Kibitz Spot

Today I have a special treat – a guest post from Jessica Wiener.

DIY Canning Kosher Foods

Whether you’re a seasoned or novice home canner, you love making treats for yourself, your family and your friends. Home canning is especially handy during the holiday season. But when giving edible gifts, you need to be aware of dietary restrictions. Make sure you have special jar labels on hand to distinguish these special foods from your regular recipes. One of the most common dietary restrictions you’ll find is for food to be kosher.

First, you should know that there are varying levels of strictness for kosher food, just like there are different levels of vegetarians. Some people won’t consider food kosher unless it has been prepared by a Jewish person, so ask your friends or family if that will be a problem. Many kosher rules relate to meat and dairy, so if you’re just canning vegetables and fruit, you should be safe. However, some rules do apply for how you use your cooking equipment, so if you’re not sure if a pot or pan was used to cook meat or dairy, consider investing in a special set just for canning.

If you’re making jellies or jams, be extra careful: Gelatin comes from animals, and you can’t be sure if the source animal was an acceptable species. If you’d rather be safe than sorry, opt for a vegetable-based thickener, like guar gum or xanthan gum. This will also make your vegan friends happy!

If you’re stuck for recipes, the most familiar is kosher dill pickles. By just combining cucumbers, kosher salt and other seasonings, you’ll stick to ingredients that you know are safe, and you’ll have delicious crunchy pickles to share with everyone.

Finally, don’t forget to label your jars and cans correctly. Use special labels to distinguish kosher and non-kosher food items. Since canned food can last for months, don’t assume that you’ll just be able to remember which jar is which. You can go online to find templates and special food restriction labels. Just print these out and use them.

Home canning is an excellent hobby, but it’s important to make sure that dietary restrictions are kept in mind.

Bio: Jessica is a specialist in product labels. When she is not writing for LightningLabels.com, you can find her cooking up a storm in her kitchen.

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