Asparagus, No: 1 Process
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash the asparagus to remove dirt and soak in cold water until crisp.
Scrape off the tough outer skin and sort the asparagus by diameter of stalks.
Cut off the ends of the asparagus, leaving the tops at the right length for canning.
Wash the asparagus thoroughly in cold water and place them in a wire basket with a cover.
Blanch and cool
Prepare a boiling hot bath with ½ lb. salt in 12½ gallons of water.
Immerse the asparagus in the hot bath for 2 to 5 minutes until flexible.
Transfer the asparagus to cold water for the longest convenient time.
Pack and seal
Pack the asparagus carefully into cans and fill them with cold brine (2½ lbs. salt in 12 gallons of water).
Seal the cans and exhaust: No. 2 cans for 8 minutes, No. 3 cans for 10 minutes, and 4‑lb cans for 12 minutes.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Asparagus
- Is the vegetable being preserved, so its texture and crispness are the main quality concern.
- Salt
- Seasons the hot bath and brine, flavoring the asparagus while it is packed in liquid.
The step that matters
Immerse the asparagus in the hot bath for 2 to 5 minutes until flexible. Blanching softens the stalks enough to pack them, while over-blanching makes them limp. Stopping in cold water sets the color and keeps the texture crisp.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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