What are you canning now?

[HenThymes]

Quote:
So I have another peach question... We did three quarts last night, sliced the peaches and packed jars, or what we thought was packed. We did the raw pack method and poured in the hot syrup and then wbc. I was afraid that if we did the hot pack the peaches would get too mushy as they are sliced and not halved. When they came out all of the peaches were crammed at the top leaving about 2" of just syrup at the bottom. Is this normal? Is there a way to prevent this or will it happen every time? I know there is some saying that about certain foods doing that because they are lighter than the liquids?? Is it o.k. to really cram the jars with the peaches or will I bruise them? Can you tell I am a Peach Newbie!!

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
So I have another peach question... We did three quarts last night, sliced the peaches and packed jars, or what we thought was packed. We did the raw pack method and poured in the hot syrup and then wbc. I was afraid that if we did the hot pack the peaches would get too mushy as they are sliced and not halved. When they came out all of the peaches were crammed at the top leaving about 2" of just syrup at the bottom. Is this normal? Is there a way to prevent this or will it happen every time? I know there is some saying that about certain foods doing that because they are lighter than the liquids?? Is it o.k. to really cram the jars with the peaches or will I bruise them? Can you tell I am a Peach Newbie!!

That is normal and happens most of the time. No worries - you did good!!

Sandee

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
Beautiful - I just love all the bright colors of canning foods

Sandee

 

[KDbeads]

Pickle crisp? Is it no longer being sold? I finished off my last little bit earlier this season and can't find more! I was thinking about just buying calcium chloride bulk but the only time I'd use it is in pickling

 

[prairiegirl]

Quote:
It's my understanding that Ball has just put it out and it is now available in some stores. I've seen it at Big R, Rural King and Tractor Supply and was told by phone that the local hardware store currently has some on the shelf. I bought a jar (quite expensive in my opinion) and it's more granular than it was before. I'm in northern IN and don't know if it's available everywhere. I bought mine in southern MI.
I've never used it with pickling and will be trying it tonight or early tomorrow for a pickle recipe. I think it was Kim that told me to use with peppers, too.

I put corn in the freezer and canned pizza sauce this morning.

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
It's my understanding that Ball has just put it out and it is now available in some stores. I've seen it at Big R, Rural King and Tractor Supply and was told by phone that the local hardware store currently has some on the shelf. I bought a jar (quite expensive in my opinion) and it's more granular than it was before. I'm in northern IN and don't know if it's available everywhere. I bought mine in southern MI.
I've never used it with pickling and will be trying it tonight or early tomorrow for a pickle recipe. I think it was Kim that told me to use with peppers, too.

I put corn in the freezer and canned pizza sauce this morning.

Calcium Chloride keeps a long time. Yes, Prairiegirl, that was me.

It works well in anything you want to pickle and keep crispy- typical pickles, pickled carrots, onions, peppers, dilly beans, etc, etc.

Did Ball revive the Pickle Crisp product?! Really?! Hmmmmm....might be too late for me. I found bulk Calcium Chloride the year before last - it's plenty cheap and easy to get. I buy it here:
http://shop2.chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/ggcs.html - look about half down the page. I buy the 450 g size. That's most cost effective with shipping, does a year's worth of canning and leaves some to start next season. If canning for a large family it might get used up in one season.

 

[TipsyDog]

I made those Claussen pickles and they smell great, can't wait to try them in a few days! Here they are resting, but the picture doesn't do them justice. I used 1/2 gallons jars since I couldn't find a bigger one. I'm also starting to harvest my dill seed in the garden now, got about 2 cups already. It smells wonderful!

 

[oberhaslikid]

Quote:
Thats Not enough you better make some more they are addicting. LOL

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
It's my understanding that Ball has just put it out and it is now available in some stores. I've seen it at Big R, Rural King and Tractor Supply and was told by phone that the local hardware store currently has some on the shelf. I bought a jar (quite expensive in my opinion) and it's more granular than it was before. I'm in northern IN and don't know if it's available everywhere. I bought mine in southern MI.
I've never used it with pickling and will be trying it tonight or early tomorrow for a pickle recipe. I think it was Kim that told me to use with peppers, too.

I put corn in the freezer and canned pizza sauce this morning.

Calcium Chloride keeps a long time. Yes, Prairiegirl, that was me.

It works well in anything you want to pickle and keep crispy- typical pickles, pickled carrots, onions, peppers, dilly beans, etc, etc.

Did Ball revive the Pickle Crisp product?! Really?! Hmmmmm....might be too late for me. I found bulk Calcium Chloride the year before last - it's plenty cheap and easy to get. I buy it here:
http://shop2.chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/ggcs.html - look about half down the page. I buy the 450 g size. That's most cost effective with shipping, does a year's worth of canning and leaves some to start next season. If canning for a large family it might get used up in one season.

Kim and others - do you think that the Calcium Chloride would work to keep Pepperoncini and Cocktail (pearl) onions crisper. If so how much do you add if the recipe doesn't call for it.

Sandee

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Calcium Chloride keeps a long time. Yes, Prairiegirl, that was me.

It works well in anything you want to pickle and keep crispy- typical pickles, pickled carrots, onions, peppers, dilly beans, etc, etc.

Did Ball revive the Pickle Crisp product?! Really?! Hmmmmm....might be too late for me. I found bulk Calcium Chloride the year before last - it's plenty cheap and easy to get. I buy it here:
http://shop2.chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/ggcs.html - look about half down the page. I buy the 450 g size. That's most cost effective with shipping, does a year's worth of canning and leaves some to start next season. If canning for a large family it might get used up in one season.

Kim and others - do you think that the Calcium Chloride would work to keep Pepperoncini and Cocktail (pearl) onions crisper. If so how much do you add if the recipe doesn't call for it.

Sandee

I use it for Pepperoncini and just tried it in Pickled Red Onions (sliced) over the weekend. Works great for those. I opened a 1/2 pint jar of the 'new" Pickled Onions as a sample a farmers market yesterday morning....still crisp in the jar, and sold the 3 pints I had to the first 5 tasters! (The other 2 said they liked them, but went for a salsa instead.)

It's a natural salt...it'll keep anything crisp. Just make sure to buy food grade....the non-food grade is used to melt snow/ice on sidewalks and roads,

ETA: Ooppsss, I missed the 'how much to add' question! 3/4 tsp per pint and 1 1/2 tsp per quart.