What are you canning now?

[LovinMyPeeps]

Quote:
Don't be paranoid vfem, you know your gonna do great. So how does one get to the state fair anyway? Do you have to win at local levels first?

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Quote:
ooooh make pepper jelly it is ooooh so good and easy to make.

 

[vfem]

Quote:
Don't be paranoid vfem, you know your gonna do great. So how does one get to the state fair anyway? Do you have to win at local levels first?

Oh no, you just sign up at the website in September that you want to compete. Long as you meet minimium requirements and follow the rules anyone can enter.

 

[jade_softtail]

Quote:
ooooh make pepper jelly it is ooooh so good and easy to make.

Do you have a recipe that you use and wouldn't mind sharing?

 

[Terri O]

When I competed at our state fair it got pretty crazy. I stayed for the judging and the older ladies were really mad when my jelly got in the finals! (I was in my young 20s at the time) The judges first looked at the jars sealed. THen the ones that they deemed had followed all rules got opened. They cut into it, tasted, compared...everyone was on pins and needles! Sometimes it came down to silly stuff like, "jelly is to be served poured out of the jar on a saucer, the shape of this jar would prevent that." (now WHO serves jelly like that?) Another comment was, "this is a Ball jar, the lids used were Kerr." I guess when there are a bunch of good entries it comes down to particulars like this!

It was very fun though 'cause the people that had baked goods that didnt win shared with the people that has jams etc that didnt win. We all had a nice jam and bread treat while we watched!
Terri O--who now thinks that she might have time again to enter the fair....and be one of those "old ladies!"

 

[grapesoda]

pepper jelly for sure

Also, yes you can freeze peppers. I freeze all types. I keep the hot separate from the bell peppers and I just dice them and put in ziplock bags. They turn into a brick but just bang them once on the floor or with a meet tenderizer and they break free very easily. During the growing season at the beginning especially I freeze the hot peppers hole with a note on bag "for pepper jelly" so that I can stockpile them until I have enough. For the pepper jelly I use the entire pepper (except stem) so those I keep hole in freezer bags.

I have a big pot of Chile on the stove today and put in two cups of my diced green peppers from the freezer. So easy when they are all prepared and ready to use.

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Quote:
ooooh make pepper jelly it is ooooh so good and easy to make.

Do you have a recipe that you use and wouldn't mind sharing?

I use
2 cups of finely diced bell pepper with greens and reds
1/2 cup of jalepenos or other hot peppers finely diced, this year I used a LOT of hungarians
6 cups of sugar
4 tbps of lemon juice
2 packs of liquid pectin (6 ounces total)
bring peppers, sugar and juice to a hard boil for about 15 minutes, stir continuously to avoid bubbling over/scorching. Then add 2 packs of pectin, stir for another 5 minutes and can. I usually get 6 quilted jellied and 2 4 oz jellied from this. Then I hot water bath can them for 10 minutes.

 

[dipence71]

Quote:
It is a thick soup cooked at local town fairs. We make our own yummyyy..
It contains:
chicken, beef, cabbage, corn, tomatoes, carrots, navy beans, potatoes, onions,spaghetti noodles poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, celery salt.
Cooked over an open flame at least 12 - 18 hrs in a cast iron kettle.

 

[vfem]

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Ok, for the record, I'm not an old lady! LOL

Though I keep thinking, why did I do this, it cut into my time and its aggrivating me at the least. BUT the honey guy in town (35) has been doing the fair with his honey for 3 years and has won best in show for 3 years. He picked up new clients and it helps his business so he'll keep doing it. As I sell preserves and baked goods, I am hoping for a win or 2. I really do hope it will help my business, maybe even enough to convince someone my stuff is so good they should invest in me so I can finally open that bakery in town I've been writing my business plan and taking business classes to try to get open!!!!

Then again... if I win I may not do it again until I'm an old lady!

I'll just always remember at 31, I blew away the retired crowd with my modern savvy flavors!

 

[LivinNewDreamInND]

I need some apple pie filling advice. My jar supply is very low, so I was wondering if I can, can the apple pie filling from the ball book in quart jars. If so, how much longer should they be in the water bath, than the pints listed on the recipe? Thanks in advance!