Cooking Resources

KathyJ · 07-24-2006, 02:46 PM

can the recipes in these still be used?
I picked up 2 from the 70's this weekend for $.25 each.

I know there have been some changes concerning canning tomatoes and meat.... so I plan to just not use those recipes and get those from a newer book (Ball on it's way...) Are there any other changes, though?

BreezyCooking · 07-24-2006, 04:16 PM

To be perfectly honest, if I were you I'd consider those old canning books "nostalgia" items only. I certainly wouldn't feel safe using them. That said, if the old books have particular recipes that appeal to you, I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to find an updated - & SAFE - version of it via online or through the Ball folks.

marmalady · 07-24-2006, 04:57 PM

I agree w/Breezy - if you find a recipe you like, by all means use it, but use the -technique- portion of the recipe recommended by Ball canning.

KathyJ · 07-24-2006, 05:18 PM

So, I could use the recipe....just change the technique and/or processing times to current standards?

or are all canning recipes for a particular item pretty much the same?
seems that if everyone used the same strawberry jam recipe....it'd be kind of boring.

maybe I'm just cutting hairs on all this.....

I'm mostly just curious....
haven't canned before, though I'm getting geared up for it.
Mom did, but of course, I never paid attention...

sparrowgrass · 07-25-2006, 09:12 AM

Kathy, the Ball Blue book is great. As far as using the recipes from the old books, do be careful. Safety not only has to do with the time and method of processing, but also with the sugar/salt/vinegar content of the recipe.

Find the Extension office in your county--they will have a nutrition person on staff (not necessarily in that office, but possibly in a state or regional office) who will be able to tell you if the recipe is safe or if it needs to be modified.

If you can't find a nutrition person, pm me, and I will send the recipes to our nutrition specialist for you.

Swann · 07-25-2006, 02:07 PM

1970s recipes are not a problem... I use them all the time. The one thing to consider if making pickles is the salt. Years ago I could buy salt that said canning salt and was not iodized or anything else added as table salt is not prefered for canning. I now use Kosher salt but the amts are different to table salt so follow the equalivent amt that the box says. You need more Kosher salt than table salt.

BreezyCooking · 07-25-2006, 02:15 PM

Swann - not to take away from your canning expertise, I must respectfully disagree that canning recipes from the 1970's are automatically safe simply because someone has "used them all the time".

You're talking about canning recipes that are 30 years old. Everything from basic ingredients (not just "salt") to acidity levels to processing methods & times have changed quite a darn bit since then. These changes weren't developed on a whim, but to make canning & preserving much more safe than it was.