Okay, so I’m feeling insecure. Some of the follow-up to the last post didn’t help. After reading part 1 of the “I Can Too” series, my friend Monique sent me an email that included the following phrase:
because of stories i have heard from my mother about ‘then, in the middle of the night, we heard loud explosions…’ i, too, have been scared away from canning anything.
Then, my own mom followed with a link to an article that said:
if you are canning at home, including making jams and jellies, you must use a water bath or pressure canner, if you want to avoid food poisoning. By food poisoning they are referring to varieties of bacteria, such as botulism, that grow in a sealed environment. Without hyperbole, death is one of the outcomes of such poisoning.
The emphasis is mine, but still. Gee whiz.
To be fair, Monique also included a link to this article, about making pickles without a canner — which they claim is safe as long as you eat the stuff relatively quickly. And I know my mom was just trying to keep my entire family from by being poisoned by botulism. And I appreciate that. I do.
Here’s the thing: this post in the “I Can Too!” series involves me striking out on my own. No expert. Just me and one friend, also a novice. But when you read that kind of stuff — loud explosions, death — it’s just kind of scary. So this post might be more aptly called The Post In Which I Might Be a Wee Bit Proud, But Am Also Scared Out of My Wits.
Okay, first: the fun stuff.
Barbara Kingsolver says of her afternoons canning, “a steamy kitchen full of women talking about our stuff is not so different from your average book group, except that we end up with jars of future meals.” Which is fun, especially because my canning partner — my friend, Jill — also happens to be a member of my book group (she hearts Michael Pollan, too, by the way). The fates were on our side, as she was even able to borrow a friend’s CSA membership for the week.
So off we went to gather a bucket full o’ tomatoes. Here’s the harvest:
We used the boiling bath, raw tomato method (I’m just so proud that I can use phrases like “boiling bath raw tomato method.” Please take a moment to be impressed). We:
1. Sterilized the jars in the dishwasher.
2. Peeled the skins off of tomatoes (to peel them, we dipped them in boiling water for at least 60 seconds, then the peels pretty much slipped off).
3. Cored them, and cut them in half
(we interrupt this description for a photo:)
4. Added 2 TBSP bottled lemon juice to each jar (this is critical, apparently, as it increases the acidity).
5. Filled jars with the skinless, tomato halves
6. Added a teaspooon of salt to each jar.
7. Covered the jarred tomatoes with water (not boiling! the instructions on my slip of paper didn’t say boiling! Experienced canners! Take note!).
(another photo:)
8. Put lids on and tightened screw caps
9. Placed the jars in to our canning pot, covered them with water, and turned the heat on. Once the water was was boiling, we let the jars sit in the boiling water for 45 minutes.
(here they are, not quite boiling yet):
10. After 45 minutes, we removed the jars, and watched them seal up one by one. They sealed beautifully.
I expected these jars of tomatoes to be kind of beautiful. Kingsolver, says “by September, all those gorgeous, red-filled jars lining the pantry shelf make me happy. They look like early valentines, and they are, for a working mother.” From a distance, she’s right; they are kind of lovely.
But here’s the thing: up close, they look a different from what I expected. They look…kind of like…brains floating in formaldehyde. Am I right? Look:
Since I’ve never done this before, I’m feeling insecure…like maybe we should have packed the tomatoes down further, and then we wouldn’t have needed to add so much water. And since we did add all that water, maybe the whole acidity ratio is off, and botulism spores are going to thrive, and I’m going to poison everyone in my family. I really, really, really don’t want to do that.
So, um. If any of you experienced canners feel like we’ve done something awful by adding that much water, I’d really appreciate knowing. In the meantime, I’m gonna’ let those jarred tomatoes sit on my shelf for a while, and try to see them like Barbara does: like valentines. And not like poison.
While we’re on the subject of canning tomatoes, check out this guy’s account of canning 1,000 tomatoes in a day. It’s from last summer, but he’s cute as a button, so I couldn’t resist. And, if you’re feeling ambitious yourself, you can find everything you need to know about canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
And experienced canners? I’m serious: if you think I should be more frightened than proud, I’d really love to know.
