Canning RAW Sauerkraut!!

I just learned a nifty little tip from friends. Did you know that you can "can" RAW sauerkraut and keep it raw?? NO heat needed! Just prepare your raw Kraut ( Shred cabbage, fill a jar, salt it and smash it down until the juices rise enough to just cover the top of the kraut and let sit) put your regular canning jar lid on and put it away on a shelf (NO REFRIGERATION NEEDED!!) It seals itself and stays rawlicious for a year + on the shelf!! No canner needed - still raw. That is how my local homesteading friends do it! I was so excited to learn this little tip! I don't care for cooked kraut, but this will be a wonderful way to have raw kraut stored it in our pantry!

I am wondering, is this common knowledge? Am I "the last one to know" this?? :-) Is this the same also for Kimchee and fermented carrots??


Simply wonderful!!

* UPDATE* July 8, 2012
I just thought I would update this post a little.  As you may notice on the blog, I have been experimenting with lacto-fermented foods sine I wrote this post.  I thought you might like to know that I have preserved raw lacto-fermented sauerkraut in this way for over nine months now.,  It is FABULOUS!  I have done it with our without whey.  I have also done it  with and without caraway seeds.  It's all keeps well good...it is just a matter of personal preference. I keep mine in a cool place (for us that is the root cellar- for others that could be a basement.  I have a friend in AL who has neither a basement or root cellar and she just wrote me and said she is going to try it in the crawl space of her house!  (I will have to get back to you next year, as to her results!  :-))

I am researching and experimenting with storing other varieties of lacto-fermented foods.  I hope to post more of my findings and results from my experiments.  If anyone knows of a good resource that has documented lacto-fermentation and food storage..PLEASE TELL ME!  I have been looking!  :-)


This post was shared at Simple Lives

Canning Outside - Updated

Things to consider if you are thinking about canning outdoors:

Water is needed to can, to clean and often to cook. You will need to have access to water in your outdoor canning spot. It doesn't have to be fancy. I have had the luxury of a sink in my garage at previous locations, but I find a hose is even MORE handy than a sink. I can pitch water in a designated dumping spot so the drain part of your sink is the earth! The faucet part is a very portable hose for me! DH fashioned me this snazzy clip so it would be handy, kept clean and out of the way when I didn't need it. (YES!)

Fire is needed to cook. Be it wood, propane or other portable means. Consider your project and HOW MUCH fire you need. I sterilize my jars in my canner - so that is the same "burner". However I like to do several canners and I often have a couple things going at once. (Like broth AND meat for instance.) So this requires extra burners. I have 7 high powered burners to work with, all of which bring very large canners to boil quickly. I operate canners that run 15-29 Quarts at a time.

Shelter is optional, but nice, especially if you need to can in inclimate weather. Than it is advanced to a non optional fast. :-) While we have a permanent shelter in our farm plans for cooking/canning down the line, for now we are doing it in the open this summer. We have temporary shelter we could erect and have used before, but we find that our "country breeze" does a real number on our temporary shelters and they can't be left up for too long and rarely last a storm (which come often).

Work Surfaces are very important in your outdoor canning set up. They should be wipeable. A wooden picnic table would not pass this test in my eyes. Put plastic Lifetime tables have serves wonderfully. I can disinfect them and wipe them easily. They are portable and light, easy to set up and move around. However my favorite are my two stainless steel tables we found at Costco several years back. They are the greatest! I shift my "counters" around all the time to best fit my project. I also like to use little side tables beside my stoves. This is handy for quick close filling and transferring to and from the stove and setting utensils. They too get shifted around all the time. Sturdy "TV Trays" or small aluminum camp tables work very well for this. Having extra tables are so handy for so many things so it is a fine investment that will pay for itself in so many ways!

