Wasteful living is one of the things that annoy men the most, so if you have excess food you can’t finish eating in a week and you’re afraid it might go to waste, food preservation is your best bet.
Food preservation is also important in home management, there’ll always be left over, if the tomatoes left over after the ceremony get spoilt it’s still your fault since you could have done something about it.
And here’s an idea on how to preserve your foods as inspired by Countryliving;
Preserving food so that it won’t go to waste has always been around for centuries, fresh products are sprinkled with herbs, spices, and vinegar, packaged and stored in the refrigerator. But another method of preserving food is through canning by which means you can store your food in a glass jar for a year and it won’t spoil. If properly done, you’ll enjoy using this method;
What you need
The USDA recommends using tempered glass jars free of cracks, nicks, or other defects that have a two-piece vacuum cap consisting of a flat, rubber-lined metal lid and a metal screw band. (Note: The flat metal lid is not reusable.)
Also, you’ll need a boiling-water canner or a large pot that is at least 2 inches taller than the largest jar you plan on processing and is outfitted with a rack and lid.
Use a jar lifter or tongs to safely lower and remove jars.
Lastly, you will need a long, thin, nonmetallic skewer (like the one used for suya) to insert into the length of the jar to remove trapped air bubbles.
You can purchase home canning kits which will contain everything you’ll need.
INGREDIENTS
- Use the freshest produce as it yields the freshest-tasting results.
- Always wash produce thoroughly to remove any microorganisms that may be present and that could contribute to spoilage.
- And always follow a recipe from a trusted source to the letter–these recipes have been tested to ensure that acid levels safely preserve the contents and that processing times are long enough to create a vacuum seal.
PROCESS
- Where you want to use, produce, and all equipment must be spotlessly cleaned and free of defects.
- Set up the boiling-water canner according to the instruction on the manual.
- The jars should be sterilized by immersing them in boiling water for 10 minutes, keep them in hot water until ready to fill.
- The cover should not be sterilized but must be hot. Immerse them in simmering water for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the risk of bacterial growth by inserting the long skewer into filled jars (containing what you want to preserve) to remove air bubbles and wiping each rim dry.
- Then, cover the jar tightly and leave all jars in the canner for the time specified. Test to see if jars have sealed properly by pressing on the center of the lid, which should be slightly depressed. Any jar that isn’t sealed should be stored in the refrigerator and contents should be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
This method can be used for tomatoes, fruits, jams, jellies, pickles and other preserves.
Mamalette! What processs do you use in preserving your food?
Photo:Amazon
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