Prep Genrl Canning flour

[Papacub]

I saw this post on farcebook and wondered if true, can you really can flour?

"I dont know if you know this but hope it helps. Take 1/2 gal mason jars and put flour in them, I prefer bread flour. Put them in oven at 200 degrees for three hours, after 3 hrs put mason jar lids on them immediately while in oven. Pull out tighten rings more, let cool. Now you have flour that will last for a long time. I've had some for 10 yrs and I pulled one out made bread still as good as new."

 

[Grouchy Granny]

I'd be afraid to try that trick since flour is rather explosive under the right conditions. Not to mention how hot those jars get.

I'd rather put it in a plastic bag and vacuum pack the bag. Did that at Y2K and the flour and biscuit mix was still good 5 years later.

 

[summerthyme]

Sure, it works. And I wouldn't worry about explosive potential unless you create clouds of flour throughout your kitchen while packing it, and have an open flame or spark...

But we use a lot of flour baking, and it's much more practical for us to out 25# in a 5 gallon pail, lined with a mylar bag. Add O2 absorbers and seal, and it will last for 10 years if stored cool.

Summerthyme

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Sure, it works. And I wouldn't worry about explosive potential unless you create clouds of flour throughout your kitchen while packing it, and have an open flame or spark...

But we use a lot of flour baking, and it's much more practical for us to out 25# in a 5 gallon pail, lined with a mylar bag. Add O2 absorbers and seal, and it will last for 10 years if stored cool.

Summerthyme

Gas stove. I like your storage method better!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Am bookmarking this thread. I really needed to know how to can flour and cornmeal. I've got several bags stored in my freezer of both, but am out of room. Since I may have to start baking my own bread, I need to stock more. The canning method would work very well for me! Thanks for the info!

 

[WiWatcher]

Another way is to use the jar attachment for a food saver. Just vac pack it and be done with it rather then the oven method. PS the decreased O2 level due to the vacuum will kill the flour bugs.

 

[Raggedyman]

I'd be afraid to try that trick since flour is rather explosive under the right conditions. Not to mention how hot those jars get.

I'd rather put it in a plastic bag and vacuum pack the bag. Did that at Y2K and the flour and biscuit mix was still good 5 years later.

BINGO!!! - that's what we've done for as long as I can remember. vacuum packed plastic bags in 5-7 lb lots into a 5gal bucket with gamma seal air tite screw on lids. also have vacuum packed flour in 1/2 gal mason jars with EXCELLENT long term results

also works very well for cornmeal and oatmeal

 

[Wildwood]

200 degrees is not all that hot...not hot enough to make it go boom. Also, those canning jars are made for much higher heat than that.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Just make sure that if it has some type of leavening in it that you use I before it goes rancid. I'd rather store all-purpose. Just make sure you have all of the other materials you need.

I don't use much flour or pasta … or even rice … these days. The kids go through a lot of rice but then again my sixteen year old and adult son are at the gym nearly every day and use the carbs as fast as they go in. Rice I've still got way too much of for the condition I now live with.

 

[hiwall]

For cornmeal all I do is put it in clear plastic containers (I use clean juice bottles) and screw the cap on tight. I have kept it this way for 5 years with no problems.

 

[nomifyle]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I've just added a bunch of flour to my stash and need to get it our of the freezer too.

 

[Smoke]

I've had regular flour in the original wrapper for over 5 years as is, the only thing I did is put each bag in a ziploc bag to isolate it from others incase it had bugs in it. I would then place them in 5 gallon buckets with some bay leaves and put the lid on. It worked for me, or I just got lucky. Now whole wheat may go rancid.

 

[spinner]

I seal my 5 lb bags of flour in food saver expandable bags.

 

[summerthyme]

I've had regular flour in the original wrapper for over 5 years as is, the only thing I did is put each bag in a ziploc bag to isolate it from others incase it had bugs in it. I would then place them in 5 gallon buckets with some bay leaves and put the lid on. It worked for me, or I just got lucky. Now whole wheat may go rancid.

Oh, believe me, white flour will go rancid as well!

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Before I started putting all my flour and cornmeal in my freezer, I would empty the sacks into Ziplock storage bags and place on a shelf. After about a year, I realized that they had gone "flat", and didn't taste very good when I used either of them. That's when I began to use the Ziplock freezer bags, and storing them in the freezer. I've used bags out of the freezer that are several years old that are still as fresh as the day I put them in there. Now, my freezers are full, but I need to stock more flour and cornmeal. The oven method will work great for me. I will use the extra space under our bed for storage of the canning jars. I have hundreds of canning jars, lids, and rings.

 

[Illini Warrior]

200 degrees is not all that hot...not hot enough to make it go boom. Also, those canning jars are made for much higher heat than that.

it's not the jars he/she is concerned about exploding >>> any large amount of flammable particular particles in air suspension has the possibility of "exploding" - very common in grain elevators, paper processing and grinding ops

 

[Illini Warrior]

a PS >> if you're serious about long term storage for flour - go with wheat and prep for grinding

 

[Wildwood]

it's not the jars he/she is concerned about exploding >>> any large amount of flammable particular particles in air suspension has the possibility of "exploding" - very common in grain elevators, paper processing and grinding ops

IRL I deal with flash points on a daily basis and a jar of dry flour isn't comparable to a silo full of grain that produces gases. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Question.....Can you can Bisquick in the oven same as flour?

 

[summerthyme]

Question.....Can you can Bisquick in the oven same as flour?

I don't think I'd try that. Bisquick contains shortening, which is distributed throughout the flour mix in small globules... the same effect you get when you "cut in" butter or shortening for pie crust or other pastry dough. Heating it enough to seal jars is going to melt the shortening... and it will change the end results when baking with it.

Vacuum seal or use O2 absorbers.

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I don't think I'd try that. Bisquick contains shortening, which is distributed throughout the flour mix in small globules... the same effect you get when you "cut in" butter or shortening for pie crust or other pastry dough. Heating it enough to seal jars is going to melt the shortening... and it will change the end results when baking with it.

Vacuum seal or use O2 absorbers.

Summerthyme

Thanks. I was adding more flour to my shopping list, and Cary ask me why I couldn't can Bisquick the same way I was doing the flour. I thought I would ask, before trying it.