Episode 46: Everything About Stuff That Comes in a Can

  • Chicken in a can. What’s not to be excited about?
  • Snicker…
USDA Canning Timeline History of canning 1795 Napolean announces prize for new food preservation method 1805 Nicolas Appert won the prize-became known as the Father of Canning : Smithsonian Mag Father of Canning 1810: Peter Durand invents tin can 1812: First Cannery opened by Robert Ayers 1858: Mason Jars patented by John L Mason 1884: Ball Corporation started producing jars for home canning 1903: Kerr started manufacturing home canning supplies 1914 WWI Poster courtesy USDA.gov
World War I poster Women of America Work for Victory
1915: Patent goes to Kerr for two piece disposable canning lids. Do
14 Strangest Things In Cans

off of our meat which makes this a very weird canned food.

What did we do before canning?

  • Freeze in cold climate. Dry in the sun in warm.
  • Fermenting:
    • Next level food preservation Iceland Greenlandic shark dates back to the Vikings. Abundant but toxic, the headless shark was buried in a hole with stones sand and gravel. Liquids would leak out of the shark over 6 to 12 weeks. Then the shark meat was hung to dry for months.

How to can: the speed version

  • water bath canning
    • fill jars with acidic foods (tomatoes or add vinegar) cover with lids and boil until a seal forms under the lid
    • the acid and vacuum (no air) makes for an environment where bacteria can’t thrive.
Oven canning—Back in the early 1900s oven canning was considered the best way to can. People were getting burned by exploding fruit jars.

Danger Will Robinson: what NOT to do when canning

  • doing your own recipe
  • using a jar that isn’t for canning like a mayo jar…its gonna explode
  • let’s talk about botulism
    • CDC website
    • botulism is a toxin that attacks the nerves
      • weak muscles eventually affecting breathing.
  • Improperly stored or processes canned foods (usually homemade) are the biggest culprit. Although store bought can be infected too through, that’s most often a damaged can.

Food Bank and oldest can donation:

https://www.distractify.com/trending/2017/10/09/Z18GVb0/old-can-donation A 46 year old can of kidney soup.

Prepper web site: Guys hunting for bragging rights over oldest food consumed

Oldest can of food eaten.
  • 6 year old past date tuna fish
  • Soup from the 50s
  • 30 yo rations
  • 14 yo can of shrimp

Marriage can of chicken:

  • Les Lailey married his wife beryl in 1956 they got a canned chicken for their wedding day. He said to her, on our 50th wedding anniversary, were eating that chicken. In 2006 Les opened the can and ate the chicken.