate family still, or used to can? Do you have a Farmer’s Market in your village, town or city? How about an orchard? Are there Berry farms? Seeking out these types of suppliers for food is much better than going to WalMart! As you begin to connect with others, you will become more conscious about the harvest, and really know when the fruits and vegetables are in season and are ready to be canned.

I have to admit that there is an investment when you decide to start Canning. But the most important thing to focus on is to Just Start. Begin!

There are two basic procedures to accomplishing a safe canned product. The first is the Water Bath Process, and the second is Pressure Canning. There is a science to this art, just like there is chemistry to cooking. To make this really simple, most fruits are safely canned by accomplishing the Water Bath Process. Most Vegetables require the Pressure Canning process. Let us then begin Planning on Canning 101!

You are going to need tools. You are going to need a boiling pot that can accommodate the size jars that you want so that they are totally submerged in water. This pot will also have to have a proper fitting lid. You also want the pot tall enough that when the water boils, the water does not spill out of the pot and onto your stove. This pot that you select should also have a rack, or a jar rack that can be placed in the bottom of the Boiling Pot. Rags in the bottom of the pot are NOT a good idea. Jars are not safe if just placed in the bottom of a pot to boil. Many Hardware stores have selections of Water Bath Canners that you can select from, or give you ideas about a pot you already have in your kitchen that will do the job.

You are going to need a tool called a jar lifter. Another great tool is a wand that has a magnet on the end of it to fish out the jar lids. Because it is necessary to have the lids also hot, the magnetized wand, enables you to retrieve a lid from the hot water, without using your fingers. Tongs can damage the underside surface, or scratch to top of the lid. I have noticed that there now are kits that have these tools in them, and are well worth the investment. I recollect my first canning project, I put my filled jars in the pot, and when the boiling time was over, I said to myself….”How the Hell am I going to get them out?” It was then, that I started reading and researching. On a final note, to have a funnel is a very, very handy tool to add to your list. This enables easy pouring and adding product or liquid to the jar, and avoids spillage, and aids in keeping the jar rim much cleaner.

Speaking of jars, you are going to need a supply of them. Ball and Kerr Brands are very familiar to most. These jars are manufactured to deal with the extreme temperatures that are required for canning. These brands of jars also say Mason on them. Mason was the name of the man who invented the rings on the top of the glass jar that shifted the canning process, allowing a band to be screwed onto the jar. Don’t use the Mayonnaise Jar! Many did, and still do because it was popular out of necessity during the ’30’s and unfortunately, many still think it is possible because Grandma did it. There are also great European canning jars too, one great Italian brand is Quattro Stagioni.

Since Apple season is here I would like to focus on a recipe for Canning Apples. Canning Apples was my very first attempt at Canning! I have to admit, they would not have won the blue ribbon at the county fair!

To can apples the basics are: Put hot product in hot jars with hot lids, and fill the jars with hot liquid. Boil the sealed jars while they are submerged in water. Those are the bare necessities, and the “art” comes with practice.

To Begin, preparation is key to successful canning. Allowing yourself a lot of time to accomplish the task is another key factor; you just can’t rush through a good canning job. So Be Patient with yourself! You are going to make mistakes, but in the canning process, such as life, it is the mistakes that you learn from. As you continue the journey, you will become a better and better canner. Often times consciousness of a mistake does not even occur until after you have the finished product.

It will be good to also have an apple cutter (seen below). This tool looks like a ring, with handles on the outside of the ring shape. The tool has sections of sharp blades extending from a center ring, resembling a wagon wheel. The center ring of the cutter easily removes the core. Having uniform sized apple slices in the jar is a necessity when canning apples.

These are some of the don’ts for canning apples.

Raw Pack method is NOT successful for canning apples. Raw Pack is a safe process with many fruits and vegetables that packs the jar with a raw product. Because apples are very crisp, the raw pack method does not allow for a properly packed jar of product when canning apples. By cooking the apple slices, and “softening” the fruit up, a better packed jar is accomplished. Many people want to chose a Raw Pack method, because they desire a crisp firm apple. However, a raw pack method for apples produces “floating” product in the jar, the syrup is on the bottom, and the top pieces of the apple are thus exposed in the “headspace”, and tend to “dry up”, turn brown, while in the jar. I have discovered a product called pickle crisp. It is actually calcium chloride granules, that one can add to a jar before packing. I have had much success with this product. You don’t necessarily have to use the product when canning apples. Using products such as this, is of course a personal choice.

