8.03.2010

Ball Canning Luncheon and a Giveaway!

Last week I attended a canning luncheon hosted by Ball at Local 127 restaurant in downtown Cincinnati.  Since canning and preserving are on my summer list, I was really excited to attend.  Of course I got out of a work meeting late and was running behind, parked in the wrong parking garage, and practically ran down Race Street (all part of a normal day for me), but I still made it there just as Chef Geddes was beginning his presentation.

As Chef Geddes said, canning and preserving are all about, "good ingredients and capturing that magic while it's at the peak of its truth."  Well put, Chef.

While he spoke about the significance of canning in his personal life and his career, we were served a delicious, seasonal lunch.    First was summer greens with Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese and fresh tomatoes.  I believe the salad was tossed in a very light vinaigrette, but the standout of the salad was really the cheese.  I liked it so much I asked if I could get it locally, and Chef Geddes told me it is sold at Whole Foods.


Then we were served our entrée, Heritage heirloom pork tenderloin with cheesy grits, charred cabbage, and a tomato salsa.  Chef Geddes told me he went to West Virginia just for this rare breed of pig and hand selected the cuts of meat for his menu.  The pork was really juicy and perfectly cooked, although I didn't ask the method.  The cheesy grits were light in flavor and added a better texture than a mashed potato would have offered.  The salsa was unexpectedly mild with a great tomato flavor.  Chef told us that the salsa recipe comes in the recipe book with the Ball Canning Discovery Kit.  I was completely sold on Ball recipes after he said that--I needed to make this salsa!

As we started eating our cheesecake in a jar (pictured in my previous post), Chef Geddes began to show us how easy it would be for us to prepare this salsa.


You need to know some basics to be able to safely preserve your summer produce.  The first tip was to make sure your jars are sterile.  You can do this by running them through the dishwasher or washing them with hot soapy water.  You want to put your food in the jar while the food and jars are still hot.  If you want to keep your sterile jar hot while you prepare your produce, then set them in a pot of hot water that is simmering but not boiling.

The next is to follow a recipe.  There were some questions about ingredient substitutions, but the reality is--it may be unsafe to make adjustments.  Spice can be changed but any other adjustments will affect the acidity and processing times.  Recipes that are published by Ball are tested and follow FDA guidelines for food safety.  This way there is no risk.  I'm all for not dying of botulism, so I will follow the recipes. 


When you are filling the jars, don't touch anywhere inside the lid or the lip of the jar.  It's best not to risk any contamination.  Leave about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jar and then run clean knife around the inside of the jar down to the bottom to remove any air bubbles.  Then top with lid and screw on band until it is tight.

Using the green rack in the Ball Canning Discovery Kit, you can safely lower the jars into a boiling water.  This is a great tool for beginner canners (like me) who want the entire process to be simplified.  Then process the filled jars according the time amounts in the recipe, and then allow to cool.  If the lid allows any give when you press on it, then the processing was not successful and your product will not be safe to store on the counter.  If this happens, you will have to refrigerate or eat immediately.

I agree with Chef Geddes' description of how canning can profoundly connect you to your food when he said, "it's like a memory that you can bring back and taste it."  I know it seems a little cheesy, but when I am canning and preserving this summer, it is something that will bring me back to all of my experiences I have had this summer with food: our garden failing, our new love affair with farmer's markets, and our new appreciation for summer's bounty. 

I had such a fantastic time at this event and learned so much that I want to share the excitement with my readers.  That is why I'm giving away a Ball Canning Discovery Kit to one lucky reader! 

Rules for entry:
  1. Only 1 entry per person.
  2. To enter, leave a comment and tell me what you'd like to use the canning kit to preserve this summer.
  3. If you do not have a blog with an email address or contact information listed on the blog, please leave your email address in the comments so I can contact you if you win!  If you do have a blog that lists contact information, I will go there and get your information. 
  4. No comments logged after 11:59 p.m., Sunday, August 8, will be considered for the giveaway.
  5. Winner will be announced here on the blog on Monday, August 9!  

Good luck to everyone!  You are all winners to me.

39 comments:

  1. We've been getting so many great peaches, I'd love to make peach jam! I'm all for not dying of botulism, too, and since I've never canned before I'm a little scared.

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  2. I discovered my love for canning last summer! I have made pickles, hot pepper jelly (family fave!), blackberry jam, and strawberry peach jam. This summer, I want to make raspberry jam, blueberry lime jam, and spicy pickles!

    somnybooks@aol.com

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  3. I guess it depends what we find at the farmers market over the summer. We don't have a yard anymore and so no garden for us ! I'm excited to have fresh fruit this winter !

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  4. Kate, we didn't plant anything except for herbs in our yard so I understand that it's not entirely up to you!

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  5. Sounds like you had a very inspiring time at the demonstration, Jen! The Slow Food Cincinnati group also has a canning event coming up 8/7. Don’t know whether spots are still available now, but here’s a link:

    http://slowfoodcincinnati.blogspot.com/2010/07/canning-class-with-turner-farm-spots_27.html

    I’m more of a quick pickle girl, but you’re making this canning thing sound not so intimidating. If there would be one taste of summer I’d like to preserve, it would be a tomato/corn salsa. A friend of mine with a garden used to do a lot of canning and would treat me to a jar for my birthday (in February). There is nothing better than opening up the lid on those summertime flavors in the dead of winter when Cincy snow, ice, and cabin fever are about to do you in!

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  6. I'd definitely use it for some jams/preserves. Some pickles too probably!

