What are you canning now? - Page 637

That does sound like a bad batch.  How disappointing. 

 

You know I was thinking after posting here earlier, in the spirit of full disclosure, I have magazines that are several years old and still in great shape so maybe I'm not the best gauge of wear and tear.  LOL! 

Ahhhhhh, the canning thread is active once again.  Can there be a better sign that spring is in the air?  Well, and baby chicks of course!

We can hope, gardendufus, my canner has been collecting dust for too long.  I'm more than ready for this year's growing season.  Asparagus, strawberries and rhubarb aren't far off. 

Thank You!

 

Rhubarb is coming up nicely! Can't wait to make some strawberry/rhubarb jam and rhubarb sauce. It will be the first year that I will get to use my own rhubarb. Yay!!!

 

I didn't know there was a hardcover of the Ball canning books. I've used mine for four years now. There are some pages that look loved.  So far it's not falling apart, though. If it starts, I know I can get a hardcover! It was a gift from my aunt before I even started canning so I had no idea. Hoping I get a chance to make some raspberry jam from my frozen berries this weekend. We'll see if baby lets Momma get it done.

I have done some canning this winter.  Tons of marmalades, and a few wine preserves.  Yummy.

I also have been practicing canning stocks in my pressure canner.

 

Some of my favorite canning recipes are in:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Small-Batch-Preserving-Year-Round/dp/1554072565/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216924343&sr=8-1

 

Every recipe I have made from it is a "Wow!" recipe.  Every single one is a home run.  The instructions are easy, the flavors are interesting.

It is not as versatile as the Blue book, but I plan to get it for a few friends who are interested in learning to can this year.  I think the chapters are well set up & the Blue Book was a little overwhelming to some of my friends who were just starting out last summer.

 

Thanks for the recommendation!  What do they mean, exactly, by "small batch"?  I've seen that book before but was always turned off by the name.  I don't like to run less than a full canner, but it just dawned on me that perhaps the recipes aren't that small? 

The batches are a lot smaller than I normally use (it varies, but 8 8 oz jars usually?).  What I did was make a few kinds of preserves at a time & fill the canner with a few different recipes.

It made no more work than a large batch, and I had a lot of variety every time I canned.

My favorite recipes I'll probably make larger versions of the recipes for home use when I have an abundance of something.

Or go back to my Blue Book.

It's a great second book, if you have The Blue Book already.  I think if someone is on the fence about canning this is a good one, too.  Batches are small.  Many don't require a pressure canner (though they have instructions for both) and they have some neat flavor profiles.  Perfect for gift giving over the holidays (the book or the products).

It has not replaced my Blue Book, but it has won a permanent spot on my bookshelf.  (And a lot of dog-eared favorite recipes, too.)

Thank you!!! Ill have to put that book on my list now too!! I think I have all the others...I love doing small batched of things...Ill can all day and have 10 kinds of jams or something else cooling off on my counters...my pressure canner is getting really lonely these days and my garden cant even be tilled until the snow stops flying!!!

While we are on the topic of books, this is my favorite non jam/jelly book (Ball Complete is my ulitmate fav.) these two never leave my counter during the summer!  http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-Pickling-Relishes/dp/0778802167/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333196637&sr=8-2