Yes, it was THAT time of year again folks. Jimmy Canned Corn with lots of helpers! We bought 10 dozen ears of the finest organic sweet corn from farmer M. It was picked at 8 a.m., shucked at 9:00 and safely pressure canned before lunch.
Just cut off the kernels with a sharp knife, pack them uncooked into pint or quart jars, top with boiling water or veggie stock, leaving a generous inch of headspace, and pressure can them according to your guidebook.
Do your pressure canning outdoors in the garage because it’s 100 degrees out and the old air conditioner inside can already barely keep up.
Let the jars cool for a day and then wash off the hard water deposits left behind during canning. Don’t store them with the rings on, just the flat part of the lid. The rings need to be washed again right now, and if you leave them on all year, some of the jars will be really hard to open, and some lids might even rust through, unsealing.
Posted by The Education Vigilante on July 12, 2012 at 6:11 am
This brings back not-so-fond childhood memories. It turned into work for us…5 acres to pull, suck, and can. Luckily we had a cannery in town :0) Those childhood memories have served me well, as it will for your “helpers”! What a great family you have Matthew!
BTW, cool old-school-canner in the pic.
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on July 13, 2012 at 8:21 am
I think we do a small enough batch each year that the kids aren’t hating the chore yet. Thanks for the compliment!
That 1947 No. 7 canner, and it’s twin, have been put back into service after being found in a basement that a friend was cleaning out. As far as we can tell, the lady who owned it stopped canning in the mid to late 80s. I have replaced the seals and I am in the process of replacing other things. Both canners soon will use weighs so that I won’t have to worry about the accuracy of the pressure gauge. I also have one broken wooden handle, so a plastic replacement for that is on the way.
Posted by The Education Vigilante on July 13, 2012 at 9:50 am
Sweet! I love new stuff…as long as it’s old. hehehe
Posted by Paula Osborn on July 12, 2012 at 9:56 am
Add a couple tablespoons of vinegar to the caner water and it will cut down on the water deposits. I also add vinegar to my water bath caner and hardly ever have any water deposits on the jar or caner.
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on July 12, 2012 at 10:13 am
Smart. If it works in the dishwasher, it would work in the canner too.
Posted by healingmagichands on July 12, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I have a canner like that… Haven’t used it since I canned salmon in Alaska. Around here I put up corn by freezing it. Mostly though, I grow Indian corn and dry it and use it as corn meal.
Love the all hands work party. More kids should learn where their food comes from.
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on July 13, 2012 at 8:23 am
You are absolutely right that more kids should learn where their food comes from. My wife teaches Kindergarten and had to stop using the book “The Carrot Seed” because a majority of her class couldn’t recognize a long tapering orange object with long green stems coming out of it.
Posted by 613stephenrichard on July 12, 2012 at 6:55 pm
Awesome harvest!
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on July 13, 2012 at 8:24 am
These were purchased, but unfortunately the farmer did not have an awesome harvest. He had to mow down half of his potential sweet corn this year because the 105 degree days in June made it mature too fast and become unsellable.
Posted by Ashley on July 15, 2012 at 10:19 am
A toothbrush is an excellent tool to remove the hairy strings from the shucked cob. Simply drag it down the length of the corn and giggle thinking about brushing the corn’s teeth. (Maybe that’s just me.)
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on July 16, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Cool tip! Thank you!