I’m kind of against canning because my husband and I keep having the canned versus frozen fight. He grew up on canned foods and I grew up on frozen. He thinks beans are supposed to be gray and only taste like the butter and garlic you smother them with. Aren’t frozen foods nutritionally superior? The only canned things I use are tomatoes and black or kidney beans. I think that’s great that you did the canning thing. I just can’t get over my predjudice of tasteless, soggy veggies and would prefer to have a chest freezer.
Mine always did that, too. We have, in fact, just finished making a ton of tomato sauce. Yes, a ton. I love seeing it in my pantry…fresh foods that we have grown…all sealed up just waiting for winter to arrive so that we can taste a summer fresh mater.
I will be honest, tho, and say that I have visions of that same thing you mentioned. The B word. I mean, cmon…I am not a food preservationist….I like to eat it. That does not make me an expert on how to store it.
Last year, we made a huge batch of salsa. huge. It was a recipe my Ma had come up with. It was really good. tangy, yet sweet. So, here I am, canning up all this salsa goodness, just to later find out that ummm….actually no, what? You have to have an acidity ratio? Ma knows nothing of this. All the salsa that sits before me, once a warm spot in my heart…then became a nasty, spore ridden, mess. I contacted my local extension and they firmly warned me to either get rid of it or freeze it. So, we froze all we could and then had to still throw out a ton. I only had so much freeze space. And I must say. Freezer salsa. Not nearly as good as canned.
Lesson learned. Canning, its serious business.
Seriously, check out lacto-fermented veggies in Sandor Felix Katz’s Wild Fermentations book. I think you’ll enjoy it.
It’s abundently obvious if the batch of lacto-fermented veggies is bad, unlike botulism. Though I’ve rarely had a batch not work properly. And lacto-fermenting *increases* nutrition rather than decreasing it. You can use the same wide mouth canning jars that you use for canning (that is the containers recommended in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions), but I tend to use the jars just for fermented food storage. I do the initial fermentation in a Japanese pickle-maker, which is a container with a lid that has a screw-down plate that presses the food under the brine.
One more note: since many people try sauerkraut or kimchees as their first “ferments”, you can also buy some “raw” sauerkraut or kimchee from the health food store (not sterile canned conventional sauerkraut/kimchee from the grocery store) and use some juice as an onoculum or starter culture (like with yogurt), just to be sure. But even that really isn’t necessary.
I have canned; I would say you have too much head room in there. Not sure why you added the water. It’s OK to really pack those tomatoes in the jar. You should have about a half inch between the top of the Can you get access to Stocking Up (I have the 3rd edition by Carol Hupping and the Staff of the Rodale Food Center, but there are earlier eds, and I’m sure later ones, too as this was published in 1986).
You can UNcan and start again, though. I’ve done it! It’s all a learning process, as they say.
I’m no expert, but I’ve written and read a lot. The acid thing is related to avoiding botulism. Ma never added lemon juice because in the old days tomatoes always were plenty acidic. I think tut-tut is right. You just need to jam those babies in there (use a knife or a spoon to press out air), and add water/reserved juice to within 1/2 inch of top. — Janet, not an expert but a know-it-all
Hmm. Okay, first: Kate, you’re right, I think. I’m pretty sure freezing is more nutritious. And it does taste more like the original vegetable. And…you don’t have the whole botulism concern. Hm. My biggest concerns about freezing are (1)I have scared myself silly about plastic, which I suppose is something I just need to get over. (2) I don’t have a deep freezer, and my regular freezer is small and sort of unreliable. But that, too, is solveable – I just recently saw a deep freezer at a consignment store….then I could also do that whole side-of-a-cow thing, too.
Frugalmom – darned scary stuff, this. And the creepy thing about botulism? Anna said it above, but apparently you can’t smell it or taste it or anything – it’s just THERE, hiding. Like the sniper of food poisoning.
Anna – it’s funny you should mention that book. I just saw it on the shelf at the food co-op, and I started browsing through it, thinking, “hmm…I wonder if I would use this…” Knowing me, I will pick it up and browse several more times…and then suddenly one night I won’t be able to sleep because I’ll know, JUST KNOW, that I have to get it first thing in the morning. I have to say, the words “lacto-fermentation” sound a little intimidating right now. But you know, it wasn’t that long ago that cooking anything that didn’t just get dropped in boiling water was intimidating. Already, I’ve come a long way, baby.
