What are you canning now?

[Beekissed]

Of course you can use a Propane stove. Some folks it's all they have to heat with or cook. I was wondering if you are doing a "cold pack" or "hot pack" in doing pickles. Two I was wondering if you even have to can pickles. At school we have them in five gallon buckets and I'm pretty sure they're not refrigerated. I don't do pickles since I don't like them. Can you pressure cook pickles?

Outside would be nice if you have a shelter. Stuff would fall from the trees and get in my jelly.



I saw this at Runnings, but haven't read about it in any of the magazines I read. I bet it uses much less water? How do you control the temp?

Much less...a quart and a half each time. There are instructions with it on when to start timing your canning process, according to how the steam is coming out and how tall a steam stream it is. We've used the large, water filled canner for over 35 yrs but have switched completely over to the steam canner in the past 5 yrs...we are very satisfied with the ease of it and how well it preserves the food. We've never had a jar that didn't seal out of the steam canner and never opened a spoiled jar of food since using it. Also nice to not have any jar breakage in the canner due to stress of different temps in the glass. Can't say enough good about the steam canner!

 

[rancher hicks]

I use freshly chopped up cucumbers that go right into the jar and then fill with hot brine before canning, so I guess that would be "cold pack"? That probably cools down the water too much.
I just realized that my mom made pickles before and definitely didn't can them cause she doesn't have the equipment or space for canning. But she keeps them in the refrigerator. I give my jars away to people, so am a bit nervous about poisoning if they are opened months later after sitting on a shelf. But I see non-refrigerated pickles at movie theaters and convenience stores all the time. I'm going to have to see if I can find a pickle recipe that does not require canning.

Thank you so much rancher hicks and everyone else for the ideas and advice!

I know absolutely nothing about steam canning so will have to read up on that.

Not cold pack is when the food is cold. Hot pack is when the food is hot.

I code mark my jams so I know the date they were made and use FIFO. First in, First out.

 

[MistyMountain]

Hello Everyone! Super new to canning here, but hope to do a lot late summer/fall!

We just picked about 10lbs of mountain berries (or, wine berries/wild raspberries). I made a batch of freezer jam. I simply followed the sure-jell directions. I was taken back a bit by the amount of sugar needed! It is quite sweet, but then again I can't think of a jam that I have had that is not super sweet. A little bit goes a long way.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have any jam recipes that are lower in sugar?

 

[rancher hicks]

Hello Everyone! Super new to canning here, but hope to do a lot late summer/fall!

We just picked about 10lbs of mountain berries (or, wine berries/wild raspberries). I made a batch of freezer jam. I simply followed the sure-jell directions. I was taken back a bit by the amount of sugar needed! It is quite sweet, but then again I can't think of a jam that I have had that is not super sweet. A little bit goes a long way.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have any jam recipes that are lower in sugar?

Well now how low are you talking about? No sugars are usually freezer types. Research for Diabetic jellies and jams have not turned up anything. Even commercial jams and jellies have some sugar.

I have recipes with a little as four cups of sugar I think. Others 7 cups.

 

[MistyMountain]

Well now how low are you talking about? No sugars are usually freezer types. Research for Diabetic jellies and jams have not turned up anything. Even commercial jams and jellies have some sugar.

I have recipes with a little as four cups of sugar I think. Others 7 cups.

Well, this one called for 3 cups prepared raspberries (I opted not to remove half of the seeds), 5-1/4 cups sugar, 3/4 cup water and the pectin. Total yield was about 7 cups or so. It just seemed like a huge amount of sugar, both in the bowl and as far as flavor goes. These berries have fantastic sweetness and flavor, it seems like less would be more here.

I guess I am looking for an alternative or "trick" that will still allow the jam to set up properly. I am quite green at this, so I followed the instructions closely and listened to the warning about using the exact amount of sugar to ensure it sets up properly.

I'm not a fan of artificial sweeteners, but would like to keep things a bit more natural. Does that make sense?

 

[speckledhen]

Tomatoes are not ripe yet, but when they are, salsa, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, etc. BUT, for now, pickles...and more pickles...and the cukes keep coming! There are 45 jars of pickles in the basement so far, some are quarts but most are pints. Bread & butter, spicy bread & butter, dill, sweet dill, slices, chunks, spears, stackers, whole cukes, etc. Can one stay alive on pickles? I sure hope so cuz pickles, we got!

 

[KentuckyMom]

@speckledhen
I canned a bunch of pickles last year and thought we'd never use them all. We did. They've been gone for months now, and I've had to buy some ( which are not as good.) So, this year I planted more cucumbers. The vines are thick and flowering but no cucumbers ...yet.
Your pantry of pickles looks...pretty and plentiful!
( Pretty pantry of plentiful pickles- say 10 times quickly)

 

[KentuckyMom]

@MistyMountain
If yoou use the no sugar/low sugar pectin you can use less sugar, no sugar, or an artificial or other natural sweetener. The directions on how to do it are in the box or on the container, depending on which brand you buy.

 

[MistyMountain]

@MistyMountain
If yoou use the no sugar/low sugar pectin you can use less sugar, no sugar, or an artificial or other natural sweetener. The directions on how to do it are in the box or on the container, depending on which brand you buy.

Aha! That's what I was looking for! I had picked up some Ball Realfruit Classic Pectin in the little plastic jar, but just tossed it in the pantry when I noticed that it did not have freezer jam directions on it. Out of curiosity, does anyone have a preference when it comes to jam? Freezer vs heat canning? I read on a pbr website that the fruit is more true to taste and color as fresh fruit if you freezer can because it does not get cooked.

I supposed Ball will have instructions on using this pectin (and lower sugar) for freezer storage on it's website… going to check that now. I have about 5lbs left that need to go somewhere quick. I am thinking about making a raspberry pie for dessert, too.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well, this one called for 3 cups prepared raspberries (I opted not to remove half of the seeds), 5-1/4 cups sugar, 3/4 cup water and the pectin. Total yield was about 7 cups or so. It just seemed like a huge amount of sugar, both in the bowl and as far as flavor goes. These berries have fantastic sweetness and flavor, it seems like less would be more here.

I guess I am looking for an alternative or "trick" that will still allow the jam to set up properly. I am quite green at this, so I followed the instructions closely and listened to the warning about using the exact amount of sugar to ensure it sets up properly.

I'm not a fan of artificial sweeteners, but would like to keep things a bit more natural. Does that make sense?

That is a lot of sugar to so few berries. for your recipe. Some call for 4 cups berries to 4 cups sugar.

So: "Five Berry" jam calls for 10 cups berries and 5 cup sugar. 2 cups of five different berries.

Rasp/blackberry jam calls for 5 black 4 rasp and 3 3/34 cups sugar.

And Raspberry Jam, 9 cups raspberries, 4 1/2 cups sugar and 3 tbsp Amaretto or Lychee liqueur.

I've got lots of recipes.