Canned soup is delicious and easy for lunch, dinner and even snacks. Store-bought soups often contain high levels of sodium and even hidden ingredients like monosodium glutamate, yeast, and unfamiliar spices and added artificial flavors.
Homemade canned soup is not only healthier, it’s cheaper than the store-bought versions and you can control what goes into it. Which soups are best for canning at home?
Canned Cream Soup
Tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, squash, squash, broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables and mixes make a delicious creamy soup. Cream dishes are often cooked vegetables that are passed through a blender and then mixed with fresh milk or cream and a variety of spices to create a delicious and creamy soup. These may require a few extra steps to prepare, but it’s well worth the effort.
To make it into a condensed soup, simply omit the addition of heavy cream and extra water in the recipe you’re following and write on the label how much to add for that particular recipe. When you open a jar of creamy soup, you simply add the amount of milk or water, just like the condensed soup you would buy at the store, but at a fraction of the cost.
Canned vegetable soup
Depending on the recipe, you may or may not need to pre-cook the veggies. A delicious way to make homemade canned vegetable soup is to keep the vegetable scraps from processing other vegetables in a container in the freezer. These can range from clean potato skins and apple skins and seeds to onion skins and lettuce seeds. If you have enough to boil for broth, cook until tender and then cool the broth. Blend them in a blender and run them through a food strainer or colander to remove the larger particles.
Take the resulting broth and use it as a base for any vegetable or meat soup base. Simply chop up desired veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, pre-cooked potatoes or root vegetables, zucchini, peas, cooked beans, green beans, or raw dark leafy greens and add to a bowl. Then add your favorite dried or fresh herbs or spice blends and mix thoroughly.
Finally, pour this mixture into the jar, leaving 1/2 to 1/3 of the headspace empty. Add the broth, stir, and press the mixture for about 20 minutes or as directed in the vegetable soup recipe you are using.
Canned noodle soup
- Noodle soups are not that difficult to make. The easiest part is the noodles go in dry. You will need:
- Vegetable or chicken stock that has just been brought to the boil and is still hot.
- Minced cooked meats such as chicken or beef.
- A favorite blend of spices or fresh herbs; Italian seasoning works best.
- Fresh, raw or pre-cooked vegetables.
- Dried pasta such as egg pasta, stars, alphabets, ditalini, macaroni, gemelli or mostaccioli.
Measure a quarter of the jar for each ingredient plus the spices. Again, leave about a half-inch air pocket in the headspace for a good seal. Then layer the ingredients as you add them: pasta, half the hot broth, spices, meat, veggies, and half the hot broth again. Make sure the rim and lid are clean and dry when you put the lid on. Pressure can for the time specified in the pressure can instructions.
Canned bean, chilli or pea soup
Unlike the other soups, the bean soup needs to be cooked and fully ready to eat prior to canning to ensure that the finished product is actually edible. When you’re done cooking the bean soup, simply top up while it’s still hot, leaving about an inch to an inch of head space, then press in according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Detection of spoilage in homemade preserves
Unlike high-acid canned foods like tomato sauces and fruits, low-acid foods like soups are more prone to spoilage due to improper canning or lack of sealing. Before serving your delicious creation, check the lid of the jar for leaks, a swollen lid, rust, unusual coloring, or a frothy or cloudy appearance.
When everything looks good, open the jar and smell the food – it should smell pleasant and delicious. If you notice any of the above signs, discard the food immediately. Bring food to a boil for at least 10 minutes before eating, just in case there are dangerous microbes in the food. If the food still smells pleasant, it’s probably safe to eat.
Homemade soups are not only tailored to your dietary needs, they’re also lower in sodium, fat, and artificial ingredients. Healthy, hearty, and cheap, homemade canned soups cost a fraction of store-bought varieties and definitely taste better.
Thanks to Ginny A Reilly