Canning Blueberries

 As I stated earlier I went blueberry picking with my husband and friends.  I picked fifteen pounds of blueberries.  We ate as many as we could fresh, but I wanted to put some by to use in muffins and pie.  Fortunately the upick site has a whole section on canning blueberries.

I gathered my equipment, steam sterilized the jars and started lightly packing the jars with blueberries.  The option I chose was to can them in a light syrup.  I used my steam canner for both sterilizing the jars and processing them.

I ended up with a good supply of canned berries and I decided to use the rest for jam, but that’s another post.

Please note that I haven’t given explicit instructions on canning.  It’s much safer for you to learn from an experienced canner, your local extension office, or a reliable book (such as the Ball Blue books).

God bless,

Pam

The Frugal Kitchen: Steam Canning

 Up until recently the USDA did not recommend steam canners for preserving food, mainly due to a lack of research on the subject.  The Amish have been using steam canners for decades with good results and, just recently, the USDA has enough research to state that steam canning is a safe way to preserve high sugar and high acid foods.

What does that mean to me:  I no longer have to carry a large canner filled with water from the sink to the stove top.  A steam canner has about two inches of water in the bottom and is easy to handle.

 

Considering my arthritis and general aging this steam canner has made food preservation much easier.  The handle on top contains a gauge, so you can tell when the steam has reached the level where you can start your timer.  The times for processing are the same as a water bath canner.

If you are in the market for a canner or are finding canning to be too strenuous, I highly recommend this type of steam canner.

God bless,

Pam