Ma'am
Member
I think thats a good idea too but I also hear that if you throw it in the freezer for awhile (idk how long) it will kill off bugs and any eggs that might be in there. that gets rid of the giant sugar rock issue lol 
canning supplys
- Thread starter jimLE
- Start date
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I put oxygen absorbers in some 5gal. buckets of sugar now I have 5gal size blocks of rock candy it's still sugar but I'll have to grind it back into powder when I need it, I've started storing it in the 5gal. size mylar bags in a 5gal. bucket now, I use my vacuum sealer to suck all the air out before I seal the bags, so far so good...
jimLE
A True Doomsday Prepper
im wondering what'd work best pressure cooker/canner or pressure cooker or pressure canner a water-bath canner when it comes to veggies
I use our pressure canner as a water-bath canner I just don't let the pressure build up, a water-bath canner is just a big pot to submerge jars in boiling water, check this link...
http://www.mrswages.com/Page/Basic_Methods.aspx
http://www.mrswages.com/Page/Basic_Methods.aspx
jimLE
A True Doomsday Prepper
Brent S
Top Poster
Thank you for the response, I'm sold on the idea of reusable!
Brent S
Top Poster
I haven't opened any of the jars I used the oxy absorbers on yet, they were for long term storage. I read that you can get 25 yrs if kept cool and dark with them. I can definitely see sugar getting hard, but I'm sure it would be easy to crumble it back to pourable consistency. I think sugar would be pretty stable for long term storage, this was mostly to make sure no buggies got to it.
Brent S
Top Poster
I've got to start going to yard sales!
Brent S
Top Poster
Hey wildman, I haven't used any Mylar bags yet, how do they seal? I have a foodsaver with a vacuum port, would be cool to use it, so far have only used the rolls of bags, which by the are awesome! Last years veggies I put in ziplock bags are covered in ice and some freezer burn. With the food saver they say they will last three years easily, I'll let you know if that's true in a couple of years.
Shenandoah
Member
You never know....I like Texas!
I use a hobbico sealing iron to seal the mylar but a regular iron would work too but for me the hobbico is easier and I had one in my shop already. Using a scrap piece of 2x6 across the top of the bucket as an ironing board I seal across the top of the mylar leaving about a ½ inch at the corner unsealed, then I take the food saver vacuum port hose and attach a plastic drinking straw to one end, I stick the plastic straw in the ½ inch opening and kind of pinch around it with my fingers to form a seal, suck all the air out, this is the tricky part you have to slide the straw out and seal that last 1/2 inch with the iron before any air can get back in the bag this is where the hobbico iron is better than a regular iron it takes a little practice but you’ll get the hang of it.
Shenandoah
Member
They are called Tattler lids. Just look em up on-line. They are actually made right here in the USA, Fruita, CO to be exact!
Blessings,
Shenandoah
Brent S
Top Poster
I wasn't aware you could seal a Mylar bag. I wonder if a foodsaver would be hot enough to seal them?
Danil54grl
Top Poster
Lot of great recipe ideas there too!
The foodsaver will seal them but the one I have won't suck the air out of a mylar bag like it will the foodsaver bags thats why I use the hose attachment.
Brent S
Top Poster
Can't wait to try it, thanks!
Brent S
Top Poster
My first try at canning last year was straight out of the ball canning basics book, it's sold with the canning supplies in most stores. I've since looked on line and there is a ton of recipes you can find. I look at several ones and then kind of average them out with consideration to the spices I like best, like pepper, garlic and onion. Good luck.
PrairieWife
Member
I agree with the people who brought up Water Bath canner and tattler lids.
If you have a dishwasher you do not need the rack for sterilizing them. You can just use the dishwasher. I would get the magnetic little thing though that picks them up out of hot water, in case you still want to can after SHTF.
As for water bathing vs pressure canning. You do NOT want to pressure can every thing, that's why you want a water bath canner. Fruits, jams etc in a pressure cooker will go to mush. You mainly want to do things like meat in the pressure canner and fruits in the water bath canner. That's why you want both.
As for pressure canner, make sure to not go cheap, get one with out a gasket and that is metal on metal. Otherwise you will be replacing the gasket every year at a high cost to you-and again won't be able to find SHTF.
You do not need labels. I bought them at first but rarely use them. I think they are a waste of money. Instead get thin to medium grease crayons and right on the lids....if using metal ones and not tattler use sharpies directly on the lids-you will just throw them out any way! The labels are a waste and take forever to wash them off the jars-even the ones for canning.
I don't know about scoops-I guess with dry things that would be good. With wet things we use a metal ladle (like soup ladle from dollar tree!).
For dry canning, I would use the food saver, you don't have to worry about the oxy absorbers, and all that with it. And it looks like the cheapest one gets the best ratings! bonus!
If you have a dishwasher you do not need the rack for sterilizing them. You can just use the dishwasher. I would get the magnetic little thing though that picks them up out of hot water, in case you still want to can after SHTF.
As for water bathing vs pressure canning. You do NOT want to pressure can every thing, that's why you want a water bath canner. Fruits, jams etc in a pressure cooker will go to mush. You mainly want to do things like meat in the pressure canner and fruits in the water bath canner. That's why you want both.
As for pressure canner, make sure to not go cheap, get one with out a gasket and that is metal on metal. Otherwise you will be replacing the gasket every year at a high cost to you-and again won't be able to find SHTF.
You do not need labels. I bought them at first but rarely use them. I think they are a waste of money. Instead get thin to medium grease crayons and right on the lids....if using metal ones and not tattler use sharpies directly on the lids-you will just throw them out any way! The labels are a waste and take forever to wash them off the jars-even the ones for canning.
I don't know about scoops-I guess with dry things that would be good. With wet things we use a metal ladle (like soup ladle from dollar tree!).
For dry canning, I would use the food saver, you don't have to worry about the oxy absorbers, and all that with it. And it looks like the cheapest one gets the best ratings! bonus!
PrairieWife
Member
buying used jars is regional around here I find very few used ones and when I do they want more then new prices (I can get new ones cheaper) they think they are such a novelty and mark them way up (grandkids clearing out grandma's things) sorry I can get new at walmart cheaper thankyou...they aren't that weird of a item to pay such high dollars for.
BUT if you live in a area where they are marked reasonable for used ones. I would only use them for dry canning, or water bath, not for pressure canning. Because you don't know how they were taken care of, if they were ever microwaved, or used metal inside and hair line scratched, the pressure canner could make them explode, and then you would lose more then you gained by getting them used.
BUT if you live in a area where they are marked reasonable for used ones. I would only use them for dry canning, or water bath, not for pressure canning. Because you don't know how they were taken care of, if they were ever microwaved, or used metal inside and hair line scratched, the pressure canner could make them explode, and then you would lose more then you gained by getting them used.
Brent S
Top Poster
Yeah, I lost some tomatoes in a new jar, they can have defects too. I guess it's just part of learning to can. I wouldn't worry about using used ones though, just look at them carefully, and realize you may loose one occasionally.
