Canning veggies........

[Dazey Mae]

Last year I canned quite a bit of green beans.  I didn't use any salt in the process and we have been unable to eat them because they just taste too weird.

Do you think using salt in the canning process makes that much of a difference in the taste?

I appreciate your feedback.

Thanks,
Lyn

[chathamgardener]

We stopped canning years ago. We invested in a freezer, and I think all the fruits and veggies keep much better that way. We freeze our beans after lightly blanching them, and they taste just as fresh as the day we picked them. All winter long. No salt added.

I know this doesn't help your canning issue, but I thought I'd mention this alternative.

I've never been able to can or freeze squash so that it comes out edible. The best I can manage is to freeze a puree of squash. I use it in my zucchini bread recipe and to thicken soups.

Peppers freeze great in slices. This makes them easy to pop out and add to soups, pasta, and pizza.

[hulahoop]

I've heard beans can taste funny based on what you grew them with, particularly onions or other alliums.

A food dehydrator works great for lots of crops that won't preserve well, otherwise, including squash.  It will rehydrate great in soup or other dishes, but freezing it or canning it is no good at all.

[mary51802]

I am going to try blanching and freezing this year for the first time. I am investing in a seal a meal machine.

Thanks for posting it worked well for you!

[John Florida]

Is it a good idea to vaccum pack before you freeze them?

[belle]

Is it a good idea to vaccum pack before you freeze them?

absolutely. saves flavor and space. helps reduce freezer burn. if you are going to bother, do it.

[John Florida]

Is it a good idea to vaccum pack before you freeze them?

absolutely. saves flavor and space. helps reduce freezer burn. if you are going to bother, do it.

 Thanks.

[mary51802]

Thanks for verifying that Belle! I heard it was easier and better than canning although canning is kinda fun. For the first time I have a monster garden this year so I will invest in a chest freezer.

[natvrabit]

Thanks for verifying that Belle! I heard it was easier and better than canning although canning is kinda fun. For the first time I have a monster garden this year so I will invest in a chest freezer.

Grew up with the heat of canning. Canning became not fun to me! Enter freezer friendly....but that can be a disappointment if you get a LONG stretch of power outage, such as with a hurricane or ice storm even later

[chathambooks]

Natv - I know what you mean about that possibility, on the other hand we used frozen zucinni bags to cool off on a really hot day when the air conditioner was on the fritz and it was a life saver at 9 months preggo!! (by the way, all of the sudden I can't seem to spell zucini...I digress..)

Back to the freezer vacuum seal question. When freezing any veggie or strawberries, I always use a straw on the corner of the baggie and suck out as much air as I can before totally closing. That seems to really help, actually.

[belle]

Natv - I know what you mean about that possibility, on the other hand we used frozen zucinni bags to cool off on a really hot day when the air conditioner was on the fritz and it was a life saver at 9 months preggo!! (by the way, all of the sudden I can't seem to spell zucini...I digress..)

Back to the freezer vacuum seal question. When freezing any veggie or strawberries, I always use a straw on the corner of the baggie and suck out as much air as I can before totally closing. That seems to really help, actually.

that works pretty well. my mother was too cheap to invest in the vacuum machines, and used that method.

not that you're cheap! thrifty! thrifty!

[natvrabit]

Natv - I know what you mean about that possibility, on the other hand we used frozen zucinni bags to cool off on a really hot day when the air conditioner was on the fritz and it was a life saver at 9 months preggo!! (by the way, all of the sudden I can't seem to spell zucini...I digress..)

Back to the freezer vacuum seal question. When freezing any veggie or strawberries, I always use a straw on the corner of the baggie and suck out as much air as I can before totally closing. That seems to really help, actually.

Well those vac machines didn't exist for a good while and yes, been there done that, sucked the air out of bag to get that effect

[belle]

Natv - I know what you mean about that possibility, on the other hand we used frozen zucinni bags to cool off on a really hot day when the air conditioner was on the fritz and it was a life saver at 9 months preggo!! (by the way, all of the sudden I can't seem to spell zucini...I digress..)

Back to the freezer vacuum seal question. When freezing any veggie or strawberries, I always use a straw on the corner of the baggie and suck out as much air as I can before totally closing. That seems to really help, actually.

Well those vac machines didn't exist for a good while and yes, been there done that, sucked the air out of bag to get that effect

that is what I meant. my Mother thought of it, before the machines were on the market. she just did it. it worked.


once the machines were invented she thought, I should spend money on this?

[seitaer]

Adding salt to your canning for certain vegetable does help preserve the flavor.  For green beans I too would recommend freezing.

I find canning best for pickles, sauces, salsa's and soups.

[mary51802]

Natv - I know what you mean about that possibility, on the other hand we used frozen zucinni bags to cool off on a really hot day when the air conditioner was on the fritz and it was a life saver at 9 months preggo!! (by the way, all of the sudden I can't seem to spell zucini...I digress..)

Back to the freezer vacuum seal question. When freezing any veggie or strawberries, I always use a straw on the corner of the baggie and suck out as much air as I can before totally closing. That seems to really help, actually.

Well those vac machines didn't exist for a good while and yes, been there done that, sucked the air out of bag to get that effect

that is what I meant. my Mother thought of it, before the machines were on the market. she just did it. it worked.


once the machines were invented she thought, I should spend money on this?

Those vacuum machines I saw can run between 50.00 and 300.00. I asked people who blog on them and it seems there is not much difference between them. I am getting one because other than just zipping the bag shut the seal the baggie with a heat seal. Good luck!

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