The demand for new and educational posts is growing as the canning community. I’m compiling a list of ingredients and foods that you should not can using all the information about canning that is readily available online for a novice. Some of the ingredients on the list can be safely preserved in other ways, such as by using a pressure canner to preserve cubed pumpkin rather than mashed or pumpkin butter.
The list of things you “can” put in jars is much longer than the list of things you can’t, so I’ll keep adding to it as I find or learn about any ingredients that I missed or whose “status” has changed.
Reasons to avoid using the products listed below: If fats and dairy are not refrigerated and are combined with other ingredients to make a recipe, they will go rancid and grow bacteria inside your jar.
Products made from oats, wheat, and flour will also go rancid, but during processing the heat won’t get all the way through the recipe, so the bacteria in the jar won’t be killed. The same would apply to any vegetable that is “mashed,” such as mashed potatoes, butternut squash, or pumpkin. Doing a “pie in a jar” or “cake in a jar” is a bad idea because of this.
Because pasta and noodles are made of flour, they will break down in the jar during the pressure canner’s 75-minute processing time, leaving you with mush at the bottom of the jar. Also most pasta and noodles are made with eggs.
The cornstarch, tapioca, and arrowroot thickeners will breakdown in this situation. I personally observed what cornstarch does to canned apple pie filling.
The heat from pressure canning will destroy the flavor of the broccoli and other vegetables listed below, turning them into mush for the duration of the processing necessary to make them safe. As you can see, some of them will taste fantastic pickled when submerged in a vinegar brine.
Additionally, fruits like bananas have a thickness that prevents the heat from killing the bacteria during the water bath process.
Candy like caramel, which contains butter, which is once again in the fat category, and marshmallows simply won’t taste the same after a thorough waterbath!
Lastly, with meat you want to use a leaner meat. During pressure canning, pate and liver won’t heat through to kill all the bacteria, including any naturally occurring bacteria from canning organ meats.
Fats: oil (by itself, Marinated Peppers and Marinated Mushrooms are two safe recipes that use an oil/vinegar brine), mayonnaise.
Dairy includes tofu, soy, buttermilk, goat or any other animal milk, cheese, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, yogurt (Greek or otherwise), and butter.
Oats, wheat, barley, grains, rice, bread, pasta, hominy, crackers, biscuits, pie dough, and eggs shouldn’t be added.
Cornstarch, tapioca, arrowroot, flour, Wondra flour, cornmeal, soup bases, and packaged mixes like taco mix or ranch dressing are thickeners that should not be used.
Vegetables: lettuce, artichokes, mashed parsnips, mashed squash, mash potatoes, mashed pumpkin, broccoli, brussel sprouts (pickled ok), cabbage (pickled ok, Sauerkraut), cauliflower (pickle ok), eggplant (pickled ok), summer squash (pickled ok), and olives (pickled ok).
Recipes for food include quickbreads, pumpkin butter, pudding, cream soups or vegetables, refried beans, peanut butter, Pesto, and chocolate made with milk solids.
Avoid high-fat meats, pate (beef or duck), liver and giblets (beef or chicken), hot dogs, and meats with fillers.
Adjust the boiling water processing time as necessary if you are preserving at a height of more than 1,000 feet above sea level.
Adjust pressure pounds as indicated if you are preserving at an elevation greater than 1,000 feet above sea level.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
This actually is one of my favorite chicken recipes period. It is comparable in my opinion to my Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Real Alfredo Sauce.
In my opinion, a delicious recipe that can be made inexpensively for a family meal is the ideal combination.
How to Can Chicken Noodle Soup
One of the best ways to preserve chicken noodle soup is to can it, and it’s not at all difficult to do. This recipe can be easily canned if that is what you want to do.
Because it contains meat, it must be pressure canned. Water bath canning anything that contains meat is not safe.
Make my homemade chicken noodle soup as directed, with one exception, and can it.
Prior to processing your jars, leave out the noodles and make sure to take out the bay leaf. Due to how strong the bay leaf will become over time, if you leave it in a jar, that jar will essentially be inedible.
Fill the canning jars with the soup base, leaving a headspace of 1 inch. Next, use a bubble tool to remove air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims then add a lid and ring. Tighten rings to finger tight.
Process the broth/vegetable/chicken mixture in a pressure canner at 15# PSI for 75 minutes if you’re doing pints and 90 minutes for quarts.
Make sure to wait at least 12 hours without touching your jars, and listen for the lids to ping. If one did not seal, refrigerate and eat immediately.
My chicken noodle soup recipe is also freezer friendly. You have two options for freezing it: either with the egg noodles or just the soup base and adding the pasta later. It is entirely up to you.
I freeze it in large freezer safe soup containers in both ways depending on what I feel like doing the day I cook.
