Food preservation: Pickling, Fermentation, & Canning

Knowing how to preserve your food can help your food last longer, add flavor, and save you money. By changing the acidity, salinity, or moisture of your food you protect it against microbes. Here are several different ways you can preserve your food.

1.    Pickling helps preserve food by making the environment acidic by using vinegar, or salt. It is usually left at room temperature for 24 -72 hrs, and then put in the fridge where it usually preserves your food for 1-2 weeks. If you want to preserve it longer, you can put your pickling jar in a hot water bath canner and boil it for 10 minutes.

a.    Fresh-pack/quick process marinade: A marinade liquid consisting of vinegar with at least 5% acidity is boiled and poured over the veggies. 

·     Usually used to pickle cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, garlic, onions, green beans, jalapenos etc.

·     Flavor the marinade liquid by adding spices like dill, garlic, black peppercorn, bay leaves, black current leaves, grape leaves, cloves, horseradish, red chili pepper etc..

·     If you notice your pickling looks cloudy, throw it away. It can be a sign of yeast spoilage due to using regular salt instead of pickling salt, or using a reactive container (i.e. aluminum pot).

b.    Fruit pickle marinade: A marinade liquid consisting of vinegar with at least 5% vinegar and sugar is boiled and poured over whole fruit to give it a sweet-sour flavor. 

·     Usually used to pickle cherries, peaches, blueberries, grapes etc..

c.     Chutney and relish: A marinade liquid consisting of vinegar is poured over chopped fruits/veggies that are then cooked down into a thick consistency.

2.    Fermentation uses microorganisms (bacteria or yeast) under anaerobic conditions to breakdown the sugar and carbohydrates found in food into lactic acid, carbon dioxide gas, or alcohol. It is usually left at room temperature for 24-72 hrs, then put in the fridge where it usually preserves your food for 1-2 weeks, sometimes even up to 4-18 months. 

a.    Lactic acid bacteria fermentation: Usually used to make saurkeraut, yogurt, milk kefir, probiotic drinks-kvass, cheese, and kimchi,

·     Brine method: A liquid consisting of salt and water is poured over the veggies to sit under.  Alternatively, the veggies are covered in salt that then extract the veggies’ own juices in which it ferments under i.e. sauerkraut. 

vAvoid using iodinized salt or chlorinated water for it will destroy the good bacteria needed to help ferment the food. 

vBrine should be 1 inch above the food to create an anaerobic environment. It is ok if it looks cloudy. 

vApproximately 1-3 tbs of salt is added per 1 quart of water, or amount of shredded vegetables. Alternatively, you can use this equation (weight of food in grams + water weight in grams) X 0.025 = How much salt you should add in grams. 

vThe ratio of salt and vinegar are very important to follow to ensure safety.

·     Starter culture method: A dry, or liquid medium of microorganisms that feeds on sugars to produce lactic acid is used i.e. cultured sourdough, juice from fermented vegetables, whey from yogurt/kefir, scoby etc. 

b.    Acetic acid bacteria fermentation (Kombucha and vinegar), as well as Alcohol fermentation (wine and beer) are two other types of fermentation that usually use starter cultures. 

3.    Canning helps preserve food by increasing the temperature, thus killing the bacteria. Additionally, it pushes the air bubbles out so that when it cools, the air shrinks causing the lid to pop and create an airtight seal. This method preserves your food for 1-2 years, sometimes even  up to 5 years. Some helpful tools are a canning funnel, jar lifter, magnetic lid wand, wide mouth canning safe mason jars etc..

a.    Pressure canner: Used to can low-acid food like meat, fish, poultry, dried beans, non-pickled veggies etc. 

b.    Hot water bath canner: Used to can high-acid foods like fruit and anything pickled with vinegar. 

·     First, clean and pre-heat the jars and metal lids by adding them into the dishwasher under the sanitizing setting.

vAlternatively, you can add hot water to your jars to pre-heat them, thus avoiding thermal shock once they are put into the canner. And, boil your lids in water. 

vSterilizing jars is only essential if you will boil/process your canning goods for less than 10 minutes. 

·     Second, place enough water in your bath canner, so that when you end up adding your jars, it will cover 1-2 inches over the top of your jars. Bring the water to a warm simmer.

vAlternatively, you can use a large stockpot that is no more than 2 inches wider than the stove burner element, with a rack on the bottom.

·     Third, place the spices, salt, and vinegar in the jar; add the cleaned vegetables, and pour warm boiled water up to 1 inch below the edge of the jar.  
  vAlternatively, if filling with jam, ensure you run a rubber spatula on the inner sides of the jars to ensure you remove all air bubbles. 

·     Fourth, wipe the jar rims clean with a damp paper towel (important to get a good seal). Add your metal lid, and screw band. Fingertip tighten it enough so the jars don’t leak, yet not so tight that air cannot escape during the canning process. 

vTip: Do not reuse metal lids, only screw bands can be reused.

·     Fifth, place the filled jar into the warm bath canner, and bring it to a boil with the canner lid on. Once the water starts to vigorously boil, start the timer for the total minutes required to process the food. This is usually 10-15 minutes. 

vTip: To keep the water 1-2 inches above the jar tops, add more boiling water.

·     Sixth, using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars without tilting them, and place them on a board, or towel 1 inch apart from each-other for 5 minutes. (Avoid placing on cold surface, or it might crack from thermal shock). 

  vAlternatively, you can tighten the lid, flip the jar upside down, and wrap in towels. 

·     Seventh, once allowed to cool undisturbed for 12-24hrs, remove screw band (to avoid having it rust), and check for seal. 

        vTip: Ensure the jar has an airtight seal by pressing in the middle of the lid with your finger. If you hear the lid pop when you press and release your finger, the lid is not airtight. You can put these in the refrigerator, and eat them. 

·     Eighth, label and store your airtight jars in a cool, dry, dark place.

What fruits and vegetables do you like to preserve?

Photo source: draxe.com; culturesforhealth.com

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