Canning

[Dani]

What are your favorite foods to can?

 

[Dani]

Ro-Tel Tomatoes
1 gallon ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped2 large green bell peppers, chopped8 hot peppers, chopped3/4 cup vinegar3/4 cup granulated sugar1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Mix together and cook 45 minutes. Put into hot sterilized jars. Seal and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Candied Jalapenos



Serve this over cream cheese, with cracker, add to burgers, or pimento cheese



4 lbs fresh jalapeno, sliced

2 lbs onion, diced

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

6-8 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons celery seeds

1 fresh garlic clove (1 per jar)

1 teaspoon ginger



Slice jalapenos into thin slices and dice onions (I would suggest a pair of rubber gloves for handling jalapenos, personal experience, do not touch your face!). Place in pan with water and vinegar, bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer about 2 min. (do not breath fumes) . Pour off most of the water vinegar mixture, add the sugar and spices bring to soft candy temperature to completely dissolve sugar about another 10 minute Place boiling mixture into jars, leaving 1/4 in head space. Adjust caps.

Water bath 5 minutes to insure a good seal.

*note: if you like the peppers a little crisp, boil mixture and add peppers at the end.


Garlic Dill Pickles



3/4 c. salt (this is to salty for some;

may be reduced to 1/2 c.)

4-5 cups white vinegar

8 c. water

cucumbers (enough to fill 6- 1quart jars.)

18 cloves garlic, peeled

6 T. dill seed (not weed.)



Wash cucumbers, cut into spears, and pack in jars. Add 3 cloves garlic & 1 T. dill seed per jar. Place jars on baking sheet (or pan.) in oven at 250. (this keeps jars hot so they’ll seal when you add vinegar.) Boil vinegar, salt, and water, pour boiling mixture into hot jars, and immediately put hot bans & lids onto jars. (keep lids & bands hot by boiling them first.) Let cool on counter. (they should seal while cooling.) Let sit 10-12 days before using (this is the hard part! If you can’t stand it, only wait a week!)(Our favorite dill pickles!) makes 6 qts


Mayhaw Jelly



5 cup mayhaw juice

7 cups sugar

1 box pectin

Bring juice to rolling boil. Add sugar all at one time; bring back to rolling boil and boil for 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and skim with metal spoon. Place in jars, skim again. Seal jars and place jars in boiling water bath for 5-10 minutes. Yields 8 or 9 - 8 oz. jars.

Jalapeno Mayhaw Jam



6 cups mayhaw pulp

8 cups sugar

1 box pectin

Jalapeno peppers



Stir fruit pectin into mayhaw pulp. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar all at one time stirring constantly. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Skim off foam and ladle into hot jars containing 3 to 6 rings of sliced Jalapeno peppers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top. With damp cloth, wipe jar rims and threads clean.

Cover jars with hot lids. Screw bands on firmly. Place jars of jam in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Remove from water bath and let cool. Store in a cool place.


"Manwich" Sauce for Canning


1 gallon peeled, cored, chopped ripe tomatoes 2 cups chopped celery 2 cups chopped onions 1 1/2 cups chopped sweet bell peppers 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1 clove garlic, minced 1 Tbsp paprika 1 Tbsp salt 1/2 cup vinegar

Combine tomatoes and vegetables in a large kettle and cook down for about 30 minutes. Press through a food mill. Cook down until it is reduced to about half in volume. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly until mixture is the consistency you want (about an hour). Stir more and more frequently as it thickens or it will scorch. Pour hot into hot jars. Process pints 20 minutes in a boiling water bath, quarts 35 minutes




Taco Sauce for Canning



1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

3 cups water

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon minced dried onion

2 tablespoons canned jalapeno slices



Combine the tomato paste with the water in a large stainless or enamel saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Add the cayenne, chili powder, salt, cornstarch, and vinegar.

In a food processor puree the onion and jalapeno until smooth. Add to tomato water mixture and bring to a boil, stirring often. Once you have reached the hard boil stage cook for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Let stand to cool.

Place in a tightly sealed container and place in the fridge.

This will keep up to 2 months.

