Canning of vegetables

Canning of vegetables is done to preserve them for a long time and to increase their shelf life. Vegetables are low in acids and they should be canned in a pressure canner at the specific pressure to ensure their safety. The bacteria like clostridium botulinum cause food poisoning and it should be killed during the process to prevent food poisoning. The two common methods used for the canning of vegetables are water bath canning and pressure canning. Pressure canning is usually preferred but for home usually water bath canning is done.

Canning of tomatoes and cucumber form harvesting

1. Harvesting of tomatoes

During harvesting of tomatoes, tomato plant should not be harmed. Tomato harvester is also used for harvesting tomatoes. It works by sorting the soft fruit from firm and load the tomatoes in the bins which are attached behind the harvester. Manual plucking of tomato is best. In this both hands are used for plucking. They are harvested when the color of tomatoes become bright and they become slightly soft. If they are not soft leave them for further ripening. If you can’t wait more pluck the green tomatoes and put them in a paper bag for ripening. After harvesting they are stored unwashed. The room temperature is best for these tomatoes for ripening. If they are placed in the refrigerator they will become mushy and their flavor will be reduced. The canning of tomatoes can be done by the water bath canner and the pressure canner but the pressure canner will give the best quality and it will be more nutritious. The water bath canning can be used for tomatoes because they are acidic in nature.

Equipment for canning of tomatoes

1-Canning Jars

2-Jars lifter

3-Sharp Knife

4-Oven

5-Squeeze Strainer

6-Pressure Canner

7-Water bath canner

Canning Of Tomatoes

1.   Tomatoes are prepared for canning by washing them and then removing the tip of the tomatoes and after that tomatoes are peeled by blanching by putting the tomatoes in the boiling water for one minute and then allow them to cool. After them become cool enough to touch remove the skin of the tomato by hand.

2.       Use washed and sterilized jars by putting them in the oven at 110 degrees centigrade and their lids for canning but the rings used need to be washed properly.

3.       Put the peeled tomatoes and their juice in the jar and add only one tablespoons of lemon juice which should be concentrated.

4.       Leave one-half head space of the jar and remove the air from jar by running the knife on the sides of the jar.

5.       Put the lid on it screw it and make the jar finger tight.

6.       Put the sealed jars in the boiling water in the pressure canner and ensure that the water should be over the jars at-least an inch above the jars and start the timing process.

7.       Heat the jars for 35 minutes for better results.

8.       Remove the jars from the water with the help of jar lifter and allow them to cool before storing them.

9.       Test for the seal should be done in the end.

10.   The canned tomatoes can be used within 6 months.

Tips for Better Canning of tomatoes.

1.      Select the only tomato which should be ripe enough and should be disease free, don’t use rotted tomatoes.

2.      Maintain the acidity to normal when adding acid and it should not be much high or much low.

3.      The processing time of canned tomatoes should be best and assure that any spoiler in it should be killed by high time processing.

4.      The removal of floating problem of tomatoes by using fresh and firm tomatoes or by removing the juicy content of tomatoes from the jars before processing.

5.      Avoid separation by using the pectin present within the tomato naturally.

2-Harvesting of Cucumbers.

Cucumbers are harvested in 55 to 70 days because they need a long growing season. The three main varieties of cucumber that exists are Slicing, Seedless and pickling. Harvesting the cucumber at right time ensures that it will not be bitter and have sweet taste. Cucumbers which are harvested too late have very bitter taste and will have off-flavor. Garden pruners or shears are used for harvesting the cucumbers which are ripe by cutting the stem at-least 6 millimeter above the cucumber. Put them in the basket after harvesting and prevent from bruising. After harvesting cucumbers should be stored at room temperature because they are sensitive to temperature below 10 degrees Celsius, and when they are stored at room temperature they thrive and last long. For canning dill pickles for refrigerator is good but canning of cucumber can also be done by using vinegar and further process in the pressure canner.

Equipment for Canning of Cucumber.

1.    Mason jars

2.    Jar lifter

3.    Pressure canner

4.    Canning Funnel

5.    Oven

1. Stirrer.

Canning of Cucumber.

1.    The slices of the cucumber should be small because if they are large in size their will be difficulty in handling and they will not fit in the jar.

2.    Remove the both ends of the cucumber because at these ends there is a enzyme that will cause the softening

3.    Put the cucumbers in the jar and add the flavours such a pickling salt in the jar.

4.    Put the brine solution in the jar and half of the jar should be filled by brine from the top.

5.    Seal the jar and it should not be tight enough that air bubbles present in it cannot be escaped from the jar.

6.    Place the sealed jars in the boiling water in the pressure canner and boil it for 15 minutes and after that remove the jars from boiling water with the help of jar lifter and place them in the room temperature without disturbing for one day.

7.    Test for the seal should be done in the end.

8.    To check whether the seal has formed push it in the center and hear the pop. If there is no poping then it means seal has been formed and if you hear the pop it means seal has not been formed yet.

9.    The canning seal should be formed within the one-day time and if the seal is not formed repeat the whole process.

10. Use the canned cucumbers within three months.

Tips for Canning of Cucumber.

Do not use the bruised cucumbers and also do not use the waxed cucumbers because waxing will stop the pickling liquid to enter the cucumber. The stem and blossom should be removed from the cucumbers.