5 Authentic Amish Canning Recipes You Need To Try (2024)

FAQs

What method do Amish use for canning? ›

The Amish use the pressure canning method to jar beef. This canning recipe involves cutting pieces of boneless meat into small cubes and then pressure-cooking them in a jar with vegetables.

Amish Jarred Beef Recipe

Because of their low acidic qualities, beef, meats, and seafood must be processed in a pressure canner. Pressure canning is the only safe way to store your meat in jars.

Here's a list of 10 staple food items and dishes you'll find in most Amish communities in Lancaster County. Shoofly Pie. Dutch Cabbage Rolls. Pot Pies. Apple Butter.

For generations, Amish families have prepared for the winter and spring seasons by canning, a method by which they seal food in glass jars to preserve it for future use.

Inversion Canning

Once secured, the jar is inverted (flipped upside down) and left to cool for several minutes before placed right side up. The thought behind the method is the hot food will sterilize the seal while creating a vacuum by allowing air to escape.

Equipment and Methods Not Recommended

Open-kettle canning and the processing of freshly filled jars in conventional ovens, microwave ovens, and dishwashers are not recommended, because these practices do not prevent all risks of spoilage.

Instead of flushing toilets, outhouses are commonly used. This is true of the most conservative Amish, the Swartzentruber Amish. Interestingly, even communities that have indoor plumbing, sometimes still use outhouses. Farming communities use waste as fertilizer for their fields.

Many Amish used to have 'ice houses.” These outbuildings would be filled with ice, and foods that needed to be kept frozen would be put inside. Generally the ice would be cut from an area pond during winter and the ice house would be insulated well enough that it would stay cold through the summer.

Although hand planes, saws, hammers and chisels are commonplace, the Amish also use their own version of power tools, called pneumatic tools. Instead of electricity, pneumatic tools run on compressed air, and are, in this case, fueled by a diesel engine.

As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.

Do Amish people eat eggs? ›

Soups with hearty vegetables like potatoes and carrots for a filling meal or stews with slow-cooked beef are common. Also, baked casseroles with layers of potatoes, cheeses, and meats are usually served for dinner. Do Amish eat pork? Meat, eggs, and dairy products are integral to the Amish diet.

A huge part of Amish food is the ingredients used. They typically include lots of spices and seasonings with their food, such as cloves, bay leaves, thyme leaves and of course, salt and pepper.

Today, gas-powered fridges are commonplace within most Amish communities, some even going as far to manufacture their own.

If you're from a different culture you may be used to having a variety of things to drink with your meal from ice tea to milk to coffee. Its water for the Amish. But don't forget to have a cup of coffee after dessert while you sit around to chat. Meadow tea is also a favorite.

If too much headspace is allowed, the food at the top is likely to discolor. Also, the jar may not seal properly because there will not be enough processing time to drive all air out of the jar.

Don't allow the jars to touch each other. Jars must be covered by water—about 1 to 2 inches of water. Add more hot water from a separate kettle, if needed. Turn up the heat to get water in canner to boil.

If the lid “pops” up and down with your finger when you press, it's not sealed and needs to be reprocessed. If it doesn't move at all it's likely sealed. Note: Don't test canned foods until they are completely cooled and you've given them several hours to seal! Doing so might create a false seal and unsafe food.

The toxin is made most often by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Improperly canned, preserved, or fermented foods can provide the right conditions for the bacteria to make the toxin. You cannot see, smell, or taste the toxin, but taking even a small taste of food containing it can be deadly.

The Amish practice a form of bedroom ritual called "bundling." In bundling, a young man and woman spend time together in the same room, usually fully clothed and often with a board or blanket between them. This allows them to get to know each other without the distraction of physical contact.

Do the Amish sleep with a board between them? ›

Each person sleeps on their side of the bed, with a board in between them to prevent any physical contact. The couple is allowed to talk to each other during the night, but they're not allowed to touch each other.

In summer, conservative Amish tend to bathe at least twice weekly to eliminate dirt and sweat. The women may bathe more frequently and keep the home clean as well. New Order Amish may bathe more frequently than the Swatzentruber order, taking advantage of running water for showers or baths.

Many Amish homes are built with plenty of windows to help circulate the air and bring in the cooler overnight temperatures. They open the windows on the top floors to help the heat escape while the family retreats to the lower grounds within their homes for comfort.

The fact that they do not have access to electricity in their residences means that they have to do everything by hand. The Amish keep their food cold by storing food in solar or gas-powered fridges.

Without the use of electricity, many families still rely on their yearly supply of ice to keep their food from spoiling clear through summer. Traditionally ice houses were made of wood, but now we see old freezer trucks and small buildings lined in styrofoam up to two or three feet thick built to store winter ice.

Are they forbidden in Amish communities? It may surprise you to know that no, guns aren't forbidden. In fact, many (although not all) Amish communities have guns on their premises.

You may be surprised to hear that Amish furniture makers do not use nails or screws in their craft. The Amish woodworkers tend to use other techniques such as dovetails, rabbets, and mortise-and-tenon joinery instead of nails.

They don't use nails, screws or staples, and they forgo electric hand tools in favor of hydraulic or pneumatic ones. Some pneumatic tools Amish woodworkers use include sanders and buffers.

Humility, family, community, and separation from the world are the mainstays of the Amish. Everyday life and custom are governed by an unwritten code of behaviour called the Ordnung, and shunning (Meidung) remains an integral way in which the community deals with disobedient members.

The Amish do not consider technology evil in itself but they believe that technology, if left untamed, will undermine worthy traditions and accelerate assimilation into the surrounding society. Mass media technology in particular, they fear, would introduce foreign values into their culture.

