In this post, you will learn an easy way to preserve carrots by canning them in water brine. Canned carrots are full of goodness! They are great to keep in your pantry for those busy nights when you need to sort a quick salad or dinner. They are also a favourite snack for children.

BENEFITS OF CANNING.

Canning food has several main benefits:

Potentially, it can help us deal with food waste, which we all know is a serious problem in our modern society.  Instead of throwing away fruit and vegetables, they can be preserved that way.

Canning vegetables can save us frequent trips to the shop. That is convenient, especially for those who live away from the shops.

Most importantly, canning food at home is healthier. You know exactly what goes inside your food. Many are cautious of using store-bought canned fruits and vegetables because of their high content of sugar or salt and the use of synthetic preservatives. Canning fruits and vegetables at home without salt and sugar or with controlled use of these ingredients is a better alternative to buying supermarket cans.

Canned fruits and vegetables are believed to be as good for us as fresh ones because as long as the vegetables are canned fresh and healthy, the brine preserves their vitamins and minerals. During the thermal process, fruits and vegetable release even more antioxidants and the bad bacteria in them is destroyed.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO CAN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES?

I never even thought of doing canning before, but then I moved to the countryside. The closest shop is now 4 miles away and I have to do my shopping once a week. I noticed the vegetables in my fridge getting soft and mouldy after a few days and to preserve them for longer I started canning. I was surprised by how easy it is to can and I find it to be fun.

WHAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CAN BE CANNED?

All vegetables can be preserved. Most are suitable for canning in water brine, but there are vegetables that are great marinated or pickled. 

So far, I have shared recipes for Easy Marinated Sweet Peppers and Best Homemade Gherkins which I love so much! You can also find instructions on making Easy Homemade Sauerkraut and Balkan Vegetable Pickle Torshi.

HISTORY OF THE CARROT.

The carrot (Daucus carota) is one of the most important root vegetables grown in temperate regions of the world. Carrots were first domesticated in Central Asia around 900 BC and originally had purple or yellow roots.

Carrots were established as a popular domesticated crop in India, China and Japan by the 13th century. In Europe, carrots became known much later, in the Middle Ages. 

Carrots were known to both the Greeks and Romans. In fact, the Greeks called the carrot “Philtron” and used it as a love medicine.

Carrots were introduced to England during the Elizabethan reign and then they were considered exotic. So much so that the Elizabethans were using the feathery stalks for decorating their hair, hats, dresses and coats. 

Orange carrots first appeared in Spain and Germany in the 15th or 16th century and quickly became the predominant variety because they are developed to be healthier. The orange colour in the carrot comes from the high content of beta carotene in them, which is known to metabolite vitamin A.

In the Balkans, carrots are a very important crop and ingredient used in many traditional cooked dishes and salads.

All classic Balkan recipes for soups can be made with canned carrots. Some of these are Bulgarian Bean Soup ( Bob Chorba), Authentic Balkan Meatball Soup and Best Chicken Soup.

Canned carrots can be used in classic Balkan stews, like the Authentic Balkan Lentil Stew and the Authentic Balkan Sausage and Bean Stew.

One of the most famous Balkan Salads, Russian Salad can also be made with canned carrots.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE CARROT.

Carrots are nutritious. They are a good source of beta carotene, fibre, vitamin K1, potassium and antioxidants. They promote weight loss and are linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health.

HOW TO CAN (PRESERVE) CARROTS?

Always use fresh and healthy carrots. Start canning the vegetables as soon as you have picked them from the garden or bought them from the store.

Step 1: Sterilise the jars

Start by washing the jars in warm soapy water, then rinse the jars well in warm water. To sterilise the jars, you can use a pressure canner, multifunction cooker, or an old-fashioned large stockpot and a hob or live fire.

I use the water bath method for sterilisation and canning. That involves placing the jars in a large pot with boiling water for a certain period of time. There are a lot of controversies about the efficiency of this sterilisation method, but it is the traditional way of preserving vegetables in the Balkans and has been used by the locals for over half a century.

