EVERY STEP IN CANNING: THE COLD-PACK METHOD TEXT

cloves, and bring to boil. Fill remaining portion of jars or cans. Partially seal glass jars. Cap and tip tin cans. Process two hours if using hot-water-bath outfit or condensed-steam outfit; ninety minutes if using water-seal outfit; seventy-five minutes if using five-pound steam-pressure outfit; sixty minutes if using pressure-cooker outfit. Chicken-Soup Stock. Place thirty pounds chicken in ten gallons of cold water and simmer for five hours. Remove meat and bones, then strain. Add sufficient water to make ten gallons of stock. Fill glass jars or tin cans with hot stock. Partially seal glass jars. Cap and tip tin cans. This stock is used to make soup where the term "chicken-soup stock" is used. Process ninety minutes if using hot-water-bath outfit or condensed-steam outfit; seventy-five minutes if using water-seal outfit; sixty minutes if using five-pound steam-pressure outfit; forty-five minutes if using pressure-cooker outfit. Chicken Broth With Rice. For each gallon of soup stock use twelve ounces of rice. Boil rice thirty minutes. Fill jars or tin cans two-thirds full of rice and the remainder with soup stock. Partially seal glass jars. Cap and tip tin cans. Process ninety minutes if using hot-water-bath outfit or condensed-steam outfit; seventy-five minutes if using water-seal outfit; sixty minutes if using five-pound steam-pressure outfit; forty-five minutes if using pressure-cooker outfit. Chicken Gumbo. Cut two pounds ham into small cubes and boil thirty minutes. Mince three pounds chicken and chop half a pound of onions fine. Make a smooth paste of a half pound flour. Add above to five gallons of chicken-soup stock. Then add a half pound butter and a quarter pound salt and boil ten minutes. Next add three ounces powdered okra mixed with one pint water. Pack into glass jars or tin cans while hot. Partially seal glass jars. Cap and tip tin cans. Process ninety minutes if using hot-water-bath outfit or condensed-steam outfit; seventy-five minutes if using water-seal outfit; sixty minutes if using five-pound steam-pressure outfit; forty-five minutes if using pressure-cooker outfit. TOMATO ACID CHECKS BACTERIA Some women who have canned soup tell me it spoiled or tasted "sourish and smelled sourish too." This is what we call "flat sour." It may happen to any vegetable you can, as well as to the soups. "Flat sour" affects peas, beans, asparagus and corn more than other vegetables. If the vegetables have been picked for some time and the bacteria have had a chance "to work," and you are not exceedingly careful about your canning, you may develop "flat sour" in the soup. If you let one little spore of this bacteria survive all is lost. Its moist growing place is favorable to development, particularly if not much acid is present. One little spore left in a jar will multiply in twenty hours to some twenty millions of bacteria. This twenty million can stand on the point of a needle, so a can could acquire quite a large population in a short time. Bacteria do not like acids, so it is always a good idea to have tomatoes in your soup mixture, and get the tomatoes into the stone crock early in the game. The tomato acid will safeguard the other vegetables which lack acid. If you are careless about the blanching and cold-dipping--that is, not doing these full time--if you work too slowly in getting the products into jars and then let the full jars stand in the warm atmosphere, you are pretty sure to develop "flat sour." Place each jar in the canner as it is packed. The first jars in will not be affected by the extra cooking. Have the water just below the boiling point as you put in each jar. When you have the canner full bring the water to the boiling point as quickly as possible and begin to count cooking or sterilizing time from the moment it does boil. Some women make the mistake at the end of the cooking period of letting the jars remain in the boiling water, standing on the false bottom of the canner until they are cool enough to handle with no danger of burning the hands. This slow method of cooling not only tends to create "flat sour," but it is apt to result in cloudy-looking jars and in mushy vegetables. For this reason you should have in your equipment a lifter with which you can lift out the hot jars without the hands touching them. If you use a rack with wire handles this answers the same purpose. This "flat sour," which is not at all dangerous from the standpoint of health, must not be confused with the botulinus bacteria, which is an entirely different thing. "Flat sour," perfectly harmless, appears often with inexperienced canners. Botulinus, harmful, appears rarely. You need not be at all alarmed about eating either "flat sour" or botulinus, because the odor from spoiled goods is so distasteful--it really resembles rancid cheese--that you would never get a spoon of it to your mouth. If you are debating whether this jar or that jar of soup or vegetables is spoiled, do not _taste_ the contents of the jar. _Smell_ it. Tasting might poison you if you happened on the botulinus bacteria, which is so rare it need alarm no one; whereas smelling is perfectly safe. TIME-TABLE FOR SOUPS GRAY SOUP WITHOUT STOCK NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS MINUTES OTHER PREPARATION TO BLANCH 1 Peck ripe tomatoes Scald 1½ Remove core and stem end. 1 Head cabbage 5} 1 Dozen carrots 5} 1 White turnip 5} Cut into cubes after blanching 2 Pounds string beans 5} 1 Pound okra 5} 3 Red peppers 5} 1 Peck spinach Steam 15 minutes or until thoroughly wilted. 2 Pounds asparagus 4 Cut into small pieces after blanching. 6 Small beets 5 Cut into slices after blanching. 6 Ears sweet corn 5 Cut from cob after blanching. Salt NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 60. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 60. