Preserving Your Harvest

[Smokerbill]

I just finished making/canning 7 pints of medium hot picante salsa. 5 cups chopped jalapenos/serranos, 1 cup green bell pepper, 6 cups chopped onions and 8 cups peeled,cored, seeded and chopped tomatoes.

Now that I'm familiar with the process I was able to do it in less time. My first batch last week took 8 hours. This batch only took 3 hours, start to finish.

I was less worried about cutting the perfect size pieces. I just chopped fast and tried to keep everything around 1/2", making a chunky salsa.

Probably should've worn gloves when seeding/chopping the jalapeno and serrano peppers. My hands are still burning, but the sauce isn't really that hot. More like a medium if compared to Pace.

I have all the skins/seeds/cores simmering on the stove. I'll strain out the juice to drink and give the chickens the rest.

 

[Smokerbill]

Change of plans for the juice I was making from the tomato garbage. I cooked it all for a while, hit it with my immersion blender then strained it out.

Now it's cooking with some salt, vinegar, a bunch of spices and 1/4 cup of molasses. It will be BBQ sauce when it's reduced enough. I might throw in a little Wright's Liquid Smoke at the end too.



ETA: Ended up with two half pints of bbq sauce plus a mostly filled half pint for the fridge. I used a previously-used lid for the fridge jar since it really didn't have to seal. It tastes pretty good too.

BTW, those half pint jars are Walmart's Mainstays branded jars, rings and lids. They seemed to do fine for water bath processing, all the lids popped down and sealed. I'll pull up on them tomorrow to see if the seals are for sure tight.

 

[muddy75]

Pickled another quart of hot peppers today

 

[tripletfeb]

I really need to get into my garden and get more carrots out. But being sick has really wiped my energy

 

[pennyJo1960]

I really need to get into my garden and get more carrots out. But being sick has really wiped my energy

I do hope you are better soon!

 

[Sammster]

Dinner, tonight - sans eggs. I'll be making a meatloaf to go with the veggies. I've never had rutabaga, but I understand they are comparable to potatoes.
I need to don some gloves and chop up DH's hot peppers for the freezer.

 

[Sally PB]

Let us know about the rutabaga! It was a favorite of my grandma's. I can't recall the last time I had any; probably in "boiled dinner" that my mom made when I was a kid. So 45-50 years ago...?
wow, time flies.

 

[Sammster]

Let us know about the rutabaga! It was a favorite of my grandma's. I can't recall the last time I had any; probably in "boiled dinner" that my mom made when I was a kid. So 45-50 years ago...?
wow, time flies.

We liked it. It was like a firmer, more strongly-flavored potato. I think the next time I roast them, I'll put them in before the rest of the root vegetables, to give them a bit more time. The recipe called for the addition of Rosemary, near the end of roasting. Perfect herb for the root veggies.

 

[Birdsonghill]

To those who have not tried pesto, Try It! You may like it. Rutabaga is one of my staple fall/winter crops here. They will remain in edible condition most of the winter in the ground or store for a month or two in the refrigerator veggie drawer. I grew up eating Boiled dinners, with a beef pot roast or corned beef with cabbage and root vegetables. Rutabaga was always a part. My mother also made an oven baked dish of mashed boiled rutabaga that I never learned the recipe. We sprinkle cooked rutabaga with wine vinegar or pepper sauce sometimes for added flavor. You will never starve over the winter if you grow plenty of rutabagas! I find them similar a mild turnip with a slightly different taste. They can grow huge, but most are great about the size of a softball . I am rambling, but I want to mention that pesto can be made with other green herbs and nuts, rather than just basil and pine nuts. Flat leaf Parsley and walnut pesto is good! Use the best virgin olive oil and plenty of garlic and sea salt. We spread it on sour dough toasted rounds or drop dollops of it on pizza sometimes or into a quick sauce for instant flavor that compliments tomatoes so well on pasta.

 

[Smokerbill]

Every time I see rutabagas in the store they have been waxed. Must make them keep longer without shriveling up.