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  7. I would definitely try pickles and some type of jam. I've never canned before but I've been reading all these posts about summer canning adventures and I can't wait to try it!

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  8. This will be the first summer I do my jams and jellies without my Mom, she passed away in July. I would love to have this set.
    aftonmarie317@gmail.com

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  9. My husband has been trying to get me to make jam and pickles since last summer, this would give me a reason to do that.

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  10. I love to make pickled vegetables, and experiment with different vegetables from the garden!

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  11. I'd love to can up some of the tomato sauce we've been making. We've gotten tons of tomatos this year.

    katesabella@gmail.com

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  12. My MIL makes this great chili sauce with tomatoes and peppers, so I'd love to learn how to make it and can it.

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  13. I would love to can some figs. I can't get enough of them!

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  14. Since I can't get spaghetti sauce in the store that's dairy free, I want to make my own and can it. I'd like to make jam with our fresh blueberries from our garden. Also from our yard- apple pie filling and some pears too.
    I'd also like to can some fresh fruits and veggies in baby food form. I hate buying the premade stuff and freezing it last time around seemed like I threw a lot out from freezer burn.
    I'd love to win! Great give away!!

    aaf108 at hotmail dot com

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  15. I would love to can our fresh vegetables for my family. I've been wanting to learn how to can and this would be perfect!

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  16. I would love to try canning. I've always wanted to try making jam. Fig jam.

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  17. Sounds like you had a great time! I would love to make fruit jams, pepper jellies, and tomato sauce w. fruit from our farmers market and veggies from our own garden!

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  18. Canning is one thing I've always wanted to try but have been afraid! I have my late uncle's recipe for pickled hot peppers that I think would be perfect to start. jillparrett@hotmail.com

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  19. I'm so excited to try canning! A month ago I made apricot jam and pickled grapes, but I didn't can them, just kept them in the fridge. Now I think I'm ready to turn my 4lbs of peaches into properly preserved jars of jam (maybe for Christmas gifts?) and I hope to pickle all the green beans from our CSA. After that, who knows what I'll do?

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  20. Pickles, dill beans, pickled jalapenos, pepper jelly, tomatoes.... I have a lot of produce and a long list!

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  21. I would probably can tons of fresh tomatoes from my mom and grandma's gardens. I love fresh tomatoes and I would either can them whole or can sauce made from them. Mmmmm.....
    cschissell@yahoo.com

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  22. You've got me interested in canning...sounds like this event was awesome!

    I'd try canning pickles first...if that didn't go over, I'd try jams. :) I think I've found a decent Farmer's Market, so I could get my produce/fruit from there and go crazy!

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  23. I decided to start canning for the first time this year. So far I have canned pickles, sweet banana peppers and jalapenos. I would love to be able to try canning salsa and tomato sauce, but we did not plant any tomatoes this year. I would also love to try and make some jams and jellies.
    KrisFSU2@yahoo.com

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  24. I would love to do some peach jam or jelly. Palisade peaches are going to be in perfect season this month so I would love to have fresh jam all winter long!

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  25. Tomatoes, definitely. Katie katkthms@aol.com

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  26. my latest obsession has been making jams and chutneys with various fruits and veggies! my favourite has got to be strawberry rhubarb...mmmm :) a match made in heaven

    hollymayberry@gmail.com

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  27. I would love to can tomatoes from the summer. I was also looking to try canning squash and zucchini and green beans, as my garden is abundant.
    katherinekohley@gmail.com

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  28. This will be my first summer of canning. I plan to make pickles, cinnamon pickles, spaghetti sauce, salsas, blueberry lime jam and whatever else piques my interest.

    klkrueger1@yahoo.com

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  29. I would love to can homemade salsa and peach preserves this year. Our local orchard's peaches are coming in and are fabulous.

    Graves.beth@yahoo.com

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  30. I'd love a canning kit so we can properly make crabapple jelly! Afe2afs@gmail.com

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  31. I recently saw this kit in the store and wanted it so bad! Thank you very much for giving us the chance to win one. If I am the lucky winner my first canning project will be tomatoes. I have always loved homemade canned tomatoes... especially when sprinkled with a little sugar. Yum! :)

    clogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  32. I'll can some Hot Pepper Jelly, salsa, pickles and late tomatoes, and then in the fall, I'll make some homemade Cane Syrup and jar them to give as Christmas presents.

    Gerry
    cajunater1@yahoo.com

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  33. I'm actually canning applesauce right now. This is my first year doing this, but I made 4 kinds of jam, chocolate raspberry sundae topping, pie fillings etc. What I'm really excited about though is canning salsa and pasta sauce.
    bettyhenes@yahoo.com

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  34. What a crazy event and awesome giveaway! I've always wanted to try canning but am SO scared of botulism! I would definitely want to try to make some peach jam though. I want to be able to eat peaches in the middle of February!

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  35. Homemade, fresh from the garden salsa. The store-bought kind just does not compare. Mmmmm.
    ferrisl at gwu dot edu

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  36. What a great giveaway!!

    I would do tomatoes. I really want to try and do salsa this year as well as some spaghetti sauces. My friends do jams but I don't have access to those cheaply!

    I think you should pick me because my 30th birthday is Aug 9th! What a fab b-day gift!!!! :)

    suzziers at yahoo

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  37. I will be canning lots of salsa. We've got tomatoes and jalapenos coming out our ears and we've only just started harvesting in the last two weeks!

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  38. What a fun giveaway! Every summer you can find me canning lots of Jams! I just love having pure summer flavor ready to go during the winter!

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!