What are you canning now?

[mickey328]

I haven't, but then I tend to start with hot water, cuz I'm impatient. It does take longer than on a gas or regular electric element, but not a whole lot for me. I generally set the temp at about medium while I'm prepping and adjust if I need to. I only want the water to have just come to boiling when I'm ready to load...don't see any point in having it boiling until then

CK...I'm not familiar with those...are they electric? I assume you mean she filled the "pot" (or whatever it's called) that normally is filled with oil, with water? That would be awesome! If I could, I'd way prefer to do the processing outside...keep all that extra heat and humidity out of the house. I did use the BBQ a couple times this year, but found that took forever to heat, and it was extremely difficult to keep the water temp just right. It wasn't really windy but there was enough that it affected the flame and I had to keep going out to turn it up and down.

 

[Cryptkeeper]

I haven't, but then I tend to start with hot water, cuz I'm impatient. It does take longer than on a gas or regular electric element, but not a whole lot for me. I generally set the temp at about medium while I'm prepping and adjust if I need to. I only want the water to have just come to boiling when I'm ready to load...don't see any point in having it boiling until then

CK...I'm not familiar with those...are they electric? I assume you mean she filled the "pot" (or whatever it's called) that normally is filled with oil, with water? That would be awesome! If I could, I'd way prefer to do the processing outside...keep all that extra heat and humidity out of the house. I did use the BBQ a couple times this year, but found that took forever to heat, and it was extremely difficult to keep the water temp just right. It wasn't really windy but there was enough that it affected the flame and I had to keep going out to turn it up and down.

They run off a propane tank that you use for the BBQ. And yes she filled the pot with water instead of oil. It worked great for her. She has even done it in her garage on cold and rainy days (she lives in Ohio), just kept the garage door open, and the fryer near the door and the exhaust was no problem.

Hope this helps out.

 

[Pozees]

Woohoo, Pozees! You'll definitely find it goes more smoothly as you do it more often. It's sort of like when you first started driving...there were just so many things to remember and you had to be conscious of everything all at once. With a bit more experience you'll find things come more automatically without having to think about every little thing. You'll refine the whole process little by little till it works really smoothly for you.

It's good you did your peppers in smaller cans...that way when you make your chili, you can start with a small one and if it's not hot enough, you can open another and add it.

I predict that it won't be more than a season or two till you invest in a pressure canner and just make the chili in a big ole batch and can it entirely.

LOL I'm already thinking I need a pressure canner! For sure I do if I want to can chile, dinners, or just components of dinners like chicken, beef, and carrots. And the spring onslaught of asparagus that I can never keep up with. Oh - did you ever try potatoes? I'm curious about how they would come out, whether they would get mushy or retain their texture. Seems like red skins would be better.

 

[3goodeggs]

I find that a stocked pantry is a comforting thing. When you can your own food you know what is in it. I do not have to read labels and hope that there isn't an ingredient in it that I will have a reaction to.
I have not canned meat products yet, but as the chickens are aging and not producing the cost of their feed anymore, I think stock and canned chicken is in my future.
I did can pumpkin and I just do not know if that was worth the effort, but mushrooms were the best EVER! it is so nice to shop your pantry, dump things into a pot and have a meal that you are proud of. Quick easy and healthy. add a salad and what a meal!

 

[mickey328]

CK, thanks for the info...I'm definitely going to check into that. One reason our heat here is mostly tolerable is that the air is very dry. When I have to waterbath can in the house, it bumps the humidity up which makes the heat worse. Being able to process outside would be an enormous boon!

Pozees, I haven't tried potatoes yet but that's pretty near the top of the list of things I want to try. I've been doing some checking, and it seems the main thing is to have all the pieces be about the same size. Evidently you can do new potatoes whole, skins on or not, as is your preference. Larger ones can be cut into same size chunks. Generally, it says to just cook them about 5 mins, pack them in the jar and top with boiling water...not the potato water cuz it'll get cloudy. I think it'll be awesome to have all the components of dinner in separate jars so you can just open what you want and heat it up...home made "instant" dinner, LOL I'd never can pasta...ugh, mush...but I'm thinking that if you mostly pre-cooked it and then dehydrated it, it shouldn't take much to "re-cook" it for a very quick side. I'm thinking next time I make spaghetti I'll take a bit out before it's done and throw it in the dehydrator...then experiment with it.

3 good eggs, I totally agree! There's a lot to be said for "knowing" your food. It's healthier for the body but there's a lot of pride in the fact that you did it yourself...hehe, makes things taste even better My only problem now is that "pantry" thing! I've run out of space I currently have 4 boxes of quart jars and 2 of pint jars sitting on my living room floor because I just don't know where to put them! Plus I have about 15 gallons of homemade wine and mead that needs bottled and stored...that's next after the canning frenzy is over.