If you wish to can this product you pour the hot liquid into clean, sterile hot half pint jars and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

 

[old_anorak]

I don't know that I have a favorite item to can, but if you asked my hubs, he'd tell you that I'll can anything that sits still long enough. I am sure glad you're putting recipes up. I tried to write out a few, but I just didn't like how they looked and I'm more of a hands on person.

 

[Dani]

I bought a Saucemaker Master II a couple months ago that I love. It is handcranked and when you put your fruit/veggies in, it will actually separate the peels and seed from the juice. It have made blackberry jelly and salsa with it so far.

 

[Mightypugs]

I have a ton of sauce and broth/stock canned. I can't wait to get the pressure pot so I can start canning meats.

 

[old_anorak]

Whoa, wait a sec. You boiling water bathed broths? As in meat broths?

 

[Mightypugs]

Yes and it works fine. I did it completely by mistake.

 

[old_anorak]

I know my grandmothers did it open kettle style with a lot of things, but after getting food poisoning once I'm leery of waterbathing anything that's low acid. Just me though.

 

[Mightypugs]

I always make my husband try things first. Hahahahah!

 

[old_anorak]

LOL. How long did you process the broth? I remember open kettle canning vegetables with my grandmother and she would boil the jars for hours. Man, that was a process. The guys would build a fire outside and get it going well and then the iron grate would go over the fire and the metal wash tub on that. They'd fill it with water and as soon as it started to boil, Grannie would start setting the jars in. My job was to keep feeding the fire and to fetch things for her.

 

[Mightypugs]

I boiled pint size jars for 40 mins. It's ironic, I was just reading about that method today.

 

[old_anorak]

Yep, made for some seriously rubbery green beans!

 

[Dani]

For meat, I would use a pressure cooker

 

[Dani]

For meat, I would use a pressure cooker

or even meat broth

 

[old_anorak]

I agree. It's playing with fire otherwise.

 

[Lovemydoggiesx3]

As of now. I can salsa, applesause, pears, jelly and stock. I plan on seriosuly stepping it up this summer when the garden is full. I'm going to can my backyard rabbits, chicken, soups and every fruit and veg I can! Ahh, yes and some backup dog and cat food too!

 

[Mastercajun]

The only thing we waterbath can is like figs, blackberries, tomatoes. All the rest we pressure can. I don't want to take chances. I know the pressure canner will bring my food to the high enough temp. to kill all the bacteria. It will be hard enough just making it through TSHTF without getting food poisoning. Maybe Im paraniod but I would rather do a little more work in the begining than get sick later. OH, I don't like dog or cat as food, they are to rubbery. LOL. Ohhhhhh you met food FOR the dog and cat.LOL

 

[RV-Kitty]

Why not buy one of the great canning books at places like WalMart? They have the Ball book which has all the SAFE times and pressures. There are also places online to get that information.

The only thing we waterbathe is pickles and tomatoes with acid added, as recommended for safety. Everything else goers in the pressure canner. What isn't used is tossed out after 18 months.

This is an excellent site for asking questions on safe methods of canning:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/harvest/

 

[RV-Kitty]

As of now. I can salsa, applesause, pears, jelly and stock. I plan on seriosuly stepping it up this summer when the garden is full. I'm going to can my backyard rabbits, chicken, soups and every fruit and veg I can! Ahh, yes and some backup dog and cat food too!

Make sure you add the correct supplements to the canned cat and dog food to make it a complete and balanced diet for them. That info can be found online on the sites for making raw cat and dog foods.

 

[rachaelk]

I like to can pickles: pickled beets and dill okra is my favorite. my huasband likes sweet pickled zucchinni and squash, I do veggy tom. soup for the kids, spaghetti sauce, 100s cans green beans, greasy, half runner, roma is my favorite, lots of frozen corn, and salsa. It was nice this past year, the only veggy I bought was mostly brocoli, as we didn't grow it, and spring mix. I pressure everything except pickles-no risk. husband says I have to do the garden this year so I doubt I will get to can much He is the expert......

 

[RV-Kitty]

The darn cole crops don't do well where I live so I've bought them also. I love sweet Bread and Butter pickles with cauliflower.

Start stocking up on the lids now. Keep them in a cool place. If the SHTF there wont be any for sale at any price. That's the WEAK spot in canning.

