Introduction
Canning at home can be a fun and rewarding activity, but it is important to know which foods should not can at home for safety.
Foods you Should NOT Can at Home
Here’s a list of certain foods that are not recommended or safe for home canning, along with the reasons why and alternative methods of preservation:
- Dairy products: Milk, cheese, butter, eggs and other dairy products should not be canned at home because they can create an environment conducive for harmful bacteria to thrive. Instead, consider freezing dairy products for longer shelf life or buy freeze-dried if you are looking for emergency storage.
- Rice and pasta: Canning rice and pasta is not advisable as they can become overly soft and could interfere with the canning process. Drying pasta and rice, then storing them in a cool, dry place are suitable alternatives.
- Flour and other grains: Similar to rice and pasta, flour and other grains can become too dense during the canning process, making it difficult to heat them to a safe temperature throughout. Storing grains in airtight containers in a cool, dry place is the best alternative. Consider buying freeze-dried or put-up whole grains such as wheat berries
- Refried beans: These are too thick and dense to be safely canned at home. The density can prevent the heat from evenly distributing during the canning process. Freezing refried beans is a safe and practical alternative. You can canned cooked beans but they are easy to store long term using the right technique.
- Oils with herbs and vegetables: Infused oils can create a perfect environment for the growth of botulism, a deadly foodborne pathogen. It’s best to prepare small batches and store them in the refrigerator, using them up within 2-3 days.
- Fats and Lard: Fats and lard do not have a long shelf life. Canning them can create an environment for the growth of microorganisms that could contaminate food. Consider freezing or keeping in dry, airtight containers and storing in a cool, dark place instead. You can make Ghee from butter that has a fairly long shelf life.
- Olives: Olives, like fatty foods, do not have a long shelf life. Canning them can create an environment for contamination by microorganisms. Consider freezing or storing in brine in the refrigerator instead.
- Purees: Purees can be made from canning fruits and vegetables, however, their butter or oil content can cause spoilage. This would include mashed potatoes. Consider freezing purees as an alternative for longer shelf life. Despite this being the case on each resource I checked it appears fruit purees are OK per https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/fruit_puree.html
- Nuts and Seeds: Canning nuts and seeds can create an environment for the growth of microorganisms that could contaminate food. Freezing is a safe and practical alternative to canning these foods.
Remember, safety should always be your top priority when home canning. When in doubt, it’s always best to opt for an alternative method of food preservation.
Foods that need thickening such as soups, relishes or pie filling need to be thickened after opening. Also if adding grains or pasta this should be added after opening your base soups.
Vegetables that don’t do well canned
Broccoli tends to become mushy when canned. Pickle instead. You can water bath can after pickling.
Cauliflower also doesn’t do too well when it comes to canning. The high moisture content within cauliflower can cause it to lose its texture and become mushy if canned. It’s best to freeze or pickle this vegetable instead. You can water bath can after pickling.
Potatoes can’t be canned if mashed. Actually mashed anything falls into the pureed category, Can in chunks and then mash. People do can potatoes and there are recipes for that just follow the recipe and don’t can mashed potatoes. If you have a basement or garage you can store potatoes for a long time and they will taste better and be more nutritious,
Onions don’t do well when canned either. The high sulfur content makes them lose their texture and the flavor tends to change as well during the canning process. Consider freezing, pickling or sautéing them instead. Onions are another vegetable that do well for longer term storage under the right conditions.
Artichokes, summer squash, and eggplants need to be pickled or frozen since they don’t do too well when canned. The tenderness of these vegetables can cause them to break down, become mushy and unpalatable and go bad quickly if not done correctly. Pickling is a great alternative and provides an easy way to preserve the flavor of artichokes and eggplants without compromising on taste.
Beans are another vegetable that doesn’t do too well when canned. The high moisture content will cause them to lose their texture and they won’t keep for long once canned. It’s best to freeze or dry the beans instead, so they can last longer without compromising on taste or texture. Except for green beans which can well, I store my beans dry.
Mushrooms are yet another vegetable that don’t do too well when it comes to canning. They’re very delicate, and canning them will cause them to lose their texture and flavor. Consider freezing or drying the mushrooms instead so they can last longer without sacrificing on taste.
Cabbage is another vegetable that doesn’t do too well when it comes to canning. Cabbage has a high moisture content which means it won’t keep for long once canned, and the texture and flavor tend to suffer as well. Consider making fermented sauerkraut or another type of pickled cabbage instead so you can enjoy the taste and texture without compromising on quality.
The acidity level in tomatoes can cause them to break down quickly when canned which results in an unpleasant texture and flavor. However, lots of people do can tomatoes. In fact, they are one of the most commonly canned food and they are one of the most likely to spoil. To can tomatoes you have to add an acid source and follow your recipe carefully. Don’t add oil to your tomato products if canning. Fermenting is another option for tomatoes.
Conclusion
There are plenty of vegetables that don’t do too well when it comes to canning, but there are still plenty of ways to preserve them and maintain the same great taste and texture for long periods of time. Pickling, freezing, drying, sautéing, and blanching are all great options to make sure your vegetables last without sacrificing taste.
It’s important to note that it is possible to can some vegetables successfully; just be aware of their unique characteristics and what methods work best for them before you get started. By following these guidelines, you’ll have no trouble preserving your vegetables without any loss in
Now that you know which veggies don’t do well when canned, make sure you practice safe food preservation methods at home!
For info on pressure canning for beginners check here.
For info on water bath canning ck here.