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. VEGETABLE SOUP WITHOUT STOCK, USING DRY LEGUMES 6 Pounds dried Lima beans} { Soak over night, then boil 4 Pounds dried peas } { for one half hour. 16 Pounds carrots 3} 6 Pounds cabbage 3} Cut into small cubes after 3 Pounds celery 3} blanching. 6 Pounds turnips 3} 4 Pounds okra 3 Cut into slices after blanching. 1 Pound onions 3 Chop fine after blanching. 4 Pounds parsley 3 Cut into pieces after blanching. Salt NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 60. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 60. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. SOUP STOCK (Foundation of All Stock Soups) NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS MINUTES OTHER PREPARATION TO BLANCH 25 Pounds beef hocks, joints and bones Simmer for 6 or 7 hours. 5 Gallons water Should make 5 Gallons stock. NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 40. In condensed steam outfit, 40. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 30. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 30. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 25. VEGETABLE SOUP WITH STOCK ¼ Pounds dried Lima beans Soak 12 hours. 1 Pound rice Soak 12 hours. ¼ Pound pearl barley Cook 2 hours. 1 Pounds carrots 3} 1 Pounds onions 3} Cut into small cubes after 1 Potato 3} blanching. 1 Red Pepper 3} ½ Pound flour } { Make paste of flour and soup stock. 5 Gallons soup stock } { Boil 3 minutes and add salt 4 Ounces salt } { Pour over vegetables and fill cans. NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 75. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 75. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. CREAM OF PEA SOUP 8 Pounds dried peas { Soak over-night and cook until soft. { Mash peas fine. 5 Gallons soup stock Add stock and boil. Put through sieve. ½ Pound flour } { Make paste of flour, sugar and salt 10 Ounces sugar } { and add to stock. Cook until thick. 3 Ounces salt } { Can. NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 80. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 70. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. CREAM OF POTATO SOUP NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS MINUTES OTHER PREPARATION TO BLANCH 1½ Pounds potatoes } { Boil potatoes and stock sliced thin } { 10 minutes. Add salt, 5 Gallons soup stock } { pepper, butter and boil 3 Ounces salt } { 5 minutes. Make flour ¼ Teaspoonful pepper } { into paste and add. ½ Pound butter } { Cook 3 minutes and can. 3 Tablespoonfuls flour } Boil potatoes and stock } NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 75. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 65. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. BEAN SOUP 3 Pounds dried beans Soak 12 hours. 2 Pounds ham Cut ham into ¼ inch cubes. 4 Gallons water } { Boil beans, ham and water 5 Gallons soup stock } { until beans are soft. Salt } { Mash beans fine. Add { stock and salt. Can. NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 120. In condensed steam outfit, 120. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 75. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 60. CHICKEN SOUP STOCK (Foundation of All Chicken Soups) 30 Pounds chicken } 10 Gallons cold water. } Should make 10 gallons } Simmer 5 hours. Can. stock when finished } NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 75. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 60. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. CHICKEN GUMBO 2 Pounds ham Cut ham into small cubes and boil 30 minutes. 3 Pounds chicken Mince chicken. ½ Pound onions Chop onions. ½ Pound flour Make paste of flour. 5 Gallons chicken soup stock Add all this to soup stock. ½ Pound butter } ¼ Pound salt } { Add butter and salt. Boil 3 Ounces powdered okra } { 10 minutes. Then add mixed with pint of } { okra mixed with water. water } { Can. NUMBER OF MINUTES TO STERILIZE In boiling water or homemade outfit, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 90. In condensed steam outfit, 90. In water-seal outfit, 214 degrees Fahrenheit, 75. In steam-pressure outfit, 5 pounds, 60. In pressure-cooker outfit, 10 to 15 pounds, 45. CHAPTER VI JELLIES, JAMS, PRESERVES, MARMALADES, FRUIT JUICES AND SIRUPS For jelly making select firm, slightly underripe fruit that is fairly acid and contains a large amount of pectin. Fruit that is just a little underripe contains more pectin than the mature or overripe fruits. Pectin is the substance that makes jelly harden. This fundamental jelly-making quality does not exist in all fruits. Such fruits as currants, crab apples and grapes contain much pectin and are, therefore, considered excellent jelly-making fruits. The white inner skin of grapefruit is also a prolific source of pectin, but as it has a bitter taste we seldom use it for jellies, though we find it valuable in making orange, grapefruit and other marmalades. Rhubarb, strawberries and cherries all lack pectin, but can be made into good jellies if we add the white skins of oranges and lemons to them while cooking. So the very first thing we must know about jelly making is whether or not a fruit contains pectin. There will be no tears shed over jelly that will not "jell" if all young housewives will learn the simple test for pectin; to find out whether a juice contains pectin or not is a very easy matter. Take one tablespoonful of grain alcohol--90 to 95 per cent.