General Directions For Canning Tomatoes

Select medium sized round tomatoes. Put them into a colander or wire basket; dip them into boiling water for just a moment. Remove the skin, which you will find will come off very easily after having been scalded. Carefully sterilize the jar, rubber ring and lid, according to General Directions. Adjust the rubber ring. To each quart jar allow one teaspoonful of salt. Place the tomatoes in the jar; fill to overflowing with the salted water, which has been boiled and slightly cooled. If convenient, tomato juice may be used, thus helping to retain the natural flavor and color of the tomatoes. Tomatoes are sometimes cut in pieces so as to fill the jars completely without adding any liquid. Adjust the cover, but do not screw it on, as the steam must have an outlet during the cooking.

Place the jars into a large disbpan or wash boiler, the bottom of which should be covered with several thicknesses of cloth or paper or some sort of rack. This will prevent the jar from coming into such close contact with the heat from the bottom of the vessel.

Surround the jars with sufficient warm water to reach the neck of each jar. Cover the pan or boiler with a closely fitting lid - two large dishpans turned together will do very nicely. Allow the water to come to a boil and to cook for one hour.

Remove the jars, screw the covers on securely. Place the cans upside down.

Keep canned tomatoes in a dark place.

Working Directions To Be Followed By All Even Numbered Pupils

In today's Lesson you are to sterilize the jar, rubber and cover, and prepare one or two tomatoes, while your partner will prepare the heated salted water for the canning. Your partner will also prepare a tomato or two. See recipe on front page; follow each paragraph carefully.

Fill your dishpan, placed over a burner, half full of cold water; put cover and jar into it edgewise, that the water may get into both the inside and outside of the jar. See FIGURE 1. Light the burner and allow the water to come to a boil. While it is heating, wash the tomato, plunge it into the boiling water, which has been placed for you by the Housekeeper - allow it to remain for a few seconds. Remove it from the water and with a vegetable knife make a thin cut, and you will find that you can draw off the skin of the tomato very easily.

Allow the jars to remain in the boiling water until you are ready to use them.

Put the tomato into the jar. Dip the rubber ring into the hot water, take it out and put it around the neck of the jar. Your partner will add a tomato or two and adjust the cover loosely.

Place the jar into a dishpan prepared by the Housekeeper. See FIGURE 2. The bottom of the pan should be covered with several thicknesses of paper or steamer rings on which to rest the cans so they will not come in contact with the bottom of the pan. Cover closely with a second pan, and allow it to cook over the fire for at least one hour.

Remove the jar; screw on the cover securely; place the can upside down to determine whether or not it will leak around the edges of the cover.

You are to wipe the dishes today according to directions already learned.

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2.

Home Recipes

Directions For Canning Vegetables

Select only sound and fresh vegetables.

Examine jars by filling them with water, screw on tops, turn upside down and see if they are air-tight.

How to sterilize jars, etc. Sterilize the jars and covers by putting them edgewise into a pan containing cold water. Heat slowly to boiling point. Keep the jars and covers in the hot water until ready for use.

Dip rubber rings into hot water, but do not injure them by boiling. New rubber rings should be used each season.

Prepare the vegetables. Wash, pare or peel: and cut in pieces if necessary.

Fill the jars with the vegetables, cover to overflowing with water that has been boiled, salted and cooled.

Place the rubber rings on and adjust the covers, but do not screw them down - the steam must have an outlet.

Place the jars on a rest, on a folded cloth, or on several layers of paper in a large kettle or wash boiler. Add enough cold water around jars to reach the neck of jars. Cover the kettle, heat gradually to boiling point, and boil according to time-table.

Take jars out, screw down the covers securely. Place jars upside down.

NOTE: If full jars are desired, immediately after steaming, the covers may be taken off and the jars filled to overflowing with boiling salted water. Then readjust covers and screw down securely.