Your Supplies may be as unique as you! One of things that I find VERY VERY handy in my out door canning is coolers. We have various sizes that we use round for all kind of things - but caning is no exception! They keep hot things hot and cold things cold. They are easy to clean and come in all kinds of sizes. They are especially wonderful for LARGE projects and they can keep things covered for the bugs. Rubbermaid tubs are also very handy for out door canning. You can use them as sinks or ways to transport things around. They are wonderfully durable and light and are handy for bringing in the harvest - they have lids if you need them and they serve other purposes through out the year too. ( I also use restaurant Bus Tubs, I got at the restaurant supply store.)

Consider weather and season that you are canning in. This will effect your supplies and preparations and even weather or not is feasible to do! Canning outdoors in Alaska int he winter time might be an option. The mosquito's in Michigan might make it unbearable in the summer, but Spring and fall are perfect. Also - watch your weather that day! If it is windy or raining or blazing heat - you might need to make extra provisions in your set up to proceed. However, canning outdoors is ideal for large projects once you get your set up smooth.

Work with what you've got and add things as you go. You might START by canning some things on a small scale outdoors first. This way, you can discover your needs and preferences without the stress of having to process large amounts of (possibly fast ripening) foods with less than ideal supplies.

Towels and cleaners are good to have on hand in a tub, to grab and use as needed.

Here are some pros and cons I have noticed with canning outdoors.
Pros:

Keeps the heat out of the house. This is very important when you have no AC and you are doing serious canning in the summer in Tennessee!

Easy Clean-up (Just hose 'her down!)

Butterflies fluttering by and kids playing outside is very nice! I really prefer to be outside as a rule - so that in itself makes it a more enjoyable experience for me.

You create your space. You are not limited to existing kitchen's size, counters. number of helpers or resources.

Increased production and speed, because I can increase my fire and do more at one time.

The kitchen is open for use for the rest of the family for the day for meals and activities. (A very nice thing when 8 people still need to be fed and go about their daily chores!)

Its OK if I slosh things on the floor (YES!)

Cons:

Bugs can be an issue depending on your location, season, climate, etc. (We only run into flies at the end of the day, for some reason, they only come round here after 4 or 5! Weird, I know, but I am happy for that!) We don't have gnats or mosquitoes or things like that to contend with here. Nore have I had big issues with bees or wasps. Because I use the back of the house (the North Side for shade), I do spray down the back of my house because spiders like to gather there. It probably wasn't necessary, but it provided a much "cleaner" back drop for this momma.

Set up takes a little longer

It may take a few tries to collect your supplies for smooth running operation

Level surfaces may be hard to come by on the ground if you don't have the luxury of a porch or deck. I find we have to shim many of our stoves and tables, because of uneven ground. It is something to be aware of and check before you start putting things on to boil. It is easily fixed though!

I work in the shade of a maple tree and the house in the Summer. In the spring, I work on the front porch which is covered and gives protection for the rain. Also in the fall, the front porch is nice because I have no leave blowing up there and in the winter it puts me close to my wood cook-stove in the front room, for added fire (and warmth if needed) and I get the Southern sun. I have also used a portable open tall sided tent awning to can under too. That works nicely. In our previous home in PA, my garage was my canning spot. It had a sink and was situated on the NorthEast side - which was very nice.

I am a "water snob" and must use filtered water for my "food water" so I use my Berkey for that. It adds quite a bit to my work load, because I usually have to start filtering and gathering my clean water ahead in pots of coolers. :-) This is a new element to my canning since we moved here on the farm, I used to have purified water "on tap" at our last house. That was VERY NICE, but required electricity, and we are working our way off of that so we decided not repeat that here. To me it's worth it since I am still on city water here and want to reduce our dependency on electricity. (We are in the process of setting up the well we dug last year, so hopefully our city water days are coming to an end...but I wills till test my well water and filter it if needed.)

There is something very earthy and natural and beautiful about canning outdoors. I truly do love it!


