Preserving Garden Produce.

[Durgan]

I preserve much of my food. My method of long term storage is slurry, cook, strain and pressure can. It works great. The product is a drinkable liquid.

Recently there is a bit of exposure to freeze drying for long term preserving in the domestic environment. It is expensive and has one majoar drawbaack. When the freze dried product is rehydrated some of the pathogens are not destroyed , hence making the process useless. The other method is using heat to dry which at best is a poor slow method.
The major advertising is done by Harvest Right.

 

[YumYum]

I've never freeze dried anything but is it possible to freeze dry juice, already cooked of course (killed microbes)? Remember a couple years ago when you couldn't find canning lids? That might be its advantage but I'm guessing it may not taste the same so that may be its disadvantage, but it might be better than having nothing if you can't can it.

 

[Durgan]

I've never freeze dried anything but is it possible to freeze dry juice, already cooked of course (killed microbes)? Remember a couple years ago when you couldn't find canning lids? That might be its advantage but I'm guessing it may not taste the same so that may be its disadvantage, but it might be better than having nothing if you can't can it.

Drying produce is to make a small volume and stilll have most of the nutrients, also the storage life is longer. Camping or trail blazing.
A major problem with drying is stopping the material from sticking to the drying surface. So far I haven't found a suitable method with a liquid.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

When we have a glut of tomatoes my missus halves them and puts them on a tray in the bottom of the oven. When they have partially cooked/dried she scrapes out the inside and freezes it. It gets used as the tomato base for things like pizza, and in casseroles and such. It's about 110% more tasty than the commercial products like chopped, canned tomatoes. When she freezes stuff like that she lines a plastic box with a bag and takes it out when frozen so it comes in a cheap bag and an easily packed shape.

 

[Durgan]

Too complicated; Here is my method.

2 August 2022 Four liters of Tomatoes processed. Depicting method.​

Posted on 08/02/2022 by Durgan
https://durgan.org/2022/August%processed

Thirty two hundred grams of tomatoes were processed into four liters of juice. 800 ml per liter. Process was wash,,cook slurry, strain, pour into liter jars and pressure can at 15 PSI for 15 minutes. I showed wiping the canning gasket surface with liquid cooking oil. This is done each time the lid is removed. It ensures the gasket lasts for years.​

 

[YumYum]

I showed wiping the canning gasket surface with liquid cooking oil. This is done each time the lid is removed. It ensures the gasket lasts for years.

I wipe the rubber seal down with vegetable oil on mine when I'm finished with that group of canning. I've had that canner for over 10 years and the rubber still looks brand new. Its a Presto brand. My canner looks like yours except mine is single stack and doesn't have the gauge.

 

[Durgan]

The gage is redundant. A weight is sufficient. Presto is the lowest cost and always works well. I have had mine for many years.

 

[Meadowlark]

The number one reason I preserve food is to cover the relatively short window of time between when a garden crop is harvested to when the next crop comes in. Canning, freezing, and dry storage works extremely well and is highly taste efficient depending on the veggie type. Generally, that storage is almost always less than 6 months.

I have no need for longer term storage for many reasons; hence freeze drying is not a sensible option. Never have any use for multiple years storage of food when I can grow it all year around here including protein.

When someone invents a method to preserve green beans that beat the taste of my fresh canned green beans, let me know.... but I haven't seen it!

 

[Durgan]

You live in an ideal area.
I have six months of no growth so am limited unless I preserve.
My pressure canning system works reaonably well.
I was rather astonished to see that freeze drying does not kill all pathogens.
Most Canadains go on the junk food circuit in the no grow season and it generally shows.
Durgan.

 

[YumYum]

Hehe. Canning green beans is the only way to go with those. I've tried to freeze them and they taste really bad.

 

[Durgan]

I simply juice green beans and drink the juice. I have reason by experience determinesd the method is sound and is applicable to most plant produce.

 

[YumYum]

I simply juice green beans and drink the juice. I have reason by experience determinesd the method is sound and is applicable to most plant produce.

Mine and your stomach must be made different. I don't know how you do it.

 

[Durgan]

I drink all prodce juice and never a problem. When I eat in the morning I start with a large glass of juice. Keeps me healthy or so I believe.

 

[skinyea]

Thanks to you all on here I do a big combination.

I can Green beans, Tomatos, okra, Potatoes, salsa, ETC
I freeze Green Beans, Corn,
I have potatoes, squash and garlic in my basement
I dehydrate Tomatos, Peppers and apples.

I can a ton of tomato juice. use it to drin k by itself, Bloody mary mix, a base for soups.

 

[Meadowlark]

Canadians don't have any exclusive there unfortunately

...Most Canadains go on the junk food circuit in the no grow season and it generally shows.
Durgan.

The junk food circuit temps us all, not just Canadians, and especially me, LOL.

 

[Ruderunner]

Hehe. Canning green beans is the only way to go with those. I've tried to freeze them and they taste really bad.

I've done both. I don't think frozen green beans taste bad but rather very strong. A couple minutes at a rolling boil with a little salt is the fix.