I'd Much Rather Freeze Foods Than Can Them.

[Corey123]

Freezing your meats, fruits and veggies in your home freezer, to me, is a much more safer method of long-term storage than canning. I prefer THIS method over bothersome and time-consuming canning.

With canning, everything the prepared food touches has to be clinically sterilized. Inside and out. That is, everything must be boiled in water at a temperature of 212 degrees to kill bacteria and germs! The Mason jars, lids, rims, utensils, EVERYTHING. Then you must let them cool in a draft-free place away from insects, dust and other impurities which might otherwise
contaminate the jars and lids.

Then after the food is placed in the jars and sealed, the jars of food themselves must also be placed and submerged in water inside a large canning pot or pressure canner, brought to the boiling point and allowed to simmer for a specified amount of time until the lids are slightly dented inward, giving the indication that the jars of food are properly sealed and are then safe to keep on the in the cupboard after being allowed to cool down.

But look at all the trouble it takes to get there! And if the slightest thing should go wrong, you could end up with spoiled food and botulism!

With freezing, all you have to do is merely blanch your fruits and veggies. And along with your meats, you just need a good quality vacuum bag sealer to keep damaging air out and you can keep foods in your freezer almost indefinitely!!

As long as your freezer is able hold and maintain true 0-degree cold, you'll never have to worry abouut food spoilage. Ever!!

This method, to me, makes the most sense out of the two. I used to can foods years ago, especially homemade Boston baked beans, but freezing them is far more faster and safer, I think.


~Corey123.

 

[Alix]

You have obviously never had to clean out a freezer that has died.

I don't mean that as a slam, but I am going to point out that one of the reasons canning was invented was because there was no refrigeration. I, for one, think it is a wonderful idea to have home canned goods available in the event of a power outage that may last a few days. I'm not going to be keen on using things that are partially thawed, but will have no qualms about using my canned goods. Just as another point, canning is preferable to freezing in terms of preparedness for a Pandemic situation. (where is that thread anyway?)

 

[Andy M.]

Corey:

Both methods have their pros and cons. Canning, as Alix said, was the only choice for many years. I choose to freeze rather than can but I don't have a problem with canning. Some folks can so much stuff that you'd need a room full of freezers to hold it all (rather than some shelves in the basement). Then there's the electric bill...

 

[CharlieD]

Interesting idea, unfortunatelly doesn't work for pickles, or pickled tomatoes or for million other things that cannot be frozen. Though I too like to freeze things, do it all the time. It just one doesn't substitude for another.

 

[Corey123]

You have obviously never had to clean out a freezer that has died.

I don't mean that as a slam, but I am going to point out that one of the reasons canning was invented was because there was no refrigeration. I, for one, think it is a wonderful idea to have home canned goods available in the event of a power outage that may last a few days. I'm not going to be keen on using things that are partially thawed, but will have no qualms about using my canned goods. Just as another point, canning is preferable to freezing in terms of preparedness for a Pandemic situation. (where is that thread anyway?)

Umm; As a matter of fact, yes I did. Three times in my life!

The first one that I ever bought, a Wellbuilt freezer, had quit on me. The compressor was the culprit. I knew that it was going bad because it made a weird strange noise. It was fixed though since it was still under warrenty at the time.

The second one which was a General Electric upright, had also quit on me. Same thing, the compressor went south. Had to get another one before the food spioled.

The third one, another Wellbuit model, didn't die. My ex-roomate had mistakingly unplugged it and he didn't realise it until almost about a week or so later!
It was obviously too late them, as all of the food that was stored in it had spoiled.

We emptied the thing and put it on the back porch to air out for a few days.
I then washed it with a bleach and detergent water solution, hoping to kill the smell, but it NEVER went away because it became embedded in the walls!

I still used it, but it had to be replaced because it reeked havok with that bad smell - like someone died in it!! I then bought a small 5.3 cubic foot chest freezer which I still have and use now.

Yes, I'm well aware that canning foods was the only method of preservation for long-term storage before refrigeration was invented. I'm not doubting that. I just like freezing over canning.

Yeah, well I didn't think pickles could be frozen either. I'm talking mainly meast, fruits, veggies and some cooked foods as well, such as spaghetti sauce and cooked meat.

When making spaghetti sauce, I usually double the batch so that the next time I
want the sauce for something, well, there it is.


~Corey123.

 

[CharlieD]

So, Corey, what's your point?

 

[Corey123]

Nothing really.

I just would rather freeze foods than can them.