UPDATE: We have decided to move our Summer Canning Operation to the front porch, and I think that is where we will operate for the season. We (the kids and I prefer) its function there, and it's cover. I had to wrestle with this, because I like my porch to be "pretty" and aesthetics have been traded for function here. :-) Since we plan on doing so much canning in the season - it is likely going to be set up for several months. The set up and tear down adds so much time to the project. So this is where function and the practical needs of my family will win over aesthetics in my book. :-) Here are some pictures of our relocated spot:

This Post was shared at Simple Lives #51 and Barn Hop 19

Canning Inspiration

Canning is on my mind - Maybe its because our root cellar is ALMOST done; or maybe its because Ben just placed the order for that super duper amazing pressure canner I have had my eye on for a year; maybe it is because I have about 60 cases of empty jars waiting to be filled; or maybe it is because I just got an email from a local co-op that said it's time to order Georgia Peaches. Whatever it is - I am more excited than ever to start canning this year. Canning will be a key part to putting food up without electricity for our family...so it has become something I want to master. :-) Here is an EXTENSIVE list of amazing blogs that will inspire and challenge you to stock your pantry with homemade goodies. If anyone knows of great canning posts or links - I would love for you to share them in the comment section.

Canning Food Blogs:

American Home Canning

Canning Basics

Simply Canning

Putting By

Food In Jars

Canning Across America

Tigress in a Jam & Tigress in a Pickle

Canning Jars Etc.

Consider the Pantry

Saving The Season

Doris and Jilly

I don't know about you - but food in jars, lined on shelves is beautiful to me. It is colorful and it represents resourcefulness, preparation, wisdom and domestic ingenuity. It is love in a jar! I hope to post more about canning this year...it will pale in comparison to these blogs, but I'll post some love in a jar Shalom Farm style anyway. :-)

And if that wasn't enough- here is a folk song to send you over the edge! :-)





Peaches on the shelf, potatoes in the bin
Supper's ready, everybody come on in
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
You can taste a little of the summer
my grandma's put it all in jars.

Well, there's a root cellar, fruit cellar down below
Watch you head now, and down you go

Maybe you're weary an' you don't give a damn
I bet you never tasted her blackberry jam.

Ah, she's got magic in her - you know what I mean
She puts the sun and rain in with her green beans.

What with the snow and the economy and ev'ry'thing,
I think I'll just stay down here and eat until spring.

When I go to see my grandma I gain a lot of weight
With her dear hands she gives me plate after plate.
She cans the pickles, sweet & dill
She cans the songs of the whippoorwill
And the morning dew and the evening moon
'N' I really got to go see her pretty soon
'Cause these canned goods I buy at the store
Ain't got the summer in them anymore.

You bet, grandma, as sure as you're born
I'll take some more potatoes and a thunderstorm.

Let those December winds bellow and blow,
I'm as warm as a July tomato.

This Post was shared at the Preparedness Challenge

Canning Venison

I have read that some people really like to can their venison, so we gave it a try last week. It was so quick and easy to do and we are able store it without further electricity (we are trying to find ways to live sustainably off the grid so this is a especially attractive to us)! We are so very excited to find that we are not sacrificing flavor to do it!

Canning Chicken / Turkey and Broth

Several years ago, in PA, I was doing my weekly pick-ups at our local organic farms that we used to buy from for the organic food buying club I owned/ran. I was friends with all my farmers. This particular one was a Mennonite family. Anyway, they had the biggest pot I had ever seen boiling on an open fire out side, so I started asking questions. They were canning chicken! This was such a foreign idea to me! I always thought of SPAM or mystery meat when it came to canned meat...YUCK! I asked about 20 questions! They were gracious to answer them all and I declared that I was going to try it one day. This woman had a large homeschooling family who was living off the land. I respected her greatly. There were DOING what I hoped to do one day. A couple years later I did try it and now I am hooked!

