On 8/10/2012 7:31 AM, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article > ,
> George Shirley > wrote:
> ( others' snipped)
>
>> Going to the source of information is always better than guessing or
>> expecting someone else to provide you the information. There are many
>> reasons for processing acidic foods in a boiling water bath for many
>> minutes, not all are about bacterium but all are about food safety. You
>> can also pasteurize your food at 180F for the required length of time.
>
> The ONLY mentions I've ever seen for pasteurization are for some
> pickles, George. Not all pickle recipes provide the pasteurization
> option ‹ it requires more temperature control than I'll bet most of us
> can manage. You're not suggesting pasteurization for other stuff, are
> you?
>>
>> Once more, check out the UGA site for actual food science reasons for
>> how we put up our food and for how long and at what temperatures.
You're right, I'm not suggesting pasteurization for other stuff. I do
know some folks who pasteurize pickles and some jams, I don't do
pasteurization myself. Primarily because you have to have the proper
equipment to absolutely maintain the 180F for the required time, even a
few degrees less will not be safe.

That's why USDA pushes for boiling water bath and experimentation at
various universities has established the proper timing. I wait until the
boiling water bath is at a rolling boil before I hit the timer. Knowing
my gas stove as well as I do I can then cut back the flame to maintain
the rolling boil and keep it going for the required time. I also use the
towel method, have done it for years now. I turn off the fire, take off
the lid, toss a tea towel over the top of the kettle, hit the timer for
five minutes. My understanding of that method is that allows the last
air bubbles in the jar, if any, to come out before the seal starts to
take effect. When I do that the jars start plinking as soon as they are
removed from the kettle, often before they are set on a folded towel to
cool for 24 hours. I'm happy with using the recommended methods as I
seldom have a jar go bad anymore. YMMV