Preserving Your Harvest

[Justagalwithchicks]

My first attempt at dill pickle relish is in progress.

Will I know what it tastes like at the end of the cooking process - before water bath canning? Or will the taste develope more with the water bath and/or over time?

This is a test batch. I'm trying to avoid making a year's worth before discovering I would prefer a different recipe.

I always taste mine before canning, but your flavor will be better with time.

 

[Sally PB]

Rings are getting a bit rusty, is there some predestined time to need to replace them?

Rings are just a tool is how I look at it. They are there to hold lid down while processing. Then I take mine off wash and store. Rusty rings are used rings. Just the way it should be

I check to make sure that there aren't too many rough rust spots. A few years ago, I had 3 out of 7 jar of tomatoes fail to seal. I took a look at the rings, and they had numerous spots of rust. I bought a box of 12 lids with rings, and had no problems the rest of the year.

A friend of mine stores all her canned goods with the rings on them. I don't do that; I don't have 70 wide mouth rings (tomatoes) and 40-50 regular rings (jam, salsa, applesauce). I think they rust more and faster that way.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I check to make sure that there aren't too many rough rust spots. A few years ago, I had 3 out of 7 jar of tomatoes fail to seal. I took a look at the rings, and they had numerous spots of rust. I bought a box of 12 lids with rings, and had no problems the rest of the year.

A friend of mine stores all her canned goods with the rings on them. I don't do that; I don't have 70 wide mouth rings (tomatoes) and 40-50 regular rings (jam, salsa, applesauce). I think they rust more and faster that way.

Good to know! I do think leaving them in would accelerate the rust rate..Since I switched to For Jars lids I've had great success with sealing. I've read and heard the rings left on can give you a false seal. Whether that's true or not I don't know. I take my ring off wash jar and hold it in the air by the edge of the lid for couple seconds to make sure it's sealed. Then store away..

 

[tripletfeb]

Made and canned 13 pints of apple pie filling from our Sweet Sixteen apples.
Rings are getting a bit rusty, is there some predestined time to need to replace them?
View attachment 4211712

I just replace my rings when I feel like they don't work as good. I hand wash them, that helps keep the rust away for longer. Good lookin pie filling!

 

[tripletfeb]

Making salsa again today. My neighbors don't want any, even though these are their tomatoes. They are making plans to move to North Carolina, to live with their daughter. After her heart attack, they can't live alone. They had a realtor over yesterday and have a sign saying they have a piano for sale. They plan on having a garage sale soon. Man, we are gonna miss them when they are gone

 

[saysfaa]

My dill relish didn't taste great at first. Seemed to be too vinegary and not dilly enough. I'm hoping it improves over time, like a fine wine. LOL
...
Lots of vinegar, no water and not many dill seeds. I think it's a bad recipe.

I used a different recipe but this part was the same and I got the same result. I wish I had asked before I started.

 

[Smokerbill]

Yesterday I made a standard salsa.
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-salsa/chile-salsa-hot-tomato-pepper-sauce/



Today I canned 12 half pints of Spicy Cranberry salsa, which is more like a jam or preserves than salsa, but spicy and savory. I'm getting the hang of canning with the half pint jars. I found that if I fill and lid two at a time it goes much faster.
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-salsa/spicy-cranberry-salsa/

 

[Smokerbill]

And on Monday I made another 5 pints of dill pickles. I had my first failed seal, and I think it was due to a bad ring that was distorted out of shape. I'm paying closer attention to the rings now and tossing any that aren't perfect. I threw two wide mouth jar rings away today that were new out of the box of jars. Damaged in shipping.

The jar on the right is actually dill pickled green tomatoes. Haven't tried them yet.



I did have three jars of pickles that blew open while processing but I don't count those as FTSs. I screwed the rings down way too tight, pressure built and blew the tops off. FTS. Failed Through Stupidity.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Yesterday I made a standard salsa.
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-salsa/chile-salsa-hot-tomato-pepper-sauce/

View attachment 4215528View attachment 4215529

Today I canned 12 half pints of Spicy Cranberry salsa, which is more like a jam or preserves than salsa, but spicy and savory. I'm getting the hang of canning with the half pint jars. I found that if I fill and lid two at a time it goes much faster.
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-salsa/spicy-cranberry-salsa/

View attachment 4215530

I just screen shotted this recipe. I buy cranberries when they are on clearance at Thanksgiving time and make cranberry/pineapple juice and can it. I'm definitely going to try this. I'll freeze peppers and it should work.

 

[Smokerbill]

I just screen shotted this recipe. I buy cranberries when they are on clearance at Thanksgiving time and make cranberry/pineapple juice and can it. I'm definitely going to try this. I'll freeze peppers and it should work.

Me too. I buy bags of cranberries at end of season, usually getting 6 or 10 or 12 bags and throwing them in the freezer. The last a loooonnnnng time.

I don't understand why the cranberry producers don't sell frozen cranberries all year long. Wish they did.