Canning 2009

[Jyotsna]

Lets start a new thread on canning. I haven't seen too many post by those of you who are canning ect.

I'm a newby to home canning, and I am having fun so far. I'd love to hear more about vegetable canning. Thanks!

[lmonter]

I've been mostly on the food-growing mama's thread yapping about whatever, including canning.

Whatcha want to hear about vegetable canning?

[Owen'nZoe]

I only water bath can, so I do pickled veggies, but no plain veggies. This year, I've made dilly beans already, but am still waiting to get cucumbers for pickles.

[serenetabbie]

No canning done here yet this year... we managed to burn out the darn stove again. I guess we cook too much to have a regular cook top. Let me get back to you in two weeks or so when our new and improved cooktop arrives I am thinking about doing some on the grill a la Lanna style his weekend though... the peaches are not going to wait!

If you are looking for tips and some recipes, you can check out the 101 threads pinned at the top of the forum.

[lmonter]

Camp stove, not grill, Laura. Don't want you to break your grill, too, then you'll be in a world of hurt and raw food.

[cristeen]

I don't really do much vegetable canning, but I do have 11 pounds of tomatoes in the pot right now that I have to do something with. Some of them will become jam and the rest will become sauce.

Yesterday was strawberry jam and pickled watermelon rind. And I have peaches and pears sitting here that also need canning before the week is out. The dishwasher is running with a full load of canning jars right now.

[hjrowan]

I made raspberry freezer jam over the weekend (first time), which turned out very well. I'll be doing "real" blueberry jam this weekend I think!

Also pulled and froze all my remaining kale last night to make room for an Autumn garden (root veg/lettuce mainly). I'm hopefully going to have a load of beans in September but don't want to invest in a pressure canner yet, so think I'll be freezing those too!
Does freezing count?!

[Owen'nZoe]

Originally Posted by cristeen

I don't really do much vegetable canning, but I do have 11 pounds of tomatoes in the pot right now that I have to do something with. Some of them will become jam and the rest will become sauce.

Yesterday was strawberry jam and pickled watermelon rind. And I have peaches and pears sitting here that also need canning before the week is out. The dishwasher is running with a full load of canning jars right now.

How funny - I made pickled watermelon rind this past week, too. I've never made it before, and realized after it was canned that I was supposed to leave the spices in for much longer than I did. I hope it turns out ok!

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Well, so far I've done:

sweet cherry jam
zucchini relish
hot & sweet pickled pepper rings
raspberry cherry conserve
strawberry jam
strawberry blueberry jam
strawberry rhubarb jam
golden nectar juice
blueberry chutney
spiced blueberry jam
blueberry pie filling

I guess that's about it so far. I have 15 lbs of peaches coming on Thursday. I haven't done peach slices in a few years. I'm going to put up a few pints this year. And some low-sugar peach jam...simply because I accidentally bought a box of low-sugar pectin, might as well use it!

I'll do yet this year for sure:
bread & butter pickles
dills
dilly beans
pumpkin marmalade
salsa
maybe some spaghetti sauce & vegetable juice if I have enough tomatoes

And, as you can tell, I have a bit of a problem, er, uh, I mean serious hobby, so anything else that looks pretty will probably end up in a jar.

I freeze most of my veggies. I even freeze tomatoes anymore because I HATE peeling them. It's easy, I just chop up cubes & measure 2 cups which is about equal to a can. Use them just like canned. Although, it does remind me I want to do some roasted tomatoes...I found a good recipe in my book. Like I said, serious problem...

I also have three vinegars steeping at the moment:
Rosemary vinegar
blueberry basil vinegar &
raspberry mint vinegar

I find this is a good way to use things that would otherwise go to waste, like the raspberry pulp from making the conserve or the smashed blueberries that come from shoving 15 lbs into one basket. I also plan on getting another 3 or 4 going yet this year.

[Contrariety]

Just about killed my pregnant self off last night with my first batch of salsa.

Man! I've gotta find some stamina somewhere or I won't last this canning season. It's too hot!

[FarmerCathy]

You and Lanna. Canning queens. I hope to be at that point in a couple years, esp. since now it looks like I will have some help in the process, which is so cool.

[Epona]

subbing

[mamadelbosque]

I haven't done any canning yet this year. Basicly I can tomatoes, apple sauce, apple butter & apple cider and thats about it... I freeze most everything else (peas, beans, fruit, broccoli, etc). Over the winter when we run out of jam/jelly I pull some of my frozen fruit out and make a batch or two up. And my tomatoes are just starting to think about turning red, and apples are at least a month or two away yet

ETA: Oh and I'd *LIKE* to try canning some dill pickles... but I forgot to plant dill and my cucumbers have done absolutely abismal, so IDK.. I will probably buy a bunch of jalapenos and pickle them again this year though (pickled jalapenos are SOOO yummy!!)