I did want to make a comment regarding the ingredient list. I believe that there can never be too many vegetables in chicken noodle soup. The minimum amount of carrots and celery stalks to add if you want a good batch of soup is the amount listed above.
To that end, feel free to add anything else that isn’t already mentioned. You could also add any other vegetables, such as finely chopped onions, that you think would be a great addition. You really can’t go wrong with this soup, so feel free to experiment in the kitchen.
You must prepare the chicken breast before putting the soup on the stove. The simplest method I’ve discovered for doing this is to bake it in foil packets.
Make sure all ends of the large piece of foil used to wrap each chicken breast are sealed. The chicken breast does not require seasoning or additional ingredients.
Each piece of chicken should be laid out in a baking dish and baked at 375 degrees until done. Allow it to cool then shred or chop. Set it aside until later.
Once the chicken is cooked – or while it is cooking – add the chicken broth to a large stockpot or dutch oven. This chicken noodle soup recipe makes quite a bit so make sure your pot can handle that.
Set the heat to medium to start heating it, but stop before it boils.
Wash the carrots and celery in a homemade vegetable wash while the broth is heating. Then, chop the carrots and celery. I keep mine on the large side because I prefer to taste them. Chop them to whatever size you prefer.
As I previously mentioned, don’t be afraid to add more vegetables than I’ve called for and to be inventive with the vegetables you add. Now would be the time to clean and prepare them if you were adding more people.
Add the vegetables to the broth when you’re finished.
After that, season with everything, including the bay leaf and rosemary, if using, and give it a good stir. To ensure that the seasonings are distributed as evenly as possible, be sure to get everything to the bottom of your pot.
Add two bay leaves if they’re smaller than mine were in the photo.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil by increasing the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken to the pot once everything has boiled, then bring to a boil once more.
If you’re planning to can this chicken noodle soup, stop right now and prepare If not, move to the next step.
Add the egg noodles and cook for 6 to 8 minutes at a rolling boil, or until tender. To prevent the noodles from burning on the bottom of the pot, stir thoroughly occasionally.
When the pasta is done, remove the bay leaf and serve hot. This goes great with a thick, crusty bread on the side.
The traditional tuna casserole recipe has been upgraded with sauteed mushrooms, Colby jack cheese, fried onions, and more to create an amazing casserole. With this freezer-friendly recipe, tuna noodle casserole will no longer offend you.
These homemade chicken fingers are quick, easy, and soooo good if you’re looking for a quick and easy chicken recipe!
Step 5: Can the Soup
Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. To remove a jar from the canner, use the jar lifter. Place the jar on the towel after draining the water (save it for dishwashing). Keep the remaining jars warm by keeping them inside the canner.
With the slotted spoon, fill the jar roughly halfway with the solid ingredients after placing the canning funnel on it. Ladle liquid over the solids while maintaining a 1-inch headspace.
To get rid of air bubbles and clean the rim, pass the bubble popper through the jar. Place the band over the lid, center the lid on the jar, and tighten the screw until it is fingertip tight. Place the jar back into the canner’s rack as soon as possible, then fill the remaining jars with the solids and liquid.
Place the lid on the canner, and lock it. Bring the canner to a boil over medium-high heat. Process the jars as directed by your canner’s instructions for the times specified below.
Remove the jars, then allow them to completely cool while the canner cools. Canning corn should be cleaned in soapy water, labeled with the date, and kept in a cool place. Use within 12-18 months.
Open the chicken vegetable soup jars and reheat on the stovetop before serving. After opening, feel free to add additional ingredients like cooked pasta, cooked barley, cooked rice, homemade egg noodles, and fresh herbs. Serve the soup warm after heating it for approximately 10 minutes. Makes 8 pints or 4 quarts of chicken soup.
FAQ
Can homemade noodles be canned?
Pasta and Rice Avoid adding pasta, rice, or noodles to canned goods. The starch obstructs the jar’s center from receiving heat. Instead, freeze a product like spaghetti sauce or chicken broth, then add the pasta or noodles just before serving.
How do canned noodles not get soggy?
Similar to fresh noodles, canned soup noodles have a high alkaline pH to prevent mushy noodles when heated in hot broth.
Can homemade soup be canned?
You can preserve your vegetables with or without small amounts of meats or seafood by canning soup at home. Following instructions from a dependable science-based source, such as the USDA or partners in the Cooperative Extension System, is essential for successfully canning a high-quality, safe soup.
Can you can soup without a pressure cooker?
No, soup must always be pressure canned; it cannot be canned without a pressure canner. Noodles, rice, flour, cream, any type of milk, or thickeners shouldn’t be added. When you reheat the soup to serve it, you can add all of these.
