Canned Vegetables
© Denzil Green
Canned goods are all processed by machines. Machines fill the empty tins with the vegetable, then top them up with liquid that includes salt, then seal the tins and cook the vegetables right in the tins. When cooked and cooled, they are stored, then the correct label applied to them before shipping.
Because Canned Vegetables are already cooked right in the tin, they just need to be heated. Heat right in the liquid they came in, probably for no more than 4 minutes in a saucepan or a minute or two in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish. You can season them if you want to, but you really shouldn’t need to add any additional salt — remember, salt was already used in canning them.
The weight on Canned Vegetables is the weight of both the vegetable and the liquid they are packed in.
If tins are bulged or swollen, dented badly, or have browning at the seams, discard them. Don’t even try tasting some of the contents to see if it is okay, unless you want to be a candidate for a Darwin Award. Tins with only slight dents in them, though, are usually fine.
Nutrition
Canned Vegetables usually have salt added to help preserve them, though you can buy some now that are salt-free or use salt alternatives.
Storage Hints
Canned Vegetables Should keep fine for up to a year when stored below 75 F (24 C).
North American manufacturers are notorious for putting on cans useless date codes that only they understand. This needs to change. The tin will tell you how much fat or sodium you are consuming, to give you a rough idea of whether you will die at 94 or 95, but the tin won’t tell you if it will kill you today. So, keep a magic marker handy in your kitchen drawer, and date the tins yourself as to when you bought them as they come in the door. It won’t take into account how long they were at the store, but at least you’ll have a rough idea.
Store opened tinned vegetables in the fridge, thought not in the tin, for up to a few days.
