If the vegetables are available cheaply at harvest time or if there are lots of zucchini, cucumbers and pumpkins ripening in the garden, you have to think about how all the fruit can be preserved. In addition to freezing, preserving vegetables is a worthwhile method of being able to use homemade preserves even in winter.

Almost any vegetable can be canned

Utensils for cooking

If you regularly preserve vegetables and fruit, you should get the following equipment:

  • Mason jars with glass lid and rubber ring as well as metal clips for short-term closure
  • Jars with screw cap
  • Clip-on glasses with rubber ring

Mason jars are suitable for preserving vegetables such as beans, cabbage, peppers, onions, etc.
Jars with screw caps are suitable for jam, but also for pickling cucumbers, onions, peppers, chili, etc.
The clamp jars are used for preserving tomato puree, mixed pickles, cucumbers, pumpkin or courgettes, etc.
For large quantities, a preserving machine is worthwhile. You can also make preserves in the oven, but there is room for more glasses in the large alarm kettle.

Hygiene rules when cooking

Surely everyone has spoiled the jar at some point. It is mostly due to poor hygiene.
Glasses are always rinsed and sterilized before use, that is, placed in boiling water for ten minutes. Damaged lids and rubber rings are replaced.

What is the right way to wake up?

  1. First wash the vegetables, remove the blossoms and stalks, as well as bruises and rotten spots.
  2. Chop the vegetables according to your taste and cut into cubes, rings or sticks.
  3. Put the vegetables in the glass, pour in some water and add some salt and possibly spices.
  4. Seal the jars. Dry the edges well and screw on the lids. With the mason jar, the rubber ring is placed on the edge and then the lid. This is closed with a metal clip. The temple glass is closed with the wire frame, which is attached to the lid.
  5. Place the jars in the preserving machine, leaving enough space between them.
  6. Pour enough water into the pot so that the glasses are 3/4 in the water.
  7. Heat up the preserving machine. For the soaking time, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Depending on the appliance and the vegetables, preserving can take up to two hours at a temperature of 75 to 100 degrees.

If you only want to preserve a few jars, you can also use your oven.

  1. Prepare the jars in the same way as for the preserving machine.
  2. Preheat the oven, around 150 degrees for fruit and 190 degrees for vegetables.
  3. Place the glasses in the dripping pan and pour in enough water so that the glasses stand about 2 cm in the water.
  4. If the liquid begins to bubble in the jars, turn off the oven but leave the jars in the warm oven for 30 minutes.

Take the goods out of the oven/preserving machine and let them cool down completely under a tea towel.

Category:

Vegetable garden