I learned by reading here, asking everyone and Dave questions (thank you everyone and Dave) and studying this site and the Ball book:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html

I'm still new and I don't make anything that is not on that site or in the Ball book and I follow recipes exactly.

Thanks Lucille! I have been reading a LOT over the last couple of days and have been following some of the commenters. This is how I figured out I shouldn't just follow a recipe of unknown origin :) I hadn't found that site you posted, so thanks for that! I will start looking at it now.

The simple answer to your question is that your Mom's soup, as you have described it, cannot be safely canned. It is a recipe that is only for fresh eating or for freezing. Bear with me while I try to explain why.

Thanks to ongoing research and testing many things folks used to can and the methods they used have been found to be very unsafe, very high in risk, and only luck prevented folks getting seriously ill.

First, from what you describe your Mom was doing is called "open kettle canning" and it has been strongly discouraged since the early 1970's. Not only because the food does not get hot enough to kill all the bacteria but because air is left trapped in the jars allowing the bacteria to continue to grow and turn toxic.

Second, she made it using all low acid ingredients with no acid added to lower the pH down into the safe range where bacteria and fungi cannot grow. Again since the 70s even tomatoes require acid to be added to them and the onions and peppers require even more OR they must be pressure canned. Actually the requirement for pressure canning onions and peppers is a pre WWll requirement. Not only did she not pressure can the soup but she didn't even boiling water bath process it.

Third she included an unknown amount of butter, also not allowed as the oils insulate any bacteria and food particles and prevent the heat from penetrating them.

So for those reasons the soup you describe would at the very least have to be pressure canned and the butter left out. Whether that would make it safe or not no one can say as it has never undergone lab testing.

The main problem those new to canning don't understand and don't like hearing is that unlike cooking it is based on science. One cannot safely home can their own personal recipes. They must use tested and approved recipes such as those found in the Ball Book you have. Further, all foods sealed in jars must be processed in either a BWB (boiling water bath) or pressure canner. The type of processing required all depends on the type of food in the jars.

High acid foods like most but not all fruits, jams and jellies, pickles, and some foods that have had acid added to them can be done in a BWB. All others must be pressure canned to be safe.

Most of this is explained in more detail starting on page 409 in your book. A better book for beginners is the Ball Blue Book that is sold anywhere that sells canning supplies. And the NCHFP link Lucille gave you above is the foundation source for all safe home canning info so the best place to start learning.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Dave

Thank you VERY much Dave! This is very helpful :)

Once I started reading about canning, I began to wonder at the safety of my mom's recipe for canning which is why I thought I'd better sort this out. That said, it is a really nice recipe (cures what ails ya) so will it be alright if I freeze it?

Thanks also for pointing out the info in the back of my book and the Ball Blue Book. I've just ordered a copy of the BBB and have been going through the NCHFP website, which I love! NCHFP gives me the simple step by step directions I was looking for :)

You've both really helped a lot, so thanks again!

Glad to help. And yes, you can freeze it with no problems. It will likely separate out some but should reconstitute easily once thawed.

DAVe