Monday, July 18, 2011

HOME CANNING's BIG CAN-IT-FORWARD DAY AUG. 13

Home canning has come back in style in the past few years, along with the tough economy and the surging interest in growing your own food.  
Canning isn't as difficult as some might think, but you do need to take some precautions so that the food you "put up" doesn't grown a nice case of botulism. Placing the filled jars in a boiling water back for a specified time, adding an acid such as lemon juice, and putting the lids on correctly are all important.  Also, foods with very little acid in them, such as green beans or meat, need to be pressure-canned. Salsa needs a specific ratio of acid such as vinegar to non-acid ingredients such as cilantro and chiles.
On August 13, those who are curious about canning can learn more about it on Can-It-Forward Day.  Jarden Home Brands,  makers of the iconic Ball® brand home canning products, has teamed up with Canning Across America, a group  committed to reviving the art of "putting up" locally grown food. 
"We are seeing a tremendous resurgence for the art of home canning," said Brenda Schmidt, Brand Manager for Fresh Preserving at Jarden Home Brands. "Interest in learning the craft has never been higher as consumers want to eat fresh, local foods year-round. Can-It-Forward Day is all about teaching a new generation the joys and benefits of fresh preserving."
  • Jarden Home Brands is also providing instructions for consumers to host their own in-home "canning parties."  Online resources will provide simple instructions for getting started, including an illustrated 'how to', a checklist of necessary items, recipes and money-saving coupons for canning supplies.


  • A free, live webcast hosted at FreshPreserving.com will feature a day of instructional canning videos as well as cooking demos on August 13 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. EST.  Viewers will be able to ask questions and post comments in real time.  



Visit FreshPreserving.com for a full schedule of National Can-It-Forward Day demos and to register to view the webcast and host a home canning party.

1 comment:

Rani said...

Yeah! Canning is back! I used to can a lot of stuff back home with my mom - tomatoes, pineappples, fish, anything that is in season. It's a tradition that will never go away. Canned goods actually taste better sometimes, though they are also known to be a cause of botulism. I think everything will be great if the product was prepared well. Here's a post on the do's and don'ts of home canning that you look into to ensure safety. Hope it helps. Happy canning!