Canning Mixed Vegetables - Ask Extension
Is it safe to can potatoes and carrots in the same jar if canned for the longest time required for individual vegetables?
Knowledgebase
Canning Mixed Vegetables #873377
Asked June 16, 2024, 9:38 PM EDT
Is it safe to can potatoes and carrots in the same jar if canned for the longest time required for individual vegetables?
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
That was what was always recommended however recently the National Center for home food preservation as well as OSU have a different time for mixed vegetables because of density issues when combining different vegetables. You can check out the recipe on page 15 of this publication. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/pnw172-s
Hope that helps
Thanks for using Ask Extension
Nellie Oehler
Hope that helps
Thanks for using Ask Extension
Nellie Oehler
Thank you for that but I recently discovered the NDSU FN2102 (Revised March 2024) publication https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2024-03/fn2102.pdf that says on page 4 that it's still safe to can to longest times. Is this an over-site on their part when they updated the publication?
It probably is not a huge safety issue if the vegetable's you are combining have a tested safe tested processing time. I am pretty sure that combining carrots and potatoes is not unsafe if you use the potato time which is longer than the carrot time and you don't pack them too tightly.
That was always the recommendation and then they came out with the caution that if you combine some vegetables the density changes and there is a chance of under processing.
Nellie
That was always the recommendation and then they came out with the caution that if you combine some vegetables the density changes and there is a chance of under processing.
Nellie
Thank you so much. Would you mind mentioning some vegetable combinations that you might worry about density issues?
I would worry about any vegetable that we do not have a research based processing time for. Summer squash is one they don't recommend unless you use the recipe tested canned with tomatoes. Also be careful with dried beans, peas, lentils etc. if you add them they are soaked and cooked before adding. Onions and garlic are concerns unless you use just a small amount for flavor. Also winter squash like spaghetti squash would be a concern and probably cabbage.
If you find a standard processing time in a reliable source it should be safe if packed loosely. Also beware of flavor mixtures and what it would do to the texture of lets say carrots if you add dried beans cooked them for dried bean time.
Hope that helps
Nellie
If you find a standard processing time in a reliable source it should be safe if packed loosely. Also beware of flavor mixtures and what it would do to the texture of lets say carrots if you add dried beans cooked them for dried bean time.
Hope that helps
Nellie
