I Am Re-Discovering the Joys of Home Canning In A Nesco
Home canning is an age-old tradition in my extended family that seems to be performed by more people in their home kitchens than I would have thought. I asked Santa for a Nesco Electric Pressure Canner and he brought me one!
I am really impressed! This electric kitchen appliance simplifies the canning process by making it digital. Just press a few buttons and it almost takes care of itself. At my stage in life, this smaller canner is great for my needs and very easy to use. But the Nesco Pressure Canner is great for both novice and experienced canners alike.
Home Canning – Meals Stored On The Shelf
One of the meals that I made first was Chili with Beans. I usually make chili with kidney beans from the grocery store. These, of course, are already cooked, and most of the recipes for canning use dried beans (sometimes soaked, sometimes pre-cooked).
But I wanted to see if these work since I already had them, and my batch of chili turned out pretty good. Perhaps a little more “mushy” than they might have been but the flavor and texture were still fine.
As you see in the video, I went full-on shortcuts with my chili. Canned tomatoes and frozen chopped onions. This is Lazy Day Chili. My son loves chili, but only as a condiment for a hot dog, so I wanted to make it like he likes it.
My Mother used to can vegetable soup and give it to us as gifts. We were working Mothers and Fathers and those meals were great to come home to after a full work day. Bless her heart for all her work.
I am planning chili, vegetable soup, beef stew, and more for my son. For my daughter, canned meats will be her thing. She is an excellent cook herself, but I will save her time and have chicken, pork, and beef ready and she can just open a jar and fix a couple of side dishes. Voila!
My favorite obsession right now is Chicken in Alfredo Sauce (no canning of alfredo sauce). Yum!
The Carey Smart Canner has been rebranded by its parent company Nesco to the “Nesco Smart Canner” . No differences other than the logo between the Carey Smart Canner and the Nesco Smart Canner. Canning has come into the digital age.
https://www.nesco.com
Home Canning Is So Exciting!
I will be working on meat-based items such as Chicken Teriyaki, Korean Beef, Pho, and Chutney of all kinds. It will be fun to experiment. This Nesco Electric Pressure Canner does 4-5 pints at one time, so I can make a small batch if possible to see how it goes. Later if it all turns out, the canner holds 4 quarts in one batch. That can be a family-size portion.
No worries now about a Power Failure! If I have food canned instead of stacked in a freezer, I don’t have to worry if the electricity goes off. Canned food is shelf stable. Properly canned food is good for approximately 12 to 18 months on a shelf!
Ease of Use: Simplifying the Canning Process
The ease of use is where the Nesco Pressure Canner truly excels. The digital controls make setting the time and pressure a breeze. For those who might be intimidated by traditional stovetop canners, this electric model offers a worry-free alternative. The automatic shut-off feature adds an extra layer of safety, ensuring that your canning process is not just easy, but safe as well.
Durability and Maintenance
The Nesco Pressure Canner is fairly heavy and is very sturdy. At this point, it is manageable for me to carry to where I want to use it. I have a pantry just across the laundry area where you’ll see my canning. The Nesco is large and you’ll need a large spot to store it when not in use.
Why am I canning in the laundry room? I have a galley kitchen with cupboards above each countertop. My advice is to be cautious since any canner will vent steam for hours when you use it. Do you want it to vent steam against your wood wall cabinets? Just saying…
Healthy Benefits of Home Canning
Apart from the convenience and versatility, using the Nesco Pressure Canner for home canning has health and environmental benefits. By canning your food, you have control over the ingredients, allowing for healthier, preservative-free meals. Additionally, I can choose to NOT add any salt to the canned foods, so they are healthier for my husband’s low-sodium diet.
Using those glass jars over and over again reduces the amount of discards coming from your kitchen. No cans to put in recycle bins, and no glass jars in the recycle bins. You will be re-using these special canning jars over and over for years. Rings too. The only thing you need to purchase new is the lids or flats.
Don’t you think it is worth a try? Your food, your way, your stockpile. Try it.
National Center For Home Food Preservation
USDA Complete Guide To Home Canning
