What Vegetables Can Be Canned?
Growing an abundance of your favorite vegetables in your kitchen garden is a blessing. What could be better than having fresh vegetables for meals? But you know that the freshness of vegetables does not last for a long time. So, preserving them is always a good idea.
Canning is one of the best ways to preserve the vegetables for later use. Talking about what vegetables can be canned, almost every vegetable can be canned. In this article, I have mentioned a list of 10 best vegetables for canning, and a few vegetables that cannot be canned. Read on to find out.
10 Best Vegetables For Canning!
When you see vegetables for canning, the first option that comes to your mind is tomatoes, aren’t they? Well, it is quite obvious because tomatoes have a short shelf-life and therefore need to be preserved for a long time use.
However, there are so many other vegetables that be canned to preservation. I have a list of the ten best vegetables for canning. Check them out below:
- Asparagus- pieces or spears.
- All varieties of raw beans and peas.
- Baked beans and dry beans.
- Beetroots- whole, sliced, or diced.
- Carrots- diced or sliced.
- Corn kernels.
- Cucumbers- especially as pickles.
- Okra- cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Bell peppers.
- Chillies- either cut or whole.
What Vegetables Cannot Be Canned?
Talking about vegetables that cannot be canned, there are very few of them that cannot be preserved for later use. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, artichokes, lettuce, olives, cauliflower, and eggplant are some of the few vegetables that cannot be canned.
These cannot be canned because they are low-acid vegetables and contain a lot of water. Even if you can use a pressure canner to can them, it will take a lot of time than a usual canning process. Therefore it is best to avoid canning these few vegetables.
How To Choose Vegetables For Canning?
Well, the first criterion that you should look for while choosing vegetables for canning is their freshness. Can vegetables only if they are fresh and adequately ripe? Discard the overripe ones and also the ones that are blemished. This is because they will not preserve well.
The next thing to know before canning vegetables is to clean them thoroughly under running water. This should be done to remove all the dirt and dust from the vegetables. You can also can vegetables that have been kept in the refrigerator as long as they are not spoiled.
Equipment You Need For Canning Vegetables
Vegetables are supposed to be canned in a pressure canner, therefore, you will need a pressure canner to preserve the vegetables. Secondly, if you are canning vegetables, it is best to use wide-mouth jars, since they are easier to fill and can hold more quantities at a time.
Additionally, you will need bottled lemon juice or any other citric acid to boost the canning process and protect the canned vegetables from unnecessary spoiling. Lastly, be careful while canning them and be particular about the cooking timings.
How Long Can You Preserve Canned Vegetables?
Canned vegetables can be preserved for about 18-24 months. However, the time might vary for different types of vegetables, but all of them will preserve well. Also, the storage place should be clean and dry to maintain the quality of the preserved vegetables.
Canned food can be stored for a long time, but you need to ensure proper storage for the food to maintain its freshness and flavor. Make sure that your canned vegetables are stored away from sources of heat and light, otherwise they might spoil.
How To Know If Your Canned Vegetables Have Spoiled Or Not?
The first spoilage indication of your canned vegetables can be a foul smell. This is enough to determine that your canned vegetables have spoiled and therefore they are unfit for consumption. The second visible indication is discoloration.
The canned vegetables can spoil due to improper storage and exposure to heat, light, or moisture. Another possible reason for spoilage could be that they have been stored for a very long time, beyond their actual storage periods.
Do Canned Vegetables Maintain Their Nutritional Value?
Yes, canned vegetables maintain their freshness, flavor, and nutritional value. In fact, canning locks the nutrients inside and preserves it for long periods. Canning is therefore a great way to preserve the nutritional value of vegetables.
Hence, we can conclude that it is completely safe to can vegetables at home. Do not forget to label and date the jars before storing them. This will help you to determine how long the vegetables have been kept.
Summing it up, that was all about vegetables that can be canned and vegetables that cannot be canned. Now, you are also aware of the details of cooking vegetables at home, so the next time you want to store vegetables, you know what to do.
