When canning anything (namely green beans) does it matter what kind of salt you use?
Question:I have canned just 4 little pints of green beans from the first of the garden produce. I used uniodized table salt (because of an allergy I have) and I am noticing some kind of milky white settlement in the bottom of the jar. The lids are sealed tight. Is the settlement and color normal or am I in for trouble. I don't want to waste time and money. Thanks for your help.
Answers:
I have canned sucessfully for 23 years. I was taught by my mother in law. I have always just used my regular salt. The kind of salt is optional and a personal choice. I am getting ready to break a bushel of beans to can now. You are using a pressure canner, aren't you? The way you put them up can affect them. You either freeze or pressure canner beans, corn and squash. You can boil bath can tomatoes and salsa. I always put my green beans in quarts, but I have children living at home. If you have any other questions about canning I'd be glad to share the knowledge my mother in law shared with me. I'm teaching my teenage girls now. tfaulkner@netzero.net
I don't think it matters about the kind of salt u use ,but I canned alot of beans one year and the white settlement on the bottom made the beans taste strange . I was told that beans have to be canned with a pressure canner .I had cold packed them . I don't know if this will help u ,I would taste the beans before u do anymore . Good Luck
Table salt can give a milky appearance to canned veggies. It should not hurt the taste or safety if you used a pressure canner and followed the directions.
Table salt often contains anticaking additives which can cause discoloration in pickles. The discoloration is not harmful, but it can be unappetizing. That's why many home canners prefer to stick strictly to canning salt. For more info, see: http://www.foodsubs.com/salt.html#pickli...
The reason that recipes for canning call for pickling salt is that it is not iodized; almost all table salt is iodized and also contains anti caking chemicals. The table salt additives tend to precipitate out. If you used hard water you also may get precipitate.
BTW, home canning of non acid vegetables like beans is not safe unless you have a pressure cooker.
First, did you pressure can the beans per the instruction? It is very important that low acid produce like beans are canned in a pressure canner. If not I would throw them out. They can kill you. I have been canning green beans for years using a pressure canner and pickleing/canning salt and have no sediment in the jars at all. I would be concerned if there were.
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