The meat has always been tender and delicious and it is so fast and easy to have on hand for meals! I can breast halves, or in shreds and chunks. You always have instant soups, casseroles, salads, skillet dishes or even finger-food at your fingertips on the pantry shelf! It is tender and delicious, NOT AT ALL mushy or odd textured. I also make it a point to can broth in this same process because it goes hand in hand with cooking the chicken. The canned chicken/turkey is also a wonderful tool to be able to make last minute meals to deliver to people in need or make quick delicious meals for unexpected guests or easy Preparations Days. It makes for a long day of work (because I do about 20 chickens at once when I do it. I have a few canners and several burners for the job), but it results in a pantry stocked with organic meat and broth for the coming season - Two things which are wonderfully wholesome staples. I just love that it is shelf stable, so I am not feeding the utility meter to keep the freezers running for my meat (especially in the hot summer) !

OK...enough Yappin - let me tell you how to do it.

Canning Dry Beans

I have stocked my pantry with dry goods and we are buying very little prepared foods from the store these days. I am learning to created my own "convenience foods" from scratch. By doing this, I know how the foods were prepared and exactly what went in them. This year I stopped buying canned beans. This was an item I always had stocked in my pantry to whip out for quick meals that didn't take much thought. I use black beans, white beans, aduki and pinto beans regularly. When I stopped my Health Food Club, I really started to see how expensive organic has become in the stores. I tried to "compromise" with non-organic...but if you ever read the label - you would see- it's not good. I was not comfortable buying them....so I decided I would need to learn to plan ahead and use my dry beans. It works well...as long as
I think ahead for soaking! I learned a few tricks for soaking beans: You can soak beans WAY ahead, drain them and store them in the fridge. They keep for a week + and they are their when you need them. That was very helpful...except for taking up precious fridge space. :-) I really missed that pantry convenience. I started searching for recipes to can dry beans, and after sifting through (what seemed like) a hundred green bean recipes....I finally found one to can dry beans! This was so exciting for me! So I thought I would share it with you - in case there is anyone else out there as crazy as me. I still use my dry beans when I think ahead - but it is so nice to have that fast food option on my pantry shelf as well! (Keep in mind you can do this same thing with any baked bean or prepared bean recipe you like! Just make the recipe and can it with these instructions.)


You will need:

A Pressure Canner/Cooker with a gauge
5lbs of dried beans of your choice = 7 Qrts
or
3 1/4 pounds of dried beans of your choice = 9 Pints
1/2tsp per pint jar OR 1 tsp salt per Qrt jar


The Day Before Canning: Rinse and Soak Beans for 12-18 hours (put in large pot and cover with twice as much water)

Canning Day:

1. Drain water and cover with fresh water (about an inch to 3 above beans) cover and boil for 2o minutes.

2. Prepare your canning jars and lids (sterilize and keep hot).

3. When beans are done boiling, put salt in each jar and add cooked beans with cooking water, leaving 1 inch head space. Wipe rims clean and affix leads.


Processing:
Pints = 75 minutes at 10lbs pressure
Qrts = 90 minutes at 10lbs pressure

Enjoy!

I have shared this post at Homestead Revival.

Canning Without Sugar

Canning and Preserving Without Sugar, by Norma M. Macrae, R.D.


This book has turned out to be a wonderful resource for canning without sugar! It has several alternatives to sugar, grape juice, apple juice and honey to name a couple. It also explains how to use Agar Agar for a thickener instead of gelatin for thickening jams and such (instead of gelatin). It is a valuable tool for those who want to preserve things a better way. It is loaded with recipes and charts and general canning knowledge. I was confident to fiddle with things myself after reading this book, it really helped take the "mystery" of canning for me. Most people don't even know you can can without sugar because there is so little guidance out there in this area. I'm here to say, "YOU CAN - CAN WITHOUT SUGAR AND IT TASTES GREAT!"

I've made blackberry jam, peaches, peach butter, and tomato sauce so far. I've got a lot more planned, it takes a little doing to get started...but its easy once you get going!