Amish Canning and Preserving COOKBOOK: Delicious Recipes for Canning and Preserving Tasty Soups, Sauces, Fruits, Vegetables, Pickles, Relish, and Much More

By Teresita Vargas

Welcome to the world of Amish Canning and Preserving! If you are looking for traditional recipes to preserve fresh produce, we're here to help you. Amish families have been using canning recipes to preserve food for the colder months for many generations. If you aren't Amish, there's a good chance you may have tasted the various Amish foods ofte

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teresita Vargas
• Release date: Aug 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088247907

Book preview

Introduction

Welcome to the world of Amish Canning and Preserving! If you are looking for traditional recipes to preserve fresh produce, we’re here to help you. Amish families have been using canning recipes to preserve food for the colder months for many generations. If you aren’t Amish, there’s a good chance you may have tasted the various Amish foods often sold at farmers’ markets. It could be anything from pies and preserves to jams and other canned goods. If you enjoy these foods, this canning and preserving cookbook will help you learn to prepare delicious Amish delicacies in your own home.

Most people choose to go back to how our ancestors lived. One of the best ways of doing this is the Amish way. If you want to detach from the fast-paced modern lifestyle and slow down, try adapting to the Amish way of living. One of the best ways to do this is through food. The joy of sitting for a meal with family and preparing hearty home-cooked food is a prominent part of their lives.

Over the last few decades, food has become easily available in stores. This is why the practice of home cooking, canning, preserving, etc., has fallen way behind. However, people consciously choose to return to the old ways for many positive reasons. One way you can do this is by learning more about canning and preserving. You may have tried it before, but this book will soon help you become an expert even if you haven’t.

There are scores of recipes that will help you make every meal at home a delicious one. You will soon have a pantry filled with tasty food stored in tens of jars.

Learning more about canning and preservation will be beneficial in more ways than one.

It helps ensure your pantry has enough food to see you through the hard times.

You won’t have to spend much on grocery bills during a financial crisis.

You can use it as a simple way of being frugal and saving money.

It is also a way of stocking food for unforeseen emergencies when you have limited or no access to grocery stores.

You won’t waste any food you grow, or you won’t have to buy more.

Another great advantage of canning and preserving is that you can either make it a hobby or make money from it. Prepare your own jams or jellies from your homegrown produce and sell them to people who relish them.

Canning is not just about saving money or preparing for the winter. It is a great way of making food last longer, so there is as little wastage as possible.

More importantly, when you learn how to preserve your food, you can avoid using harmful additives and preservatives typically found in commercial products. If you are interested in reaping all these benefits, it is time to start reading and trying all the Amish canning and preservation recipes in this cookbook!

Chapter One

Canning and Preserving

Some of the earliest traceable origins of canning are from the early 1800s in France. It is believed that during the Napoleonic Wars, the government rewarded anyone who could figure out a way to preserve food. A confectioner by the name of Nicolas Appert, in 1809, then found that food would not spoil inside a jar if it were sealed properly. This was how canning slowly started being employed around Europe.

In the United States, the first canning factory was established in 1812 in New York City. Generally, the demand for canned goods was always highest during wars. This was because the food would be non-perishable and more accessible while being sold at lower prices. Canning is generally not as popular anymore because fresh food, processed food, and many more are more readily available. However, this is not true for the Amish, even in modern times. The Amish widely practice home canning all over the country.

The Amish people are known to follow the old ways and avoid the use of most modern conveniences. This includes modern electrical appliances like refrigerators or freezers. Technology is believed to be an evil that threatens their way of life. They believe that God meant for them to live in close relation to nature. Hence, most Amish people like living in rural areas and growing their food. Like other Amish practices, Amish cuisine is also very traditional and simple.

Food has always played an important role in their daily lives and at events like weddings, potlucks, and farewells. Some of the main ingredients in Amish food include potatoes, milk, eggs, vegetables, and meats. This is why most Amish dishes are rich and creamy. However, the Amish have no dietary restrictions; they can eat almost anything.

The one thing that the Amish have strong views about is maintaining self-sufficiency in any way possible. This is why they are so great at growing and preserving their food in other ways. This is one reason why canning and preserving food is so commonly practiced among them. They prefer eating more fresh food or food that they preserve themselves.

Processed food is not as commonly consumed among them as it is in the unhealthy modern diet of most urban dwellers. Amish foods are known as survival foods because you can rely on these canned foods even if there is an electrical failure or you are stuck in some crisis.

So, what is canning? Canning is a method of preserving food at high temperatures to last longer than it would at room temperature or even in the refrigerator. It involves preparing different recipes and vacuums and sealing the food, so it is not exposed to any air. When food is exposed to air, it is more susceptible to spoilage.

Canning helps you kill any microorganisms and deactivate enzymes that would quickly spoil food. By canning food the right way, you can prevent this. This preservation method works in a simple but effective way. Food is filled in sterilized jars, and these are then heated. The heat expands the food, and the steam pushes air out of these jars.

Once this cools, a vacuum seal will be formed on the jar. However, you have to try and follow canning recipes properly to ensure that it is effective. The acidic content of the food and sugar levels tend to affect this process. You also need to understand that different canning recipes exist for different kinds of food.

A suitable recipe must be used while keeping the specific food in mind. Most people think of metal cans when they think of canning. However, these cans are commonly used in industrial canning, while home canning usually involves glass jars. As you read on, you will learn of all the supplies you need for canning food at home.

Canning can be done at home in two ways. It is important to learn about these methods to understand their difference and choose the appropriate method. In general, water bath canning is easier and more commonly used. However, the con of this method is that it can only be safely applied for preserving foods with high acidic content.

Water Bath Canning

Water bath canning kills microorganisms by heating canning jars at around 212 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is mostly suitable for highly acidic food. What are high-acid foods? Tomatoes, fruits, vinegar-based pickles, and jams are some examples of high-acidic foods. In essence, foods with a pH of 4.6 or lower can safely be processed and preserved through water bath canning. You can either buy a water bath canner or use a large stockpot for this process.

A good water bath canner will make the canning process easier and more efficient. However, a large stockpot with a tight lid can be used if you don’t plan on canning very often. The canning jars are filled with food and placed inside a water bath canner. Hot water is poured in and brought to a boil at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The time the jars are kept inside the canner will depend on what food you are canning. The minimum amount of time is usually ten minutes. You will also have to increase the time if you are canning larger jars.

Pressure Canning

Once you get the hang of water bath canning, you can start using pressure canners. This type of canner is used for low-acid foods. This means that the pH has to be 4.7 or higher. It is used for canning meats and vegetables. The food is heated to high temperatures between 240 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Without pressure, the temperature would only be around 212 degrees. In pressure canning, you should allow the canner to get heated up to the temperature mentioned in the recipe and heat the jars for a certain amount of time. Once this is done, you can turn off the heat and allow the pressure to reduce naturally. The