Blog Action Day & Canning Ground Beef with Onions

Note: ground beef recipe follows my entry for Blog Action Day.



Today over fifteen thousand blogs with twelve million readers will be blogging on one topic - The Environment. Each of my blogs are participating, each from a different perspective so be sure to read them all.

Deciding on a environmental topic that related to cooking was more difficult than first expected. There are so many directions I could have went because food and our food supply are inherently intertwined with the environment. I decided to focus on home canning.

Home canning in jars is a relatively new in preserving history beginning in 1795 using a heat process invented by Nicholas Appert in France. In 1858 John L. Mason invented the mason jar that became a popular amongst both urban and rural families for canning. Family traditions of canning continued but fell out of favour as commercially prepared products became available. Home freezers almost spelled the end of home canning because it was more convenient to freeze. However, some religious groups and farm wives continued the tradition. Over the years many families continued to home can to varying degrees to preserve extra produce from home gardens, take advantage of in season produce and to preserve wild game and fish.

In recent years there has been a resurgence in home canning. During the y2K scare and easily accessible information on the internet, home canning became a very desirable way to ensure personal food supplies. What started as a hobby for some escalated to self-sufficiency. There has been a growing concern with the safety of our food supply. There is a growing distrust in the big companies to provide safe foods coupled with rising food costs. More and more people are growing their own food or buying organic, chemical and preservative free foods. If the forums are any indication, this trend for canning these foods will continue to grow. So you ask, what does canning have to do with the environment?

Pantry

This is one wall in my pantry. More about my pantry can be found here. The first thing you notice about my pantry is the numerous filled canning jars. These are reused each year as are the rings. Each filled jar represents a commercial can that in some areas can be recycled but even then there is controversy as to whether the recycling effort is effective. Reducing the number of cans we use is sound environmentally friendly practice. Some of my jars are at least 30 years old and still in use for canning. Older zinc lid jars are used for storing dried foods, saving them from the landfill.

As you can see, I have two newer model energy efficient freezers. The problem with freezing is the ongoing cost as long as that food is frozen. The second problem with freezing is you are dependent on electricity. Disruption in the electrical supply can result in the total loss of your stored foods. With rising electricity costs, freezing no longer the most environmentally friendly way to store food. We should be using less electricity, not more. Home canning uses energy for processing but not for storage. The jars can easily be opened without a can opener and used as is in the event of a power outage as well without reheating.

A good portion of the produce I can is home grown organic, free of pesticides and herbicides. All are environmentally friendly practices. Peeling, stems and etc. from prepared fruits and vegetables are composted to be used in the garden the following year. This ultimate form of recycling leaves a minimal impact on the environment. Produce I buy is generally picked in large quantities in one trip minimizing the number of trips needed and a well stocked pantry means fewer trips to the grocery store. Both decrease traveling, gas use and carbon emissions.

Environmentally, canning makes good sense!

Canned Ground Beef

There are many reasons for canning your own meats. One of the most common is to have a supply of meat that is not reliant on electricity. A second reason is to have a convenient, pre-cooked meat ready to use.

Canned Ground Beef
(2.24 kg, yield 5 - 500 ml jars)

For best results use lean freshly ground beef. Place the ground beef in a large stock pot and break up. Add 1 medium chopped onion. Add enough water to cover, breaking the meat up further. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling until cooked. Strain using a colander. Spoon the meat mixture into sterilized, hot jars leaving 1 - inch headspace. Add 1/4 tsp salt per 500 ml jar if desired. Pour boiling water over the meat leaving 1 - inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and top until there is 1- inch headspace. Wipe rim. Adjust two piece lids. Process at 10 lb pressure 75 minutes for 500 ml (pint) jars or 90 minutes for 1 L (quart) jars.