\UASH, WINTER 
_ Prepare, pack, and process like pumpkin. 
_ SWEETPOTATOES, DRY PACK 
___ Wash sweetpotatoes. Sort for size. Boil or steam: until partially soft 
_ (20 to 30 minutes). Skin. Cut in pieces if large. 
In glass jars. Pack hot sweetpotatoes tightly to 1 inch of top, 
pressing gently to fill spaces. Add no salt or liquid. Adjust jar lids. Process 
in pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)-— 
ae Pint jors........ 65 minutes Quart jars...... _..95 minutes 
As soon as you remove jars from canner, complete seals if closures are 
not of self-sealing type. 
. 
‘ in tin cans.—Pack hot sweetpotatoes tightly to top of can, pressing 
gently to fill spaces. Add no salt or liquid. Exhaust and seal cans. Process 
~ in pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— 
No. 2 cans...... 80 minutes No. 2!/, cans...... 95 minutes 
_ SWEETPOTATOES, WET PACK 
_ Wash sweetpotatoes. Sort for size. Boil or steam just until skins slip 
on ee iass jars.—Pack hot sweetpotatoes to | inch of top. Cover with 
ing water, leaving 1-inch space at top of jar. Add !/, teaspoon salt to 
; | teaspoon to quarts. Adjust jar lids. Process in pressure canner at 
Pack hot sweetpotatoes to '/ inch of top. Fill to top 
ice d teaspoon salt to No. 2 cans; 1 teaspoon to No. 
DAY-AFTER-CANNING JOBS 
When glass jars have cooled overnight, take off screw bands that have 
a glass or metal lid underneath if you want to use them on other jars. If a 
band sticks, covering for a moment with a hot, damp cloth may help 
loosen it. Do not use force or you may break the seal. 
Test seal by turning jar partly over in your hands. If you find a leaky 
jar, use unspoiled food right away. Or can it again—empty the jar, heat 
food, pack, and process as if it were fresh. Before using jar or lid again, 
check for defects (p. 3). With a flat metal lid another test is to tap center 
of lid with a spoon. A clear, ringing sound means a good seal. A'dull note 
does not always mean a poor seal; if there's no leakage, store jar and 
watch for signs of spoilage. 
Before storing canned food, wipe containers clean. Label to show con- 
tents, date, and lot number if you canned more than one lot in a day. 
STORE CANNED FOOD COOL AND DRY 
Warmth may cause canned food to lose quality. Hot pipes behind a 
wall sometimes make a shelf or closet too warm for storing food. : 
Freezing may crack a jar or break a seal and let in bacteria that will 
cause spoilage. If it does not damage jar or seal, freezing will not make 
food unsafe to eat but may cause undesirable changes in flavor and tex- 
ture. In an unheated place you can give canned food some protection by 
covering with a blanket or wrapping in paper. 
Dampness may corrode tin cans and metal lids of glass jars and 
eventually cause leakage. 
ON GUARD AGAINST SPOILAGE 
Don't use canned food that shows any sign of spoilage. Look closely at 
each container before opening it. Bulging can ends, jar lids, or rings, or 
a leak—these may mean food has spoiled. When you open a container 
look for other signs—spurting liquid, an off odor, or mold. 
It's possible for canned vegetables to contain the poison causing 
botulism—a serious food poisoning—without showing signs of spoilage. 
There is no danger of botulism if pressure canner is in perfect order and 
every canning step is done correctly. But unless you're absolutely sure of 
your gage and canning methods, boil home-canned vegetables before 
tasting. Heating usually makes any odor of spoilage more evident. 
Bring vegetables to a rolling boil; then cover and boil for at least 10 
minutes. Boil spinach and corn 20 minutes. If the food looks spoiled or has 
an off odor during heating, destroy it. 
Burn spoiled: vegetables, or dispose of the food so that it will not be 
eaten by humans or animals. 71 
