What are you canning now?

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
I can pepperoncinis and always wishing they were a little more crisp. Wonder if grape leaves would help them. Opinions anyone

Sandee

 

[Catalina]

Where is that recipe for banana butter?

I couldn't find it either. It was either on here or SS, but now I can't find it!

I just used the apple butter recipe from the Ball Blue book -

For every pound of fruit add 1 cup of sugar.
Crush the bananas with a potato masher and cook slowly until the paste rounds up on a spoon.
I also added some cinnamon and cloves.
10 mins. boiling water canner.

6 pints and 4 half pints of banana butter
11 pints and 8 half pints of peach salsa

I ran out of jars AND lids!! Walmart had peaches for 78 cents a pound, so I need to go buy some more lids and jars - 'cause I have a lot of peaches in my kitchen.

 

[insiderart]

Quote:
I can pepperoncinis and always wishing they were a little more crisp. Wonder if grape leaves would help them. Opinions anyone

Sandee

Wouldn't hurt to try a few!

 

[chicks4kids]

How many of you leave your bands on your jars?? Or do you take them all completely off, or just leave certain ones on?? I go back and forth on this, and can't really tell if it makes a difference...

What do you do??

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
I leave them on - that way I don't have them piling up in the canning supply cabinet. In Calif we don't have problems with humidity so haven't had problems with rust.

I did read in a canning article one time that you should never tighten the bands after water bath since you risk breaking the seal. Also, see people go back and forth about turning jars upside down to cool. Anyone have comments on these two items.

Sandee

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Quote:
I agree. i always take my bands off after a complete 48 hours of cooling/settling time. I have seen jars in basements that has had the bands rusted while still ont he jar and it just doesn't look to safe to me.

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
I agree. i always take my bands off after a complete 48 hours of cooling/settling time. I have seen jars in basements that has had the bands rusted while still ont he jar and it just doesn't look to safe to me.

As a newbie to canning, this advice is invaluable thanks so much!!

 

[Catalina]

I tip them upside down and I take the rings off of them. Except that I have 2 jars of chile, 1 jar of jam and 1 jar of soup that I can't get the ring off of!!!

I need someone really strong!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Quote:
Yes that would be a great change !!

Sweet Chip Pickles
ingredients: 1 gallon medium cucumbers
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons alum
2 teaspoon ginger
1 quart vinegar
3 lbs sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
whole allspice
whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon

1 gallon medium cucumbers washed & sliced. Let stand 6 days in salt water. 1 cup salt to 1 gallon cold water. Stir a few times during 6 days.
Drain and rinse well. Put on stove in enough cold water to cover. Add alum,2 Tablespoons. Cook 10 minutes. Drain well. Add additional water and ginger. Cook 10 minutes & drain. Mix vinegar, 1 pint water and sugar. Add spices. Cook in syrup until transparent. Can and seal in hot jars.

This is written as my Aunt gave me. There was no measurements for the allspice or cloves. Also I don't use quite as much sugar. When I first made this I thought 3 lbs of sugar was equal to 6 cups. My Aunt made these in 1973 and they were a blue ribbon winner.

 

[insiderart]

Well, at least tonight I did get a few things canned. Got all my pickled banana pepper rings done. I used turmeric in them this time to enhance the color a little. The first ones are looking a little peaked, though I am hoping they taste ok.

I got the pickles made using the grape leaves. Will be interesting to see how they turn out!

So 3 quarts, 1 pint of pickles (cucumbers have been slow here!) And 6 or 7 pints of pickled banana peppers.... my brain is pickled at this point.

Tomorrow I have to get those pear preserves made before the pears go bad. And I'm being over run by tomatoes, they're taking over the kitchen, I guess I'll need to can those at some point. Oh and the pickled squash I wanted to try..