Tuesday, September 18, 2012

HOME CANNING DAIRY AND NUT MILKS

Canned Milk
Canning milk at home save you money, especially when it comes to soy and nut milks.  Whether it be a dollar here or a dollar there, by the end of the month  you will definitely see the savings if you drink dairy or non dairy milks.  Another benefit of canning milk, is that you have the satisfaction of knowing what exactly is in that jar, and how long it has been shelved.  No preservatives here if I can it properly, right?

As you know I cook a lot using dairy and non dairy milk.  I stay busy in my kitchen so I like to not run out.  One way to do this is to keep my pantry stocked with my dairy and non dairy milks which l have canned. The dairy milk is similar to boxed milk that can be shelved, but not quite like evaporated milk.  However, the soy and nut milks taste just as fresh as when I first made it.  Soymilk  and nut milks do not last in my house more than a month, because my son loves it and takes a jar with him in his backpack for school.  It's makes it very convenient and it costs very little to make the milks yourself if done at home.  All you have to do is can it.  By the way, you can also can store bought nut milks too.  Yum almond milk.

1.  Here are 8 sterilized jars (under the
cloth) and my dairy milk
2.  These are the utensils I used
For some reason there is not much information of canning milk, but you know it's out there as it can readily be bought at the grocers.  Another YouTuber, named, "The Preppers Wife" has really helped me out canning milk.  She was able to get some info from the universities regarding safely canning milk.  Great video. I highly recommend it.  So like she said, she received canning safety info regarding pressure canning, which gave her a large range to choose from...like minutes and weights. The only canner I have is a  10 quart, Fagor pressure cooker/canner. It works fine since my family is small.   There are no weights just a knob with 3 positions, steam, 1 and 2...2 being high of course.

Again, there are no official guidelines for home canning milk so, please use your own  canning manual for safety measures as they all differ. However, I just realized that I opened my last jar of canned milk.  So, I thought I'd share with you how I do it since I am canning more dairy today.  Note, I haven't had a problem with it yet, and I've canned a lot of dairy and non dairy milks with success.  I am sharing with you how I do it.
First of all I am using 12 ounce jars.  They are the same size that the markets sells evaporated canned milk.  The difference here is they cost averaging $1.10 per 12 ounce can in most markets today.  I am using a little over a half gallon, to get eight 12 ounce jars.  I paid $2.79 per gallon of milk so I paid approximately $1.60 for the whole eight 12 ounce jars.  Not bad huh?

Ingredients:
  • Milk  Dairy or non dairy   Enough to fill you 12-16 ounce jars
  • Jars and Lids  12 - 16 ounce  MUST BE STERILE. 
  • Canning utensils
  • Vinegar 2 tablespoons
  • Moist cloth to wipe rims of jars
  • Kitchen towel to put hot jars on



  • 4.  Yes it can get messy  (I  was born with
    essential tremors and this was a good day
    for me.  lol)

3.  I filled each jar using a funnel leaving
 a one inch headspace from the top.





5.  Make sure you clean the rims with a
damp cloth

6.  Add the hot lids and twist hand tight.





















8.  I have the steam venting on a high
stove flame for 10 minutes.  I them put the
pressure on # 2.  Which was high
 for another 10 minutes with the stove flame
 on  medium # 5 on my stove.
I then turned the stove off
7.  Add the vinegar to three inces of water.
Then add the jars.  They fit nicely in the
 pressure canner.
 9. Once the safety lock released automatically I opened and set the jars to
 cool on a towel.  I then waited to hear that ping
sound.  That took about another 15 minutes.  But now I'm
done, and I have 8 jars of milk that looks very close to
shelf carton milk that is still good for cereal, and anything
you would do with milk except make cheese, or yogurt.

So there you have it.  Well actually I have it, for I now have 8 jars of canned dairy milk that I can use for a rainy day.  Good to know I have it for food storage too.  And it cost very little to make it at home.  I use this same instructions for soy and all my nut milk canning. I hope you too can benefit from this simple canning knowledge.  Yes you can, can dairy and non dairy milk.  Please feel free to share this site with others so they too can benefit on the savings.
Please feel free to ask any questions and or comment.  Well that's it for now, so till the next time...Goodnight and God Bless you all.
Sincerely,

Mary Helen

6 comments:

Timothy Lyle Haas said...

How long can the milk stay on a shelf before it goes bad?

Maria Vasquez said...

Ok well Tim I've researched this well and they say it can store up to on year. However I just opened my last jar of milk which I canned nine months ago. It was perfectly fine in taste, texture , and color. Let me know how it comes out and share share share:)

lumenbeing said...

This site says that if you are processing for longer than 10 minutes in a pressure canner, it is unnecessary to pre-sterilize your jars. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/recomm_jars_lids.html

Unknown said...

What would the time be at 10 lbs? I have a Presto canner and am unfamiliar with your time and pressure suggestions. Thank you!

Unknown said...

I have canned for years and I do not understand why you put vinegar in the water that you are canning in. Could you please explain what the purpose of that is. As far as I know the water is just to create steam and to built up the pressure inside the canner.

Mama said...

The vinegar that is put in the water in the canner helps to prevent the "fog" of minerals on the outside of the jars you are canning.