I am interested in canning and or pusing mason jars to preserve food. Mostly this is for stocks. I hate having to defrost stock everytime I need it. It would be much easier if I had it in a jar or can. Does anyone have any experience with this, and how would it effect the flavor.

Go look at thisthread. GA is our resident canning stocks expert.

Everyone has their own method but I just put a cup of stock in a baggies freezer bag and freeze it flat. That way it's premeasured and defrosts in the pan in minutes. ( I just cut the bag off with a knife or siccors). You can stack them in the freezer and doesn't take up much space. Method obviously works for all sauces and liquids.

Thanks TJ,

I must have lost touch with that thread. I always use fresh stock, it seemed like your question had been answered so I stopped reading. Looks like there was some other good stuff that was discussed.

As for the freezer bags, aren't you afraid of a spill before the stock freezes?

I have no problems so far, since I use ziploc freezer bags (usually in the quart size). Whatever you do, do not rest them on a top or wire-type shelf, then it is impossible for you to extract the bag without chiseling away the bag and part of the stock that has frozen in a weird shape.

I agree with tj, and the bags never leak as long as they're not overfilled. Let all the air out then seal the bag. There's lots of room for the bag to expand as the liquid freezes.

There is really no issue with tase degradation of home canned stock. Vegetables and fruits are another issue. The temperatures required to can them so they are safe biologically does indeed cook them and in fact overcook them. As stock is boiled or simmered for hours, this isn't really an issue.

If you check the label of the inexpensive store stock, they are loaded with salt and preservatives. You can by the "healthy" versions but they are considerably more expensive than the salty varieties.

I do not can any soups with milk or cream. The high temperatures scald the dairy products and makes them unappetizing from a visual standpoint.

I do can lobster and shellfish broth and find it comes out fine. I just add cream to finish them if I want to make a bisque. I also can tomato and pasta sauce. I think it comes out great.

I freeze my homemade stock in tupperware, margarine tubs, or big yogurt containers. It works very well. One of the large yogurt containers is just enough stock to make risotto for two people.

Okay, so I'm anal. BUT - what I do is this:

Let stock cool.

Get a muffin tin that makes large muffins. Spritz the inside of the muffin molds with Pam or other non-stick spray. Set tin on a cookie sheet.

Fill each tin with almost a cup of stock - should be almost to the top.

Cover whole muffin tin with plastic wrap.

Slide muffin tin/cookie sheet into freezer.

Let "stock muffins" freeze (takes about 3-4 hours, depending on how warm your stock was going in), then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags.

They last forever and all I have to do is reach in and grab as many as needed for the recipe. Sometimes I'll freeze a bayleaf with the cups, sometimes some other herb if I'm on a salmon, soup, or vegetable kick, etc.

The smaller muffin tins are great for when you have recipes that don't need a full cup of stock. If you're steaming veggies, for example, and just need a touch for flavor.