Preserving Your Harvest

[Sally PB]

I pickled the cucamelons tonight. I'll let you know how they taste in a couple weeks.

 

[Smokerbill]

My almost finished tomato paste sat in the fridge the last couple days. It tasted really good as it was, so this morning I decided to just process it as a very thick tomato sauce.

I ended up with 5 full half-pints for the pantry. And enough left over for my breakfast scrambled eggs (along with some cooked collards and onions). All 5 lids made a nice pop after I pulled them out of the water.

 

[Smokerbill]

Today's project...



https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/vegetable-pickles/pickled-bread-and-butter-zucchini/

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/ge...ing/low-temperature-pasteurization-treatment/

ETA: I picked the last 3 zukes out of the garden, plus a big one from the fridge to get the needed 16 cups. Sliced them in my KitchenAid veggie slicer, onions by hand. They're soaking in salt water now.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Another year, so another year trying to make salsa that I actually might like. Here's to hoping! 15 1/2 pints.

 

[Smokerbill]

Just finished my B&B pickles. The thick-slice cone on my mixer attachment cuts pretty thin, around 1/16". It'll work.

I ended up with 3 full quarts and an almost-full quart that's in the fridge. I would've used pint jars but I'm out and I'm not buying any more jars this year. And I needed to use the quart jars for something...

I did not try the low-temp for 30 minutes pasteurization method. I felt like it would be safer processing with a hard boil for the recommended 10 minutes. Well, I actually gave them 12, so I hope they're not too soft.

 

[Smokerbill]

All the approved salsa recipes I've seen just give the option of processing in pint jars, with no processing time given for quarts.

Since salsa is more of a side dish to me than a condiment I'd like to can some in quarts. So I wonder if I could can it in quarts and add 5 or 10 minutes to the processing time, and still be safe.

I guess another option would be to process the quarts and keep them in the fridge.

Oh yeah, made a little jar full of pickled horseradish yesterday. The root was old and it's a little tough, but there's a new root in the garden waiting to be dug up.

 

[Sammster]

I personally like the more pronounced flavor of rutabaga often served with potatoes ,carrots and cabbage in my home. Boiling them instead of roasting tones them down a little bit. I prefer them roasted more often than not, but still use them in a boiled beef dinner. Often in boiling the dinner, corned beef/beef roast, bay leaf, black pepper, a bit of pickling spice, garlic is in the seasoning mix. Roasted , I toss them in olive oil and herbs/spices, often oregano, a bit of garlic, rosemary, salt , red pepper flakes and black pepper. Experiment a bit and suit your own taste! They will always have more pronounced flavor than a plain potato but together they both compliment a dinner, for me. They are similar a turnip, but have their own thing/taste. I admit getting tired of them some winters, but I eat them often.

Thank you ♡

 

[Smokerbill]

I know I'm starting to sound like a skipping record, but I made salsa again today, 7 pints plus a half pint. I think that makes 31 pints total. No more, I think.

 

[tripletfeb]

I have tomato sauce going in the crock pot. Just waiting for it to thicken so I can can it

 

[Smokerbill]

I ordered one of these doohickeys yesterday, a special deal from Walmart. It should make making apple butter, sauce and dehydrated slices a lot easier.