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Conference turris::cooks

Title:How to Make them Goodies
Notice:Please Don't Start New Notes for Old Topics! Check 5.*
Moderator:FUTURE::DDESMAISONSec.com::winalski
Created:Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:4127
Total number of notes:31160

3756.0. "Preservatives?" by SUBURB::MCDONALDA (Shockwave Rider) Tue Feb 23 1993 08:27

    I make a mean Picante; as good as PACE, so my wife tells me. I'd
    like to make fair sized batches, say 4-8 pints, rather than the odd jar
    I currently make. I once made about four pints for a party and had
    roughly 2 pints left over, Brits aren't into eating large quatities of
    dip. The problem is, even though I followed all the normal rules of
    hygene and sterilisation, the left over (unopened) jars eventually went
    mouldy once we'd opened the jars, even though they were stored in the
    coldest part of the fridge. Meanwhile, an opened jar of PACE Picante   
    remained quite healthy for months and months.
    
    Could the team recommend any technique or any non-artificial
    preservative I could use to help preserve and extend the fridge life of
    my Picante?
    
    Angus
    PS I once made blackberry jam. This never went mouldy.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
3756.1PATE::MACNEALruck `n' rollTue Feb 23 1993 15:185
    It sounds like something might have gone wrong with your canning
    procedures on this batch.  My grandmother has put up tomato juice,
    sauce, etc. without any difficulty so I don't see why you shouldn't be
    able to do the same with picante sauce.  I haven't tried canning
    myself, I usually just freeze what I won't use within a week or so.
3756.2how about jam jars and wax?SOLVIT::OCONNELLTue Feb 23 1993 15:2518
    How about sealing it in jars with wax...like is sometimes used
    in canning jams and sauces?   Bell sells cases of jam jars that some
    with the glass jar, a screw top lid with a separate center piece that
    also has a rubber gasket built in.
    
    When I've made jam in the past, after sterilizing the glass jars and
    lids and filling almost-to-the-top with the jam, top off with melted
    wax...about 1/4 inch (making sure you have wiped off the inside of the 
    jar any stray sauce, so you get a good tight seal with the wax), let cool 
    and then put the lid on.
    
    As long as you've got a tight seal with the wax, I don't think you
    really need the screw on top, but it looks better.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Noranne
3756.3How about freezing?PINION::MCCONNELLTue Feb 23 1993 15:3910
    I agree it sounds like something went wrong in the canning process. I
    used to do a lot of canning and would occasionally (not always) run
    into problems with the wax method of sealing.  Then the local county
    extension service put out a bulletin saying never to use the wax method
    because changes in temperature, humidity, etc. could cause the wax to
    expand/contract and problems would arise.  They said the only safe way
    was to use a hot water bath - even for jams.  And yes, it does work.  I
    used the Bell screw top lids with the separate ceter piece and never
    had a problem after that.  I seldom can now as freezing is so much
    easier and I am sure would work for you too.
3756.4BALL canning equip.PINION::MCCONNELLTue Feb 23 1993 15:401
    Sorry, it is BALL not Bell canning equipment.
3756.5not speaking as an expert by a longshotGOLLY::CARROLLa woman full of fireTue Feb 23 1993 15:5510
    I thought the problem was with moulding after the jar had been openned,
    not while it was in storage, which seems like it would not indicate a
    problem with canning.
    
    I am under the impression that sugar serves as a preservative for
    jams+jellies, and that the natural acidity of tomatoes serves as a
    preservative for tomato products.  Perhaps your sauce isn't acidic
    enough?
    
    D!
3756.6Yucky dill cucumbersROCKS::DAVIDSONWed Feb 24 1993 11:319
    Well I was surprised the other day when I got a jar of pickled dill
    cucumbers out of the cupboard (not ones I'd pickled but ones I bought).
    There was this HORRIBLE growing mass of something in the jar - quite
    revolting.  Admittedly the directions did say store in the 'fridge
    after opening which I didn't read and therefore didn't do but I thought
    pickles would have kept without refrigeration. Obviously not these!
    
    Mary
3756.7Works for jams, so maybe....PGREEN::WARRENJtriple choc experienceWed Feb 24 1993 21:385
                                                      
    How about putting a layer of greaseproof (waxed?) paper over the top of the
    mixture (to stop the air getting to it) before you put the lid on?
    
    Jackie
3756.8It were the opened jars that went awry.SUBURB::MCDONALDAShockwave RiderThu Feb 25 1993 07:5216
    I think I confused people with my base note. The 'unopened' jar that
    went mouldy was my fault, I just remembered I did something silly when
    canning/jaring it.
    
    Its the opened ones going mouldy I'm trying to solve, as the firey lady
    in .5 correctly points out :-) Last night I looked at a jar of Old El
    Paso picante (we bought it for an emergency, its all you can get over
    here) and it had some 'E' numbered preservative in it. Having an 'E'
    number doesn't mean the preservative is artificial, but you never can tell.
    
    The tomatoes I use are canned Italian plum tomatoes. I also put in a   
    teaspoon or so of vinegar. Even the Japelaneos I add are canned. Fresh
    ingredients are onions, coriander and other herbs/spices, but the whole 
    mess is boiled for about ten minutes before being put into sterilised jars.
    
    Angus