I made a batch of dilled green beans (which have turned out wonderful in the past) but oops I forgot to add the salt as per the recipe in my Ball Blue Book. so my question is will the beans be ok to eat yet???? Thanks

-- Star Irvin (irvinco@vbe.com), August 04, 1999

Answers

I often leave out the salt when canning, without a problem.

-- JCW (JC@Waldner.com), August 09, 1999.

No problem. Forget the vinegar-that could be a problem , since it has a lot to do with the safe canning process. In my experience, this recipe uses salt for a modicum of flavor, but the vinegar has more to do with the "putting by". Check for off smells. Lacking those, or a jar that is not properly sealed, I have not personally found any problems. Best system is to use the "two-bucket" method, which we used in Alaska after harvesting clams that "might" have been exposed to red tide. There is so much of Alaska, and so little government intervention (Thank GOD) that red tides were not carefully monitored. Consequently, when we harvested the very abundent clams, we had no idea if red tide had infested them with bad stuff. The local natives, Tlingits and Haidas, many of whom we knew personally, used a system whereby they would only eat (raw) clams until they began to feel some numbness in their lips/noses. At that point, they would stop, figuring that there was a toxin in the clams, and would not be greatly affected. Blanche, (my Haida friend who is now a very old nice woman), back me up on this! The 2 bucket method is this: When digging clams, put them into 2 buckets. Give 1 to your neighbor. Watch him for 2 days. If he has eaten them and seems OK, eat yours. I guess you could use the same method for your beans. Send me some and I'll give them to the neighbors and watch them closely. Happy New Year!

-- Brad Traver (homefixer@mix-net.net), December 31, 1999.