What are you canning now?

[AhBee01]

When I make Kraut after it is finished I put it in freezer bags and put it outside laying flat on a table, and let it freeze (I do this when the weather allows for freezing!) Then when it is frozen, I put it in my seal a meal bags and vacuum seal! Lasts for a year or a little more, in the deep freezer!
I use 3 Tbls. canning salt to 5lbs of shredded cabbage. My crock is very old and to make sure it doesn't leech lead, I line it with an extra large zip lock bag the ones that hold sweaters. They are food safe, and if you call about them to double check they might send you coupons for them!

 

[vfem]

Quote:
Yes, sometimes I make WAY more juice then I need so in the 'off' season (late fall, winter, ect) I can pull it out and make jelly from it then. You sure can!

(I also freeze cores & apple peels to make pectin later on when I have time again.

)

 

[annaraven]

Quote:
How do you do your pinto beans? Do you soak them first? And, how full of beans do you fill it before you add water? I'm always worried about the beans soaking up the water in the jar and exploding or something during processing...

 

[cravenchx]

just did 7 qts. of mixed greens. First attempt
at greens. Now, if the pressure would drop so
I can open the canner to see what they look like.

I have canned October beans before, and I must
have filled the jars too full because alot of the water
bubbled out. They were still edible. Now I let them
dry on the vines, shell and vacuum pack. I like this
method better.

 

[vebyrd36]

Anybody making chow chow???

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
I don't have a "seal a meal" but I do grow squash and would you believe DW just bough peeled squash for tonights dinner.

Anyhow I'd like to peel the squash (blue hubbard) and freeze it. Is there anything I should know? Like blanching and all that?

vfem - thanks, I'll have to go pick them apples and chop them up and freeze the juice. We have church store that sells home made stuff to give the money to an orphanage in India. My thought is to do up some jelly and put it on the table there. What do folks usually charge for home made jelly?

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Huh? What is it?

 

[jcatblum]

Quote:
How do you do your pinto beans? Do you soak them first? And, how full of beans do you fill it before you add water? I'm always worried about the beans soaking up the water in the jar and exploding or something during processing...

I did not soak them. I put 1-1/2 cups of beans per jar, which is about 1/3 way full in quart jars---seasoning goes in each jar
1t salt
1T minced onion
1/4t black pepper
1-1/2T chili powder
1/2t corriandar--- but DD used cayanne pepper instead
2T tomatoe sauce
top jar with boiling water-- leave 1-1/2 inch headspace
Pressure can 90 min

Ate a jar today--- so yummy!!! My sister & her kids enjoyed them too. Some of the kids thought they were too hot, I will definately put some in chili think they will add nice flavor. Next time I will do 1/4 t of cayanne pepper, so kids don't gripe.

Plan on making more this week, also goig to do some pints of black-eye peas, not sure how I am going to season those yet.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Went to visit my grandparents this weekend. Grandma gave me half a bag of apples and mini pears. After the weekend of eyeing all the apples still on the trees I asked if they were done picking for the year. "Yes. Please take all you want!"

I ended up picking another full bag and took home about 30 lbs of apples and 6 lbs of pears.

Aren't these like a baking pear? Anyone know?

I haven't really decided what I want to do with them!

Here are the apples that were still usable. They're pretty small but I'm excited about em! I did half this much last week and got around 8 quarts apple pie filling/accadental spiced apples!

Also the spiced apple jelly I made with applejuice set up pretty good! It looks amazing too. I like the clear jelly look and it has flecks of cinnamon throughout! I got some more 100% juices to play around with too.

 

[vfem]

Quote:
Wow... HOW LUCKY ARE YOU!!!!???