Preserving Your Harvest

[CatInTheHenHouse]

My crock pot is 7 quarts, 4 is pretty little for sauce. But I cook it, covered, on high for about 10 hours. Then remove the lid and use my immersion blender to chop it all up. Leave the lid off and cook for another 3 ish hours. It's easier for me because I don't peel or take the seeds out of the tomatoes. Just wash, core, and chop

Do you need to add water or anything? Stir at particular intervals?

 

[tripletfeb]

Do you need to add water or anything? Stir at particular intervals?

No to the water. The tomatoes have more than enough and you are cooking them down. Adding water would be redundant. And I stir if I think about it. A crock pot is designed to cook for a really long time and not be disturbed. I will stir it a little after I use my immersion blender. But that's usually just to see how thick it has become

 

[tripletfeb]

You know, I could cook small batches of sauce in my crockpot and refrigerate or freeze it. Then when there's enough for a canner full of jars, reheat and process it.

That does sound a lot easier than watching over/stirring tomatoes in a big pot on a burner. I'm going to try your method. Thanks!

Yup, that would work! And feel free to add veggies or seasonings if you want

 

[Smokerbill]

My last picking of tomatoes (13 pounds) all ripened and I was thinking about canning them somehow today. But since most of them are little, from 3/4 to 1.5 inches in diameter, it would be a big pain to blanch and remove the skins. So I took the easy way out and put them whole in the freezer, about 1-1/2 gallons worth. And there will be many more tiny tomatoes for me to freeze... or give to the chickens.

I've decided to use only the larger tomatoes for canning, which will be much easier to work with.

Salsa will be my next canning project, since I have plenty of peppers, garlic and onions from the garden to use. But I'll still have to buy cilantro- I didn't plant any this year.

The new regulator-hose assembly I had to order for my propane turkey fryer burner arrives Monday. I can get back to canning outside.

 

[tripletfeb]

My last picking of tomatoes (13 pounds) all ripened and I was thinking about canning them somehow today. But since most of them are little, from 3/4 to 1.5 inches in diameter, it would be a big pain to blanch and remove the skins. So I took the easy way out and put them whole in the freezer, about 1-1/2 gallons worth. And there will be many more tiny tomatoes for me to freeze... or give to the chickens.

I've decided to use only the larger tomatoes for canning, which will be much easier to work with.

Salsa will be my next canning project, since I have plenty of peppers, garlic and onions from the garden to use. But I'll still have to buy cilantro- I didn't plant any this year.

The new regulator-hose assembly I had to order for my propane turkey fryer burner arrives Monday. I can get back to canning outside.

You should make and can veggie soup with all those veggies. It uses up a lot of tomatoes because they are the base instead of broth. And just wash, core(if needed) and chop. That's what I'll be doing today but I'm adding beef stew meat. And beans and carrots from the garden

 

[tripletfeb]

You should make and can veggie soup with all those veggies. It uses up a lot of tomatoes because they are the base instead of broth. And just wash, core(if needed) and chop. That's what I'll be doing today but I'm adding beef stew meat. And beans and carrots from the garden

Forgot to say that the tomatoes get cut then thrown in the blender to mash them or chop them down. Then put in the pot to cook

 

[Smokerbill]

You should make and can veggie soup with all those veggies. It uses up a lot of tomatoes because they are the base instead of broth. And just wash, core(if needed) and chop. That's what I'll be doing today but I'm adding beef stew meat. And beans and carrots from the garden

Forgot to say that the tomatoes get cut then thrown in the blender to mash them or chop them down. Then put in the pot to cook

Thanks! I might give that a try.

 

[Smokerbill]

Is anybody going to make sauerkraut this fall? I'm thinking about making a small 5 pound batch.

I have a 1 gallon glass wide mouth container like these, and I'm not sure if 5 pounds of shredded cabbage will fit in it.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Is anybody going to make sauerkraut this fall? I'm thinking about making a small 5 pound batch.

I have a 1 gallon glass wide mouth container like these, and I'm not sure if 5 pounds of shredded cabbage will fit in it.

View attachment 3943609

Might want to buy a bigger jar? or split between the two.

 

[tripletfeb]

Is anybody going to make sauerkraut this fall? I'm thinking about making a small 5 pound batch.

I have a 1 gallon glass wide mouth container like these, and I'm not sure if 5 pounds of shredded cabbage will fit in it.

View attachment 3943609

I have sauerkraut already fermenting on my counter. It's only in a quart size jar so it's just one small head of cabbage. I don't know how much would fit in those jars