Canning and Preserving For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

Customer Reviews

• Makes Canning and Preserving a breeze! Tasty recipes, too!  Apr 9, 2004 (75 of 77 found this helpful)

  I've read this cookbook cover to cover, sampled some recipes, and I'm impressed! Karen Ward took all the guess work and concerns I had out of both canning and preserving. The balance of taste in her recipes is extraordinary. Her Pear Chutney's the best I've ever had (and I've had plenty). My husband adores her bread and Butter Pickles! A great cookbook to have on hand to make holiday food gifts, too.

• Anyone can learn how to can.  Sep 30, 2005 (39 of 41 found this helpful)

  I have NEVER canned anything before in my entire life, and I decided to try it. I was extremely apprehensive but bought all the ingredients/equipment necessary. I read this book one time, and followed the directions. VIOLA!!! I had perfectly canned jam. I must add though, if you order any kind of water bath canner set, you will probably get a free Ball Canning Book which states the same information.

• Despite errors and hysteria an OK Beginner Book  Aug 29, 2006 (107 of 125 found this helpful)

  Being a former research scientist, it is perhaps unfair to critique a book for beginners. The recipes, trouble shooting and sources chapters are great. You will never get sick following this book.
  Corections: One piece caps designed for home canning of jams are fine. All jars designed for canning may not be used. Those manufactured prior to WWII will break if used for pressure canning due to internal stress created by movement of the high soda glass over time. Used tomato sauce jars that use a standard cap are fine. Regular green beans (formerly called string beans) have not required destringing for 40 years. The jar lifter is gripping the jar where it will slip. Do not use wet dishtowels to wipe the lids. Your toilet bowl contains less bacteria. Use a paper towel. 2 piece (dome) lids on higher silica jars were used throughout WWII in Victory Gardens. I still use my mother's made in May, 1943. Do not bury your spoiled low acid food in deep soil or go through the detoxification process. Your sewer authority will probably tell you to dump it down the drain. If you do not trust their advice, take the food to your toxic waste drop off. If you have followed the directions as to pressure and time (you may not cheat), you do not need to boil all your canned low acid foods. Eat your food before canning the same veggies next year (a problem in WWII). Always can with a friend(s), especially the first time. It's more fun that way and safer should there ever be a rare problem (like a sticking valve in the MIRRO canner - tap with a wooden spoon and get your husband to fix it later). Botulism bacteria are killed at 212 degrees (actually 10 min. @ 80C according to the CDC). It's the spores that require 240F for the times indicated. In nearly 40 years of canning and raising three children from our large garden and orchard, we have never had food poisoning. Just remember, cleanliness is next to godlineness.

• I went from Burning Toast to Winning Blue Ribbons at The State Fair!   Oct 8, 2007 (9 of 9 found this helpful)

  I have always fantasized about canning and preserving my own locally grown garden vegetables and fruits. One day on a lark of what my partner called "Pure Insanity" I bought a Water based canner and equipment to put my dreams into reality. I would have panicked had I not reviewed and purchased this book the day before.
  
  In only a matter of a few hours I read the book from cover to cover and felt like an expert. Soon thereafter when I found a wonderful source of locally grown cucumbers I "canned" 8 pints of 'Bread and Butter pickles' from a recipe provided in this book. Three weeks later I was the recipient of a Blue Ribbon at a local fair for my "Prize Winning Recipe". I was astonished! They will never know the secret of my success was "The Dummies Guide" but I will never forget. I've since gone on to do Corn Relish, Apple Butter, Lime Pickles, and tonight I shall can Green Beans and Carrots.
  
  This is the book that will bring success to the otherwise accident and disaster prone "cook". Don't start this hobby without it!

• Great Book for the Beginner  Jul 27, 2007 (9 of 9 found this helpful)

  I used to take insult to "dummy" books, but this book is wonderful. Since I had everything to learn about canning, this book written with it's simplicity and step by step detail, has been a great resource.