[lmonter]

Oh geez, you guys want lists? Hmmm... let's see if I can remember.

Frozen: something like 4-5 batches of strawberry jam.

Root cellared (ish): garlic, once it's done curing in the shed.

Dehydrated: Chives, apricots, peas, lemon zest, lime zest, cherries, strawberry fruit leather, cherry fruit leather, strawberries, parsley, basil, stevia, and I can't remember what else right now. Have onions I need to dehydrate when I'm done with cherries, too.

Canned: Apricots. Seedless raspberry jam. Huckleberry jam.
Strawberry jam - low sugar and very low sugar. Cherry limeade concentrate. Strawberry lemonade concentrate. Raspberry lemonade concentrate.
Chicken stock, with more coming in the next few days as we have some bones from bone-in chicken breasts to use up. Hoping to try canning some freezer burnt chicken breasts with chicken stock to see if they become usable again... I need a nap.


If that gives you a taste... haven't hit the main harvest season where I'll be losing my mind, that's coming shortly here... once peaches, apples, pears, tomatoes, beans, grapes, plums and such start coming on, all bets are off. And I won't be getting much sleep. Remind me to do an end of the season pantry shot if/when you guys are curious. I'll probably do email stuff rather than link from anywhere public like here though. With things going as they are lately. *sigh*

[Jyotsna]

Imonter,

Can I be your canning bitch?

[janey99]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Oh geez, you guys want lists? Hmmm... let's see if I can remember.

Frozen: something like 4-5 batches of strawberry jam.

Root cellared (ish): garlic, once it's done curing in the shed.

Dehydrated: Chives, apricots, peas, lemon zest, lime zest, cherries, strawberry fruit leather, cherry fruit leather, strawberries, parsley, basil, stevia, and I can't remember what else right now. Have onions I need to dehydrate when I'm done with cherries, too.

Canned: Apricots. Seedless raspberry jam. Huckleberry jam.
Strawberry jam - low sugar and very low sugar. Cherry limeade concentrate. Strawberry lemonade concentrate. Raspberry lemonade concentrate.
Chicken stock, with more coming in the next few days as we have some bones from bone-in chicken breasts to use up. Hoping to try canning some freezer burnt chicken breasts with chicken stock to see if they become usable again... I need a nap.


If that gives you a taste... haven't hit the main harvest season where I'll be losing my mind, that's coming shortly here... once peaches, apples, pears, tomatoes, beans, grapes, plums and such start coming on, all bets are off. And I won't be getting much sleep. Remind me to do an end of the season pantry shot if/when you guys are curious. I'll probably do email stuff rather than link from anywhere public like here though. With things going as they are lately. *sigh*

Hi lmonter -

Mind if I ask you your dehydrating and freezing resources? I'm about to have a ton of tomatoes, but I'm kind of leery about freezing because I'm concerned I'll do it wrong. Also, I'd love to try sun dried or oven dried tomatoes too, but need a starting point.

Thanks so much if you have time to post some links or tips!

Jane

[HydeParkB]

Originally Posted by Contrariety

Just about killed my pregnant self off last night with my first batch of salsa.

Man! I've gotta find some stamina somewhere or I won't last this canning season. It's too hot!

TRUE! It's harder this year.

DH canned more salsa. This weekend I canned 10 quarts of tomatoes. One didn't seal and I used those yesterday. Looks like we will have more tomatoes to can this weekend. :

The home-canned tomatoes have been a great discovery. DH HATES anything with metal-canned tomatoes; I think they pick up too much of the metal taste. This made making a lot of soups, chilis, stews, etc., impossible.

[AFWife]

Does anyone want to be my canning tutor? I'm thinking I can save money by buying veggies and making my own stuff (apartment so no garden)

[Owen'nZoe]

Is there any way to can your own fire-roasted tomatoes? Those are our faves, but I'm trying to get away from using canned tomatoes this year. I only have a water-bath canner - no pressure canner.

[notwonamesalike]

So far:

6 pints raspberry lemonade concentrate
12 pints strawberry lemonade concentrate
6 pints peach lemonade concentrate
6 pints cherry limeade concentrate
6 pints blueberry lemonade concentrate

10 quarts canned apricots
9 quarts dilly beans
9 quarts apricot nectar

7 pints raspberry jam
10 pints strawberry-rhubarb freezer jam
5 pints strawberry freezer jam
7 pints peach jam
14 pints apricot jam

3 gallons strawberries frozen
3 gallons blueberries frozen
2 gallons raspberries frozen

Dehydrated:
basil, lemon thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, chives, sage, cherries (1 gallon), apricots (1 quart), zucchini (1 gallon), beef jerky (1 gallon), pineapple (1 quart)

blanched and froze 6 quarts of green beans.

Lots more to do still.