If someone here doesn't answer, check out the Harvest Forum. I'm sure they can help.

Hi Shelly,

I just happened to come over from the Harvest Forum and saw your post.

Basically you're doing what's called open-kettle canning. For jelly and pears that's not high-risk because they're acidic products and botulism doesn't like acid. However, even for these open-kettle canning has not been recommended for a long, long time because you still risk mold or sealing in bacteria with the lids. It's not fun if you do all that work and then have to discard some of it due to spoilage.

Peas are low-acid and should only be processed with a pressure-canner. Even if you were using a boiling-water-bath, the temperature you achieve will never be high enough to kill botulism spores. The heat will kill the toxins but the spores are still there to reproduce again.

If you had a pressure canner, you could process beans, corn, carrots, other vegetables, meats, fish, homemade soups. There used to be a recommendation for canning summer squash, but that recommendation has been pulled. Basically the squash turns to mush in the jars (quality) and that affects the density (safety) so it's a loser on both counts.

You can shred summer squash and freeze it or blanch and freeze slices. It could be breaded, partially fried and frozen, or if you have an oven with a low temperature or a food dehydrator, you could dry it.

We'd love to see you over at Harvest. I think you'd feel right at home there too.

Carol

Thank you for your responses,
after reading these, I borrowed my dads vaccuum sealer and sealed them up and froze them. Only after making a delicious squash meatloaf.
Thank you again and I will be back here, this is another great site.
shelly

Glad to help. The vacuum sealer sounds like a great idea. I do exactly the same with my summer squash - blanch and seal. They hold up well for minestrone, other cooked recipes. It's nice to have that summer taste in the middle of winter.

Carol

Been sick, so am coming in late on this. As Carol notes, low acid foods should be pressure canned. However, you can also pickle summer squash.

Although there are recipes specifically for them, you can substitute just about any pickle brine, and use the squash instead of cukes. They make a great bread & butter pickle, for instance.

Do come join us at the Harvest Forum.

Because you are adding acid (in the form of vinegar), pickles and relishes can be safely canned in a boiling water bath.

That is _not_ the same as open kettle canning, which is generally held in disrepute.

I'm sorry to hear you've been sick gardenlad. Thanks for adding the pickle suggestion. I'd forgotten that one.

Carol

Thanks, Carol. It was just that stomach thing that's going around; but it was a rough couple of days. Me and John got to be best friends, if you know what I mean.

Don't know what happenened to my post. My offer that she join us at Harvest was at the bottom, not in the middle. And some stuff about BWB got cut off.

Ah, well. The joys of IVillage.

I've "lost" two entire posts on Harvest in the last couple of weeks. I return and discover they're nowhere to be found. I don't know what's going on, but I've started saving any lengthy responses before I post.

Glad to hear you're feeling better. That is not fun.

Carol