Food Preserving - Reviving Tradition What about one less evening of television, or a family project? There is more to benefit here than a preserved product. One preserves memories as well.  (info)

Homemade tomato puree and sauces!

Food processing evokes in most people’s minds memories of their grandmothers or stories they have heard about other peoples grandmothers or perhaps a neighbour. It is an old-fashioned thing to do - almost a lost art. Something no one considers anymore nor has time for. True for many peoples life styles. However, like all things it is a matter of priorities. I am all for trying something at least once, especially a technique so crucial and typical of the past and found in almost all cultures. It is another opportunity to have control over the quality of food you nourish yourself with. Less chemicals, less salt, less or no sugar and just the way you like it.  

What about reviving the practice of inviting a neighbour or friend to help out and sharing the fruits of such love and labour? No time? What about one evening less of television, or a family project? There is more to benefit here than a preserved product. One preserves memories as well.

Years ago in Frankfurt, I was inspired by a girlfriend who because of working long hours and being exhausted by the time she arrived home, never seemed to be able to come up with healthy, delicious dinners for her self. I decided to try to make up a few seasoning pastes to help her (and anyone else) out of the dilemma of good food, interesting and perhaps exotic, but quickly prepared meals.

The three pastes I developed, Red Coriander, a spicy seasoning with coriander seeds and paprika, Ginger Paste, suitable for seasoning with an Asian touch or baking, and the Brown Onion Paste for soups, seasoning sauces and so much more quickly became favourites that I also incorporated into some of my own recipes. The Brown Onion Paste can also be used to make an onion soup. The basis for all of these pastes is potato, acting as a carrier as well as natural thickener.

From Erika, a retired neighbour of mine, I learned a simple way of preserving my pastes, jams and marmalades which works very well for me. I have used my products after two years of storage and they were still perfect, if not better having matured so long.

The following instructions are meant for long term storage. One hopes to use the product up within 6 months. However, I have used some of mine after two years as was the case with the Bargecue Sauce, Ketchup, Red Coriander and Mango Chutney which are all highly spiced, contributing to the preserving effect.

You can avoid the boiling water method of preserving by freezing pastes, etc. in ice cube trays, or small amounts in the refrigerator as in the case with the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Green Coriander Pesto and the Pesto Mio, which can be frozen as well though I do not find that practical. The oil in them does the job. I have never tried freezing the Mango Chutney, frankly.

The following procedure is the same for marmalades, jams and jellies. For preserving vegetables or fresh fruit, the procedure is much different and requires a far longer processing time.  The liquid must be poured in cold over the packed fruit and the jars are processed for about 1-1/2 hours. This is another subject of its own.


Basic Boiling Water Preserving Technique (according to Erika)

The following equipment is needed:

• a wide mouthed and a normal funnel

• long tongs (I use an old bacon turner) to grip bottles and jars
  metal ladle

• large and deep enough pot to hold jars and allow for space above them (a hand’s width)
  kettle with boiling water

• wooden board (cutting board)

• clean tea towels (dish towels )

• jars or bottles suitable for the product, preferably of the same or similar size.

Although I usually use jars that I have collected for that purpose, there are commercial ones available that may include their own instructions. Most often one reads that new lids must be used every time. However, there were times I could not find new ones and I reused lids. The reason for using the new lids is the intact seal inside the lid which is affected by the high temperature during the processing that insures a vacuum seal. I scrutinize my lids and any I am not satisfied with, I either throw away (as in the case of rust) or delegate to another purpose. I have always been successful with a vacuum seal reusing lids two or even three times. So the decision is up to you.

A last point on lids; they must, of course be of metal and not plastic and the screw on variety unless you are using the rubber ring technique. Follow manufacturer’s directions for these. The instructions here are for the usual screw on type.

A few points  to remember:

• bottles and jars must be sterile and hot

• product must be as hot as possible (simmering) when ladling into the jars

• ladle and funnels must be a clean as possible

• when filling be sure to wipe the rim absolutely clean of any product.

• always allow for about 1.5-2 cm. of air space between the rim of the jar and the product.

First wash the jars with the highest temperature in the dish washer. Not having that, wash them in as hot, soapy as water as you can manage. Rinse and set aside on a clean towel.

Use an old, heavy plate inverted on the bottom of the pot or whatever else you can improvise on. Even an old folded towel will do. 

In a large, deep pot pour enough water to submerge the jars and lids in. Drop in the funnel and submerge the ladle (handle is not necessary to submerge). Bring to a boil and boil gently for 15 minutes.

Remove all with the tongs to a clean wooden board over which is placed a fresh towel. This insures that the jars are insulated against the shock of a cold surface. Invert the jars to drain.

In the meantime, your product has been timed to be ready when the jars are. If not, keep the jars etc. in the hot water.

Fill jars using the funnel and ladle to within 1.5-2 cm. of the rim. If necessary, wipe any spill with a clean paper towel or cloth and immediately lid, closing firmly but without undue force. Then unscrew barely a quarter turn. This is necessary to prevent over-tightening as the jars cool down and tighten naturally.

Estimate how much water you will need to have the water just under the lid while gently boiling. Remove excess hot water to the kettle as you may need to refill.

Place the jars gently into the hot water. Jars must not touch each other or the sides of the pot. Bring to a boil, lid the pot and allow to maintain a gentle boil for 20 minutes. After this time, remove carefully to the wooden board and tighten the lids again if necessary. Again, without undue force. Allow to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. 

Inspect the lids after an hour or so of cooling, they should have a slight centre indention. If not, either use these jars first (refrigerate and they will last weeks) or reprocess.

Do one batch at a time. If you find the empty jars have cooled down between batches, poor a little hot water into each again and lower gently into the hot water. Bring again to the boil for a few minutes and remove to the towel to drain. Meanwhile, heat the product again if this too has cooled. The point to remember is that the product must be boiling and is placed into hot jars. All
this insures a sterile product and a true vacuum which will be created as the jars cool at which time you may hear a metallic ting sound. 

Congratulations, you've revived a tradition successfully!

(Read related article on Tomato Puree and Sauce - too acidic for you?   Click here for Tomato Puree recipe.)

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