Why preserving and what you need for it
Why preserving and what you need for it
"Why not just freeze it?", "Why not just cook it fresh?", "Why not just dry it?"... Many people ask themselves these or similar questions, and rightly so. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with freezing or cooking fresh or drying etc. The reasons for preserving are individual and basically it all depends on what you want to achieve in the end.
A few good reasons for preserving:
- even the largest freezer will eventually be full
- ideal for emergency storage, as no electricity is required for storage
- can even be eaten straight from the jar. Can also be eaten without electricity (cooking, baking) in an emergency
- also suitable for taking away (does not defrost, does not wet)
- saves time - e.g. cakes from the jar, rice pudding, fruit ...
What do you need for preserving?
- a saucepan with a lid - it must be large enough so that the lid still closes when the jars are upright and a cotton cloth has been placed under the jars.
- an automatic canner (the Klarstein and Sylvercrest brands are reliable)
- tip: an outlet tap is very useful. Then you don't have to skim off the water! Ideally, this should be next to the display on digital preserving machines.
- additional items - cotton cloths, jar lifter/tongs (but oven gloves are of course also possible if necessary), jars of your choice with lids, seal/clamps and, if necessary, a funnel. The cloth ensures that the jars stand firmly. The funnel prevents the rim of the jar from being stained. Where to buy preserving machines or pots: Globus/Kaufland/etc. sometimes have good offers. But also Amazon, Ebay, Klarstein website.
Jars: Weck, Flaschenbauer, Amazon, Ebay...but also Action/Kaufland/Globus/etc. often have offers. (Please make sure that they are the right rubbers and with TO jars that they are not just decorative jars but are suitable for preserving)
**There are also automatic preserving jars from the well-known Weck brand. Unfortunately, there are more and more reports that these do not reach/maintain the temperatures or do not switch off automatically. Of course, it is up to you to decide whether and which appliance to buy. In my opinion, the Weck cookbook is a waste of money. You don't need it and the cooking times etc. don't meet scientific standards.