What are you canning now? - Page 635

Trying canning for the first time.  I wanted to save stock from my chickens.

Looks like fantastic stock, for future reference your jars should be fuller, you should have only 1 inch of space from the very top of the jar. The reason you do that is because food will darken if too much air space is in there and also for proper pressure creating the vacuum so the lids seals properly. You used a pressure canner right?

Over pressure or ( heat two high, wieht rocking too fast), will cause alot of the liquid to boil out of the jar and screw up the headspace. A gentle rocking is all that's needed. It takes 10# of pressure to move the wieght, making it go fast is overheating the goods.

I think where they are all so even, they were probably just not filled enough. Either way there are many lessons to be learned when beginning canning and this was a great tip.

That was my first batch.  I purposely did a small batch first to make sure I knew what I was doing.  There is a lot to take in the first time:  headspace, heating everything, and the pressure canner in itself has a lot to keep in mind.   I did another larger batch yesterday and I filled it more.  It is definitely a learning experience. 

YES there is, and it is just as addicting as chickens I am already itching for canning season to start!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mebberry4 

 I first tried my hand at canning this past fall by making a batch of dill pickle chips. I'm embarrassed to say I have not tried any of them yet. I followed the recipe and canned them appropriately, but every so often I pull a few of the jars down to see if the lids have popped (none have so far). I'm sure they are fine, but since they are my first try ever I am nervous.

 

Open those jars and eat those pickles.  There is NOTHING as good as your own product.  And if you don't taste them you won't know if you want to adjust the recipe next time.  Or, LOL, you will end up with a houseful of jars full of food which in your mind you are afraid to eat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcatblum 

Question for those that have copied all the recipes through the thread. Is there a way we could have a mod just sticky the recipes. I know there is a BYC recipe section. Could they be compiled & put in the recipe section (sorry only visited the recipe section once, not way familiar w it). Any thought on how to access the recipes & save them without taking a month to read the thread.

The Recipe Index (One of the stickys) contains links to most of the recipes.  Recipes get added to the index by going to the thread called "MUST READ! Attn! Recipe Help Needed!" (Also a sticky) and pasting the link to the recipe.  The Instructions say "When posting a recipe, please make sure it is posted here as a recipe not a link to another site.  Please only put the link to the thread and not put the recipe here in this thread".  

Hope that helps

ETA:  I think by 'make sure it is posted here as a recipe' they mean the recipe is actually on BYC, and that it is not just a link to another site.  Lots of posters just give links to other cooking websites.

Hi all! I only did a little canning last year due to morning sickness being in full swing. I did freeze some berries so that I could make jam when ready. So do I just let the berries thaw and then use just as I would fresh for making jam? Thanks!