Canning recipes, food preservation and food sales

[GilpinGuy]

FWIW, apples store best at 32-34F degrees. Large apple distributors store them in a darkened oxygen-free nitrogen gas environment for up to three years. Apples from USA that you buy in summer are last years Sept-Oct crop, and possibly from two years ago. The big distributors dump their old stock at cheap prices just as CO apple growers try to market their fresh crop. They fuck the farmers at the expense of the consumer. The old stored fruit goes bad quickly, lacks flavor, sugars and crispness which discourages people from buying apples. But, you can't beat the quality of a fresh Colorado apple in season.

Wow. I had no idea. Just like eggs at the store being a few months old.

I took a bite out of a Granny Smith today that looked awesome, but it was spongy and tasted like cardboard. From '13 I guess.

[TheGrey]

FWIW, apples store best at 32-34F degrees. Large apple distributors store them in a darkened oxygen-free nitrogen gas environment for up to three years. Apples from USA that you buy in summer are last years Sept-Oct crop, and possibly from two years ago. The big distributors dump their old stock at cheap prices just as CO apple growers try to market their fresh crop. They fuck the farmers at the expense of the consumer. The old stored fruit goes bad quickly, lacks flavor, sugars and crispness which discourages people from buying apples. But, you can't beat the quality of a fresh Colorado apple in season.

This is GREAT to know- thank you! I'm going to start hitting farmer's markets and cutting out the middle man.

[rbeau30]

I'll see how mine holds up soon, we are foodsavering half and canning half after I can get some quick chicken stock made up.

[RCCrawler]

My food saver is probably 5 years old and gets used all the time. It made it through 80lbs fine. What the hell are you guys doing to yours?

[TheGrey]

I had one Foodsaver give up the ghost just because- the damn handle stopped going down about halfway, so the sealer wouldn't engage. I think it died out of pure orneriness. I got a better Foodsaver (read: a more expensive model) that didn't have the handle you press, and it's been working like a champ.

[crays]

Mine was 8-10yrs. Hasn't automatically activated the sealer for about the last 2 yrs (I had to hit the seal button every cycle), but still pulled good vacuum.
About 3/4 or so through this batch, it seemed to be struggling to pull a good vacuum.

[TheGrey]

When searching for canning jars on sale, check Kmart, Walmart, Target, Big Lots, and big grocery stores (in addition to yard sales, craigslist, freecycle, estate sales, and friends that have stopped canning.) Big Lots sells the brand Golden Harvest, which are good canning jars. Walmart sells Mainstay jars which are okay for waterbath canning, but not for pressure canning- the jars tend to break or lose their seals. Right now, Kmart is having sales on jars, as is Big Lots. Walmart will match Kmart's prices, but may limit the amount.

Remember, when buying jars from used sources, run your finger along the lip of the jar to make sure there are no chips or cracks. Always use new lids when canning, unless you're using Tattler lids. Go forth and can!

[rbeau30]

...Big Lots sells the brand Golden Harvest, which are good canning jars. ...

Take a mental note with the Golden Harvest Jars... They are wider than standard Ball or Kerr jars. IE: In my Presto canner I can only fit 18 Pints of Golden Harvest Jars, when normally it would fit 20.


Thanks for the Heads up again! I don't frequent sprouts, but I have taken advantage of some good prices several times because you posted them up here!

[TheGrey]

Take a mental note with the Golden Harvest Jars... They are wider than standard Ball or Kerr jars. IE: In my Presto canner I can only fit 18 Pints of Golden Harvest Jars, when normally it would fit 20.


Thanks for the Heads up again! I don't frequent sprouts, but I have taken advantage of some good prices several times because you posted them up here!

I did't realize that! That's good to know about the Golden Harvest jars. Thanks!

I'm glad to hear my posts are helping you save money. Sprouts has some awesome deals at times.

[rbeau30]

I did't realize that! That's good to know about the Golden Harvest jars. Thanks!

I'm glad to hear my posts are helping you save money. Sprouts has some awesome deals at times.

I thought that would be something important. We had 20 pints sterilized and filled, then we all of a sudden could not fit them into the canner.... They had to wait until the next batch!

Hm. Okay- did you use Fruit Fresh on them before you put them in the jars? Did you pack them in a syrup, apple juice, or water? Do you happen to remember if they were hard or soft when you canned them? Did you peel them first? Where did you get them?

I canned mine in a water bath, using Fruit Fresh and a very light sugar syrup I made.

Yup! We need a narrative of the process you took. I am sure we can figure out alternatives or a different process to make them tasty for you!