My grandmother is a traditional cook, and she often imparts her knowledge of the cooking techniques passed down to her from her great ancestors to me. Despite being steeped in tradition, I have seen that she is able to easily embrace the changes brought about by time, technology, and innovation with regard to cooking. For instance, she learned to use some modern tools and techniques for innovative canning.

Nana has been using traditional canning methods like water bath boiling and open kettle canning for years, but recently she has adopted more advanced techniques such as pressure canning and steam canning in order to keep up with the times.

Pressure canning works by creating a vacuum-sealed jar, while steam canning is designed to reduce the amount of time needed to prepare food for preservation. Both of these new methods help Nana maintain her commitment to preserving fresh produce through efficient and effective means.

How to Can with Modern Tools

With the continuing progress of technology, canning has become even more straightforward and secure with the introduction of contemporary canning tools. These devices have made this process easier, as they allow for a faster rate of production while also providing an improved level of safety. Canning is now much simpler than it used to be due to these modern tools, allowing people to preserve their food in a quick and efficient manner without fear of any contamination or spoilage.

Here’s how my Nana can with modern tools:

She Uses a Pressure Canner

Water bath boiling has been around long before I was born. It’s one of the traditional canning methods that my Nana once used. But when she discovered pressure canner, she was amazed by its features that she wished she could have done sooner with her canned foods.

A pressure canner offers a wider range of options for the avid canning enthusiast, expanding beyond the limitations of water bath canning. Not only does it enable you to preserve more types of food than traditional canning allows, such as meat and low-acid items, but it also provides an array of new recipes for the casual user to explore.

My Nana used to tell me when I was a kid that I should avoid canning meat, vegetables, and even poultry. Yet as I matured, she eventually discovered the process of pressure canning – a method that allowed for the preservation of all sorts of items over extended periods of time.

Using a Steam Canner

Nana has not only learned to use the pressure cooker, but she has also taken a liking to use the steam canner. She enjoys the process of using this appliance, and it has become one of her favorite methods for canning food.

Steam canning is a fast, energy-efficient, and safe method for preserving a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, pickles, and sauces. The process uses less water than traditional water bath canning. It is also a preferred option for those who have glass top stoves as it doesn’t require a heavy canning pot with a flat bottom that can scratch the surface of the stove. 

Additionally, the high temperatures created by the steam ensure that any harmful bacteria or microorganisms are destroyed, making it a safe method for food preservation. So, it’s usually both ideal for low and high-acid foods.

Using a Steam Juicer 

These days, everyone desires speedy and effortless methods of preparing or preserving food, which is precisely why Nana enjoys using a steam juicer. This convenient appliance offers an uncomplicated and time-saving way to make or can food quickly and with minimal fuss.

The appliance consists of a pot, a steam basket, and a juice collection chamber, making it easy to set up and use. Additionally, the steam juicer can extract juice from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including berries, grapes, apples, and more.

Steam juicers are perfect to use when canning jellies or jams because they are designed to extract juice from fruits without the need for peeling or seeding. This makes the process much faster and more efficient than other juicing methods, especially when working with fruits that are difficult to peel or pit, such as berries or grapes.

Using an Immersion Blender

One of my favorite canning tools for making jams or sauces is an immersion blender. Nana introduced this great tool to me. This remarkable tool has made our lives easier by allowing us to quickly and efficiently blend ingredients together in a matter of seconds, eliminating the need for tedious chopping and cutting. Not only does it make the process faster, but it also produces smoother results that are impossible with traditional blending techniques.

Using Mandoline Slicer

Most of the time, the way you cut or slice the fruits and vegetables for canning also matters. Nana always says that it is essential to ensure that the pieces are of a consistent size and shape, as this can have an impact on not only the final appearance of your canned goods but also their taste. Taking a little extra time when cutting up your ingredients before canning them can really pay off!

A mandoline slicer is one of the modern kitchen tools that you should definitely consider investing in if you are passionate about canning. This useful tool makes slicing large quantities of fruits and vegetables quick and easy, providing an even cut every time. It is a great way to save time while ensuring uniformly-sized pieces of produce, which are essential for preserving food correctly.

Using a Blanching Basket

Nana also learned to use a blanching basket for obvious reasons; she wants to blanch fruits and veggies easily. In traditional blanching that my Nana used to do, you’ll need a large pot of boiling water. Then, using a strainer or slotted spoon, you need to remove the food items from the pot, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome. 

But using a blanching basket, on the other hand, simplifies the process by allowing the food items to be easily lowered into the boiling water and then lifted out all at once. This method also helps to ensure even cooking and prevents the food items from sticking to each other or the bottom of the pot. Overall, using a blanching basket can make the blanching process quicker, more efficient, and produce better results.

Nana and Innovative Canning

From modern canning tools to techniques, Nana did not close her door to learning these cooking developments as a home cook. Nana was always open to learning new techniques and tools when it came to cooking, and that included modern canning methods. 

She recognized that times were changing and that there were new tools and technologies available that could help her improve her cooking and make it easier. Rather than sticking to the traditional methods she was familiar with, she was open to trying new things and adapting her cooking style as necessary. 

For Nana, learning about these new developments was not only about improving the quality of her cooking, but it was also a way to stay connected to the wider world and remain relevant in her craft. She was always excited to try out new techniques and tools and was never afraid to experiment in the kitchen. This willingness to learn and adapt was one of the key reasons why Nana was such a skilled and beloved home cook.