Well, Alix had stated that I never had to empty out a freezer that died, but I did. I any case, I shun canning, mainly because I don't have the space or the time to do it.

I'm not condeming anyone who does it or wants to do it. I just don't do it.


~Corey123.

 

[kimbaby]

THIS post brings back memories...
When I was a teen,I use to help my
Grandma(she is passed on) can and "put" up veggies,
she had her own garden, I helped her in all aspects of
gardening & "canning" we did it all,
from actual jar canning to putting up in the fridge, she mainly frooze
corn, peas,beans,okra,squash.... every thing else she would jar.
I loved to eat it all,she was such a good cook,thanks for the thread to help me remember my loved one

 

[Corey123]

Thank you!

I'm so sorry to hear that your dear grandmother has passed on. Please accept my most sincere condolences. You must have been proud of the things that she taught you in canning and freezing.

Yeah, that's what they called it- "puuting up" food for the winter. My grandmother on my mom's side had a freezer. She always kept it full though.

Not to get off topic, but I learned some of the things about outdoor cooking from my dear late brother, like how to deep fry a turkey. He was always one to eagerly cook outdoors.

He earned the nickname Grillmaster for his ambitious undying love for outdoor cooking on the grill. He didn't bake much, but he sure knew how to throw down on a good home-cooked BBQ!!! I truly miss him!! There was no one else like him on the face of the earth!

 

[KAYLINDA]

These are pretty good "freezer" pickles:

Mix 2 quarts sliced cucumbers with skins on,
2 large sliced onions,
and 2 Tablespoons salt

Let stand for 2 hours then drain

add 1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vinegar

mix well and put in freezer bags.

They are like a bread and butter pickle.

Hope you enjoy!

 

[CharlieD]

Sorry, no vinegar in my pickles.

 

[Alix]

Nothing really.

I just would rather freeze foods than can them.

Well, Alix had stated that I never had to empty out a freezer that died, but I did. I any case, I shun canning, mainly because I don't have the space or the time to do it.

I'm not condeming anyone who does it or wants to do it. I just don't do it.


~Corey123.

Corey, I sense that I may have offended you with my comment. I am truly sorry, it was a tongue in cheek type comment meant to be amusing not to offend. Forgive me for any offense I caused please.

May I ask though, why you would choose to state that canning is inferior to freezing in a forum dedicated to the discussion of canning? You are certainly entitled to your opinion that freezing is superior to canning. Were you attempting to sway people's opinions or start a debate? I am not trying to get you upset, I am genuinely curious as to your motives with this thread, as the tone of your posts sounds defensive to me and I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable here.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Except for vinegar-type pickled vegetables & jams/jellies, I agree 100% with Corey.

While I wholeheartedly agree "to each his own", the idea of canning vegetables leaves me cold. Not to mention reeling from the time involved. If there's an armageddon in my future, perhaps I'll feel differently, but until then - using fresh or preserving via freezing are the only methods I'll use.

The veggies I've frozen from my garden are alway fabulous when cooked later on in the year. It's difficult to tell them from fresh. I really don't think any canned vegetable product can compete with that.

But again, as I've said before, cooking/eating is a very personal thing, & if canning is something you enjoy both doing, as well as the end product, go to it!! (Safely, of course!!)

(Edited after rereading to sound less snarky - lol!!!)

 

[Corey123]

Corey, I sense that I may have offended you with my comment. I am truly sorry, it was a tongue in cheek type comment meant to be amusing not to offend. Forgive me for any offense I caused please.

May I ask though, why you would choose to state that canning is inferior to freezing in a forum dedicated to the discussion of canning? You are certainly entitled to your opinion that freezing is superior to canning. Were you attempting to sway people's opinions or start a debate? I am not trying to get you upset, I am genuinely curious as to your motives with this thread, as the tone of your posts sounds defensive to me and I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable here.

Not inferior. Just time-consuming. I have absolutely NOTHING AGAINST AMYONE
who chooses to can. I just don't do it. It's just a matter of personal preference.

No debate, just an honest opinion of myself. I'm also not trying to upset anyone else.

Thanks for the apology though.


~Corey123.

 

[Michael in FtW]

This forum is about "Canning and Preserving" food ... so discussions about any method of food preservation (canning, dehydration, cold smoking, salting, freezing, etc.) is on-topic in here. Although, I do find that a debate about one method being universally infinately superior to any and all others less than beneficial. Different foods are best preserved by different methods.

