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Post by leatherneckpa on Mar 3, 2011 17:29:23 GMT -4
I've got a local source for pretty much all of these that I want. It seems to me that I read somewhere that they aren't any good for canning because the food can't be brought to a uniform high enough heat. So what else could I use them for?
I was thinking about maybe using them to store flour and sugar in. We aren't yet accustomed to using it in the huge volumes I see bandied about on pantry posts, but I figure 2-6 jars of flour and 2-6 jars of sugar wouldn't be a bad start. Chuck in a muslin bag with a 1/4 cup of rice to absorb the moisture. Ooo, and fill a half dozen with rice too.
What got me started thinking about them in the first place was thinking about trying to make my own dill pickles this year. Cindy could care less about eating meat, but she thinks that onions and pickles are their own food groups. Could those jars be used to make pickles? I know they used to be made in big open crocks and barrels. What do you think?
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Post by ☼ ЯÏĊk ☺ on Mar 3, 2011 17:44:24 GMT -4
If you really love pickles.....Yes, you can. Especially fridge pickles. Just make sure the vinny level is higher than the topmost pickle. Submerged, I guess you'd say. lol
I use ours as storage cannisters as well. I have 8 full of elbows, and a bunch with rices and egg noodles. That way I can leave the quantity stuff alone. I use them white plastic lids. Not sure about flour and sugar, I like mine in the dark.
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Post by capecmom on Mar 4, 2011 7:53:16 GMT -4
I store a bunch of stuff in them. Our local Aubuchon Hardware sells them and I've been buying cases here and there. I put rice in them also and vac seal the jars. I wish there was a way to vac seal flour without killing your machine....I've had marginal success vac sealing flour in food saver bags-you just have to leave enough head space so that the flour doesn't travel up the bag and into your machine. They seem pretty tight so I hope it works out.
I also vac seal my dehydrated veggies in the 1/2 gallon jars.
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Post by azlonerider on Mar 4, 2011 10:04:46 GMT -4
We store all our dehydrated stuff in gallon jars. A gallon of dehydrated tomato's goes a long way... peppers too.
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Post by capecmom on Mar 4, 2011 10:42:20 GMT -4
I have never seen gallon jars here. I wish I could find them. I really didn't want to order them online- I am sure breakage would be a big issue. More of a headache than what its really worth.
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Post by rAcErRicK on Mar 4, 2011 14:18:48 GMT -4
I have never seen gallon jars here. I wish I could find them. I really didn't want to order them online- I am sure breakage would be a big issue. More of a headache than what its really worth. Just a wild guess Jules, but I'd bet a small "mom 'n pop" restaurant would be an ongoing source for them. Ya' think ? Dehydrated tomatoes; Dumb question, but do you just eat them dehydrated or wet them to puff 'em up first ? Now I could go for the dehydrating thing. Not sure I'd do too well with the canning bit though. ::)I'd prolly blow meself up, 'r pison me. ;D |
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Post by capecmom on Mar 4, 2011 14:24:16 GMT -4
I have never dehydrated tomatoes. I heard they can be kind of sour when you do. I want to try to sun dry them which brings their sweetness forward. I have a lot of recipes that call for sun dried tomatoes. They get pretty strong in flavor once dried this way so a little goes a long way. They are expensive to buy at the store so I want to try it this year. They are usually packed in olive oil.
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Post by rAcErRicK on Mar 4, 2011 20:04:37 GMT -4
Hmmm, sun dried huh. Now, I got some of that.  Wunner if 1/2" hardware cloth would work for a rack to dry 'em on ? What do you guys use ?  |
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Post by ☼ ЯÏĊk ☺ on Mar 4, 2011 20:37:35 GMT -4
I wouldnt use galvanized with tomatoes, myself. I use vinyl window screening.
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Post by azlonerider on Mar 4, 2011 21:00:22 GMT -4
Yeah, the acid is going to react with the metal.... Either the vinyl window screen or a food grade screen is the way to go. We use both the tomato's and the sun dried tomato's in just about everything. We haven't had a bitterness issue, but maybe our tasters are broke...
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Post by rAcErRicK on Mar 4, 2011 22:03:51 GMT -4
I wouldnt use galvanized with tomatoes, myself. I use vinyl window screening. Yeas, after I posted that it made not much sense, but hadda' start somewhere. Food grade screen Andy ? What do you use ? Doesn't that attract flies ? Mebe build a screen enclosure/dehydrator size or so ? Would enough sun still come through, ya' think ? Gotta huge screen porch.  |
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Post by azlonerider on Mar 5, 2011 1:15:34 GMT -4
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Post by capecmom on Mar 5, 2011 7:10:05 GMT -4
Andy, is there a difference in the taste between the dehydrated and the sun dried? Which is better?
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Post by ☼ ЯÏĊk ☺ on Mar 5, 2011 8:16:37 GMT -4
Nice stuff Andy. A roll of that is more than the roof for camp. The stuff I'm getting is 17.99.
I'll stick with heavy duty window screening. Cant have drying racks worth more than our car, what would the neighbors think? LMAO
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Post by azlonerider on Mar 5, 2011 10:32:56 GMT -4
Andy, is there a difference in the taste between the dehydrated and the sun dried? Which is better? We can't really tell the difference..... You can also simulate sun dried tomatos in the dehydrator by brushing on an olive oil, oregano, basil mixture while the fruit is in the dehydrator. We like and use them both for different applications. The sun dried and the simulated sun dried are good on pizza's with homemade dough, homemade pizza sauce and topped with the tomato's, peperoni, and mozzarella. |
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