Dehydrating or Canning?

A glass jar should be fine.... as long as your produce was dehydrated properly and as long as you're not opening the jars all the time. The oxygen absorbers extend your shelf life is all. Here's where I bought mine, https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency_supplies/oxygen_absorbers.htm. I shopped around a little online for best pricing on 100cc and 500cc but maybe you might want to check again if you're planning on ordering since things change. Here's information on using them that I found helpful, The Food Storage Faq - Specific Specifications.

 

@VHestin do you put oxygen absorbers in with your herbs? Old fashion herb drying was to just hang them upside down then store them. I am wanting to use my herbs for cooking so this will not be a long term storage, just something in the kitchen. Any advice on those who have dried herbs for current usage would be appreciated.

 

Nope I don't use oxygen absorbers, because I grow my own, so I just need to store them for fall/winter. Just use canning jars, or ziploc bags. Got some french tarragon, spearmint, thyme, and sage drying right now to store. If I remember, tomorrow I will harvest/dry oregano.

 

We're currently eating meats and veggies we canned roughly 19 months ago.
Store what you eat, eat what you store and rotation will never be an issue..

 

@NotSoSneaky I have never canned meat. Someone told me to cook the meat then can as you would veggies. They really stressed being extra sanitary. Any helpful hints you would like to share? Have you done all meats?

 

Ok, in a nutshell;
All you need to home can meats is a pressure cooker. However if you do a lot of canning you may want a dedicated pressure canner but they are much more expensive. I will also point out if you need to preserve a lot of meat quickly (as in processing a deer or moose) you will need two canners, and some help.

I would not recommend canning meats as "you would veggies", some people may interpret this as using waterbath instead of pressure canning, and most veggies do need to be pressure canned too. Using the wrong method for what you are canning can result in food spoilage, illness and possible death

Our pressure cooker is the 27 quart size and it will hold 7 quarts or 9 pint jars at a time. One may can previously cooked meat but you will need to add either boiling water or stock to cover the meat and leave 1/2 inch empty space under the lid.
This is called "Wet Pack".

Meat can also be processed without cooking beforehand, which is how we can most of the meat we set aside. No liquids are added using this technique. There still needs to be 1/2 inch of empty space under the lid.
This is called "Raw Pack".

I would recommend using the the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Both will cover which foods require pressure canning and waterbath canning, in which the cans are covered in boiling water.

Both books will give processing times for various meats and vegetables and I strongly suggest following them.

If there is enough interest I will start another thread about my experiences canning various meats, produce and dry goods.

 

I dry fruit that either comes from our backyard or what we buy in bulk. I used dried apricots to make a simple pastry, dried apples for dressing up oatmeal and making apple pies, and cherries to later soak in rum. When i was i kid we would eat dried apples that were at least three years old and they tasted fine. I also do some canning but only water bath, but would like to get a pressure cooker to can vegis. Look forward to learning more about pressure cooker canning. Btw i store all my dried fruits in canning jars and have never had a problem.

 

There are experts in many fields here, and several who can. I'm sure you will learn all you need to know. And questions are always welcome. If you use the search box at top right, that will get you started. You can also drop questions in the shoutbox and someone will point you in the right direction, or answer It directly....

 

Google, youtube, and your local library are your friends. this is a subject about which there's been scores of books written and videos made. only a tiny fraction of it can be handled on a forum like this.

 

A man of few words....for once.
Survival Reading Room