Well the Monster has arrived
... It was delivered to work this afternoon two very large boxes but it appears to be in excellent order. Its a good job OH collected me from work. I ordered not only the Bielmeier preserving cooker but also the juice extraction unit for the top. Now all I have got to do is play which I am looking forward to. Essentially this is a very large hot water bath for processing. Ideal for anything that does not have to be pressure canned. However the pressure canner is still firmly on the list. One of the reasons I have gone for this piece of equipment is that I have a very tiny kitchen with no room to swing a rat in. So wanted something that could function independently in another room if needs be and left safely.
Yes it is large but I have been struggling on my gas cooker with getting a maximum of five jars in at one go and processing that way so have only been able to produce small amounts at any one time. With the bargains I get from my local fruit n veg shop or off the market I should now be able to process them in bulk and fill up the pantry shelves properly.
There are very few recipes in the book; these consist of:
Apple preserve
Strawberry and Raspberry Preserve
Home canned carrots
Veal Roulades
Jar baked raisin wheat cakes
General instructions are also given for:
Fruit
Redcurrants
Apples
Pears
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Gooseberries
Cherries
Yellow Plums
Peaches
Apricots
Damsons
Rhubarb
Which is predominantly what I have purchased the machine for.
And for:
Vegetables
Cauliflower
Beans
Peas
Broad Beans
Gherkins
Carrots
Turnip
Cabbage
Pumpkin
Brussel Sprouts
Asparagus
Savoy Cabbage
Tomatoes
And for;
Meat
Large meat cuts - pre-cooked
Goulash pre-cooked
Game and poultry - pre-cooked
Sausage meat
And you can prepare pasteurised juice for long term keeping like Apple Juice.
I have always understood that because of the low acid content of vegetables that botulism can and does form in some bottles - the most at risk items being vegetables and meat. Botulism is a killer so I do not think I will be processing vegetables or meat in this piece of equipment. I will wait for a pressure canner before I do that.
I have referred to the Ball website here where there are loads of recipes. For this piece of equipment anything that is being water bathed is safe to process in this machine; and there are a lot of recipes there.
I am going to enjoy the playing and the experimentation.
Catch you later on.
Pattypan
x
I use a large pan for canning fruit but like you would love a pressure canner. I do not understand why Lakeland sell all the jars and accessories but not the canner. The cost of importing for the individual is very high, I half think it may be worth going to the US on holiday and bringing one back.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand it either. I have written to them suggesting it and all you get back is a polite note saying that they will take it into consideration when deciding what to include in the next catalogue. I do not think that they realise just how many people would buy one. I thought they might be including one in the new catalogue when they started to stock the ball canning jars and associated equipment. The kilner jar lids though do fit the standard ball jars if that is of any assistance. They do however have another jam maker in this new catalogue for about £150 similar to the Tefal one but obviously Ball brand. I am not sure but I think I read somewhere that if it is used and you bring it back to this country you do not have to pay any import tax. Not sure about this folks but thought I had read it somewhere. Dawn might know.
Take care
Pattypan
x