CULLMAN — Last week several young people took part in an Alabama Extension Service class on canning and preserving fruits. They might not have realized just how useful an art they were learning, nor how far back this practice goes.

In the early days of canning and preserving fruits, vegetables and meats, it literally meant survival for families who had no easy access to stores and seldom came into town. Home- canned goods also filled shelves of city gardeners who had access to “store-bought” items, but were thrifty homemakers and good stewards of the bountiful harvests that their gardens provided.

As time went on, agricultural science provided new techniques and processes which made it possible to grow even bigger and better crops, resulting in even larger harvests. Women had to learn how to preserve those fruits and vegetables, so that their families could eat nutritious foods all year long.

After a while, though, manufacturing processes made canned goods so readily accessible that many people found it easier to purchase their canned goods rather than grow them. However, with the resurgence of farmers markets and the push to buy local produce, there is now a renewed interest in canning and preserving foods.

Knowing what fresh and added ingredients are included in your jams, jellies, preserves, relishes and chutneys is an important part of this trend. Being able to control sugar or salt content is another reason many people prefer to can their own produce.

Cullman County Extension Service Administrative Assistant Beth Self, who is also a 4-H volunteer leader for the cooking club, has noticed an increase in younger people, including boys and men who are once again showing an interest in learning this art.

“Due to the economy there are more and more people who want to learn how to can and preserve food,” said Self, who also participated in an adult class last week.

The classes were led by instructor, Angela Treadaway, Food Preservation Specialist from the Alabama Cooperative Service’s Home Office in Shelby County.

Treadaway walked the class through the science of canning and preserving, explaining the necessity for keeping jars, lids and other equipment sterile. Afterward they did hands-on prep-work in the kitchen, chopping fresh peaches, measuring ingredients and sterilizing containers.

Treadaway explained why proper timing and temperatures are a crucial element in safely canning and preserving foods, and how a proper seal insures freshness and color and prevents bacterial growth over time.

The Cullman County Extension Service provides a free gauge testing service for you pressure-cooker gages. If your gage is off by a few degrees, it can allow bacterial growth in your home-canned goods. To be safe, have your gages checked annually before you start canning, and replaced as necessary. Gaskets should also be in good condition.

She also passes along hints and tips for making your preserved foods more pleasing to the eye and the palate.

“Straining cooked fruit through a cheesecloth or jelly bag gives the clearest color,” added Treadaway.

Skimming the foam off the top of the finished product will also give the jams a more appetizing appearance.

“Higher altitudes will cause your process to take a little longer,” she cautioned.

Sugar is used in most recipes not only to add to the taste, but it also acts as a preservative.

The class prepared the fruit according to Treadaway’s instructions, using a recipe for low sugar peach jam, which included the skin of the fruit.

Everyone participated in chopping fruit, measuring ingredients and cooking the fruit down to the proper consistency. Afterward they filled the jars with the sweet-smelling fruit, sealed the containers and cleaned the kitchen.

Later they were rewarded with a delightful taste of what they had learned. Everyone agreed that it was wonderful.

“My family cans green beans, corn and other vegetables every year and my mom cans jellies, but I’ve never really had an interest in it until I took the class,” said sixteen-year-old Abigail McCellan. “But this is something I will probably be doing for the rest of my life. It’s a very good experience.”

You can find more detailed canning and preserving instructions and recipes by visiting www.soeasytopreserve.com or www.uga_jams&jellies.com

 

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How to make Perfect Low Sugar Peach Jam

Things you’ll need:

4 cups fresh peaches (about 7-9 peaches) pitted and cut into chunks with the skins left on

1 cup of sugar

3 T. low/no sugar type pectin

1 T. of butter or margarine

6 tsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup water or fruit juice from concentrate

Step one:

Wash peaches in cold water. Remove the large pit and discard. Cut the peach halves, skin on, into chunks about ? of an inch in size.

You don’t want to cut them too small, because you need some of those nice hearty chunks of fruit to remain intact in your jam.

Step two:

Place 4 cups of cut up peach chunks, water and lemon juice into a large saucepan on top of your stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Gradually stir in pectin, add butter, and bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high hear, stirring constantly.

Step three:

Stir in sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat and skim foam off if necessary.

Step four:

Make sure jars have been cleaned and are hot. It is best to put really hot tap water in and leave in the sink until ready to pour hot jam in.

Get hot jars out one at a time; ladle the hot liquid jam into the jars. Wipe rims of jars and place lids and screw bands on jars. Place in a hot water bath canner and process for five minutes after water begins to boil.

Remove jars with tongs and allow to cool naturally for 10-12 hours, listening to hear the lids “pop” which insures a proper seal.

If kept in a cool, dry place, properly canned preserves and jams should last for four to five years.