# Canning Vegetarian Chili?



## strawhouse (Aug 7, 2010)

OK guys. I'm about to make a ginormous batch of veggie chili. I usually freeze it, but I would rather can it. 
I can't find a recipe for vegetarian canned chili. I have seen some recipes for meat chili, with beans in it, pressure canned for 90 minutes at 10lb. 
I now know that canning just beans are the same directions. 
My canner instructions book says if canning mixed stuff, process for the ingredient requiring the longest amount of time. My chili is mostly beans, with tomatoes, zuchinni, peppers, mushrooms, onion, corn, spices.
Do you think I can can this?


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

I have no idea but I would love to do this also if it is safe.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

I'd have to see the specific recipe to be sure but otherwise no, IMO it wouldn't be recommended as safe to can it. There is no tested processing time for the combination of vegetables you list. 

It isn't chili per se, it is mixed vegetables and the time for Mixed Vegetables is also 90 mins but they are very different vegetables. See: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/mixed_vegetables.html But yours are all low acid vegetables and very dense if it is mostly beans. The mushrooms and corn add a whole other safety dimension to beans. 90 mins. "might be safe" if you made the mixture really thin and followed the soup instructions of 1/2 solids and 1/2 liquids. But that is just a guess.

For what it is worth, using a canner instruction book also isn't generally recommended as they don't incorporate the safety guidelines. For example the _process for the ingredient requiring the longest amount of time_ rule was unapproved in 1974.

Consider this as a safe alternative: the BBB recipe for Stewed Tomatoes includes the tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery. You could sub the zucchini for the celery. Spices could be added if they are DRY spices with no problem. Then add the corn and mushrooms are serving time. Would that work for you?

Unfortunately sometimes we just have to accept that not everything we want to can may be done safely.


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## strawhouse (Aug 7, 2010)

judylou, you are the godess of canning!!!
I'll take out the corn / mushrooms as you suggest. And I'm ordering that Ball book as soon as I can. 
Thanks!!!!


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

If you need the Stewed Tomatoes recipe I can post if for you.  Don't know off hand if it is online anywhere.


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

judylou said:


> For example the _process for the ingredient requiring the longest amount of time_ rule was unapproved in 1974.


Actually, for tomato-vegetable mixtures, the U of GA instruction book "So Easy to Preserve" Fifth Edition (2006) says on page 54:



> Unless a tested recipe is used, all tomato-vegetable mixtures must be processed in a pressure canner, according to the directions for the vegetable in the mixture that has the longest processing time


of course, take that with a grain of salt. I am trusting this book less and less.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

> Actually, for tomato-vegetable mixtures, the U of GA instruction book "So Easy to Preserve" Fifth Edition (2006) says on page 54:


That's a good catch!  We were taught all the references has been pulled but obviously that one was missed or maybe it was left intentionally. I can't say.

I don't think I would use it but as long as it is in that book strawhouse sure could. But it is applicable to only the tomato-vegetable mixes right? Don't have my copy here at work so is it clear that it is tomato-vegetables only rather than some sort of "applies to anything you want to can"?


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

judylou, it very clearly specifies that this is for tomato-vegetable mixtures. 

It doesn't give a ratio (ie. no more than X number of cups other veggies per X number pounds of tomatoes) and, unless I missed it, doesn't specify whether adding any additional spices would change anything. It also doesn't say that you have to add any additional acid, unless I missed that part too. 


There is also a recipe in the same section of the book for Vegetable Soup.(I'm at work and don't have access to my copy right now so I can't give exact page number or verbatum instructions) The directions are pretty liberal as to what type and how much of any veggie you can mix together.


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