Any Other Ladies Who Do Canning? (what do you can?)

[chelsea]

My mom has always canned fruits (peaches, pears, plums, cherries, etc), pickles, pickled carrots, "chow" (green tomatoe relish), salsa and that's all I can think of right now. I am learning everything (since I never used to pay much attention :O ) and we are doing peaches today. It got me thinking...how many other "canning" mamas are out there, and what do you all can?
:popcorn

[Iarwain]

Mostly squash pickles, salsa, and applesauce or apple butter. I wouldn't consider myself hugely into it, but it is useful and economical for some things. I have had to totally teach myself 'cause my mom never knew how to do that kind of thing.

[herbalwriter]

I wish I could but I don't have the big garden this year (my property is really overgrown since xh left). And I am not organized enough to purchase bulk produce and can it. But when I did have a productive garden I tried tomato preserves (disaster), and dill pickles, which were very good. I have also preserved herbs in vinegar.

[Garnet]

I wish I could. But I don't even know where to begin. :shrug My grandma cans green beans, chilies, tomatoes, peaches, pears, jelly.

[chelsea]

Mostly squash pickles, salsa, and applesauce or apple butter.

:yum Oh yum!!! Is the apple butter and applesauce hard to do? Do you have a recipe on the computer that you would be willing to share? :O

I wish I could. But I don't even know where to begin. :shrug My grandma cans green beans, chilies, tomatoes, peaches, pears, jelly.

It's ironic that half those things I wouldn't have even thought you could can...when I know you can buy them canned at the grocery store! :eek
You all have wonderful ideas!!
Any more? :popcorn

[Garnet]

I make apple butter in my slow cooker. I just leave the top off and cover it with a splatter screen. If I'm lazy I just throw un sweetened applesauce in with a bit of sugar, and a dash of cinnamon and cloves. And approx one cup of apple juice. If I'm not lazy I cut apples into cubes, and put them in a pot, with approx 3 cups of apple cider or juice per pound of apples ( about one small bag.) and then I add about 3/4 c. sugar and my spices and bring to a boil. It takes forever that way and you ahve to keep boiling it until the juice is cooked in and the apples begin to soften ( you cna hasten it with a mixer) and then cook, cook, cook til the sugar begins to carmelize and brown. You have to stir constantly at this point or it will burn.

[herbalwriter]

I forgot about apple butter and sauce. I do those, too.

More later...

[Iarwain]

When I do applesauce or butter I just use apples and a little water to simmer in and cook until nice and soft. I usually add cinnamon and for apple butter a dash of nutmeg. Apple butter is just applesauce cooked down with spices. I like to use golden delicious apples because they are nice and sweet without adding sugar.

Seriously it's like this: Peel, core, and chop as many apples as you have. Those spiral peeler/corer/slicer doohickeys are just the thing for this job. Put in large enough pot to hold it all with an inch or two of water and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon to taste if desired. Check periodically for texture. When the apples are mushy and it's as thick as you like it it's time to fill the jars. I like chunky applesauce so I don't even put it through a food mill, just stir periodically to break up the big pieces. For apple butter cook it down more so it's nice and thick and strain or put through a food mill if there are still chunks left at that point. Super easy and yummy.

[herbalwriter]

And applesauce and applebutter are soooo easy in the crockpot. :tu

[Garnet]

pepper jelly, I know someone who does this.

[tempus vernum]

No canning in about 1.5 years but I do plan on canning again.

I can:
tomatoes, tomato sauce, squash, pumpkin, green beans, wax beans, carrots, legumes of all sorts (including a yummy white beans and molasses -- think baked beans). I have done project stuff too after going "picking" Grape juice, grape jelly, raspberry jam.

Hmm. . .can't think of what else - it's been too long. :scratch

[MidnightCafe]

I just learned how to do tomatoes this summer. And I *could* can salsa, too, but it goes so fast in our house that I just make it & store it in a jar without canning. My mom gave me an ancient book about canning this summer. I'm planning to read it & figure out what else I might can this year!

[Ellyane]

My CSA is holding a canning class in 2 weeks! I've been wanting to learn for sooo long. But... My mom did it when I was little, and it seemed to take hours and hours and hours. Somebody tell me this was my child's perspective!?!?

