Anyone do lots of home canning/food preserving?

[ChickenToes]

I'm a canner and a freezer. I bought a dehydrator last year, but I never really got into it.

There's a berry farm about an hour away from me, and I plan on picking a flat or two of strawberries again this year. Then I can strawberry preserves and make freezer jam as well.

Right now I'm waiting for good peaches and pineapples to hit the stores, then I'll stock up on those and can them. Peaches and pineapple that you can at home are so much better than the ones you buy.

 

[Scoop]

About the only thing we dehydrate is Venison Jerky which is way better than anything that you can buy. You're right, ChickenToes about peaches, they are so tasty when you can them yourself. I like the fact that I have control of the sugar.

 

[SportTees]

Quote:
I would love to be 100% self sufficient- no more elecrtic or food bills- everything is healthier and you know where your food comes from. Excellent Work at 75%

 

[ChickenToes]

Quote:
Absolutely! That's one of the biggest reasons I like to can my own, I don't have to drown them in a sugary syrup...

 

[thedeacon]

We have canned for many years.
Last years list

Whole tomatoes 45 qts. ran out
tomato juice 110 qts. will run out
peaches 30 qts only 1 tree, will run out
apple sauce 10 qts 20 pts, will run out
apple pie filling 10 qts will run out
apple jelly 20 half pints, will run out, squandered
dill pickles 4 gal, 15 qts. we do not process, just
add the brine and refrigerate
green beans 20 pints ran out early
apples 33 qt bags dehydrated 6-7 apples/ bag
salsa 20 qts
spagetta sauce 10 qts, not worth all the work
Whole roma tomato froze whole, run frozen tomato under
hot tap water and skin comes right off.
Just add to any soup. Freeze on cook
sheet then put in bags. Use as few or
many as you want.
I wanted to make apple cider. But it needs to be frozen to keep and my freezer was already full. 2 yrs ago had 17 gals and ran out soon. I want my own press

I also store different varities of winter squash and sweet potatoes. I still have a few left, and they are still firm and sweet.

We have aslo made vegatible soup with 10 different veggies from our garden (in season veggies) how delicious.

Preserving food is great but it all starts with a good garden.

I quit using the pressure crooker, takes about the same time as water bath and can do 10 qts in bath vs 7 qts in cooker.

Enjoy the wonders to come.

I will say, these items do not really reduce the grocery bill that much. If we didn't can and freeze we just would not purchase most of these items or at least not as much.

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Absolutely! That's one of the biggest reasons I like to can my own, I don't have to drown them in a sugary syrup...

We make venison jerky and beef jerky. Yep.....store bought is no comparison.

It's true, home canned peaches are to die for....Yummo! We can them in a light syrup....so much more flavor than commercially canned in heavy syrup - and much healtheir too.

 

[SarahBeth9394]

I've made peach butter before and am waiting not so patiently for our peaches to ripen so I can make some more. This evening I made my first batch of plum jam. I hope it turns out. The plums were really soft. We'll know in a day or so.

 

[geebs]

Get a canning book... The blue book by Ball is good... Follow the directions.... to a T. it is all about science.... Pay attention to the science. Acidity and temps and times. IT IS FUN!!! if you start with Jams and work your way up to water bathing high acid fruits that is the easiest. Peaches (no cling) and Tomatoes... Whole cherries are a no brainer.... Pickles can be a lot of fun.... Remember it is an art and enjoy the ride. Good luck!!!!!!!!

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Hopefully the jam worked. There was a little left over that I couldn't put in a jar so I put it in a small tuperware container and stuck it in the fridge. It set. So fingers are crossed. I told hubby I wanted to plant at least 10 zucchini's next year and if my green beans grow I want to do more of those for canning. We planted twice as many jalapeno's this year so I'm looking forward to canning some sliced ones. We already freeze them and got a year supply from last years crop.

Right now I'm using a big spaghetti pot with lid rings on the bottom for a water bath. I think after hubby tastes the jam he'll be ok with putting out the money for a real water bath. I'm gonna start watching ebay and keep a closer eye on craigslist. I've been eyeballing the Ball book.

Oh I need to ad a question. Is zucchini relish a dill or a sweet type? My mom used to make bread and butter pickles using zucchini. They were the best I ever had.

 

[jambunny]

I have had both sweet and dill relish from zucchini. Have you ever planted zucchinni? I usually do 2 hills of that and 2 of yellow summer squash and have enough for me and most of the people I work with. It is a wonderfully productive plant.