Canning and Freezing Vegetables

Ingredients

This technique card does not require a separate ingredient list.

Instructions

1. Asparagus: Allow 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds per quart. Wash; scrape off scales. Break off woody bases where spears snap easily. Wash again. Sort by thickness. Leave whole or cut into 1-inch lengths. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Not recommended. Freezing: Blanch small spears for 2 minutes, medium for 3 minutes, and large for 4 minutes. Cool quickly. Fill containers; shake down, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace.
2. Beans, green or wax: Allow 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds per quart. Wash; remove ends and strings. Leave whole or snap or cut into 1 inch pieces. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Pack tightly in jars; add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Boil 5 minutes. Loosely fill jars with beans and cooking liquid, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes, quarts 25 minutes. Freezing: Blanch for 3 minutes; cool quickly. Fill containers; shake down, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
3. Beans, lima or butter: Allow 3 to 5 pounds unshelled beans per quart. Wash, shell, rinse, drain, and sort beans by size. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Fill jars with beans: do not shake down. Add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace for pints, a 1 1/4-inch headspace for large beans in quarts, and a 1 1/2-inch headspace for small beans in quarts. Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for 50 minutes. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Cover beans with boiling water, return to boiling. Fill jars loosely with beans and cooking liquid, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for 50 minutes. Freezing: Blanch small beans for 2 minutes and large beans for 4 minutes; cool quickly. Fill containers loosely, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace.
4. Beets: Allow about 3 pounds per quart. Rinse. Cut off all but 1 inch of tops. Leave roots. Scrub well. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Boil 15 to 25 minutes or till skins slip off easily. Cool, peel, and trim. Cube, slice, or leave small ones whole. Pack into jars; fill with fresh hot water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 30 minutes and quarts for 35 minutes. Freezing: Boil for 25 to 50 minutes or till tender. Drain; cool. Slip off skins. Cube or slice. Fill containers loosely (shake lightly), leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
5. Broccoli: Allow about 1 pound per pint. Wash, remove outer leaves and tough parts of stalks. Wash again. Cut lengthwise into spears. Cut to fit containers. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Not recommended. Freezing: Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water or 5 minutes over steam; cool quickly. Package, leaving no headspace.
6. Carrots: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per quart. Rinse, trim, peel, and rinse again. Leave tiny ones whole. For larger ones, slice, dice, or cut into strips. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Pack tightly into jars, add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 25 minutes and quarts for 30 minutes. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Simmer 5 minutes. Fill jars with carrots and cooking liquid, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 25 minutes and quarts for 30 minutes. Freezing: Blanch tiny whole carrots for 5 minutes and cut-up carrots for 2 minutes; cool quickly. Pack closely into containers, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.
7. Cauliflower: Allow 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per pint. Wash; remove leaves and woody stems. Break into 1-inch pieces. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Not recommended. Freezing: Blanch for 3 minutes; cool quickly. Package, leaving no headspace.
8. Corn, cream-style: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per pint. Clean as for corn on the cob (see page 198). Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Use a sharp knife to cut off just after the kernel tips, then scrape corn with dull edge of knife. Pack loosely in pint jars (do not shake); add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 95 minutes. Quarts are not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Use a sharp knife to cut off just the kernel tips, then scrape corn with a dull knife. Bring to boiling 2 cups water for each 4 cups corn. Add corn, return to boiling. Fill pint jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 85 minutes. Quarts are not recommended. Freezing: Do not cut corn off cob. Blanch 6 ears at a time for 4 minutes. Cut just the kernel tips; scrape cobs with a table knife. Fill containers, shaking down and leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
9. Corn, whole kernel: Allow 4 to 5 pounds per quart. Clean as for corn on the cob (see page 198). Pressure Canning, Raw Pack: Cut corn from cobs at two-thirds depth of kernels; do not scrape. Pack loosely in jars (do not shake or press down). Add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 85 minutes. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack: Cut corn from cobs at two thirds depth of kernels; do not scrape. Bring to boiling 1 cup water for each 4 cups corn. Add corn; simmer 5 minutes. Fill jars with corn and liquid, leaving a 1 inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts 85 minutes. Freezing: Do not cut corn off cobs. Blanch 6 ears at a time for 4 minutes; cool quickly. Cut corn from cobs at two-thirds depth of kernels; do not scrape. Fill containers, shaking to pack lightly and leaving a 1/4-inch headspace.
10. Corn on the cob: Preparation - Remove husks. Scrub with a vegetable brush to remove silks. Wash and drain. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack - Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack - Not recommended. Freezing - Blanch 6 ears at a time, allowing 7 minutes for small ears, 9 minutes for medium, and 11 minutes for large. Drain well. Wrap individually in foil, molding to the shape of the ear. Seal in a freezer bag. Use within 4 to 6 months. Cook, without thawing, in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.
11. Peas, green or English: Preparation - Allow 2 to 2 1/2 pounds per pint. Wash, shell, rinse, and drain. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack - Pack loosely in pint jars (do not shake or press down); add boiling water, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 40 minutes. Quarts are not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack - Cover with boiling water. Simmer for 2 minutes. Fill pint jars loosely with peas; add cooking liquid, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 40 minutes. Quarts are not recommended. Freezing - Blanch 1 1/2 minutes; chill quickly. Fill containers, shaking down and leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
12. Peppers, sweet: Preparation - Wash. Remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Cut into large pieces or leave whole. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack - Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack - Not recommended. Freezing - Spread peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet; freeze firm. Fill container, shaking to pack closely and leaving no headspace.
13. Squash, winter, and pumpkin: Preparation - Allow 1 1/2 to 3 pounds per quart. Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Do not can mashed squash or pumpkin. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack - Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack - Simmer 2 minutes in water to cover. Do not mash or puree. Fill jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. Freezing - Simmer about 15 minutes or till tender. Drain; place pan in ice water to cool quickly. Mash. Fill containers, shaking to pack lightly and leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Cook without thawing, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14. Turnips, rutabagas: Preparation - Rinse, trim, peel, and rinse again. Slice or cube. Pressure Canning, Raw Pack - Not recommended. Pressure Canning, Hot Pack - Not recommended. Freezing - Blanch for 2 minutes; cool quickly. Fill containers, leaving no headspace.