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LowKey
07-25-2010, 12:42 AM
There have been a lot of posts lately about food preservation and how to store it once it's preserved. I gotta say, the book titled Putting Food By is probably one of the most thorough on the subject.
It covers everything from root cellaring to freezing to canning to pressure canning, drying, salting, pickling, and smoking.

It tells you how to 'pasteurize' your dried produce to prevent insect and aflatoxin contamination. The best methods to preserve each type of produce. The type of syrups to use when freezing or canning fruits. The ice dip method to keep fish from drying out in the freezer. And generally impresses on you the need for care an cleanliness in the whole process (almost to the point of annoyance).

It is written to make all the processes step-by-step simple. Great for beginners or people who want to expand knowledge.

If you buy this book used, be sure to get the 4th edition. It's been in print for decades but was recently updated in the 4th.

<I did a search but didn't find this book mentioned even though I'm sure I posted about it before.>

Winnie
07-25-2010, 04:20 AM
Thankyou Lowkey, I'll have a look for it. This is just what I need.

crashdive123
07-25-2010, 07:23 AM
It looks like the fifth edition is out. http://www.amazon.com/Putting-Food-Fifth-Ruth-Hertzberg/dp/0452296226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280056713&sr=1-1 I just got a copy of Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook (thanks Rick) and will probably add this one to my next shopping list. Thanks LowKey.

Rick
07-25-2010, 07:33 AM
Good stuff, Lowkey. Thanks!!

Here's another great online source.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html

cowgirlup
07-27-2010, 09:32 PM
Good to know there are updated editions! Thanks!! :) I have an older one. Tons of good info in there.

BENESSE
07-27-2010, 09:50 PM
Thanks LowKey, just ordered the book:
http://search.half.ebay.com/Putting-Food-By_W0QQmZbooks

I think it will become indispensable.

LowKey
07-28-2010, 08:45 PM
I just did up a batch of sweet pickles last weekend. The two quick recipes in there are excellent. Well, one's a really quick chop and cook, which I made this time, the other you have to salt for 3 hours after chopping but still short money compared to the long brine methods.

Winnie
07-29-2010, 07:29 AM
I just ordered the book, too. Looking at how the garden is doing, I may need alternative methods of preservation!

grrlscout
07-30-2010, 01:06 PM
That one is pretty much my bible for canning.

Another interesting one I use sometimes is Preserving Food Without Canning of Freezing.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3310251898_4454894308_z.jpg?zz=1

It covers a lot of techniques that precede modern canning. They got the recipes by interviewing old folks in France. So the instructions can be a little vague, and many use ingredients that aren't common to my region.

Nonetheless, it provides an interesting alternative to the preservation methods of killing all the bacteria and sealing it shut. As many recipes in the book involve fermentation, or using "good" bacteria to keep the "bad" in check.

Winnie
08-09-2010, 12:00 PM
My copy arrived today. I've had a quick flick through and it's just what I needed. Thanks for putting me on to it Lowkey.
I'll be planting the garden differently next year too!

LowKey
08-09-2010, 08:03 PM
I hope it works out for you.
Went to look at a used small deep freezer last weekend. Way too much produce in the garden. And it's still coming on. I've put up over two dozen bags of summer squash and about a dozen yellow beans and have no room left in the fridge freezer. And we've been eating fresh veggies just about every night I'm home.

There are three more marrow squash out there that are about ripe. One of them is a giant that I need to get a picture of. The one I made into pie last weekend was the best thing I've tasted in a long while. No one else would eat it. Not the right 'texture' (ie not the smooth pumpkin from a can.) More pie for me!

Just got a foley food mill. There are a million italian tomatoes out there that will be getting sauced. Will try the marrow in that to see if I can get it can-like.

Been eying a pressure canner...dunno if I can quite justify it. Everyone and their "expensive hobby" and "you could go to the store and get a jar of pickles for a dollar" comments, but they always seem to woof down whatever I open...

Winnie
08-10-2010, 03:32 AM
I too gave up on the idea of pressure canning, for the same reason. It would have cost me about $360 to get one!
Oh and I'm looking for another freezer too!

grrlscout
08-10-2010, 01:20 PM
I've been thinking about getting a pressure canner. But most of the stuff I like to preserve can be water bath canned. I just use a big ol stockpot I have.

The only thing I'd use one for would be chicken stock. But we have a full size freezer in the garage, so I just freeze it, and anything else that would require pressure canning.