What are you canning now?

[Arielle]

We have been eating the canned turkey-- boy is it yummy and convenient when too tired to cook or too busy. Wonderful right out of the jar straight, the little bit of garlic salt is a nice touch to the flavor.

 

[donrae]

Anyone can Gumbo?
I found a recipe for Sausage and Chicken Gumbo and I made it using Andouille sausage, it was really good. I also subbed zuchinini for the okra - cause I can't stand okra. Just ate the last of it out of the freezer last night, we were impressed with how well it froze and reheated. The recipe makes a huge pot and there are only 2 of us, so we got 3 suppers from it. Do you think I could pressure can it next time I make it?

With DH moving, I think it would be easier if I canned it in pints and he could eat it as needed. I hate trying to store anything in the freezer section of a frost free refrigerator and that is all he will have for the next 6 months.

Is this with a roux base? I know it's not advised to can anything with flour/thickener in it. Even Jackie Clay advised against it, and she pushes the food safety regulations a lot imo.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/advice/ajo070323.html

I know what you mean about that freezer section, it's just worthless.

 

[mamashomestead]

It is equal parts butter and flour or cornstarch and water

 

[wyoDreamer]

I can make it without the roux, just add the roux after rewarming. Make up a pound of butter and a pound of flour, cook to a blond roux, and freeze in 1 ounce blobs. keep the roux balls in the freezer for thickening whenever needed.

 

[WYNot]

I can make it without the roux, just add the roux after rewarming. Make up a pound of butter and a pound of flour, cook to a blond roux, and freeze in 1 ounce blobs. keep the roux balls in the freezer for thickening whenever needed.

Oooh. Good idea. I'll have to try that with a steak and vegetable soup I make. I usually make a couple gallons of it and freeze it to take on hunting trip out west with us each fall. Will be nice to be able to can it.

Double batch of this is what I make...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kansas-City-Steak-Soup/

 

[donrae]

I can make it without the roux, just add the roux after rewarming. Make up a pound of butter and a pound of flour, cook to a blond roux, and freeze in 1 ounce blobs. keep the roux balls in the freezer for thickening whenever needed.

Would an ice cube tray work for freezing those? I use the trays for freezing broth cubes and they work nicely.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Would an ice cube tray work for freezing those? I use the trays for freezing broth cubes and they work nicely.

No need to dirty an ice cream tray.
The roux cooks up thick enough that it will plop onto a cookie sheet like cookie dough. I use a heaping soup spoon as a measure - it is about a tablespoon- and use a sheet of wax paper. Put the tray in the freezer, when frozen solid, drop the blobs into a ziplock bag. To use, heat your liquid to a simmer and drop in a roux ball, if not thick enough, just add another until it is as thick as you want it. After a couple of uses you will be able to guess on how many to use for whatever you want to thicken. The important part for me is to keep the blobs about the same size so I can guess easier how many to use.

Edited to add: actually, thinking on it, an ice cube tray would be just about the right size for the blobs and would make them very uniform. I might have to try that. My hesitation was putting it into the plastic tray and then not being able to get them out. And getting all of the oily film out of the tray before the next use.

 

[donrae]

No need to dirty an ice cream tray.
The roux cooks up thick enough that it will plop onto a cookie sheet like cookie dough. I use a heaping soup spoon as a measure - it is about a tablespoon- and use a sheet of wax paper. Put the tray in the freezer, when frozen solid, drop the blobs into a ziplock bag. To use, heat your liquid to a simmer and drop in a roux ball, if not thick enough, just add another until it is as thick as you want it. After a couple of uses you will be able to guess on how many to use for whatever you want to thicken. The important part for me is to keep the blobs about the same size so I can guess easier how many to use.

Edited to add: actually, thinking on it, an ice cube tray would be just about the right size for the blobs and would make them very uniform. I might have to try that. My hesitation was putting it into the plastic tray and then not being able to get them out. And getting all of the oily film out of the tray before the next use.

I'd think the high fat content would help them release from the tray well. Let us know how it works out-- I could also see the advantage with doing this for cream sauces, etc when you just need a little bit.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Yah, the cream sauces is why I started to make the frozen roux, just 1 cup milk and one roux ball, heat till thickened, stir in 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, 1/4 tsp dry mustard, and a couple shakes of white pepper and Viola! cheese sauce for my broccoli.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi all! I am planning to make this today, http://www.food.com/recipe/habanero-garlic-jelly-256154
... But use regular jalapeños rather than habeneros. How critical do y'all think is the lime juice, meaning flavor-wise, do you think I can get away with 1.5cups vinegar? (For comparison, I started out with this recipe, as you may remember. http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/19137/red-and-green-christmas-jalapeno-jelly)