Canning BBQ sauces

[Wok before you fry]

I have come accross some very good homemade barbecue sauces lately. I would like to make them up and give them as gifts to friends and family but am not sure what the best way to do it. Do barbecue sauces can well? What should I look out for or be careful of? It kinda takes the fun out of giving gifts if you give food poisoning with it.

 

[sparrowgrass]

Wok, you need to take your recipe to the extension office in your county seat. They will have a food person on staff who will be able to tell you how to can your sauce safely. (That person might not be on site--they may have to email someone.)

Here is a link to Extension:

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

 

[bethzaring]

Good idea to check in with your local county extension office. But I would call first. Home economists are few and far between in my neck of the woods.

 

[marmalady]

Check with the Ball Blue Book; I believe they've got some BBQ sauce and recipes in there. I'm not sure if you'd need a hot water bath or pressure canner (can't remember!), but I do know the difference between the 2 canning methods is the amount of acid in the recipe; so if your sauce is very vinegary, you might be able to get away with a hot water bath; though I tend to doubt it.

ALso check with your library for books on canning.

Or - you could make up a batch of sauce, and give it to your friends, but being sure to tell them to keep it refrigerated and use within a week.

 

[Gretchen]

I make my own BBQ sauce for home consumption. It has a LOT of vinegar in it so would be ripe for canning, although I keep it on my pantry shelf (for myself) with no problem. I also give it away--I suspect it is usually refrigerated. Fifteen minutes should be enough to can it.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Yes - BBQ sauce can be canned. And the method of canning (boiling water bath or pressure canner) depends on the acidity. Here is one example of a BBQ sauce which is canned by the boiling water canning method.

I agree with the suggestion that you telephone your county agriculture extension office instead of just dropping in. Not all offices have home food economist that can help you and it may need to be referred to another office. A phone call can get your query (and recipe) directed to the right person - usually via email in a case like yours.