Canned soups are loved by one and all. Preparing canned soup is a much safer and easier process, if you do it at home. There are a number of soups which can be canned such as seafood, vegetable, pea, meat and dry bean. The major requirement is that of a pressure canner as it kills the bacteria. Preparing homemade canned soup by water bath method is not a safe method. Here are all the steps to make homemade canned soup that surely has a mean life of about a year.
1. Prepare the ingredients
The first step is to choose the ingredients like meat or vegetables. Wash them thoroughly.
Note: Do not put starch, rice, noodles, cream, thickening agents and flour into the soup. Rehydrate peas and beans before using them as an ingredient in the soup.
2. Prepare pressure canner and the jars too
a. Wash jars and lids: Clean the jars with a dishwasher. You can also put the jars in boiling water. Let the jars boil for 10 minutes.
b. Get a large pot of boiling water: Fill each jar with boiling water. This boiling water in the jar is added with beans. Load the jars completely with beans. If you have a big sized pot then fill it with water so that you do not have to fill the pot again and again with clean water.
c. Get the pressure canner heating up: Place the rack plate of the pressure canner in the bottom after thoroughly rinsing it. After you have rinsed the pressure canner, fill it with hot boiling water. The water should be filled about four inches from the bottom. Make sure that you read and follow the instructions as per what is mentioned in the booklet of the canner as the rules of use can be different. Then, take the lid off from the pressure canner and put it on the stove with a mild flame. The flame is kept low so that the heating goes on.
3. Cook the meat
Wash the meat properly and put it in the water. The meat should be completely submerged in water so that the meat pieces turn tender. They should get softened.
4. Cool the meat
Cool the meats and then remove all the bones from these meat pieces. Do not discard the broth, i.e. the liquid, rather save it. It is likely that you may want to keep the broth in a measuring cup or fat separator which is used to discard the fat content from the broth. And this is how it becomes fat free.
5. Cook vegetables
Do not cook the vegetables with meat. Cook them separately. Make it sure that for every single cup of rehydrated peas and beans, you simply add 3 cups of water. Boil it for a duration of about two minutes. Take off the heat and let it soak for an hour. Again heat the mixture till it gets boiled. Drain away the left water.
6. Combine and heat
Put all the solid ingredients like meat and vegetables together with tomatoes, broth of the meat and water. Cover it and let it boil for about five minutes of duration. It is important for you to note that the soup does not get thickened up. Starch and different varieties of thickeners are not good for the safety of the final product.
7. Add herbs and salt
Now add the herbs to the liquid mixture in required amount. Finally, add some salt to it as per your taste and need.
8. Fill all the jars
Half of the jar should be filled with solid ingredients. Now, fill the rest half with the liquid. Leave an inch of space.
9. Seal all the jars
Put the lids properly and then follow the correct instructions for canning.
10. Let the steam escape
Now, let the steam escape from the vent of the canner. It takes about 10 minutes.
11. Put the weight on and let the pressure rise
Put weight after the air escapes out. Let the pressure build up in the canner, so close all the openings.
12. Process for about 60-75 minutes
Let the pressure come to 10-11 pounds. As this pressure is attained, maintain it and adjust the heat as well. And then, let it cook well for 60-75 minutes. Different canners have different tables and charts of pressure, so read them well.