What happens when Amish turn 18? ›

As far as Amish teens, they do get a chance to explore the outside world - from the time they're 16 until baptism in the church at ages 18 to 22 - in a practice called "Rumspringa." "They are in limbo between the authority of their parents and that of the church," Kraybill said. "They can do what they want on weekends.

The Amish Have No Dietary Restrictions

Having no dietary restrictions means they can eat whatever their heart desires. While many Amish stick to a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch diet, we've seen Amish dine at Olive Garden and take their buggies through the Burger King drive thru line.

After giving birth, Amish mothers breastfeed their babies for as long as possible. It's believed that this helps strengthen the bond between mother and child, which is important in this close-knit culture. It also gives them the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy.

Birth control is also not used in Amish culture because having many children and large families are often the goal for Amish couples.

Traditional Amish food includes dishes like tasty roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes & gravy, seasoned vegetables, fresh bread, and homemade jam. The Amish are also known for excellent baked goods, especially pies, cookies, breads, cakes, and fry pies.

The Amish do use sugar. It's a common ingredient in their meals, and not only the sweet treats. However, this sugar intake is balanced out by the fact that they don't consume sugars in processed foods and sodas like non-Amish tend to do.

While we are on the topic, yes, the Amish are huge consumers of soda. To be honest, I've not met too many who are co*ke fans. It seems to be Pepsi and Mountain Dew that are popular among the Amish.

Most Amish women tend to wash clothes using an old-time tub-style wringer washers. Some Old Order and Swartzentruber Amish still use boiling water in a large pot and “swoosh” the clothes around until the clothes are clean.

Fashion accessories are pretty much unknown in the Amish community. Items that you may take for granted such as sunglasses, handbags or belts don't feature in their dress code.

The Amish are known for using horse & buggy for transportation, being off the public (electrical) power grid, they have no TV, computers, Wifi, and the phone is usually outside in a “shanty” or barn. These lodgings tend to be more “authentic”, but they are quite simple and without many frills.

How do Amish keep meat from spoiling? ›

Using a cold stream, they keep perishable food that needs to be kept cold but not frozen from spoiling. The stream is corralled into a stone trough that serves as a “chilling bath” for the food. The Amish have used this method for centuries to keep their fruit and vegetables fresh.

Phones and computers are prohibited in nearly all Amish homes. The Amish often view many forms of technology as something that can separate families or weaken the community structure by distancing individuals.

Yes, the Amish bathe, but they often do it without electricity, and sometimes without indoor plumbing. They usually heat the water on a stove in order to have a warm bath. This labor-intensive process is one reason that the Amish don't normally bathe every day.

Amish families eat breakfast together every day—something that isn't a priority in many other homes. In fact, sometimes we don't eat breakfast at all. Making the effort to plan and host a morning meal for the whole family is a lot of work, but it's a wonderful start to any day.

Since morning comes early, most Amish families are in bed by 8:30 – 9:00 pm. Rest and getting adequate sleep is imperative for the Amish since much of their day is spent doing manual labor.

They are the largest, most durable stainless water bath canners we've found. Perfect for peaches, tomatoes, pears, pickles and more. Why use this product for water bath canning? Locally made in Ohio. Holds 15 quart jars or 18 pint jars (holds 36 pint jars with additional shelf #5113 - sold separately)

There are three safe ways of canning, depending on the type of food being canned. These are the boiling water bath method, the atmospheric steam canner method, and the pressure canner method.

Three methods of processing were recommended. These were steam pressure, a continuous water bath or steam bath, and intermittent water bath or steam bath.

There are two home canning methods: water bath canning and pressure canning.

Q: I have a glass top stove so would this canner be able to be used with the portable burners… A: Yes I use it on portable burners as it is so large.

Can Amish take baths? ›

While bathing is more common amongst the Amish, they do also take showers. Again, it's very dependent on the community and the individual family. Some Amish families have gas-powered hot water heaters to take showers. There are even some communities that have large indoor showers just like we do.

Is There a Ban on Cell Phones? Phones and computers are prohibited in nearly all Amish homes. The Amish often view many forms of technology as something that can separate families or weaken the community structure by distancing individuals.

The boiling water canning method is an easy way to get started because the equipment investment is minimal, says Vinton. It's suitable for acidic foods, like fruit jams and jellies, salsas, tomatoes, and vegetables that have been made more acidic with the addition of vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid.

Water-bath canning is NOT for meats, seafood, poultry, chili and beans, corn, and other low-acid vegetables that require a higher temperature (240°F) to raise the heat inside the jars above the boiling point of water (212°F) and hot enough to kill harmful bacteria. Low-acid food requires pressure canning.

I recommend browning beef, lamb, venison, and pork in all cases. Poultry, however, is often simply poached without browning and the results are lovely. I'll discuss poultry separately, but in general, I would suggest canning poultry as a raw pack and browning (hot packing) all other types of meat.

Across the Pond

The first can arrives in America in 1825, as Thomas Kensett and Ezra Daggert sell their patented cans filled with oysters, fruits, meats and vegetables to New Yorkers. However, canned food doesn't achieve commercial success in the USA until Gail Bordon's 1856 invention, condensed milk.

This premium canned beef comes from Indiana's Amish settlement and is tender cut chuck, cooked with natural juices. Ingredients: Beef, Salt, Pepper. Kauffman Orchards.

What foods can be canned? Fruits (including pie filling), vegetables, tomatoes and tomato products, pickles, relishes, jams and jellies and even things like meat and homemade soups can all be canned!

How long does home canned food last? ›

As a general rule, unopened home canned foods have a shelf life of one year and should be used before two years. Commercially canned foods should retain their best quality until the expiration code date on the can. This date is usually 2-5 years from the manufacture date.