68. Vegetables of the fourth group, which include those which cannot
well be classified in the other groups, lend themselves readily to
combinations, such as succotash, that make for variety in food. As is
true of the other vegetables, special vegetables must be fresh and sound
if good results in canning are expected.
69. LIMA AND OTHER SHELLED BEANS.--For canning, only tender beans,
whether Lima or some other variety, should be chosen. Prepare them for
immediate canning by shelling them--that is, taking them from the
pods--blanching them for 5 to 10 minutes in boiling water, and then
cold-dipping them quickly. Pack the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top,
add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jar, and fill the jars with boiling
water. Adjust the covers and proceed to sterilize and cook them. In the
water bath, boil for 2-1/2 to 3 hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for
1-1/2 hours at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 1 hour at a pressure of
10 pounds.
70. GREEN CORN.--For canning purposes, only corn that is young and milky
should be selected. Get it ready for canning by husking it and removing
the silk. Then blanch it for 3 to 5 minutes in boiling water and
cold-dip it quickly. Cut the kernels half way down to the cob and scrape
out what remains after cutting. For best results in this operation, hold
the ear of corn so that the butt end is up; then cut from the tip toward
the butt, but scrape from the butt toward the tip. Next, pack the jars
tightly with the corn, pressing it into them with a wooden masher.
Unless two persons can work together, however, cut only enough corn for
one jar and fill and partly seal it before cutting more. As corn swells
in the cooking, fill each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. The milk in
the corn should fill all spaces between the kernels, provided there are
any, but if it does not, boiling water may be poured in. Add 1
teaspoonful of salt to each jarful of corn and adjust the jar lids. Boil
for 3 hours in the water bath; but, if the pressure cooker is to be
used, cook for 1-1/2 hours at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 1 hour at a
pressure of 10 pounds.
Corn on the cob may be canned in the same way if desired, but as only
three small ears can be put into a quart jar, this would seem to be a
waste of space and labor. If corn on the cob is to be canned, 2-quart
jars will prove more convenient than 1-quart jars.
71. PEAS.--Peas for canning should be well formed and tender, and they
should be canned as soon as possible after coming from the garden.
Proceed by washing the pods and shelling the peas. Blanch the shelled
peas for 5 to 10 minutes in live steam, and cold-dip them quickly. Pack
the peas into the jars, having them come to within 1/2 inch from the
top, add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with
boiling water. Then adjust the jar lids and proceed according to
directions for the method selected. In the water bath, boil for 2 or 3
hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for 1-1/2 hours at a pressure of 5
pounds or for 1 hour at a pressure of 10 pounds.
72. PUMPKIN AND SQUASH.--The canning of pumpkin and squash is advisable
when there is any possibility of their not keeping until they can be
used. Prepare either of these vegetables for canning by first peeling it
and cutting the edible part into inch cubes. Blanch these cubes for 10
to 15 minutes in live steam and cold-dip them quickly. Pack the jars as
full as possible, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jar, but no
water. After adjusting the jar lids, boil the jars of food for 1-1/2
hours in the water bath, or cook them for 1 hour at a pressure of 5
pounds or for 40 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds in the pressure
cooker. When finished, the jars will be found to be only about half
full, but the contents will keep perfectly.
If desired, pumpkin or squash may first be cooked as if preparing it for
use and then put into the jars for processing.
73. SUCCOTASH.--Of course, succotash is not a vegetable, but the name of
a food that results from combining corn and beans. These vegetables may
be canned together to make for variety in the winter's food supply, or
each may be canned separately and combined later. Clean the ears of corn
in the manner previously directed; then blanch them for 5 minutes and
cold-dip them. Also, remove green Lima beans from the pods, blanch them
for 10 minutes, and cold-dip them. Then cut and scrape the corn off the
cobs and mix it with an equal quantity of the beans. Pack the mixture
into the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top, add a teaspoonful of salt
to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. Adjust the jar
tops and proceed according to the directions for the process to be
employed. In the water bath, boil for 2 hours; in the pressure cooker,
cook for 50 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 35 minutes at a
pressure of 10 pounds.
74. TOMATOES.--As has been stated, tomatoes may be canned successfully
by the open-kettle method. If this method is to be employed, the first
part of the preparation is exactly the same as for the cold-pack method,
except that the jars, jar tops, and jar rubbers must be carefully
sterilized.
For canning, firm tomatoes should be selected if possible, as they will
keep their shape better than those which are very ripe. If some are
soft, they should be sorted out and canned for soup making or made into
catsup. After washing the tomatoes, proceed to blanch them. The length
of time required for blanching depends entirely on the condition of the
tomatoes. They should be blanched for 1 to 3 minutes, or just long
enough to loosen the skin. After blanching, dip them quickly into cold
water and remove the skins. These, it will be found, may be removed
easily and quickly. Pack the tomatoes thus prepared tightly into jars
and fill them with boiling water, boiling tomato juice, or stewed
tomatoes. Add a teaspoonful of salt to each jar. Then adjust the jar
lids and proceed according to the directions given for the method
selected. Boil for 22 minutes in the water bath; in the pressure cooker,
cook for 15 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 10 minutes at a
pressure of 10 pounds.
75. TOMATOES FOR SOUP.--If there are soft tomatoes at hand or if
tomatoes are canned by the open-kettle method, quantities of tomato
juice will be available. Such material as this may be put through a
sieve and boiled down for winter use in the making of soups, bisques,
etc. It may be canned simply by pouring the boiling juice into
sterilized jars and sealing them immediately.
76. TOMATOES AND CORN.--An excellent food combination results from
combining stewed tomatoes with corn. Such a combination may be canned
safely by either the open-kettle or the cold-pack method. The acid of
the tomatoes helps to keep the corn, but the combination requires longer
cooking than just plain tomatoes. Prepare each vegetable as for canning
separately, but, if desired, cut the tomatoes into pieces. Mix the two
foods in any desirable proportion and, for the cold-pack canning method,
put the food into the jars. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jarful,
but no water. Then adjust the jar lids, and proceed to sterilize and
cook the jars of food. In the water bath, cook them 1-1/2 hours; in the
pressure cooker, cook them for 50 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or
for 35 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds.