canning macaroni dishes.

by Irena
(Rome. Ohio)

Can we can dishes like commercial companies do.
I am an experienced canner but I thought you might know and it would save me the time experimenting with this.

I'm thinking things like spaghetti, ravioli, Lasagna, mac and cheese, etc.

_____________________
Answer:

Hi Irena

I don't believe it would work to can anything with a pasta product. You'd have to pressure can it because of your other ingredients and the pasta would turn to mush.

Sharon

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canning macaroni dishes.

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macaroni dishes
by: Irena

How do the commercial canners do it?

Sharon answers:
Irena ,

I did a search and contacted my local extension service to see if they had any ideas. But no luck.

I really don't know how they do it. Maybe they have a special pasta that they use or maybe they start with the pasta uncooked. When I asked my local extension they came up with the same ideas.

Unfortunately we are both guessing.

The only information I can find is that it should not be done.

Sorry I am not of more help.

Sharon

Yes you can
by: Anonymous

(Sharon's disclaimer - this is an anonymous comment so I can not confirm the safety of the instructions. I've found nothing official for doing this at home. If you do find a USDA site that has tested this and has recommendations regarding canning pasta, please let me know... I'd love to try it!)

You CAN can pasta yourself. It is not difficult but, like the commercial caners you will need to make sure it is high acid (they add flavorless citric acid) but using a red tomato sauce works just as well.

The trouble is measurements must be exact and that depends on the size of container you are canning in. you nee 25% pasta, 33% water and the rest a high acid sauce. The water bath for 30 minutes. The dry pasta cooks while you are water bathing it.

ONLY smaller shapes work easily, long noodles must be broken to the height of the jar and lightly coated in oil first or they just clump up, and you need to carefully coat each strand completely to avoid that. Smaller shapes bubble up in the sauce and stay separate on their own.

If it is not at least as acidic as strawberries, I'd say add citric acid to be sure it is acidic enough to be safe water bathed, pressure canning does indeed turn pasta to mush.

Home canned lasagna
by: Anonymous

When Iwas a child we lived in Bloomfeild,NM for awhile. I had a friend whos mother and grandmother canned lasagna(as good as any I'veevery eaten.) I don't know how they did it, but I know it can be done! Some people don't like to share their knowledge.

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