Corey - you appear to have some misconceptions about the canning process from a previous post ... (1) after sterilizing the jars and sanatizing the lids you do NOT cool them down to room temp before filling and processing - both are kept hot (about 180-F+) until filled and then placed back into hot water while filling the other jars, then processed (2) a vacuum is NOT created during processing in a boiling water or pressure canner - the vacuum is created as the jars cool after processing.

 

[Corey123]

I was always told that the vacuuming process is created during the time that the jars of food are sitting in the simmering water. I believe my mom and grandmother told me this.

And that the reason the lids aren't tightened all the way is so that the air that's in the jars can escape and be replaced by a clean airless vacuum seal,
preventing any spoilage. Then the screw bands can be tighten after the process.

Is the food that's placed in the jars hot also? Which might account for not letting the jars cool first.


~Corey123.

 

[lulu]

I have only a tiny freezer in my flat, and so have to think carefully about what to freeze, but do like to have stuff in the cupboards that I don't have to think too much about in an emergency or power cut. I wish I preserved more lol. Ideally I would have a small chest freezer but there is no room here. I used to not have a fridge either! For about 3 years ending about 5 years ago! (how did I cope?) I simply bought fresh as and when, and I had a larder. At that point I also had a range instead of a cooker. it was fun to live like that but I AM looking forward to having a house with room for a chest freezer and a HUGE cooker!

 

[Michael in FtW]

I was always told that the vacuuming process is created during the time that the jars of food are sitting in the simmering water. I believe my mom and grandmother told me this.

And that the reason the lids aren't tightened all the way is so that the air that's in the jars can escape and be replaced by a clean airless vacuum seal,
preventing any spoilage. Then the screw bands can be tighten after the process.

Is the food that's placed in the jars hot also? Which might account for not letting the jars cool first.

Answering backwards ... yes, the food is hot, or in the case of "raw pack" canning a hot liquid is poured over the contents. Then they are either processed in a boiling water or pressure canner.

Here is what is going on inside the jar to create the vacuum ... there is an amount of air left at the top of the jar called the head space. As the jars are processed the air inside the jars expands ... and some escapes under the lid (why you don't crank the lid on tight) and the air pressure inside the jar prevents water from seeping in. When you remove the jars from the canner and they begin to cool ... the sealing compound on the lids sticks to the rim of the jars sealing them and as the air and the contents inside the jar cools the air contracts ... which is what forms the vacuum.

Tightening the screw bands after processing is not a wise move - doing so can cause the vacuum seal to be compromised. Most texts advise you to remove the screw bands after processing and complete cooling. The screw bands are only necessary to keep the lid in place during processing.

If you want to get the feel of home canning, you can check out Home Canning website (this is by the people who make the canning jars and lids and publish the best book on how to get started canning - the Ball Blue Book) or if you want to look at the how to for all forms of food preservation then you might want to visit the National Center for Home Preservation which has all of the USDA currently accepted standards, methods, instructions, recipes, etc.

 

[Michael in FtW]

I have only a tiny freezer in my flat, and so have to think carefully about what to freeze ...

Me too! I know how you feel.

 

[Corey123]

Answering backwards ... yes, the food is hot, or in the case of "raw pack" canning a hot liquid is poured over the contents. Then they are either processed in a boiling water or pressure canner.

Here is what is going on inside the jar to create the vacuum ... there is an amount of air left at the top of the jar called the head space. As the jars are processed the air inside the jars expands ... and some escapes under the lid (why you don't crank the lid on tight) and the air pressure inside the jar prevents water from seeping in. When you remove the jars from the canner and they begin to cool ... the sealing compound on the lids sticks to the rim of the jars sealing them and as the air and the contents inside the jar cools the air contracts ... which is what forms the vacuum.

Tightening the screw bands after processing is not a wise move - doing so can cause the vacuum seal to be compromised. Most texts advise you to remove the screw bands after processing and complete cooling. The screw bands are only necessary to keep the lid in place during processing.

If you want to get the feel of home canning, you can check out Home Canning website (this is by the people who make the canning jars and lids and publish the best book on how to get started canning - the Ball Blue Book) or if you want to look at the how to for all forms of food preservation then you might want to visit the National Center for Home Preservation which has all of the USDA currently accepted standards, methods, instructions, recipes, etc.

I think I got a few books on home canning. I remember doing it years ago when I moved into my very first apartment in the spring of '73.

And I DID have the Mason jars back then also, but they got lost or misplaced from moving so much.

And if the lids for those jars are damaged or bent in any way, or if the rubber seal is impaired they can't be used and should be tossed.


~Corey123.