Peas for canning

[Mickey328]

I'm still researching the food saver...haven't quite decided if I'd use one enough to justify the price. Freezer space is always scarce as hens' teeth around here, so I try to preserve things other ways when I can. However, since we're going to be having both rabbit and chicken in our future, I probably won't want to can it all, so we may have to simply attack the freezer and clean it out. If we go that route, I think the food saver would be worth the money.

 

[Smart Red]

I'm still researching the food saver...If we go that route, I think the food saver would be worth the money.

IT IS WORTH THE MONEY!

I have one of the early, cheaper varieties and after a couple dozen years I still love and use it.

Love, Smart Red

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you are talking about that vacuum sealer, I really like mine. It keeps the food so much longer and better than zip-lok type bags.

 

[baymule]

PEAS! My southern brain immediately went straight to Purple Hull and Blackeye PEAS! As I read, I realized ya'll meant the little GREEN peas!! I have some Maestro GREEN peas growing right now. What we don't eat will go in the freezer. Pressure canning would make them taste like store bought mush. JMO

But now about the sothern Purple Hulls or Blackeyed peas, canning them is just fine, or freezing, or dried or fresh!

 

[897tgigvib]

Ha! I was wondering if one of our southerners would be thinking cowpeas! Zippers, whipporwills, black eye, or purple hull.

They sure do make a flavorful chile! Me like!

 

[Mickey328]

LOL, baymule...and if I say "potato" I bet you think the sweet variety too, huh?

I love to add all sorts of different beans to my chili...you name it, whatever I have around goes in there...yum!

 

[Mickey328]

Thanks Linn and RR...I'm definitely leaning toward finding the money in the budget for the food saver. Too bad they're so "hot" right now...not a hope in Hades of finding one in a thrift store Reckon I'll just have to scout coupons and deals online and see what I can find to bring the cost down.

 

[journey11]

I'm still researching the food saver...If we go that route, I think the food saver would be worth the money.

IT IS WORTH THE MONEY!

I have one of the early, cheaper varieties and after a couple dozen years I still love and use it.

Love, Smart Red

I second that! I've had mine about 8 years now.

Things last sooo much longer vacuum packed. I recently found a pack of peaches from 2010 that had been lost in the back of the freezer and they were still just as good. I like to use mine for things like greens. It squashes them down so flat and space efficient after taking out all the air. Expensive things like meats last a lot longer without freezerburn too. And if you dehydrate produce, it's a good idea to vacuum pack it to keep out moisture (oven canning is also good for dehydrated stuff).

I do hate that the bags aren't reusable, given the expense there. I've not had good luck reusing them anyway. Seems like most of them leak in air the second time around.

 

[Jared77]

I swear by ours as well. My wife found the one she got for us at Bed Bath & Beyond using one of their 20% off coupons. It lessened the sting a bit but its worth every penny we spent on it.

One other thing to think about is some of them have a vacuum attachment for jars so you can dry pack ingredients and seal it that way too. One more way to justify the expense and get that much more use out of it.

 

[ducks4you]

Maybe its the number of plants you need to plant for you needs. I have an old 1970's vegetable book that I re-discovered, and it has a chart for every vegetable article that includes how # plants to plant for each person. I wasn't too surprised that it suggested at LEAST 50 pea plants for one person. No WONDER we had a meager 2012 sugar snap pea harvest!
I say, pick the easiest to grow, and then study up on your pressure cooker. I use tomatoes that are sometimes 5 years canned (jarred.)