Canning Zucchini

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Personally I don't like canned zukes too mushy, and it is not highly recommended for canning.

We freeze ours and it can be dried. But we don't have big crops so guess our way is not fro everyone.
 
I really like the idea of latkes from zucchini! We often have them made from potatoes around Hannukah, even though we are not Jewish, but we have made them from other vegetables as well. I know my daughter will like this idea, because the zucchini in her garden is producing abundantly.
 
Weedygarden said:
I really like the idea of latkes from zucchini! We often have them made from potatoes around Hannukah, even though we are not Jewish, but we have made them from other vegetables as well. I know my daughter will like this idea, because the zucchini in her garden is producing abundantly.
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We are not Jewish either but we eat kinda kosha 'spl'.
I like it in egg omelets and meatless lasagne.
 
Amish Heart said:
Do you have a dehydrator? I shred and dehydrate.
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Yes and its a good one' Excaliber 9 tray' we just haven't had enough food to use it. Tried it a couple times about 10 years ago but we did something wrong, apples and bananas came out brown after we sealed them.Its been in the box every since.
 
Meerkat said:
Yes and its a good one' Excaliber 9 tray' we just haven't had enough food to use it. Tried it a couple times about 10 years ago but we did something wrong, apples and bananas came out brown after we sealed them.Its been in the box every since.
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There are several thinks that can cause that. Did you dip them in citric acid or lemon juice? Were they dry enough? Was the packaging impermiable so moisture couldn't get in? Was it vacuume sealed?
 
Terri9630 said:
There are several thinks that can cause that. Did you dip them in citric acid or lemon juice? Were they dry enough? Was the packaging impermiable so moisture couldn't get in? Was it vacuume sealed?
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Maybe a little of all the above? We plan to try again someday though.
 
Never thought of dehydrating them. Do you eat them like a chip or soak them to bring back to life?

I ended up shredding and freezing them. I do use them for frittatas also. But I am the only one who eats frittatas in the house so I dont make them often.
 
You could slice in rounds and dehydrate for chips, but that sounds kind of meh.
I shred them and then rehydrate to make chocolate zucchini bread, or to put in lasagna or stew
 
I tried one year into ½ pint jars. As expected it came out like a mush. As I remember they did look like cut up zucchini but then just disintegrated once touched. I dumped them into things like a stew or sauce so they added bulk and a little flavor but you could not really tell they were in there.

I never tried drying or freezing. I just ate fresh as they came in and extras went to friends or into the compost pile.
 
I have dehydrated, canned slices & shreds, and canned for frying later. I have also prebreaded and froze but normally don't freeze plain zucchini. My freezers stay too full mainly. I guess it would depend on what you want to do with them how you preserve them. The slices and shreds are mushy, but still useable in cakes, breads, casseroles.
 
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Amish Heart said:
You could slice in rounds and dehydrate for chips, but that sounds kind of meh.
I shred them and then rehydrate to make chocolate zucchini bread, or to put in lasagna or stew
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We just made about 10 meals of zucchini lasagna and froze in individual containers for meals through the month, very good and buttered garlic bread froze too. Did same thing a couple months ago.
 
I have canned many jars of both the zucchini and yellow squash. I know it is not recommended to can it but I have always done it and I believe they say not to do because it does not come out good, they mean mushy. Mine does not come out like that. First of all, I peel it. Then I remove the seeds. And I cut it in cubes instead. If you cut it in thin circles, yes, it will be mushy. In fact, I had such a large amount canned because my yellow squash took off in my manure pile before I even knew it was there. I had jars and jars of it. But by canning, it does not go to waste. It is great in recipes and maybe it can't be the fried slices but it is still food. When I open a jar of canned squash, it smells like it was just picked.....years later. I have a blog post somewhere showing how I do it.
 
katlupe said:
I have canned many jars of both the zucchini and yellow squash. I know it is not recommended to can it but I have always done it and I believe they say not to do because it does not come out good, they mean mushy. Mine does not come out like that. First of all, I peel it. Then I remove the seeds. And I cut it in cubes instead. If you cut it in thin circles, yes, it will be mushy. In fact, I had such a large amount canned because my yellow squash took off in my manure pile before I even knew it was there. I had jars and jars of it. But by canning, it does not go to waste. It is great in recipes and maybe it can't be the fried slices but it is still food. When I open a jar of canned squash, it smells like it was just picked.....years later. I have a blog post somewhere showing how I do it.
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How many minutes in a pressure cooker down here Kat? I hate canned squash for the reason you said, it gets mushy, but would love to can soem if it keps its shape a little.
 
Meerkat said:
How many minutes in a pressure cooker down here Kat? I hate canned squash for the reason you said, it gets mushy, but would love to can soem if it keps its shape a little.
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I hope it is okay if I put my blog post here. Here I give the instructions for yellow squash, it is the same for zucchini as well.
 
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