Coastal Cuisine

Can you can it? Yes you can!

story by Anna Stockton

When most people think of canning, they think of either doomsday prepping or maybe even the Oregon Trail. But before you start worrying about dying of dysentary, you should know, canning is a cool and useful practice, and you don’t even have to start building your bunker.

Canning dates back to well before our wagons were trying to ford the river. In 1795 Napolean Bonaparte, frustrated that his army’s military campaigns were “shortened” by lack of year-round food availability, offered a reward to whoever could develop a safe and dependable way to transport food for his army. After 15 years of trial and error, a brewer and confectioner named Nicholas Appert developed his method that involved heat processing food in glass jars secured with wire and sealed with wax. While this was a cool invention at the time, sealing with wax is not necessarily considered “safe” by today’s standards. However, despite the possibly high body count, this new way of preserving food was the only method for a while but it eventually led to safer, modern day canning and jarring practices.

By the mid 1800s, throughout Europe, the tin canning business was in full swing. In the beginning of this industrial canning, the act of getting food safely into tin cans was a tedious, complicated and expensive process -- meaning only the wealthy could afford such a luxury with the poor and middle class left with their lowly “fresh” food. As the canning process progressed, faster and more ef cient ways were developed and canned food became more available to the population.

What we now know as “canning” took a little longer to perfect and really only started to pick up steam during the Civil War era when two notable names helped shape the jars we use today. John Mason invented the glass jar with a screw-on thread molded and a rubber sealed lid while Alexander Kerr developed the wide mouth jar and a metal lid with a gasket and metal ring. William Ball and his brothers got into the mix and quickly became leaders in the business by buying up small jarring companies and adding them to their empire.

Now before you start thinking this practice is strictly for the same people who do Civil War Reenactments, you should know that canning (or “jarring”) is making a comeback and has regained popularity. There are probably a few reasons for this, the pandemic, a desire to be creative, general mistrust of the government, ya know, the usual stuff. Whether you want to try your hand at making salsa, sauces, pickling or my personal favorite, fruit jams, there’s a little something for everyone in the canning world. And surprisingly, anyone can do it, no log cabin required.

Two main methods used today are the water bath and pressure canning. Both are relatively easy with the method dictated by the PH of the food you’re canning. Water baths are safe for high acid foods such as tomatoes, pickles, jams and jellies. These are sealed by being completely covered in boiling water. For low acidic foods, such as vegetables, poultry, meat and seafood (yikes!), the pressure canning method is required. Here, you place the jars in a few inches of water in a pressure cooker and heat it to 240 degrees. Although it sounds complicated and “science-y”, your recipe will guide you and ensure your nished product is safe and delicious.

So saddle up those oxen, and plow your elds to prepare for the planting season, or just peruse the internet for a great recipe, buy your supplies and get to canning. You will be impressed with your own abilities and your family, friends, and neighbors will love receiving beautiful and tasty gifts from you.

Corn & Cherry Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

5 lbs. cherry tomatoes, chopped 2 cups corn kernels (about 2 large ears fresh, but frozen thawed is fi ne) 1 cup red onion, fi nely chopped 2 teaspoons salt ½ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 large limes) 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder, optional 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 6 Ball® (16 oz.) pint glass jars w/lids & bands

Directions:

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands. 2. Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a large stainless-steel or enameled saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Ladle the hot salsa into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band and adjust to fi ngertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner. Repeat until all the jars are fi lled. 4. Process the jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove the lid, and let the jars stand 5 minutes. Remove the jars and cool.