Canning Epiphany
November 13th, 2009“We Could Raid the Fat Guy’s House if he Didn’t Have all Those Guns”
Is this the greatest day in the history of the world, or what? It’s 64° outside, I have nine new jars of home-canned sweet pickles, I have new tires on my diesel 4×4, and I’m sitting on what amounts to a small ammunition dump. Plus I’m enjoying big mug of decaffeinated coffee with half and half. All of the pleasure with none of the tics and irritability.
I’m trying to decide what else to can. I was really excited about pork sausage and pickles, but the pickles are done, the sausage isn’t going to be that much of a challenge, and I need to come up with other stuff.
I’m thinking beans. I bought a bunch of dried beans for SHTF purposes, but they become useless after about a year and a half, unless you know how to turn them into flour. They would be much more useful if they could be kept longer. And I just happen to make amazing bean soup. I make soup beans, black bean soup, and navy bean soup. It’s incredibly good.
If I can this stuff, I’ll have SHTF beans that will last much longer than dried beans. I think. I have to find out how long canned beans keep.
Man, this would be great. Pint jars full of tasty soup, waiting for cornbread and greens.
I guess the wet blankets will point out that beans are available in remarkable new inventions called cans. But they’re not as good, nor are they as much fun. I like Bush’s beans just fine, but it’s just plain stupid to compare them to real beans.
I wonder if I could can barbecue beans. I don’t see why not. Oh, man. Yes. What a convenience. BBQ beans plus browned smoked sausage! And I could can chili! My astounding Unauthentic White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Chili, with tons of homemade chili powder and exotic peppers. Picture it, sitting in little jars, just waiting to rip the intestines out of unsuspecting wimps. Wow, would that be great. I could can the wuss version plus the manly version, and when I wanted to serve chili to people, I’d be able to keep the versions separate.
I’m so tired of lame chili. When I make it for myself, I can ratchet the heat up, but if even one other person eats with me, I’m forced to make it weak and silly.
CANNED DORO WAT! OH, BABY! I just thought of that! Canned Ethiopian-style chicken stew! Brutal and satisfying.
Oooh…canned collard greens with salt pork.
I have to hold onto something. This is too much.
If Obama continues working his economic magic, and I’m forced to eat stored food, I’ll eat better than I do right now. I wonder if chili will keep getting better in a jar, the way it does in the fridge.
I’m Googling around, and I see cautious people recommending a 1-year storage maximum, while others say that if the food passes inspection, you can keep it much, much longer. I just read about canned goods found on a ship that sunk in 1865. They were tested in 1974 and found to be okay.
I can tell you this. My grandmother never threw anything out in her life, unless it said “whiskey” on the label.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Steve, pickeled carrots are really good. It’s astonishing what they charge for them in the store. With your inventory, you will have on hand a wealth of gifts to give when you want to.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Just wanted to thank you again for that doro wat recipe in the book, it is unbelievably fantastic. I have to make it at least once per month. and the un-authentic chili is a family favorite – hey – when you have kids you need to tone it down, but the flavor is still nice.
Not sure how that doro wat will hold up canned. Let me know as I am not brave enough to try it.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Pickled watermelons. Little bits, like sweet pickles. Highly recommended if you can find a watermelon.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Canning is good. Most dried foods must be boiled or soaked in water, canned goods are ready to eat. Don’t forget your fruits. I know you are drying a lot of them but consider canning them also. You get your water and nutrients in one place with canned goods. I wonder if you could find a way to vacuum pack dried foods in a can. We get them that way at the grocery store. I think you are the man to figure that one out. I’m thinking you could vacuum pack baked goods with that method. Think about it.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I remember my grandmother canning green beans, pickled corn, jams and jellies. I never developed a taste for pickled corn but all the other stuff was wonderful.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Steve, I keep dried beans in the freezer-double bagged. I also keep flour, rice, and other dried grains in the freezer, this makes sure they aren’t bothered by pests.
Good luck with your stockpile!
I keep telling my family we should be doing this as well. 😉
November 13th, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Whisky is medicinal.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Have you thought about getting a salt box and curing some hams? It might not work because of the warm winters down there, but then again, they may just be ready quicker.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Of course, by “getting a salt box,” I mean “making a salt box.”
November 13th, 2009 at 7:54 PM
I don’t know the official shelf life on canned goods but I’ve eaten home canned goods that were 6-8 years old many times. So long as the seal is good there really shouldn’t be a problem.
You may be interested in Jackie Clays new book on canning from http://www.backwoodshome.com. Her regular column is full of good canning and kitchen advice so I’m assuming her book should be likewise. Good advice and easy to follow.
November 14th, 2009 at 2:46 AM
I’m with your grammy. Chuck the whiskey.
November 15th, 2009 at 8:28 AM
Pickled jalapenos and jalapeno jelly! We made some red jelly and some green jelly – the green is fairly mild and we can serve it to other people. The red is good, which means too hot for most of our friends and family. It’s great on crackers or chips, with or without cream cheese. 64 degrees sounds wonderful, except here it would mean nice and warm instead of nice and cool.