--and add to it one tablespoonful of _cooked_ juice that has been cooled. The effect of the alcohol is to bring together the pectin in a jelly-like mass. If a large quantity of pectin is present it will appear in one mass or clot which may be gathered up on a spoon. You will notice I said _cooked_ juice. It is peculiar that this pectin frequently is not found in the juices of raw fruits, though it is very plentiful in the cooked juices. Therefore the test must be made with cooked juice. There is little pectin in the juice of raw apples, raw quince, raw grapes, and yet the cooked juices are full of pectin. This test not only indicates the amount of pectin present, but it also gives some idea of the proper proportions of sugar to juice. If three-fourths or more of the juice forms a gelatinous mass or clot this indicates that you should use three-fourths as much sugar as juice. If the pectin is slightly gelatinous or is less than three-fourths of the whole volume of juice, use less sugar. If the pectin is less than one-half add some form of pectin to make the jelly, or can the juice for use as a beverage, for flavoring ice cream or some form of cooking. By employing this test, sugar can often be reduced, and thus the jelly texture will be fine, less rubbery and the flavor will be better. After the fruit has been selected and prepared as usual by washing, stemming, and so forth, it is ready to be heated in an acid-proof kettle. With juicy fruits use just enough water to prevent burning--about one cup of water to every four or five quarts of fruit. The juicy fruits are currants, raspberries, and so forth. With less juicy fruits, as apples or quinces, use enough water to cover, or follow the rule, half as much water as fruit. Use the cores, skins and seeds; these improve the flavor and color of the jelly. Berries can be mashed. Heat the fruit slowly in a covered kettle, stirring once in a while to obtain an even cooking. When the simmering point is reached, crush the fruit with a well-soaked wooden masher. When the fruit is tender or has a transparent appearance, it is ready to strain. The jelly bag must be of closely woven material; one with a large mouth is advisable. If cheesecloth is used double it and tie opposite corners together. When a very clear jelly is desired use a flannel or felt bag for straining the juice. What drips into the dish or pan is called Extraction One. When this Extraction One is fairly drained out, which takes about thirty minutes, do not squeeze the pulp for a second grade jelly as so many housewives do; instead, make another juice extraction. To do this, empty the contents or pulp in the bag into the preserving kettle, cover with water, and stir until thoroughly mixed; then cover, bring slowly to a boil as before and drain again. The juice that drips out is called Extraction Two. The pectin-alcohol test can be used here again to find out whether there is much or little or no pectin left. If much pectin is present, you can repeat the operation and get Extraction Three. Three extractions usually exhaust the pectin, but sometimes you can get as many as five extractions. You may say, "Why bother with extractions--why not squeeze the juice and be done with it?" You will get clearer, better-flavored and more glasses of jelly if you will make the extractions than if you squeeze the jelly bag. I always make the jelly from Extraction One by itself, but usually combine Extraction Two and Three. The next step in jelly making is vitally important--that is, how much sugar to use to a given amount of fruit juice. This is where many housewives "fall down" on jelly making. They use the same proportion of sugar to all juices. To make jelly that does not crystallize the right proportion of sugar must be added to the juice. To make jelly that is not tough or unpleasantly sour, the right proportion of sugar and juice must be used. Currants and unripe or partly ripened grapes are so rich in pectin that they require equal amounts of sugar and juice--that is, to every cup of extracted currant and grape juice we add one cup of sugar. Red raspberries and blackberries require three-fourths of a cup of sugar to every cup of juice. All fruits which require much water in the cooking take three-fourths of a cup of sugar to every cup of juice. Crab apples and cranberries are examples. It is harder to make jellies from the fruits to which a large amount of water is added than from the juicy fruits. I am frequently asked, "When should you add the sugar to the fruit juice in jelly making? Do you add it at the beginning of the boiling, in the middle of the process, or at the end, and should the sugar be hot when added to the juice?" It is better to add the sugar in the middle of the jelly-making process than at the beginning or the end. Skim the juice well before adding the sugar, so as to lose as little sugar as possible. If the sugar is hot when added it will not cool the juice, and thus the cooking time will be shortened. To heat the sugar put it in a granite dish, place in the oven, leaving the oven door ajar, and stir occasionally. Be careful not to scorch it. After the juice is put on, the jelly making should be done as quickly as possible. No simmering should be allowed and no violent boiling. A steady boiling, for as few minutes as possible, will produce good results. Currant, blueberry and grape jelly usually can be made in from eight to ten minutes. The hot sugar is added at the end of four or five minutes. Raspberry, blackberry and apple jelly take from twenty to thirty minutes. The sugar is added at the end of ten or fifteen minutes. The jellying point is hard to determine. If you have a cooking thermometer or candy thermometer always use it when making jelly. It is the one sure, reliable test. The temperature for jellies is 221 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want a very soft jelly, boil it 220 degrees. If you want to use it immediately, then boil it to 222 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer the next best test is to pour the boiling sirup from the side of a clean, hot spoon, held horizontally. If the sirup is done two drops will break simultaneously from the side of the spoon. Another test is to take a little jelly on a cold plate and draw a path