Anyone tried oven canning dry goods?

[JAB]

I've read a couple of write-ups of how to do this and it sounds pretty easy, straight-forward and effective for those of us for whom, for whatever reason, five-gallon, food grade buckets or similar may not be the best option and who may not have ready access to a cannery.

 

All of the write-ups I have read describe pretty much the same process.  Also, as sort of the biggest 'con' to using this method, they all point out that it is not a method approved by the FDA, etc.  I don't really care much about whether or not the government types have approved it because I don't plan to share my food with them, anyhow.  One person who did a write-up claimed that dry canning can keep crackers crisp and tasting more or less right for months or even, in some cases, years.

 

Anyhow, I am thinking about this not just for being prepared but just for general use.  Living alone, it is sometimes hard to use up things like crackers, flour, sugar, etc. before those things get old, damp or so on.  I'd like to be able to break larger containers down into pint or even jelly-jar quantities for long term storage if this method really works.  I did a search of TGO and only found one instance where anyone had mentioned using this method and that was almost more 'in passing' rather than in any kind of detail.  So, anyone tried it?  If so, how well did/does it work?

 

For longer term storage, I also wonder if using the oven canning method and then dropping an O2 absorber into the jars before sealing would be an option.

Edited September 5, 2013 by JAB

[Dennis1209]

Well, whatever suites you I suppose but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't want to get food poisoning and needlessly waste energy.

 

Traditional canning methods have been around a long, long time and have been improved upon and continue to do so. The government and FDA didn't invent canning or food preservation but adapted tried and true methods with additional precautions for safe food from independent research, history and modern knowledge.  

 

Right or wrong, the government has set the standards and recommendations for food safety, and it doesn't vary much from what most canners / preservers adhere to.

 

An ovens temperature can not be accurately and consistently regulated to accomplish your goal, of having safe food to store and eat.

 

I highly recommend you stick to tried and true food preservation methods and invest in proper canning hardware, jars, temperatures and times.

 

EDIT: Oops... I just reread your post and it sounds like you're talking "dehydration"? That be the case, you can do it that way but it's a big waste of energy! A commercial dehydrator from Walmart or build your own solar dehydrator would save lots of $$$ in fuel usage??? 

Edited September 5, 2013 by Dennis1209

[Jamie Jackson]

I am a bit confused about what you're suggesting JAB.

 

Are you talking about oven dehydration as Dennis mentioned? or actually trying to use the oven to essentially sterilize the jar and contents while initiating a seal?

 

 

We pressure can, water bath can and use an Excalibur dehydrator...it's running as I type this. :pleased:

 

I've read of folks using the oven to "can" butter and cheese...but I've also read knowledgeable folks like Jackie Clay advise against it.

 

 

I've used this link and it's offshoots many times before:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can4_vegetable.html

 

 

Be safe Good Sir. :hat:

[JAB]

Thanks for the replies, guys, but I am afraid that I must not have been clear as to what I was asking.  What I am talking about is using the oven to 'can' DRY goods.  By 'dry' goods, I mean 'shelf stable' things like crackers, flour, dry rice, dried beans and even snacks like chips, pretzels, etc. where 'food poisoning' isn't really a concern but keeping the items from going stale quickly, getting weevils, etc. is the purpose.  It also isn't about dehydrating the items as the things I am talking about are already 'dry'.  Instead, it is for things where you don't want to introduce liquid as you would in the normal canning process.  It is intended more as a substitute for things like sealing in food grade buckets or going to a LDS cannery than as a substitute for 'normal' home canning methods.

 

I do have a dehydrator for drying things and I have a pressure canner for canning things like soups, fresh fruits and vegetables and stuff like that.  I also have a 'Foodsaver' (if I can figure out how to operate the darned thing - it is an older one and came from a yard sale with no manual but appears to be 'all there'.)  I wouldn't use this method for things that should be preserved using 'regular' canning methods - just for dry goods for which the traditional home canning methods really wouldn't work.

 

Maybe my question would be more clear if I post a link to one of the write-ups on the subject that I have read:

 

http://aworkingpantry.blogspot.com/2012/06/oven-canning.html

Edited September 5, 2013 by JAB

[Jamie Jackson]

Thanks for the link JAB. Interesting concept and it looks viable.

 

I generally load up 10-12 jars of dehydrated foods (that we dehydrate) or divide up bulk frequent use dry goods...and add an o2 absorber.

The oven canning method you linked to might well work.

 

If you give it a try, please let us know how it works for you.

 

:hat:

[JAB]

I probably will try it out on a small scale. Maybe just do a small jar of crackers and one of pretzels or something and see what they are like after a few weeks. If it seems to work, I will likely do more. If it works extremely well and I start doing it a lot I was actually thinking that tossing in an O2 absorber before sealing might REALLY extend shelf life but, not having worked with O2 absorbers before am not sure how they would do with the warm food/jars.

[Jamie Jackson]

JAB;

 

Definitely looking forward to learning of your experiences.

 

I keep a fair quantity of o2 absorbers on hand...500ml-2000ml.

I have only ever used them for room temperature food items.

 

 

Some folks caution to use all the absorbers that come in a package at one time.....I think they just want to sell more of 'em. :cool:

I use a Black and Decker food sealer (inexpensive Walmart unit) to reseal the o2 absorbers after use.

I prep all the items and ready them for the absorbers, open the sealed absorbers, place the needed ones in the cans-jars-bags or whatever and quickly reseal the absorbers.

The absorbers maintain very well that way.

 

 

fwiw...I have stored a 5 lb bag of granola trail mix for 3 years simply using the vac seal. It tasted great when we started using it. YMMV.

 

Good Luck.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I use dry ice to remove oxygen from containers. Basically drop a piece of dry ice in the bottom then fill the container. Let it set for 24 hours for the dry ice to turn into Co2 and displace the O2 then seal. DO NOT SEAL IMMEDIATELY OR THE CONTAINER WILL EXPLODE.

 

I used this method with larger containers. You can buy enough dry ice to do a 25 gallon container for a buck or two.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Dolomite_supafly

[Fire/hunting guy]

I have used the oven canning method recently. It really is a simple way of storing. I can't account for how long it last because I just did a couple weeks ago. The thing I like about it is that driving up the temperature to 200 degrees, you are basically sterilizing it. I've done rice, beans, flour, and pasta this way. One trick I learned was after you take the jars out of the oven and put the lids on, cover the jars with a towel so they cool more slowly. I think, this is just my theory, but the first batch I did, I think the air conditioning blowing in the kitchen caused condensation on the inside of the jar. This was unacceptable to me, so I redid those jars. Like I said, I don't know how long it will last, but that's now my preferred method for dry storage because of the germ killing. Do a Google search, there are good lessons out there for it.

[Dennis1209]

I must not be the only one who got caught unaware? I order a few dozen O2 absorbers from Emergency Essentials or some place getting ready to store some rice, beans and flour in some 5 gallon buckets. Thinking the were individually sealed and packed got them out and "surprise", had to use them all at one time. Each bucket got about 18 O2 absorbers.

 

Learned my lesson and now go to Wally World and get those hunter chemical hand warmers. They will do the exact same thing but you have to be careful not to let the contents of the warmer to leak into the food.

 

Then I really got to thinking and looking into canned food preparations... If you really want to save a lot of money, do it right the first time, and get it done super fast! Call and visit your nearest local LDS cannery.

[Fire/hunting guy]

 Thinking the were individually sealed and packed got them out and "surprise", had to use them all at one time. Each bucket got about 18 O2 absorbers.

 

 

Do you have a food saver? If so, you can vacuum seal the unused ones and use them later.