Tut Tut – and Janet – oh, how I appreciate your expertise, even though oh, how I wish you had simply said “looks great! you’re safe!” So quickly do I need to UNcan? And then REcan? I’m out of town at the moment – about 200 miles from my brainy-lookin’ cans with too much headroom. Will they be un-re-canable by next week? The thought of having ruined such a beautiful bounty is a little heartbreaking. But I guess that’s the learning process right there. And, oh, they look so pretty. But if I can still uncan and pack down upon my return, I will. By the way, next year the canning party’s at my house and you guys are SO INVITED.
My cans look just like yours. I jammed the tomatoes down as much as I could, adding no water, and canned them. I’m assuming they are OK since I’m prefect and never screw up.
Just kidding! But at least ours both look the same. That makes me feel better. I followed the directions to the T in the booklet that came with my pressure canner.
If you have to wait until next week, I’d still uncan, but then cook up a salsa or relish or tomato sauce, because to be safe you’ll have to bring everything up to boiling, and let it go for a while. But what’s wrong with tomato sauce? You’d be using the tomatoes to make that anyway, right??
hey there- my husbands grandma was a canner- we lived in her house briefly and used to giggle in the canned food pantry down in the basement trying to figure out what in the heck some of the unidentifiable foods were in those jars. i’m with kate, i always found canned stuff kinds gross. and oddly colored. seriously, some of his grandma’s stuff was all sorts of pinky colors. bleh.
i would wholeheartedly recommend the deep freeze! my mom had one (now ours) and it’s fabulous! we buy tons of stuff in bulk and freeze it for later- bread, meats, veggies, fruit, dairy, etc. i really love it and they can last a very long time.
we just froze 5 quarts of tomatoes for sauce. i use chinese food soup containers, please don’t hate me. we freeze through the summer then come a nice cool dampish day in late autumn i whip up big batches of sauce for the whole year. my mom used to use the seal-a-meal system for freezing her soups and sauces, if that is less toxic than plastic containers? speaking of which i am having a tough time finding a safe sippy cup w/ a straw for pnuts milk that is easy to clean- milk is gross to clean inside of those valves/straws!
and i have a microwave pickle recipe for you if you are interested. delish!
Some of the liquid in your jars (though not all, since you did add water) does actually come from the tomatoes themselves. I find the same thing often happens when I can crushed tomatoes… no water added, but if I don’t press the tomatoes down, run a knife around the edge to release air bubbles, and top it off, I can get 1″-2″ of liquid at the bottom because the tomatoes do actually cook a bit longer in the jars when you run them through the hot water bath.
My non-expert guess is that you are probably OK, even without re-canning. But if you’re nervous about it — and that’s understandable, I’ve been there! — do open the jars and make sauce out of them, then re-can. (Note: if you decide to make spaghetti sauce or any kind of sauce with other vegetables, follow a recipe specifically designed for canning in a hot-water bath. Other vegetables can lower the acidity of the tomatoes.)
Future tip: use tomatoes that aren’t fully ripe. The acidity in them is higher.
And hey! Good for you for giving it a go!
One other suggestion for future endeavors: Quarter the tomatoes instead of halving them. Small pieces will pack in there tighter.
The apricots I canned in medium syrup a couple of weeks ago did the same thing, and even the pickles I fresh-packed this weekend were kind of floaty. According to Stocking Up, it’s a result of the liquid in the jar being heavier than the produce. But it’s really hard to get stuff packed in tightly, and then when you process the jars the produce cooks down and all your packing efforts seem to be not enough. This is my first canning season too, so I can definitely identify with the nervousness!
Apologies for the long post, but I hope this helps
Background info part A – it’s the toxin, not the Botulinum bacteria, that makes you sick.
With most food poisonings, it’s the actual bug that makes you sick – salmonella or E coli get into your gut and multiply, wreaking havoc for two to three days. Clostridium botulinum bacteria aren’t harmful themselves, but one of the waste products they produce when growing (say, in your canned asparagus) is botulinum toxin. Basically the toxin is clostridium botulinum poop, and it’s one of the more deadly nerve toxins on the planet. So instead of a massive upset stomach, a la salmonella, ingesting the botulinum toxin causes all your nerves to become paralysed, until your heart and lungs are no longer able move and you suffocate or have a heart attack (or something along those lines).
