First of all, I have never canned anything. I make these "sweet heat" jalapenos, which is draining all the juice off of pickled jalapenos and covering with sugar. They then sit on the counter for a couple of weeks for the sugar to dissolve. Then I put them in smaller jars and give away, with the instructions that they need to be refrigerated. My question is, can I preserve/can them without heating/cooking the mixture first? My county extension office says it needs to be cooked/heated before going into the sterilized jars and the water bath, but is that really necessary? I suspect that is their CYA answer! My thought is that the acidity and sugar will help inhibit any food borne pathogens and the heat process will also ensure that. What do you canning mamas think? Thanks for the advice!
honestly, I'm a little freaked over leaving them sit on the counter for weeks! All of my recipes clearly state that this is a no-no & should only be a couple of hours.....
I would have to agree with the instructions you've been given: heat before canning in sterilized jars. The water bath is to properly seal the jars.
As for your thought that the acidity & sugar will inhibit pathogen growth....not without the heat!
i agree that extension offices are overly CYA in a lot of things, but this sounds a bit iffy to me. i wouldn't can these sweethearts (and they do sound good!) without cooking.
khairete
S.
I have never canned pickles before, but I do tomatoes, peaches, jams, salsas, etc. Everything I can is cooked, just because that is what the recipe calls for.
Get the Ball Bluebook of Home Canning. It is the canners bible.
Also, you can do an internet search for recipes and find one that is canned without cooking. The process of canning will require cooking. 10-20 min in boiling water to seal the jar. You may have to start from scratch with your own japs and pickle them then sweeten them.
I LOVE canning and often give my treats as gifts. People live to receive them.
I don't think so - but it probably won't be shelf stable as long - I would check out a resource like http://www.freshpreserving.com/ from Ball Jars. I used that website when I canned a lot a few summers ago. If you really feel like getting into it I would suggest trying the Mrs. Wages spagetti sauce mix. I really really really love it :) I suppose I could just make it and not can it lol.
I dont know much about canning, but those sound tasty!
This technique sounds similar to the German Rumtopf recipes.....but fruit and rum or any alcohol is used.
The fresh or canned or dried fruits are layered with the alcohol and set in a dark, cool place to sit for weeks/months.
I have never heard of this particular technique where pickled items are drained and replaced with just sugar.
I think the most important consideration is sterilization of the jars and lids and that there be absolutely no contamination during the transfer process from the sugaring container to the smaller, give away containers. Due to the amount of vinegar still remaining the jalapenos, and that sugar is a natural preservative, it stands to reason the recipe would hold for some time, say 6 mos, but not much longer.
I would recommend you do a small test batch for yourself and see what the results are after 6 mos before you inadvertently poison your family and friends.
Perhaps you can try pickling the jalapenos with sugar using a proven recipe from start to finish. I've never canned a product that has already been preserved (which it what pickling does) so I honestly have no idea how the vinegar from pickling and the sugar from sweetening them will affect food safety and bacteria growth. I do know that sugar can neutralize an acid and if the food you are preserving is not acidic enough it will spoil using a water bath canner. You can use a pressure canner (more expensive and complicated than a regular water bath) to can "iffy" foods that are not high in acid.
I also question the safety of letting something sit on a counter for weeks.
