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Show ALL CANNING STEPS IMPORTANT; WISE CANNERS HEED EVERYfRULE ' ' - - V -Fi y If "; MIL, Y W r IV-Ji llVf C ?-1 - c i Steps in Canning: Left, Packing Pimentos in Glass; Right, Placing Jars in Processing Vessel. The first step in home canning of vegetables 'or fruits is to make sure that all the needed apparatus is handy and in condition for Immediate use. As explained, this consists of a hot-water hot-water "bath outfit (such as a wash boiler with a false bottom), or a steam-pressure steam-pressure canner, glass jars, tops and rubber rings (or cans and soldering outfit), a yard or two of clean cheesecloth cheese-cloth "for blanching and dipping, and the usual kitchen equipment of clean enameled pans, knives, spoons, wooden wood-en paddle, and sugar, salt and other condiments for flavoring. Tables and all utensils with which the product is to come in contact must be scrupulously scrupu-lously clean preferably scalded with boiling water. Use Fresh, Sound Products. The fruits or vegetables to be canned must be fresh, sound and neither nei-ther too green nor too ripe. Young vegetables give better results than old, woody or tough ones. Aim to get the products into the jars as quickly as is practicable. Every minute's delay lessens flavor and adds to the difficulty of canning. Such products as green peas or sweet corn are not fit to can if they are off the vines more than a few hours. Peas for canning should be picked early in the morning or during dur-ing a cool spell and rushed into the cans. Don't let peas stand after they are shelled. Prepare Water Bath and Empty Jars and Lids. Start your day's" canning operations by putting your wash boiler or hot-water hot-water bath with its false bottom to boil on the fire. Before the water in it gets too hot place clean empty jars on their sides and put glass covers or metal caps in the bath, the metal caps preferably in a piece of cloth which may be lifted out conveniently. Cover the jars with water, put the lid on the boiler, and let the jars boil until you are ready to use them. They should be allowed to boil for at least 15 minutes. As It takes time for a big vessel of water to come to a boil, start this boiling of jars some time before you begin actually to prepare your fruit or vegetables. Try not to have your prepared fruits or vegetables vegeta-bles wait any length of time to be put into the boiled jars. Meanwhile start water for blanching to boil in a clean enameled pail. Use only new rubber rings. Shortly before you will use the rubber rings add a teaspoonful of bicarbonate (cooking) soda to a quart of boiling water. Cleanse the rubber rings just before putting them on the jars by dipping them for one minute in this hot soda water. Preparing Fruits and Vegetables. Select sound, fresh fruits and vegetables vege-tables and carefully wash in cold water. wa-ter. Do not put soft berries into water. wa-ter. Rinse them by pouring water over the berries in a colander, being careful not to mash or bruise them. Sort the product again and discard all bruised or defective pieces. With clean hands and scalded utensils uten-sils peel or scrape or cut up large products into pieces of canning size. If the hot jars are not yet ready and they must have boiled for at least 15 minutes cover each dish of prepared pre-pared product with a clean towel or scalded cover. Better yet, prepare only a small quantity at a time and rush into one or two jars. Then prepare pre-pare another batch. The quicker the product is prepared and packed into the hot jar the better. Blanching. Just before placing in the jars put the prepared product in the center of a clean cheesecloth square. Takv3 the cloth by the corners and plunge the product into the clean boiling water in the blanching vessel. Allow it to remain re-main in the boiling water only for the time specified for the particular prod- dip into cold bath or place directly in the jars, as directed for the product. Cold Dipping. If dipping in a cold water bath Is advised for the product, the moment the bag of blanched material Is taken from the boiling water plunge it into & vessel of clean cold water the colder the better. Allow it to remain In the cold water only for the time specified. Do not allow it to soak in the cold water. Packing the Jar. Remove from the water bath the jars and covers, which must have been boiling for at least 15 minutes. As quickly as possible pack the blanched (and dipped) product into the boiled jars. Pack quickly and carefully, using us-ing a flat and narrow wooden paddlo or wooden spoon. Eliminate all bubbles. bub-bles. Pack tightly but not so as to mash or crush the product. Fill the jar to within one-half inch of the top with hot brine or water or juice if you are canning vegetable or with hot sirup, fruit juice or mere!) clean hot water if you are canning fruit. Directions for making brines and sirups are included in the bulletin on canning issued for free distribution by the U. S. department of agriculture. agricul-ture. Partial Sealing of Jars. As each jar is filled and while it is still hot place a rubber ring cleansed in boiling soda and water on the jar. Screw down the boiled top, if a screw-top screw-top jar is used, but do not screw it tight. If glass-top jars are used, put on cover and slip wire over it, but do not press down side spring. Do not delay in putting on tops until the jar and top are cool. Do not seal jars tight at this stage. The packed product will expand somewhat some-what when the jars are boiled (processed), (proc-essed), and there must be an outlet for the expanding air. As each jar is partially sealed put it back in the hot-water bath from which some of the hot water has been removed and to which cold water has been added until the water is merely warm. Do not put cold jars directly into hot water. They will crack. Try to have filled jars and the water in the bath about the sane temperature at the start. Fill and partially seal all the, jart, as rapidly as possible and place there in the bath. See that when all a', e in the water comes over tops of the jars. Put a tight cover on the vessel to keep the steam around the tops of the jars. Allow the jars to remain in the boiling boil-ing water for the time specified for the product. Begin counting the time for processing when the water around the jars in the water bath starts to boil. Sealing the Jars. Remove jars from the bath at the end of the canning period prescribed for the particular vegetable or fruit. Instantly clamp tightly or screw down the lid on each jar as it is taken out. Make certain there is no leak. Store jars to cool in a draft-free place. Test for leaks again next day. If any jar shows any signs of leaks replace faulty rubber, cap or container and reboil. Canning in Metal. Wash the cans carefully and scald with boiling water to make certain that they are absolutely clean. In the case of cans, prepare the product the same as if it were to be packed in jars. Fill the cans. Solder on' the tops, leaving open the small hole in the center of the cap. Boiling (Processing) Filled Cans. Remove the exhausted cans, tip the air hole with solder, then process in boiling water or in a water-seal or steam-pressure canner for the time specified for the particular product : and for the particular outfit. Bulletins issued for free distribution ! by the department of agriculture, ' Washington. D. C. tell all about can- |