What are you canning now?

[KDbeads]

So here are my pear preserves from last night:
http://strayneedle.blogspot.com/2010/08/gingered-pears.html

Waiting on the orange preserves to cool down enough to get a pic...... not looking like they are going to set either, the little bit in the fridge is still runny

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Quote:
Do you use any pectin in your recipes?

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
Did you try and make too big of a batch at once? That was the first thing I had to learn when making jelly or jam....not to try and make too much at once. Smaller batches set better.

My husband always teases me about my having worked for the railroad, as I always cook in large batches. I tell him "Nah, I'm just used to cookin' for teenagers." "They eat more than any railroad crew. LOL"

 

[hunterjumper999]

 

[KDbeads]

Quote:
Do you use any pectin in your recipes?

For the pears, on the first batch I didn't because I followed the recipe, on the next two I did. No luck.

Maybe I over cooked?




Quote:
Did you try and make too big of a batch at once? That was the first thing I had to learn when making jelly or jam....not to try and make too much at once. Smaller batches set better.

My husband always teases me about my having worked for the railroad, as I always cook in large batches. I tell him "Nah, I'm just used to cookin' for teenagers." "They eat more than any railroad crew. LOL"

Well, I usually do better in big batches actually, but no, on these I followed the directions for batch size. One of the locals here thinks it could be something in the water my filter isn't catching that's affecting the pectin. We do have higher amounts of radon, nitrates and arsenic than where I've tried to do jellies before. And it's drier here. I never had problems in Florida or South Carolina but TX and Chicago have kicked my butt with anything that needed to gel.

Though it looks like the orange preserves are starting to set at least a little on the bottom of the jars, cross fingers!!!!!

 

[dipence71]

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Lol I understand. I work FT but I am laid off in the summer but still work parttime. I go back to work full time starting Wednesday of this week so I am trying to get as much canning done before that. I am beat dead tired lol....

 

[vfem]

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Canning is actually part of my business so I don't get to reap the benefits of all my canning! Most the jellies are sold and I only get to try maybe half of what I make. We keep the pickles, salsa and sauce... but even lots of that end up gifts!

It really kills me to see my pantry pretty much fill and empty every 2 weeks! ARGH!

 

[KDbeads]

So the verdict on the remainder of the oranges........
http://strayneedle.blogspot.com/2010/08/another-lesson-in-orange.html

Might be an interesting read, once I ignored the directions I made some progress

 

[Kismet]

Quote:
My seven year old peach tree had peaches for the first time this year. Yesterday I made fruit leather and dried peaches. You are right - dried peaches are like candy! So delicious. I have never made a peach pie, but it looks like this winter I will give it a try.

I canned four quarts as well.

 

[JimWWhite]

We're going up this weekend to the mountains near Taylorsville, NC where there is a large orchard and hopefully come back with some pears. Teresa wants to make pear preserves and dried pears as well. I say hopefully because last year we went up and the owner said his pear trees had been picked clean!!!