We only have a crawl space which is accessed through the floor in the guest room, and it's a major pain to get in and out of. Dave and I were talking the other day and decided that we might try to dig through one corner of the yard to make access from there. It'll be a LOT of work (digging through this concrete-clay) but will be well worth it to have better access. Then we could store a lot of stuff down there. The temp is coolish and quite constant there.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I hope to begin pressure canning next year if my garden does well. So far, I've only done things that can be water bathed.

 

[mickey328]

Be forewarned...you'll get hooked! It really does expand your horizons when it comes to canning. You'll be able to can virtually anything with the two methods. Between the waterbath, the pressure canner and the dehydrators, there isn't much I can't preserve. Of course, nothing beats "fresh" but it's just not available year round.

 

[aceschix]

Hi crazy canner friends.
Made sauce from a bushel of apples on Saturday for 12 pints of vanilla applesauce. Used my whole vanilla beans, MM mmm mmm!

Did 2 bushel or so of tomatoes this weekend to make garden tomato sauce. Canned it up last night and ended up with 11 Qts and 1 pint. It is super yummy but SOO much work.

 

[mickey328]

Vanilla applesauce? Now, that sounds yummy and different. Did you just toss in a bean with the apples when cooking? I usually throw some cinnamon hearts in with mine, but vanilla sounds awesome too! I'm thinking I'll use brown sugar on the next batch rather than white...to give it a caramel-y flavor.

I know what ya mean...I used to HATE doing tomatoes...it took so dang long...all that blanching and peeling. We got a new food mill this year and breezed through 5 cases of 'em...it was awesome!

 

[rancher hicks]

Unfortunately I haven't been able to can much this year so low on funds. But when I meet new people and we start talking about stuff, canning always comes up (and chickens) and I guess I talk about them with such passion they always ask me "Why can? Just go to the store." I just smile and shake my head no, you can get a lot of things at the store but what you can't find is unique taste. I love the fact that I can make things that you can't find, that taste awesome, like Zucchini Relish, Cherry Cherry Jam and the list goes on. And for those things you can find like spaghetti sauce, making your own to taste and with fresh veggies from the garden out shines even the best store bought out there. Then I bring out a jar of my latest endeavor and give a taste test, then watch as the jar walks out of the house with the huge smile and the look of someone who is about to start canning themselves.

I recently found a pork rub recipe online and made it. Hubby and I absolutely love it. So now I've added making rubs too.

Going to try my hand at hard candy soon. Hope it goes just as great as the other hobbies that I've got myself into. Hubby is not complaining at all.

I just want to encourage you and those low on funds. If you've canned in the past and have the basic equipment you can Can something.

Look for those trees that are in the middle of fields with apples. There are many kinds and quite frankly when canning you can salvage those. Add the seasonings you like and you've got some good apple sauce.

Case in point. I have a friend with an apple tree, doesn't know what kind but he gave me many many apples. I took these bought some and mixed the two or three varieties. Last year I got some from the school where I volunteer that the head cook was going to throw out. She gave them to me for my chickens but I took the best, cut them up, added three or four store bought granny smiths and made the best apple sauce I've made so far.

Believe it or not you don't need that special porcelain canning pot. You can use any pot that will cover the number and size jar you are using with water. I just google "improvised canning racks" and got some sites to show you how to use a cooling rack.

Check your local thrift store for some supplies. Jars maybe found cheap on CL or at garage sales.

Don't be afraid to swallow some pride. After I lost my job due to disability my computer monitor broke. (such is life) I found one on CL and not only got it for free but the guy brought it into the house and set it on the table.

Save up your supplies for the next year. Store those canning jars, even if you find them one at a time.

You can Can different sized jars at the same time. Sometimes I have just enough applesauce or tomatoes to fill a jelly jar or a pint when I'm doing quarts. So if all you've got are two quarts and a few pints do them together. Just to the smaller jars at the same length of time the biggest needs. Won't hurt.

Save up and plan. Plan for the next year. Get that space ready for a garden. You can grow lots of tomatoes in a little space. I start my own seedlings and always have extras. Ask on CL. Most red tomatoes can be used for chili and sauce if you use the right spices and ingredients. If you've got tomatoes and no peppers, buy the peppers and grow your own tomatoes.

Cukes can be grown up the same trellis as any other plant. Stick one in the ground on the side of the house. Many herbs can be used as ornamental plantings, like mint and others.

Lots of fruit can be mixed with other fruit to make some nice jellies. I don't think we'll ever buy jelly again.

Only thing stopping me is time.

I could go on and on of course. When I grew up we had a three legged mule. Mom said I talked his other leg off.