 

[RV-Kitty]

I have a ton of sauce and broth/stock canned.

I hope you followed the Ball Blue Book on canning stocks and broths. I don't have the book down here in FL with me but I'm sure they need to be pressure canned.

I can't wait to get the pressure pot so I can start canning meats.

I have never canned meats. I heard from too many people it really ruins the flavor and texture. Have you ever eaten home canned meat?

 

[Dani]

I hope you followed the Ball Blue Book on canning stocks and broths. I don't have the book down here in FL with me but I'm sure they need to be pressure canned.



I have never canned meats. I heard from too many people it really ruins the flavor and texture. Have you ever eaten home canned meat?

It depends on how you can it

 

[old_anorak]

Danil54grl, I made Dr. Pepper jelly with the kiddo tonight. Just before outcry begins. Yes I know that it has absolutely zero nutritional value and therefore a waste of time, energy, lids, sugar, pectin and anything else that can be thought of and complained about. It was done for fun. I'm sure people can remember what fun is.

Anyhow, she had a blast. We put 12 half pints through the water bath and another not quite full half pint went into the refrigerator. It was tried while ago and declared a success. I'll take her word for it because I can't stand Dr. Pepper. Most of this will be given as gifts to her friends.

 

[RV-Kitty]

It depends on how you can it

Have you ever eaten any canned meats?

 

[old_anorak]

I have eaten canned meats RV-Kitty and as Danil54grl said, a lot of it is in how it is prepared. Canned hamburger can leave much to be desired in texture. Canned chicken isn't bad. I do both raw and cooked chicken, I prefer the raw packed. That is generally what I do with my laying hens that are past their prime. When I can pork, I raw pack in in cubes generally about 1 inch by 1 inch, I'll do beef in the same manner. Some cuts are tougher than others and I will pre-cook those and then can them with meat tenderizer added. I do like the texture of home canned meats more than the texture of commercially canned meats, except for hams.

 

[old_anorak]

I'm not going to lie and tell you that it's going to be the same as eating a steak or a roast because it won't be. I don't can plain ground meat. If I can ground meat, it is seasoned with seasonings that can well and canned in a sauce; tomato, enchilada, something to enhance it. Too many times people will can meat up with the seasonings they normally cook with like onions and green peppers and the results are not good because those vegetables don't can well.

It is nice to be able to have homemade chicken noodle soup on the table in less than a half hour when you're pressed for time by just grabbing a few jars from the shelves. I like the fact that I can control the salt content, I know that doesn't sound like a big deal to many.

 

[RV-Kitty]

I have eaten canned meats RV-Kitty and as Danil54grl said, a lot of it is in how it is prepared. Canned hamburger can leave much to be desired in texture. Canned chicken isn't bad. I do both raw and cooked chicken, I prefer the raw packed. That is generally what I do with my laying hens that are past their prime. When I can pork, I raw pack in in cubes generally about 1 inch by 1 inch, I'll do beef in the same manner. Some cuts are tougher than others and I will pre-cook those and then can them with meat tenderizer added. I do like the texture of home canned meats more than the texture of commercially canned meats, except for hams.

How do you use the canned meat? As flavoring for something like rice or.... ?

 

[RV-Kitty]

I'm not going to lie and tell you that it's going to be the same as eating a steak or a roast because it won't be. I don't can plain ground meat. If I can ground meat, it is seasoned with seasonings that can well and canned in a sauce; tomato, enchilada, something to enhance it. Too many times people will can meat up with the seasonings they normally cook with like onions and green peppers and the results are not good because those vegetables don't can well.

This is probably true. No one I knew canned meat or fish so I really didn't understand the problem.

It is nice to be able to have homemade chicken noodle soup on the table in less than a half hour when you're pressed for time by just grabbing a few jars from the shelves. I like the fact that I can control the salt content, I know that doesn't sound like a big deal to many.

Are you following the Blue Book for density?

 

[old_anorak]

I use the canned meat in casserole dishes, taco fillings, sandwich fillings, chicken salads, pulled pork sandwiches, for all sorts of dishes. I do follow the Blue Book guide lines. I generally do not add water or broth to raw packed meats since the meat creates it's own as it is processed. I don't can fish at all, I don't tolerate the smell of it very well.