Ever Wondered Why There's No Canned Cauliflower? Here's Why

Cauliflower is many things. When it's not part of a crudité platter and dipped in Ranch dressing, cauliflower can be roasted whole for a tender bite or transformed into a super-simple cauliflower rice. It can even be frozen and preserved for feature use. However, the one thing cauliflower cannot be is canned. Why? Canned foods are all about convenience. They taste good and have a long shelf life. But when it comes to cauliflower, canning is problematic. The reason is tied to what would happen to its taste, texture, and appearance if you tried to pressure can this veggie. 

This low acid veggie that is rigid and crunchy when raw wouldn't fare well when pressured canned, per Penn State. Pressure canning requires pressurized steam to rise to 240 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to kill harmful bacteria and spores that could cause botulism. Unfortunately, those same high temperatures required for canning would likely turn cauliflower to mush. If you've ever steamed your cauliflower for too long, you know that it can quickly soften and lose its structure. 

Even if your mouth could get past this change in texture, the change in color and overwhelming sulfur smell that would occur with canning would make cauliflower completely and utterly unappetizing. OK, so traditional pressure canning may not be in your cauliflower's future, but if you are looking for an alternative to freezing any excess you may have purchased, you can pickle and can this veggie instead. But how does pickling make this preservation process possible?

It all starts with the vinegar. When you add vinegar with a 5% acidity to a low acid food, it changes the game. It increases the acidity, which creates a safe pH level allowing you to preserve cauliflower using either a boiling water bath or pressurized canning. However, make certain to check the label on the bottle of vinegar you are using because anything lower than 5% is not considered safe. Canned vegetables are great to add to casseroles, and if you happen to pickle and can cauliflower, it will add a tangy and slightly crunchy element to your dish.