The basics of preserving fruits and veggies to save money on groceries

Who doesn't love food that tastes like it was picked fresh from the garden? All it takes to preserve fruits and veggies are a few handy kitchen tools and a little bit of organization.

Fruits and vegetables can be "put up" with a preserver, pressure canner or oven.

•  Along with jars, you need these tools for preserving fruits and vegetables: a kitchen scale, measuring cup, skimmer and funnel for transferring the preserves into jars.
• A jar lifter makes it easier to remove jars from the hot water. Don't forget to label jars.

• Choose special canning jars with a rubber seal, glass lid and spring closure.
• Check all canning jars for scratches and chips.
• Check the rubber gaskets used to form an airtight seal on the jars for brittle spots.
• Before adding preserves, boil the jars and gaskets in vinegar and water and let them drip dry, bottom-up, in a dish drainer.
• If you choose to boil them in a pot, make sure your canning jars are all the same height and they don't touch the top edge of the pot.
• Put jars in warm water, then crank the heat; they can crack if placed directly into boiling water.
• You can also sterilize jars in the oven: just place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towel for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 160°C (325°F).
• When preserving in the oven, place the jars on a shelf or baking sheet. Don't preheat.

• Remove the rings on canning jars only after complete cooling (usually overnight).
• Check to ensure the jars are sealed by pressing down gently on the centre with your finger. If it pops up and down (it may even make a popping sound), it isn't sealed. If the lid has been sucked down, you're good to go.
• If there is no vacuum, put the jar into the refrigerator and be sure to eat the contents within a short period of time.
• If your canning jar resists opening, place it right-side up into a pot of hot water to reduce the inner pressure. The jar will open more easily.
• You can keep preserved fruit or vegetables in a dark, cool location for up to a year.

• Boil down about two kilograms of fruit with one litre of water and 550 millilitres (2 1/4 cups) sugar into a syrup.
• Adjust the amount of sugar to the natural sugar content of the fruit so that the compote has a balanced taste.
• Place your washed and chopped fruits in lemon water to keep them from oxidizing.
• Layer the fruit no higher than 1.5 centimetres under the rim of the jar.
• Add sugar syrup to the jars, seal them and put them into the pot or the oven at 90°C (200°F) for about 30 minutes.

• Layer your vegetables tightly in the jars, and cover with a boiling salt solution consisting of 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) salt and one litre of water.
• Leave a headspace of about 1.5 centimetres when filling. Too much headspace may result in discolouration of the top layer; too little headspace may make the veggies swell and break the seal.
• Most vegetables can be preserved at a temperature of90°C (200°F) for 90 minutes. Cabbage, celery, peas and beans need two hours, but tomatoes and cucumbers need only 30 minutes at 85°C (185°F), otherwise they become too soft.
• Shorten preserving time by blanching or half-cooking your veggies in advance.

• If the canned vegetables aren't crisp, the salt solution isn't strong enough.
• If the veggies turn dark, remember to use distilled water next time. Even iodized salt can produce a dark colouration.
• You must can non-acidic vegetables in a pressure canner, or you may end up with a bad case of food poisoning.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!