The Delta independent., 1917-07-20


to produce the desired results, the
open-kettle method must still be used.
Therefore, the steps in the process of
liopen-kettle canning will be described,
method.
The following directions for canning
tomatoes have been made as complete
as possible, SO that they may serve
to illustrate canning process which,
with some notifications as to the
time of cooking and methods of pre-
pairing materials, may be applied to all
foods.
l Select tomatoes that are ripe
but not over-ripe, free from blemishes,
and of medium size If possible. They
should be red to the stem end, since
green parts cause a poor product. I'M
perfect tomatoes may he saved and
used for making catsup and puree, or
made into juice to be saved and used
for filling the space left in jar after
it is packed with whole tomatoes
2 Prepare the canning outfit
tables, chairs, utensils, fuel, fruit, wat
er, salt and sugar-reaus for use
Wash and sca!d the glass Jars,
tops, aud rubbers, an! put the rubbers
to soak in cold water until needed.
4 Wash the tomatoes thoroughly
5 Scald the tomatoes ~ placing
them in a wire basket or chees3
cloth bag and plunsing them into boil
ing water for ope-foIrth minute to 3
minutes. according 10 the ripeness and
condition of the f-ui;. This is called
scalding. If scalding is prolonged to
five or more minutes Of actual boiling,
as is necessary for some vegetables.
it is called blanching.
/. 6 Dip the scalded tomatoes at once
into cold water. This is called the cold
dip.
Z Remove the core or stem end of
the tomato first, and then slip the
skin off. Any juice that does escape
should be saved for filling the jars.
Fill the jar carefully. with whole
tomatoes if possible. until the fruit
comes to within Il inch of the top of
the jar. While filling, press the tomat-
oes close together with the bowl of
spoon.
8 Cover the closely packed toma-
toes with tomato juice (not water) un-
til the juice comes to one-fourth inch
of the top of the jar.
10 To each pint jar of tomatoes add
one-half to one teaspoon OF salt and
one-half teaspoon of sugar.
II Place rubbers and tops on jars.
and adjust the wire clamp. but do not
snap it into place.
IL Place the jars In a steamer or
rack in boiler, or according to direc-
tions that come with the canning out
fit in commercial Gamer. When the
boiler and rack are used, nearly cover
the jars with water. Cover the boiler |
and bring the water to the boiling
is called exhausting, and the time OF
exhausting should be long enough to
allow the contents OF the Jar to expand
as much as possible before the Jar is
sealed. If this is not carefully done
with glass jars and further expansion
takes place after the jars are sealed.
the jars are likely to crack by pressure
of the expanding contents. The time
should be counted after the water be-
gins to boil. not when the Jars are plac-
ed in the Gamer nor when the water is
merely hot.
13 Seal the jars after the exhaust
period by fastening down the clamp.
IA Boil the sealed jars in the cam
er for Is to 80 minutes, according to
the condition of the tomatoes. the size
OF the jar, and the kind of Gamer used
Timetables showing differences of var
ious fruits and vegetables are given in
this pamphlet. This process is called
sterilizing. processing or boiling.
Is Remove the jars from the boiler,
steamer or Gamer. invert them on
cloth. and cover them in order to pre-
vent drafts and prevent cracking OF
the glass.
16 Test the Jars after several days
by loosening the clamp and picking up
the jar by the edge OF the glass cover.
II seal is perfect the cover will not
come off In that case snap the clamp
back into place.