If you are using a pressure canner to process the jars of carrots, you do not have to sterilise the jars prior to packing them in the jars. However, do wash the jars well in warm soapy water first to remove any dust on them.

How to sterilise jars using the water bath method?

You can use any large pot, as long as it is deep enough for the jars to be submerged fully in water. In the Balkans, many sterilise and can food using the water bath method on live fire in their summer kitchens. Of course, an electric or gas hob works absolutely fine, too.

Pour boiling water from your kitchen kettle into your pot and place the pot on the hob.

Place the warm jars carefully in the boiling water with their openings facing down. This will make it easier to take the jars out of the pot without any water left inside them. Pour more boiling water, if needed, to cover the jars. The jars must have at least one inch of water on top.

Bring the water in the canning pot to a full boil, cover the pot with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes. The timing must start from the moment the water reaches a full boil. If the water is boiling too vigorously, reduce the heat until it comes down to a more gentle but still full boil. Place the jar lids in boiling water to sterilise them. Remove the pot from the heat after 10 minutes.

Fish the empty jars and lids out of the hot water with canning tongs. Place all jars and lids upside down on a clean tea towel and cover them with another clean towel to prevent dust or dirt from landing on them.

Step 2: Prepare the carrots for canning

Remove the green parts from the carrots and peel their skin, then rinse them well. If they are too long and cannot fit in the jar whole cut them in halves.

Step 3: Get ready for canning

Wash your hands well before you start canning and use clean utensils, towels, bowls and pots to avoid transferring bacteria to your products. 

Always choose fresh and healthy carrots for canning.

Wash all carrots very well and peel their skin. I sometimes skip this part if I am in a hurry but the taste of canned peeled carrots is definitely better.

Step 4: Choose a method for canning carrots

There are two methods for canning carrots:

Raw pack method – pack raw carrots in canning jars, finger-tighten the lids to the jars and process the jars with the carrots in boiling water for 40 minutes.

Hot pack method – first blanch the carrots, then pack them in canning jars and process the jars with the carrots.

Although the Raw pack method is quicker, the hot pack method results in higher-quality canned vegetables. When blanched, the carrots release more antioxidants, natural sweetness and fibre, and they are not only healthier but tastier. This is the reason that I prefer the hot pack method of canning carrots.

Whatever method you choose to use, pack the carrots (raw or blanched) loosely in the sterilised jars. Finger-tighten the lids, but not too tight because the air inside the jars needs to find a way to escape at the high temperature for the jars to get hermetically sealed.

Step 5: Pack the carrots in the sterilised jars

Pack the carrots while the jars are still warm. If the jars are too hot to handle, wait for 10-15 minutes before you start using them.

Heat water in your kitchen kettle to boil and pour the hot water into the jars packed with carrots. Cover the carrots completely in water, but leave 1 inch (3 cm) headspace in the jars. Wipe the jar rims dry and finger-tighten the lids.

HOW TO PROCESS CANNED CARROTS?

Canning by with the water bath method:

This is the traditional method for sterilising and canning in the Balkans. It has been used in my family for generations.

Start by pouring boiled water from your kitchen kettle into your canning pot. Place the packed jars inside and make sure they are covered with at least 1 inch (3cm) of water on top.

Bring the water in the pot with the jars of carrots to a full boil. Time exactly 20 minutes from the moment the water starts boiling.

Take the jars out of the pot with tongs, place them upside-down on a tray, cover the packed jars with a tea towel and let them cool overnight.

Canning in a pressure canner:

Pressure canners are scientifically proven to kill Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that is commonly found in soil, on raw fruits and vegetables, etc. Understandably, more people put their trust in them than in the water bath method.

You can see the processing guidelines for hot and cold-packed carrots in a weighted gauge pressure canner below. For dial-gauge pressure canner, find instructions here: Dial-gauge pressures.

Remove the jars of carrots from the hot water using tongs. Arrange the jars upside down on a tea towel inside a tray. The heat from the brine will make sure the lids stay sealed. Leave the packed jars to cool overnight. Store the jars in a cool and dark place.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

featured RECIPES for preserved vegetables FROM THE BALKAN CUISINES

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