Top Five Food Preservation Books after Ball

Discussion in 'Survival Reading Room' started by tacmotusn, Feb 21, 2011.


  1. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    Top Five Food Preservation Books



    Here are the ones recommended.

    Well Preserved by Eugenia Bone was my favorite find from last year. Many of her Italian-influenced, mostly savory preserves found a place in my pantry, including Marinated Artichokes, Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Tuna in Olive Oil (my first pressure canning project), and Smoked Chicken Breast. Bone has a no-nonsense, anyone-can-do-this and it's-gonna-be-great attitude and her book has delicious recipes for using every preserve. Be sure to visit her blog.

    Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty covers an amazing variety of preserves. Her head notes are mouth-watering and completely draw me in every time. Some of her methods--like no-added-pectin preserves, are traditional, yet within the realm of USDA safe canning guidelines. I especially like that many recipes call for the by-products of other recipes. For example, Sweet Pickled Bing Cherries yields vinegar from which you can make Cherry Vinegar, while the seeds and pulp leftover from making Raspberry Jelly get a second life infusing a lightly fermented European-Style Raspberry Syrup. The book is out of print, but used copies are usually available at Amazon.

    For Southern style canning, I like Putting Up, by Stephen Downdy. Sunchoke Relish (just add to cooked potatoes for amazing potato salad), Corn Liquor BBQ Sauce, and Peach Chutney are good examples of what you'll find in there.

    If you are at all interested in lactofermentation, check out Sandor Katz's Wild Fermentation. He'll teach you to make mead, kraut, miso, cheese, beer, sourdough...if it's made with the encouragement of microscopic life, Sandorkraut has got it covered. He encourages a no-fear sensibility that is refreshing against the "follow USDA food preservation guidelines or die" attitude found in many conventional canning books.

    Lastly, my favorite all-around preserving books, especially for beginners, is Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader. Clear instructions on all preserving methods, charts for things like how long to steam or blanch vegetables before freezing, tips galore--kinda like having an experienced food preservationist at your side, reminding you to do things like get all your gear washed and ready to go the night before heading out to pick berries or buy a couple bushels of tomatoes, so you can get right to it while your produce is still at its peak.






     
    chelloveck likes this.
  2. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    With the wave or research that smacked us up the side of the head regarding the nutritional value of food that's been dehydrated as opposed to food that's been traditionally processed.... I'm surprised to see Ball in the top slot for food preservation.... totally inconsistent with the "best science" available.
    --
    I'll add these two books in the event anyone's interested in "alternative" food preservation-
    The Dehydrator Bible by Jennifer MacKenzie, Joy Nutt, & Don Mercer
    Preserve it Naturally: The Complete Guide to Food Dehydration, Third Edition
     
  3. IndieMama

    IndieMama Monkey+++

    The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Food, by Janet Chadwick. I enjoy anything she has written (I believe she has passed, now). In this book, she covers all forms of food preservation and which gives the best quality for each item and which is the easiest. It might be out of print, but is definitely worth a spot in your library if you can find it.

    My very favorite book from her is the first I discovered at the library and had to find for myself. How to Live on Almost Nothing and Have Plenty. It's perfect for the beginning homesteader.
     
  4. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Lastly, my favorite all-around preserving books, especially for beginners, is Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader.

    I just ordered this from the library. I may end up purchasing if it is the one.
     
  5. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    I have Stocking Up and Stocking Up III(Rodale Press), plus I think I have the Ball canning book somewhere. Also have a couple general homesteading books(40th anniversary edition of Encyclopedia of Country Living and Country Living Wisdom & Know-How by Storey Press) for food preservation. Oh and Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel. Also have various other books on growing produce which probably have storage info as well. And The Forager's Harvest for wild edibles.
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
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