[mbynack]

I've been thinking of canning dried rice and beans. My idea is to put it in canning jars and put it in the oven for a half hour at about 170 degrees to kill any bugs and eggs and then put the lids on it before it cools. That would create a vacuum inside to keep it from getting contaminated.

We tried keeping rice in the original plastic bags, but it had weevils in it within a couple of months.

Anyone ever tried this or have any advice?

[FrogMom]

Invest in a Seal-a-meal or some such vacuum-sucking gizmo.

Freeze your product for 2 weeks (kills bugs and eggs) and repackage into vacuum bags.

Or put into vacuum bags and then freeze it. Take it out after 2 weeks and stack in your pantry.

[CottonBall]

I've been thinking of canning dried rice and beans. My idea is to put it in canning jars and put it in the oven for a half hour at about 170 degrees to kill any bugs and eggs and then put the lids on it before it cools. That would create a vacuum inside to keep it from getting contaminated.

Did exactly that. But being one to over do just about everything, I also froze the grains and beans for a couple of days first (this also kills the bugs, supposedly). Then dried in the oven. Then added an oxygen absorber before sealing the jars. Probably way too much effort - and any one of the 3 methods would've sufficed ;)

[Kartographer]

Put the rice in the frezzer for 48 hours and then in food grade 5 gallon buckets with mylar bags add oxygen absorbers and then heat seal.

NOTE TO OTHERS:If you haven’t already you need to start prepared now. I truely believe that time is growing short very short. I believe within the next six months we will see a economic collapse much like that of Argentina’s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH6_i8zuffs For more information on living in a collapse economy I strongly suggest that you read Ferfal’s blog SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA: http://ferfal.blogspot.com And remember as a armed society and one which contains a much more violent crimial and entitlement minded element our collapse is far more likely to be much more violent than Argentina’s was/is. For those who would like to get started preparing I have updated my Preparedness Manual and added the following sections: 19. A Highly-Mobility 72 Hour Kit-by Ward Dorrity 55. Step by Step Earthbag Construction-by Dr. Owen Geiger Thanks to eaker it can be down loaded at: http://www.tomeaker.com/kart/preparedness1i.pdf

[WestwardHo]

Check out the Pump-n-Seal . When I open a bucket of rice, etc., I divide it into canning jars and then seal them. I use the Pump-n-Seal on all kinds of jars and really love it. Weavils shouldn't be a problem unless you live in a high humidity area. You can easily keep weavils at bay, by inserting a few bay leaves in each container...works well with flour, etc. Dry jars in the oven sounds dangerous...but I'm not a canning expert.

[hedgetrimmer]

The seal-a-meal appliance has a special lid you can use with their vacuum pump to vacuum seal canning jars without heating the contents.

You could take up to 1 gallon sized jars filled with the grains and then vacuum seal them.

I’ve read somewhere that some people put a chunk of dry ice into jars before sealing them to replace oxygen with carbon dioxide to prolong the shelf life.

Haven’t tried it, maybe someone on the forum has?

[pyx]

A one inch square of Triple ZERO (000) pure steel wool, three or four drops of water on it to create rust inside of a small plastic bag with some small holes in the bag is the same thing as an oxygen absorber pack used in food storage. The process of creating rust absorbs oxygen.

[Lurker]

Put the rice in one of those 5 gallon buckets with the sealable lids you can get at Home Depot. Put a pound of dry ice in. Let it sublimate away. Seal the container.

The CO2 kills the little nasties.

[little jeremiah]

I just buy stuff in 25# bags, put in 4 or 5 gallon buckets right away and put bay leaves on the bottom, in the middle, and on the top, and snap the lid on. I keep the buckets in a cool place. I use masking tape to write the contents and date, and rotate. When I open a bucket to use, I scoop out into gallon or half gallon jars and re-fill as needed.

I rotate and am currently using rice, oatmeal, lentils etc from 2008 and they’re fine. As I mentioned above, only had bugs twice.

What you don’t want to do is store anything in original bags. Or bags at all.

[Retired Greyhound]

For short term emergencies (natural disaster, etc), get a few weeks worth of canned goods and a big water container (water will be your biggest need).

For long term, store your grains in sealed mylar bags in airtight containers.

I have full cupboards and my utility room is full. My next step is to start using my crawl space for storage.

[yellowroses]

Vacuum pack your rice, then put it in the freezer for three days. That kills any bugs. Mine lasts over a year or two in storage.

[IMR 4350]

No.

Put your rice, beans, or any other dry goods in the jars.

Take a small piece of tin foil and make a cup out of it.

Place the cup in the filled jar making sure it doesn't come up over the lip of the jar.

Clean the jar lip for a good seal.

Light a couple of matches and burn off the sulfur.

Drop the burning matches in the tin foil cup.

Place the top on the jar and tighten the lid.

The burning matches will burn the oxygen out of the jar and cause a vacuum.

If you want to be extra safe, put the jars in the freezer for a couple of days.

[Georgia Girl 2]

We took the smaller bags of rice and then vacuumn packed them with our food saver system in another plastic wrapping. Same with the small bags of beans etc. High volume rice etc is going in food grade buckets with Mylar liners.