canning question for old git

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whenever I can corn,the top swells,and corn is the only thing that gives me hassles,any tips?thanks!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 07, 1999

Answers

are you canning already cooked corn or raw corn? Are you leaving some head space at the top? Corn swells when it cooks!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 07, 1999.


guess I was a bit sparse with the info;cooked corn with a few pieces of red pepper(scotch bonnet,POW!)and onion,all cooked.using the boiler-thingy method(technical term)

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 07, 1999.

I hope I am reading this wrong. You are canning corn in a boiler and not a pressure canner????????? You are very gutsy and may be at more risk in eating your canned corn than Y2K can give you. Gotta get off here. Severe weather coming per weather radio.

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 07, 1999.


Taz:

I must take exception with your statement. My ancestors all canned corn without a pressure canner. I don't. Of course they are dead now and I'm not. Maybe you have a point. Good luck with the storm. They left here a few days ago.

Z1X4Y7

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), May 07, 1999.


Zobbie, please check the USDA web site on canning. You cannot can corn without a pressure cooker. Tomatoes, most fruit, and pickles only in a water bath canner. The reason it swells is food poisioning. Do not eat, do not touch, destroy immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Water bath canners do not get hot enough to kill these germs!!!!!!!!!1

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 07, 1999.


Zoobie, are you putting us on??? Scotty (FA), you're absolutely right. Low-acid foods, like corn MUST be canned in a pressure canner to avoid botulism and other fatal food poisonings. Here's the NCSU Ag Extension Service site with tons of good info about canning all sorts of stuff.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 07, 1999.


Yes- I second (third?) that Zoobie- You MUST can corn in a pressure canner. It's absolutely positively important. iN A WATER BATH CANNER YOU CAN SAFELY CAN MOST TOMATOE PRODUCTS, PICKLES, RELISHES, FRUIT,.Get a good canning book- either the one the Agway sells with canning stuff or one such as Stocking Up or Putting Food By. Read them! And burn the corn. Don't dump it where an animal could eat it.

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), May 07, 1999.

Not only are you supposed to use a pressure canner for corn, the USDA also says that whole corn and creamed corn should only be done up in pint jars, and that the processing time is 55 minutes for raw corn and 95 minutes for creamed cooked corn. the reason is that it is very dense and vry sweet ( not acid).

I read somewhere that botulism, which is what we are trying to avoid here, folks, can some times come on incrementally....you can get just a little bit, and then the next time, the effect is a little greater. Botulism is a food spoilage problem which affects the nerves. Be very careful in your canning. Strict cleanliness, follow directions, and watch the product after it is on the shelf.

Don't take chances.

As I write this I am babysitting a pressure canner with 14 pints of "nopales," a special kind of cactus paddle. 21 pints total today. buon gusto!

-- Mary (CAgdma@homenoaddress.com), May 07, 1999.


uh,guess it's time to hit the books,and wash out these jars!!thanks all.(glad I asked)

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 08, 1999.

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