Since Older Daughter has established herself as our live-in chef (she enjoys cooking but not cleaning up; I don't mind cleaning up but don't enjoy cooking), she's been regularly using the supply of mushrooms I have canned up in the pantry.
So last time I was in the city, after dropping Younger Daughter off at the Spokane Airport, I made a point to purchase a quantity of mushrooms with an eye toward rebuilding our stockpile. I would have bought more, but this is all they had in stock.
Canning mushrooms is easy, though of course they must be pressure-canned. I used my new canning guide from the USDA.
Since mushrooms should be hot-packed, I split them into two pots...
...then filled the pots with enough water to boil the mushrooms, putting on lids to trap the heat.
While the mushrooms were cooking, I washed some jars.
Draining the mushrooms.
Filling the jars.
Adding a half-teaspoon of salt to each jar.
Topping with boiling water.
Into the canner. Those four flats provided enough mushrooms to fill twelve pint jars.
I processed the mushrooms for 45 minutes at 12 lbs. pressure. Well, 14 lbs. A little bit higher pressure is fine.
A dozen jars of mushrooms still leaves me lower in stock than what I'd like, but that's okay. Next time I'm in the city, I'll pick up more and can another batch.
Man, I love canning.
Your pantry makes my salvate. What a wonderful picture.
ReplyDeleteAgree. I am jealous of her pantry. Both size and amount of jars in it.
Deletekathy in MS
You're an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteis the salt optional or does it need to be added. We try to not use salt in canning because of medical reasons.
ReplyDeleteNope, the salt isn't necessary at all. It's simply a flavor enhancer.
Delete- Patrice
I love looking at pantries full of home-canned foods. When I was a child, I remember my grandma holding up a jar of food she had canned and saying, “Isn’t this pretty?” I thought she was crazy. It was food. Food isn’t pretty. Now I hold up the jars of food I’ve canned and ask the same question. Patrice, your pantry is pretty.
ReplyDeleteOne of the few benefits of the shutdown and shortages is pantries, real ones, and food preservation, has been resurrected. Everyone just about is figuring out better ways to shop, prepare food, and just prepare in general for weather events, power outages, and whatever they're concerned about.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are still people out of touch with some basic things. One friend who has put some things back, but doesn't have a pantry, said she did have jars in case it ever came to that. I asked if she had a pressure canner. She asked why she'd need that. She has pots she can boil water in and can.
O. M. G! I asked if she wanted botulism or spoiled food. Explained some things have to be pressure canned to avoid getting sick.
I've seen videos of people from other countries canning meats and things in a regular pot on the stove, and I'm afraid a bunch of people have watched things like that and thought that's what they need to do. Why risk it when proper canning equipment is readily available. Furthermore, those people boil those jars several hours. That's a lot of electricity or propane or whatever, not to mention excessive time. Ultimately it's not only safer but less expensive to do it right.
I agree I love looking at pantries w/ all the jars full of food. It has different colors, etc. I remember I canned up pickled hot peppers. It reminded me of Christmas w/ the red & green peppers. Debbie in MA
ReplyDeleteYour comment reminded me of my mother. She used to can bright green lime pickles and red cinnamon pickles. Our Christmas table looked so pretty with them on it!!
DeleteI love canned mushrooms & keep a large supply of them on hand (in half pint jars). After eating my own I cannot eat the store canned ones, they are just yucky..
ReplyDeleteI will give canning mushrooms a try. I have always dehydrated them when I catch a good sale. Some canned would be nice too.. has anyone seen the outrageous price of canned mushrooms at the store? Crazy!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part about pressure canning is that you just need to use clean jars, not sterilized. Easy peasy
ReplyDeleteI am a newbie at using a pressure canner, all those years being a afraid to use it. Now, I am looking for different items which can be put into a jar and canned for the future foodie expedition.
ReplyDeleteMushrooms will be my next adventure for canning. Thank you for the inspiration.