[Iarwain]

My CSA is holding a canning class in 2 weeks! I've been wanting to learn for sooo long. But... My mom did it when I was little, and it seemed to take hours and hours and hours. Somebody tell me this was my child's perspective!?!?


Depends on what you're canning and how much of it. It CAN be an all day activity or you can process a few jars in an hour or less from set-up to clean up.

[hbmamma]

Hmmmm....makes me want to do some this week......

Strawberry/Rhubarb jam (most famous for :shifty)
many other jams: grape, blueberry
salsas
pickles - cukes, green beans, anything really

turns into such a major production that it can be hard to do it with the kids running around....

[The Tickle Momster]

I have canned some. I have done applesauce, blueberry syrup, jam, apple rings, watermelon rind pickles, Cherry jam. It is pretty easy and not too time consuming, if you have a clean kitchen and everything laid out & ready to go. If you are really interested, the Ball Blue Book is excellent for canning and freezing. I think the book cost $7 new.

[JJsMom]

I want a pickle recipe! I don't have those little cukes, someone gave me big ones from their garden and I want to do something with them! I figured I could just slice them and throw in some vingegar and spices. :shrug But does anyone have a recipe? And how do you actually can them, do you put them in boiling water? I've only canned jam. :blush
Oh and what about tomatoes, I have a huge bowl full and I was going to freeze them, but maybe I'll can them instead. :think

[Ellyane]

My CSA is holding a canning class in 2 weeks! I've been wanting to learn for sooo long. But... My mom did it when I was little, and it seemed to take hours and hours and hours. Somebody tell me this was my child's perspective!?!?


Depends on what you're canning and how much of it. It CAN be an all day activity or you can process a few jars in an hour or less from set-up to clean up.


hmm. I suppose this makes sense - the class is scheduled for an hour, so we must be able to do it in that much time. Of course I don't know how much of the prep work they'll have done. But we're supposed to bring knives and cutting boards, so they can't have done that much!

I really want to make my own jams. We have a friend who does it, and they are sooo good!

[chelsea]

My mom did it when I was little, and it seemed to take hours and hours and hours. Somebody tell me this was my child's perspective!?!?

It's actually the truth! But it can be fun if you make it the activity of the day. ;) And it's more fun when someone else is there helping you...it's much easier when you've got a second set of hands and legs!

I want a pickle recipe! I don't have those little cukes, someone gave me big ones from their garden and I want to do something with them! I figured I could just slice them and throw in some vingegar and spices. :shrug But does anyone have a recipe? And how do you actually can them, do you put them in boiling water? I've only canned jam. :blush

We just did pickles. You prepare the dill and cukes (wash, etc) and the jars (put through the dishwasher) and then fill the jars. We also put one or two pieces of garlic into each jar. :yum Meanwhile you have the brine (I think that's what it's called anyways :O ) ready and boiling. The brine is ooh, I can't remember the ratio of salt to vinegar, and I can't remember if it's all vinegar or some water too. :scratch I'm TOTALLY not remembering any of this, and it was only a week ago. :blush After filling the jars with cukes, you put them in the oven to keep hot until you are ready...only have the oven on about 200 so the jars do not break (you don't have to but if your timing is off this keeps the jars and cukes hot). You want to throw your lids and tops into a pot of boiling water at last minute to get hot and "sealish". Then you pour the brine into the jars almost to the top and wipe off the rim before putting the lids on tightly. And that's all. No putting them into a pot of boiling water or anything. You set them on the table until you see that they have all sealed (the lids will pop in as they seal...if they don't pop and go concave they are not sealed) When they are cool enough, move them to the pantry ;) and then wait 6 weeks. Waiting is the hard part. The trick though, is keeping everything hot or they may not seal and then your day is a waste. :/ You can also do this recipe with carrots instead of cukes. Still use the dill and garlic, but carrots in place of cukes. I realize I left out the important stuff (ratio in the brine) but if you are interested, I will find it and post it.

