General Instructions: Food Preservation
Entries Per Individual: One entry per exhibitor per class.
Processing Methods: Current USDA processing methods and altitude adjustments must be followed for all food preservation. Jam, preserves and marmalades, fruit, tomatoes and pickled products must be processed in a boiling water bath. Tomatoes may be processed in a pressure canner. All non-acid vegetables and meats must be processed in a pressure canner. Improperly canned or potentially hazardous food items will be disqualified. Spoiled or unsealed container disqualifies entry.
Jars and Lids: Do not need to be the same brand. Half pint jars may be used for jellies and preserves. The jars are not to be decorated by the exhibitor in any way. Canning jars must be used-others will be disqualified. No one-fourth pint jars allowed. Leave jar rings on for fair display, it helps protect the seal. Two-piece lids consisting of a flat metal disk and a ring should be used. No zinc lids or one-piece lids.
Current Project: Exhibits must have been preserved since the member’s previous year’s county fair, and not been exhibited at the previous State Fair.
Criteria for Judging: Exhibits will be judged according to score sheets available at your local Extension office or at https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/rules . Incomplete exhibits will be lowered a ribbon class. Canned food items not processed according to altitude in the county will be lowered one class ribbon. Check with your local Extension Office or https://go.unl.edu/ne4hfood-nutrition for your county’s altitude and how that affects food processing times and pounds of pressure.
Labeling: Jars should be labeled with the name of the food item, name of the 4-H’er, county, and date of processing on the bottom of each jar, print labels from https://go.unl.edu/canninglabel. Exhibits containing multiple jars such as a “3 jar exhibit” should be placed in a container to keep jars together. Each bag containing dried foods should also be labeled with the name of the food item, the name of the 4-H’er, county and drying date. Multiple dried food exhibits should be secured by a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit containing the three self-sealing bags together.
Recipe/Supporting Information: Recipe must be included, may be handwritten, photocopied or typed. Commercially prepared seasoning mixes are not allowed. Current USDA guidelines for food preservation methods MUST be followed.
Suggested sources of recipes include:
- 4-H Food Preservation Manuals (Freezing, Drying, Boiling Water Bath Canning, Pressure Canning)
- USDA Guide to Home Canning https://nchfp.uga.edu/
- Nebraska Extension’s Food Website: http://food.unl.edu/web/preservation/home or Extension publications from other states
- Ball Blue Book (published after 2009)
Recipe Card Template available at: UNL-Perkins - 4-H Foods Supporting Information - All Documents
This card may be used, or you may use a recipe card/sheet of your choosing.
All exhibits must include the 4-H Food Preservation Card attached to the project as the required supporting information or include following information with exhibit:
- Name of product
- Date preserved
- Method of preservation (pressure canner, water bath canner or dried)
- Type of pack (raw pack or hot pack)
- Altitude (and altitude adjustment, if needed)
- Processing time
- Number of pounds of pressure (if pressure canner used)
- Drying method and trying time (for dried food exhibits).
- Recipe and source of recipe (if a publication, include name and date.)
Food Preservation Card Template available at: https://go.unl.edu/fillablepreservationcard
Division 406 Recipe card & food preservation card required for ALL classes in this division
—Unit 1 Freezing Project Manual—
*Class E406001 Baked Item Made with Frozen Produce Any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or four muffins or cookies on a paper plate or in disposable pan. Recipe MUST include a food item preserved by the freezing method done by the 4-H member. (Ex. peach pie, blueberry muffins, zucchini bread, etc.). Supporting information must include both the recipe for the produce that was frozen as part of this project AND the baked food item.
Division 407 Recipe card & food preservation card required for ALL classes in this division
—Unit 2 Drying Project Manual—
*Class E407001 Dried Fruits Exhibit three different examples of three different dried fruits. Place each dried fruit food (6-10 pieces of fruit, minimum 1/4 cup) in separate self-sealing bags. Use a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit together.
*Class E407002 Fruit Leather Exhibit three different examples of three different fruit leathers. Place a three-four” inch sample of each fruit together in separate self-sealing bags. Use a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit together.
*Class E407003 Vegetable Leather Exhibit three different examples of three different vegetable or vegetable/fruit leather combo. Place a three-four inch sample of each leather together in separate self-sealing bags. Use a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit together.
*Class E407004 Dried Vegetables Exhibit three different samples of three different dried vegetables. Place each food (1/4 cup of each vegetable) in a separate self-sealing bag. Use a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit together.
*Class E407005 Dried Herbs Exhibit three different samples of three different dried herbs. Place each food (1/4 cup of each herb) in a separate self-sealing bag. Use a rubber band or “twisty” to keep exhibit together.
*Class E407006 Baked Item Made with Dried Produce/Herbs Any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate or in a disposable pan. Recipe MUST include a dried produce/herb item made by the 4-H member. Ex. granola bar made with dried fruits, dried cranberry cookies, Italian herb bread, lemon thyme cookies. Supporting information must include both the recipe for the dried produce/herb AND the baked item.
Division 408 Recipe card & food preservation card required for ALL classes in this division
—Unit 3 Boiling Water Canning Project Manual—
*Class E408001 1 Jar Fruit Exhibit Exhibit one jar of a canned fruit. Entry must be processed in the boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408002 3 Jar Fruit Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different canned fruits. May be three different techniques for the same type of product, Ex. Applesauce, canned apples, apple pie filling, etc. Entry must be processed in the boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408003 1 Jar Tomato Exhibit Exhibit one jar of a canned tomato product. Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408004 3 Jar Tomato Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different canned tomato products (salsa, sauces without meats, juice, stewed, etc.) Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408005 1 Jar Pickled Exhibit One jar of a pickled and/or fermented product. Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408006 3 Jar Pickled Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different kinds of canned pickled and/or fermented products. Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408007 1 Jar Jelled Exhibit Exhibit one jar of a jam, jelly, fruit butter or marmalade. Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E408008 3 Jar Jelled Exhibit Exhibit three different kinds of jelled products. Entry may be made up of either pints or half pints. Entry must be processed in a boiling water bath according to current USDA recommendations.
Division 409 Recipe card & food preservation card required for ALL classes in this division
—Unit 4 Pressure Canning Project Manual—
*Class E409001 1 Jar Vegetable or Meat Exhibit Exhibit one jar of canned vegetable or meat. Include only vegetables ore meats canned in a pressure canner according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E4090002 3 Jar Vegetable Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different kinds of canned vegetables. Include only vegetables canned in a pressure canner according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E409003 3 Jar Meat Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different kinds of canned meats. Include only meats canned in a pressure canner according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E409004 Quick Dinner Exhibit a minimum of three jars to a maximum of five jars plus menu. Meal should include three canned foods that can be prepared within an hour. List complete menu on a three” inch x five” inch file card and attach to one of the jars. Entry must be processed according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E409005 1 Jar Tomato Exhibit One jar of a canned tomato product. Entry must be processed in a pressure canner according to current USDA recommendations.
*Class E409006 3 Jar Tomato Exhibit Exhibit three jars of different canned tomato products (salsa, sauces without meats, juice, stewed, etc.) Entry must be processed in a pressure canner according to current USDA recommendations.