Site search
sponsored by
News
ENLARGE
Susan Busler
Oh, my! The kinds of questions we're getting on the OSU Extension Service Food Safety and Preservation Hotline this summer would curl your toes.
It's obvious we have a lot of first-time canners or people who have not preserved food for a very long time.
Our canning practices have changed significantly in the last decade. One of the most recent recommendations coming out of University of Georgia Extension Center for Excellence in Food Safety and Preservation is to let the jars “rest” in the canner for about 10 minutes after you've removed the lid. This allows the temperature to equalize and has proven to reduce the amount of jar breakage.
Always follow currently approved recipes. Some of the best resources are your local Extension Service and Extension Web pages. Other resources that keep up to date on current practices include the “Ball Blue Book.” The most recently revised anniversary edition features a yellow cover with a peach cobbler. It provides an excellent overview as well as a wide variety of safety approved recipes. Another Ball publication is the “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving,” featuring more than 400 recipes and preservation instructions. Cooperative Extension with the University of Georgia has put together a guide called “So Easy to Preserve” that provides a great foundation for food preservation and includes a “problems and solutions” section at the end of each preservation technique.
When selecting information from the Internet, rely on Web sites from reputable sources. Those with .gov or .edu are coming from governmental entities such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture or educational sources such as the Extension Service.
If you're relying on Grandma's old recipe or the way Uncle Hank used to do it 40 years ago, it's likely the processing methods have changed significantly and the instructions are likely to be unsafe. Contact the Statewide Food Preservation and Safety Hotline at 1-800-354-7319 for assistance on analyzing old recipes for safety.
Please take a moment to ensure the safety of the foods you're preserving for your family. Just because it sealed doesn't mean it's going to be safe if the recipe is outdated. If you're going to this much time, effort and financial investment, it's worth ensuring the safety for you and your family and friends.
So follow only currently approved recipes from reputable sources. Measure or weigh accurately and follow the directions exactly. Avoid substitutions or leaving out ingredients unless the recipe indicates it's optional. That product is likely included for a very good reason — safety; such as the case with lemon juice in tomatoes. To learn more, check out the Douglas County Extension Web site, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/, or call the Statewide Food Preservation and Safety Hotline at 1-800-354-7319.
We have several upcoming workshops to help you with your food preservation needs. “Preserving Meat, Fish and Poultry” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Sutherlin Community Center. Cost is $15.00. Advance registration is required; the deadline for registration is noon Sept. 9. Information: 672-4461. Before getting started, be sure to get your pressure gauge tested. We can do it at the Douglas County Extension office on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month through October.
Susan Busler is the Family Community Development Extension Agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Susan can be reached by e-mail susan.busler@oregonstate.edu or phone at 541-672-4461.
It's obvious we have a lot of first-time canners or people who have not preserved food for a very long time.
Our canning practices have changed significantly in the last decade. One of the most recent recommendations coming out of University of Georgia Extension Center for Excellence in Food Safety and Preservation is to let the jars “rest” in the canner for about 10 minutes after you've removed the lid. This allows the temperature to equalize and has proven to reduce the amount of jar breakage.
Always follow currently approved recipes. Some of the best resources are your local Extension Service and Extension Web pages. Other resources that keep up to date on current practices include the “Ball Blue Book.” The most recently revised anniversary edition features a yellow cover with a peach cobbler. It provides an excellent overview as well as a wide variety of safety approved recipes. Another Ball publication is the “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving,” featuring more than 400 recipes and preservation instructions. Cooperative Extension with the University of Georgia has put together a guide called “So Easy to Preserve” that provides a great foundation for food preservation and includes a “problems and solutions” section at the end of each preservation technique.
When selecting information from the Internet, rely on Web sites from reputable sources. Those with .gov or .edu are coming from governmental entities such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture or educational sources such as the Extension Service.
If you're relying on Grandma's old recipe or the way Uncle Hank used to do it 40 years ago, it's likely the processing methods have changed significantly and the instructions are likely to be unsafe. Contact the Statewide Food Preservation and Safety Hotline at 1-800-354-7319 for assistance on analyzing old recipes for safety.
Please take a moment to ensure the safety of the foods you're preserving for your family. Just because it sealed doesn't mean it's going to be safe if the recipe is outdated. If you're going to this much time, effort and financial investment, it's worth ensuring the safety for you and your family and friends.
So follow only currently approved recipes from reputable sources. Measure or weigh accurately and follow the directions exactly. Avoid substitutions or leaving out ingredients unless the recipe indicates it's optional. That product is likely included for a very good reason — safety; such as the case with lemon juice in tomatoes. To learn more, check out the Douglas County Extension Web site, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/, or call the Statewide Food Preservation and Safety Hotline at 1-800-354-7319.
We have several upcoming workshops to help you with your food preservation needs. “Preserving Meat, Fish and Poultry” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Sutherlin Community Center. Cost is $15.00. Advance registration is required; the deadline for registration is noon Sept. 9. Information: 672-4461. Before getting started, be sure to get your pressure gauge tested. We can do it at the Douglas County Extension office on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month through October.
Susan Busler is the Family Community Development Extension Agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Susan can be reached by e-mail susan.busler@oregonstate.edu or phone at 541-672-4461.
