Food preservation Techniques: Small batch methods

When I was a kid, I lived in a townhouse and my mom, who was an herbwiferist, had tons of herbs in the backyard as well as a grape vine. This grapevine took over the entire backyard some years and my dad always cut it back too far and my mom always thought he killed it. But it came back every year. And with that, came an abundance of grapes. So every summer we would preserve the herbs and the grapes in a variety of ways. I thought everyone had this. Something in their backyard that they could preserve to enjoy throughout the year. But then as I grew older, I realized how unique that was. And now as part of my business I teach people how to preserve their own abundance, especially small batches!

Whether you consider yourself a veggie gardener or a gourmet who loves local and seasonal food, learning how to preserve it is essential. That way, nothing is wasted, and you will have plenty to eat with varieties. So, let's talk about these fantastic food preservation techniques to enjoy organic, home-grown food all year long.

Why preserve food today? 

We live in a modern world where grocery stores are stocked full of food all year round, so yes you have access to golden raisins whenever you want. But why preserve your abundance? Why not! You have already chosen to take steps towards providing yourself your own nutrient dense food. When your plants thrive and provide you with more than you need at that exact moment, preservation becomes the next step. Why go to the grocery store in November for beans when you have them in your freezer? Or why buy that diced tomato can from the store when you have the ability to put up your own or dice them fresh? 

Preserving your own food is an extra skill to also cut down on food waste. So much of our grocery store food goes bad before it’s consumed, is lost in logistics or by the time it gets to you has lost much of its nutritional value. And I guarantee you, you won’t get a listeria recall on your homegrown lettuces!

I’m also not talking about off grid preservation techniques. That’s a whole different blog and lifestyle. I’m strictly addressing those people, many of my clients who have a few garden beds and have a couple extra things that could be preserved in what I call, small batches. This is where you may only be canning 2-3 jars of something. Or pickling two jars or something. Or creating a sauce that doesn’t have long term shelf life due to its acidity level, but can store in the freezer just fine. Each scenario is different so we will just be talking about small batches today. 

Freezing

This is one of the most common and popular food preservation techniques. The best part? It is incredibly easy and versatile and works for different dishes, from dairy to fruits, vegetables, and meats. You only need a consistent electrical power supply to keep the food cold and stop it from spoiling. Some popular foods that taste particularly well frozen are berries, cherries, onions, and green beans. Also, larger fruits and vegetables like mangoes, broccoli, carrots, winter squash, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Moreover, herbs produce a distinguished and interesting taste when frozen. Some veggies like to be parboiled first and then thrown in an ice bath and frozen. Fun tip: Freeze on a cookie sheet so each object isn’t touching each other. Once frozen, toss into freezer safe container in portions. This way nothing freezes to each other and you can just take out what you need!

My favorite things to freeze are tomatoes (it makes removing the skins easier), edamame, green beans, and berries!

Canning preservation methods

For most of us, when we think of food preservation techniques, canning is the first thing that comes to mind. And before I go on, I want to be very clear that you should only preserve by canning by following a tried and true recipe and following your canning instructions. If you’ve never canned before, ask for help. It’s not hard, but there are some strict rules to follow. Now, there are two types of canning preservation methods.

One is water bath canning. It is the most accessible and easiest way to preserve food as it does not require special equipment. Thoroughly wash the jars you intend to use. Then boil them with your favorite food for 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, let the jar cool for about a day, and you will be good to go. This technique suits jams, jellies, pickles, and most sauces. It also pairs nicely with all acidic fruits and vegetables with a pH level of 4.5 or less.

On the other hand, pressure canning is perfect for low-acidic foods such as meat, poultry, root vegetables, pasta, squash, etc. This process is a bit more difficult but manageable. Add the desired food to a jar, then place it in a pressure canner which is configured correctly. Fill it with water and wait for the canner to pressurize. Once it does, turn on the heat and wait for 5 to 90 minutes, depending on the food. Again, follow your recipe and instructions.

My favorite things to can are tomatoes (obvi!) and that’s sauces, salsas, etc. Also beans, bruschetta, and pickles.

Dehydration

Another fun way of preserving food is the dehydration food preservation process. This process requires minimal effort. You can even use your home oven, a dehydrator, or simply dry food in the sun. When using a dehydrator, you only need to set a specific temperature and time and let the dehydrator do the rest. Homemade fruit leathers are the best snack for kids!

It is great for healthy snacks at home, such as kale chips, apple slices, dried cherries, strawberries, and vegetable chips. You can also include root vegetables in the list, such as beets, potatoes, and carrots. But ideally, you should first slice and blanche them before dehydrating.And then make sure to put it in the oven low and slow or use your dehydrator.

My favorite things to dehydrate are sun dried tomatoes, berry puree into fruit leathers, peppers, and onions. 

Fermentation/Pickling

These are age-old techniques of preservation. They may initially seem intimidating, but trust me, it is awesome.

The lactic acid produced during home fermentation acts as a preservative to preserve foods and beverages. And pickling slows down the decaying process, killing any microorganisms and creating an acidic environment that is beneficial to digestion.  

The beverages and favorite drinks you enjoy, from beer to wine, are all excellent choices. Meanwhile, when it comes to foodAny and all pickled and fermented food are full of healthy gut support and overall immunity.  For home fermentation, you don't need special equipment. All you need is a glass jar or some sort of weight to keep specific foods below the surface of liquids. 

My favorite things to ferment and pickle is literally everything! I went on a pickle journey and I’ve never turned back. Everything can be pickled!

So many different ways to preserve your food and in small batches. You don’t need to fill an entire canner with 8 jars of tomato sauce! It may be small batches of lots of things.  No matter your appetite, it is best to preserve some for later, so knowing at least a few of these preservation skills will help you a lot. And now you know there are many different ways depending on your situation and set up. 

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