Background info part B – We have spores, living bacteria (clostridium botulinum) and toxin.
The best analogy for a spore is a seed; think of a seed surviving years of drought and heat that would kill a living plant, only to germinate and grow into a tree when conditions become favourable. Spores can survive extremes of heat and acidity which would kill the living bacteria. Spores of clostridium botulinum are found EVERYWHERE, especially in soil. In favourable conditions the spores can proliferate into active bacteria (like a seed germinating in spring after 9 months of lying on the ground). For clostridium botulinum bacteria, favourable conditions are low-oxygen (ie in a can) and low acid (ie slightly acidic to neutral, or pH 5-7). Once active, clostridium botulinum bacteria start multiplying and producing botulinum toxin, which is what makes us sick.
The following information has been shamelessly taken from Harold McGee’s exquisite book “On Food and Cooking”:
Clostridium botulinum (the active bacteria) thrives in low-acid, airless conditions – oxygen is toxic to it – and produces a deadly nerve toxin (botulinum toxin). The toxin is easily destroyed by boiling, but the dormant bacterial spores are very hardy and can survive prolonged boiling. Unless the spores are killed by the extreme conditions of higher-than-boiling temperatures (requiring a pressure cooker), the spores will proliferate into active bacteria when the can cools down, and the toxin will accumulate. One precautionary measure is to boil any canned produce after opening to destroy any toxin that may be there, but all suspect cans, specially those bulging from the pressure of gases produced by bacterial growth, should be discarded.
The low pH (aka high acidity) of tomatoes and many common fruits inhibits the growth of clostridium botulinum bacteria, so these foods require the least severe canning treatment, usually about 30 minutes in a bath of boiling water to heat the contents to 85-90 C (185-195 F). Most vegetables are only slightly acid, with a pH of 5 or 6 (neutral is 7) are much more vulnerable to bacteria and moulds. They’re typically heated in a pressure cooker at 116 C or 240 F for 30 to 90 minutes.
In summary:
1. Spores are everywhere: make sure you, your kitchen, your can and its contents are all scrupulously clean.
2. Spores will only “germinate” and bacteria grow in low-acid, airless conditions: ensure the contents of the can are acidic, so if there are spores present they won’t be able to turn into living, toxin producing bacteria.
3. You can destroy the botulinum toxin by boiling: As a last resort, if you’re worried, it is possible to destroy the botulinum toxin by boiling your canned goods after opening and just before eating. But, it is NOT A GOOD IDEA to rely on this if the can looks suspect, is bulging with gases or you have any other reason to suspect that points 1 and 2 might have been ignored in the canning process.
Phew!
Anna
Don’t panick with such things. It is now 2008 and I’m reading this. You added in the lemon juice. You filled jars with raw pack. They float because of the raw pack. Yes, your headspace is limited, but I hope you kept these and enjoyed. You canned for the right amount of time.
Tomatoes are not dangerous now for canning nor less acidic. I’m a tomato nut and specialize in them. I grow about 100 varieties to seed save. Your process is good, just next time fill a bit more. If you hot pack instead of rawpack, you won’t get the fruit floating such and it will look like less fluid, but really, tomatoes are mainly water. If you try dehydrating them, you’ll really see it. So, for others reading, use the step by step process on the link provided by the nation food preservation center UGA. Adding water is not bad — all of us sometimes have to fill a jar up. You actually did a fine job. Next time, just decrease the headspace. I’m at a higher altitude than many and I must keep a bigger headspace on some things due to boil over.
Also, FYI, salt is NOT necessary for those who are on salt reduced diets. And, instead of lemon juice, citric acid can be added or even vinegar to acidify. The researchers have added these items now to be extra safe. Tomatoes, like the heirlooms I grow now, are no less acidic than before, but I process to today’s set of instructions.
God Bless — you did a terrific job. And with Freezers, you are just one power outage from losing it all…. I’d rather have much canned. With tomatoes, research shows and increase in lycopene with cooking. Canning is a PLUS for tomatoes!