Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-08
Mrs. Wilson Talks
on Canning Methods
In Conserving Food the Use
of Faulty Lids Is Very Often
the Cause of So Much
Failure
BY MRS. M. A. WILSON

dN nome canning industry has been
real part Of the housewives own
work since 1850. The art of conserving
food by the process Of canning was dis
covered about 1880, and gradually
worked It's way to the housewife. Many
methods and discoveries from that time
to the modern day tell story Of intense
study and progress.
The art Of canning or conserving
food, all hinges upon one principle,
namely, perfect sterilization. and then
sealing alright. Modern methods have
eliminated the open kettle to a great
extent, and use in Its place the So
called cold pack.
The cold pack method Is the method
OF today, and means that the food is
partially prepared then dipped in cold
Jars. filled to overfowing with liquid
to fill up the jar, partially sealed, and
processed to cook the food, exhaust the
air in the jar and sterilize.
Poor sealing surface on the jars is
also the cause of many failures. The
housewife will pry open a sealed Jar.
using a knife or can opener, to permit
the pressure to escape from jar, and
then expect to use the same lids again
next year and be surprised because the
food spoils. If jar is forced open
and this Is particularly true Of all Jars
with the metal lid--this lid. or top can
not be used again next year.
Poor rubbers are also a cause Of
failure, as the rubber not having suf.
ficient elastic materially, soon loses its
give and becomes fat and will crack
and split when the Jars are processed.
Equipment
The equipment needed for homo can
ming will be-:
First. A water bath; a utensil fitted
for this purpose can be purchased more
cheaply than one can be made at home.
Second. Jar holders or an implement
that will lift the jar safely from the
bath for complete sealing after
Third. Good Jars with absolutely
perfect sealing. Defects here mean
Fourth. Pieces of chcesecloth about
eighteen inches square for blanching
and cold dipping. Plenty of clean
pieces of cloth, or old muslin for wip-
ing the jars and equipment.
Fifth. A method Of cooking. whether
by wood, gas, coal or oil, that will keep
the water boiling hard all the entire
time the food is processed.
Several large bowls to place foods in
while preparing.
The use of thermometer in preserving
will eliminate any chance Of breaking
jars by plunging them when ready to
process into cold water.
How to Can Successfully
The selection of foods to can Is very
important, and the commercial Gamer
who has paid dear by big losses found
out that the quicker the food is placed
in the jar after it is harvested the more
successful the pack will be.
Know where and when the products
you are going to can were harvested.
Sometimes you can so very early in the
morning to the wholesale district and
see the farmer deliver the. products.
These are the materials to buy. Then
hurry home and speed up the canning.
Once either fruits or vegetables have
started to decay, even though the spot
is n very tiny speck, they are unfit for
canning. So for this reason select the
freshest and best products for all your
canning.
Once you receive the products lose
no time in putting them under way. and
never select more material than you
can work up easily. It is best to can
moderate amount every day, during
the special seasons than to attempt
large Individual lots. 1t is almost i'm
possible not to be careless or slight,
JUS ia little bit, when overtired from
working up large quantities Of mate
rials.
The cold pack process Is so named
from the fact that the products are
packed in the jars or cans cold so that
they can be packed carefully and more
deftly than when hot. This method IL
No. /. blanching-This Is done for
tho purpose to loosen the skin on foods
that require its removal and to soften
tho cellulose so that it will pack more
easily, reducing some Of the bulk.
No. 2, cold dipping-This is the
process Immediately following the
blanching, and is done to stop the
process Of cooking until the material
can be packed in proper container. Also
to set tho color and help neutralize the
acid content Of product that has been
developed by the blanching.
No. 8, packing into the Jars or con-
tainers and filing to. overfowing with
liouid selected for the producer-this
may Dt JUDI pam "hleE Doil-
ing water with salt added, or sirup
made Of sugar and water.
No. 4, sealing-UpOn this point will
frequently depend the entire success Of
the entire operation.
With the screw or can top jar, the
method is as follows: Place rubber in
position and then place lid on the top
of the jar, seal by turning lid as far as
1t will 60 without using force; now
mark q place on the lid and give the
lid one-half turn back. With the all
glass jar simply slip the wire bail in
place without forcing down below the
lid
No. 3, proccssing-The hot water
bath must have rack in bottom to pre-
vent the bottom of the jars coming in
direct contact with the bottom of the
bath. The water should be at least
two inches higher than the jars; this
means to have the water two inches
deep over the tops Of the jars after
they are In the bath. Temperature of
water in bath when Jars are added
should be 10 degrees Fahrenheit; this
Is important and will prevent cracking
jars.
No. 6, removal Of jars at expiration
Of time limit set for processing and
sealing Immediately. Remove from
kitchen to cool. This Is very important,
for delay In cooling is frequently the
cause Of spoilage in jar after all other
parts have been done promptly.