Hate Canning? Try These 4 Simpler Food Preservation Methods

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Hate Canning? Try These 4 Simpler Food Preservation Methods

Canning is practiced by grandmothers and mothers all over America. The sterilization of high heat and pressurization has made it the safe and preferred preservation of Americans for generations, but some people aren’t interested in spending hours over a stove for cupboards precariously stacked with jars of heat-compromised nutrients.

And we don’t have to! We can use our garden through the winter months and it won’t require us to buy a fancy pan or convert our crawl space into an apple butter pantry.
1. Fermentation
Fermentation is an age-old practice that involves little more than salt, water and a dark corner. Everything from soy sauce and sauerkraut to kimchi and tofu is thanks to a nice long probiotic bath. It’s so simple it seems too good to be true, but there’s a reason for its popularity across the world.

It all starts with a community of hungry microorganisms. They feed off of sugars and, in turn, release carbon dioxide, acids and alcohols which actually act to preserve our foods. So our veggies gets a new lease on life, plus a healthy dose of microflora and a punch of complex flavor.

In all, fermentation offers a tasty jar of probiotic benefits that can be used to make everything from sauerkraut to medicinal wine and probiotic lemonade.
Get to know the basics of fermentation, then find yourself a crock pot or a good glass jar to give it a go. If you live in the right growing zone, you can put off this kitchen project until late fall, when cold-loving crops like cabbage will be at their peak.
2. Vinegar
Acetic acid, or vinegar, is itself a product of fermentation whereby microorganisms turn sugar into alcohol and then acid. Thanks to this acidic nature, vinegar provides an environment that has food spoilers turning on their heels. Garden veggies can be kept for months, and the process can be completed in a matter of minutes. If you’re a busy gardener, then this is the option for you.

We generally think of condiments like pickles and relish when we think of pickled foods, but vinegar offers far more versatility. There’s a number of pickle-icious fruits and vegetables, and you can even preserve herbs with vinegar. Spices are also a welcome addition that will boost flavors while imparting their health and antiseptic properties.

Whatever route you choose to go, you’ve got a tangy jar of preserved goodness that will keep bacteria at bay……More Here

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Hate Canning? Try These 4 Simpler Food Preservation Methods