Don’t leave any peelings on the apple. Be neat and precise.

Don’t turn the filled jar upside down after retrieved from the water bath, or thinking that you will seal your jar by avoiding the water bath process, by turning the jar upside down. Yes it will seal, but avoiding the Water Bath Process, and just turning the jar upside down to seal the jar, you have also sealed in the jar with your product, the bacteria that causes spoilage. You need to accomplish the water bath to kill the bacteria, and have a safe product that will last.

Canning Tips for Apples:

I fill the kitchen sink with water, lemons and lemon juice. This enables you to continue to peel, cut, and prep the apples. By placing your prepped apples back into the “lemoned” water, this will keep them from turning brown as you continue to prepare your apple load into slices. There are products that one can use to accomplish the same task, but I try to be as natural about the process as I can.

If you desire, keep the apple peels and use them to flavor your syrup. If you picked your apples from the back yard, you will know about the apples being sprayed. If you don’t know about any pesticides used, I would suggest to avoid using the peels in your syrup. The peels will be discarded, and not used in the jar, but can add more of an apple flavor to your canning project.

HeadSpace is easily defined as the unfilled space in the jar between the top of the food or liquid, and the underside of the lid. The correct amount of headspace is essential to allow for food expansion as the jars are heated and for the formation of a strong vacuum seal as the jars cool. Removing air bubbles is a big part of accomplishing proper headspace. I use a wooden kabob stick, to remove air bubbles. Sometimes you have to adjust the headspace after air bubbles are removed, by adding more product or liquid. In the case of apples, you would adjust headspace by adding more liquid. The proper headspace for canning apple slices is 1/2″. I still use a ruler to acquire a proper head space. The ruler is a part of my kitchen supply of tools now.

The recipe that follows will give details for canning apples, and hopefully offer some tips that I learned from my mistakes.

Begin the prep by working from the end. If you have the counter space, prepare the area where you will be filling the hot jars. I use light cotton towels on the counter, laid open. Prep a hot pad to put the saucepan. Prep paper towels, one to place the funnel, and ones to wipe the rim of the jar after the product has been poured into the jar. The lids are in the saucepan and heating up, and the water bath canner is ready to go….Srew bands are near by. Recollect that at a minimum, you will be using three burners on the stove. One small pot for the jar lids, one large stainless steel saucepan for the syrup. Select a large stainless steel, deep pot, for it is not only going to have the syrup, but you are going to add your apple slices to it as well. The final burner will have the Water Bath Canner. Always recollect to add 2 more jars with lids and screw bands than the recipe says. It is a pain in the **&^%^*, if you run out of jars and have to stop your process to heat up more jars to finish your Canning Project!

Your wand is at the ready. The wand is not a magical tool that Harry Potter uses to can, but, recollect that the wand is a tool that has a magnet on the end of it to attract the lids, which are for the jars. The Jars are in your canner and are heating up, almost to a boil. Recollect to have vinegar to add to the water bath after you have placed the final product in the canner for processing. White Distilled Vinegar in your water does help to prevent staining on the jars and lids. A couple of Tablespoons should do the job! One final note, have a place to put your jars after you take them out of their water bath. Putting hot jars on a cool counter top is not safe. I use a cutting board of wood or plastic with a cotton towel over it to absorb any remaining liquid. I always look forward to hearing that “pop” sound as the jars seal. Some remember that sound from being a kid!

The recipe in finality is published in the recipe file. The first completed canning job can be addicting. I have had many conversations with canners, and they all agree, sometimes they just look at their canned jars with pride. They also look great in your cupboard, be it totally exposed or behind closed doors. The look really adds to your kitchen decor, not to mention, to your recipes, and once you have them, you will always want to continue to add Planning on Canning to your Lifestyle.

Be Well, and May All Your Life Situations Be Strewn With Auspicious Blessings.

Feel free to email me for any questions at dak2010@live.com, or if you would like to have another Planning on Canning Blog, leave a comment below or let Monki Bread know about your requests! Would love to see photos of your Canned Apples!

Thanks!

For more great Canning recipes from Pryor, visit his Kitchen Monki Profile!

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Good morning, Monki Bread readers! Last week’s five Kitchen Monki Grocery Tote Bag winners are as follows:

1) Annmarie
2) Meemosa
3) Nisha
4) Hazel
5) Joey

Congrats to all and thanks for reading the blog!

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