[JJsMom]

That sounds like I could do it! I keep looking at this big heap of cukes and wondering what on earth I am going to do with them! Do you use little ones or cut up regular ones like I have? Okay, so far I have on my shopping list: vinegar (distilled or apple cider?), garlic and I'll need some more canning jars. I'm excited to make these! If you could give me the specifics, that would be awesome!!! :tu Thank you!

[Iarwain]

I do sweet bread and butter pickles that are sliced. Actually I use zucchini, but the recipe was for cukes. I found my recipe online by doing a search. It's pretty easy.

[JJsMom]

I made pickles today! :tu I made 11 jars! 5 jars of sweet pickles and 6 jars of dill pickles. It took awhile, it wasn't hard, just a lot of standing! I also had to sit down and figure out how much vinegar I needed and how many cukes I had. :think But I did open one of the jars already of the sweet pickles :O and they were yummy! I can tell they need some time in the brine, but I liked them! I'll wait for the dill, the sweet pickles didn't say they really needed time to sit.
So, how long will they last if I didn't do the hotwater bath method? I just poured the boiling water into the jar and put the lid on it, so it sealed. I am keeping the sweet pickles in the fridge, but the dills in the pantry.
I feel like I accomplished something today! :rockon

[chelsea]

I made pickles today! :tu I made 11 jars! 5 jars of sweet pickles and 6 jars of dill pickles. It took awhile, it wasn't hard, just a lot of standing! I also had to sit down and figure out how much vinegar I needed and how many cukes I had. :think But I did open one of the jars already of the sweet pickles :O and they were yummy! I can tell they need some time in the brine, but I liked them! I'll wait for the dill, the sweet pickles didn't say they really needed time to sit.
So, how long will they last if I didn't do the hotwater bath method? I just poured the boiling water into the jar and put the lid on it, so it sealed. I am keeping the sweet pickles in the fridge, but the dills in the pantry.
I feel like I accomplished something today! :rockon

Awesome! :rockon Sorry I didn't get the recipe to you! :O Sounds like you did great anyways! :grin
We don't do a hotwater bath for our pickles either...only for fruit. :shrug I didn't know you could do them in hotwater bath. Our pickles would last a long time, at least a year (probably much, much more) that I know of. Of course, they ALWAYS get eaten much sooner than that around here! :giggle

[MamatoBiz]

In the last couple years, I did pickled cucumbers, pickled okra, pickled green beans (because if you pickle, you don't have to pressure-can), peaches, apricots, jams of all sorts. This year I've got way too much going on, and I'm only doing diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and salsa. And I'm only doing that because my three tomato plants went completely bonkers and I've got a couple hundred tomatoes easily. Seriously....that one raised bed is the home to FrankenMater.

[Iarwain]

Gotta ask. How do pickled green beans taste? I know that they used to pickle anything and everything but I'm having a hard time imagining it.

If you have an older canning cookbook (thanks to garage sales I have a few) you'll find some really interesting, and sometimes disgusting, pickle recipes.

[herbalwriter]

Seriously....that one raised bed is the home to FrankenMater.

:laughtears

I just wanted to share that my great-grandmother really knew how to can. In the basement of their farm house there are canned goods from the 1960s at the latest - probably more like the 1940s or 50s. They could be from even earlier. And they still look fine! ...except for one that had blown its top... :sick

[MamatoBiz]

Mmmmm pickled green beans are one of our very, very favorite snacks! Oh they are so good. You make a pickle brine just like for cucumbers, and you pack the jars like this: 2 peeled cloves garlic, a handful of fresh dill sprigs, a teaspoon or so of celery seed, a teaspoon or so of mustard seed, and one dried red chili pepper from the mexican aisle of the grocery...I have no idea what actual type these chilies are. You could probably use just about any medium to hot chili, and it wouldn't have to be dry. Anyway, tip the jar halfway to sideways (that make sense?) and start filling it with green beans so that they are standing straight up in the jar. Back up-snap the stem end off but leave the pointy end. Once you've got the jar packed as full as you can, fill up the spaces at the top with beans snapped into smaller pieces. Fill to 1 inch from the top with hot brine. Take a wooden skewer and poke it down into the jar a few times, wiggling it around to help the air bubbles rise. Then cap and water-bath process them for 10 minutes.

Yum yum yum yum yum. YUM.