gingersmom Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Last year was my first time canning and I loved it! I only made jams last summer but this year I am expanding. So far on my list is ketchup, raspberry and strawberry sauces, bruschetta, pickles, corn relish, and tomato sauce. What are you making? Any recommendations for cookbooks or websites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Apple Butter, salsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I like this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-Small-Batch-Preserving/dp/1554072565 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Ketchup takes SO many tomatoes. Ugh! We always do chipotle salsa, a few jams (though we prefer the flavor of freezer jams, but love caramel apple jam). I also do tomato sauce & tomato soup, roasted red peppers, relish, pickles, chicken broth, & any type of dried bean. Really we can several hundred jars all year long. Busiest time is when the garden comes in. My favorite sit is sbcanning.com lots of good recipes there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I am really only good at canning jam and tomatoes. I am hit or miss with peaches. Although I did can several jars of pickled jalapeños and they were very pretty (the peppers were red and green), but I never ate them because I hate pickled jalapeños. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Show of hands if you've ever inadvertently canned raspberry taffy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I just use the Ball Blue Book and the insert from Pomona's Pectin....and the googleable Pomona's recipes. :) I don't have a pressure cooker, so I only do water bath canning: fruits, jams, jellies, tomato products, and pickles. We have more empty jars this year than we have for awhile because of some much needed pantry decluttering and semi-expected financial challenges. I just did the first canning chore of the season, which is orange marmelade, and am looking forward to the strawberries soon. We have leftover ketchup but ran out of spaghetti sauce and salsa and have to use storebought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I always do strawberry jam and a gallon of zucchini relish. I do apple jelly if our wild apple tree produces. I love to make blueberry/raspberry jam, but I've not made it in a while for lack of raspberries. Wild grape jelly is lovely, but it uses SO much sugar, and I generally prefer low-sugar recipes. I love to make cucumber pickles. Our cucumber crop has failed due to vine borers the past couple of years, so I bought a 50lb crate of cucs in the fall and made a ton! I also like to can salsa, but we have tomato horn worms here, too (blech). Last week I got a great deal on salsa tomatoes (15lb for $5, included a handful of jalapenos), so I canned salsa all day on Friday. Yum! I love Pomona pectin, and only do a water bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I used to try a lot of different things but have narrowed it down over the years: tomato juice V8 juice diced tomatoes tomato sauce salsa pickle relish bread and butter pickles jellies/jams: grape, strawberry, peach, plum, apple, blackberry applesauce apple butter plum barbecue sauce canned whole plums green beans Other things I like to freeze instead. I agree about the Pomona pectin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Yes, I really enjoy canning. I have a few jars of tomatoes left and plenty of strawberry jam from last year. I do applesauce in the fall, strawberry jam in the spring (probably not this year though), and tomatoes and salsa in the summer. I've never done green beans, but hope to this year. I also dry herbs. I'm out of chili powder now, and miss it so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Almost all of my canning jars are empty in anticipation of a move, but I plan to do major canning this summer. Tomatoes Salsa peaches lots of different jams Those are the definites. After that, I'll see what the crops look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 I like this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Book-Small-Batch-Preserving/dp/1554072565 Just ordered from amazon! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 Does anyone do pressure canning? I just ate beets for the first time and am madly in love with them. Apparently they need to be pressure canned not in a water bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Does anyone do pressure canning? I just ate beets for the first time and am madly in love with them. Apparently they need to be pressure canned not in a water bath. Yes, I do. I have a 15 1/2 quarter All-American canner. It is heavy and bulky, but I do like it. It took me awhile to get how the lid went on and such, but it is second nature now. Mine was a gift from a relative. Frankly I have more problems with water bath canning than I do pressure canning, although they both have their uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Does anyone do pressure canning? I just ate beets for the first time and am madly in love with them. Apparently they need to be pressure canned not in a water bath. Pickled beets don't have to be pressure canned. I love those things. As far as other stuff, I have a Mirro pressure canner that is older than me that works great, All American's are nice, but they pricey and others work just as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I also do pickled green beans (Dilly Beans in Ball Blue Book) that older ds absolutely LOVES!!!! He gets pickles for Christmas at his request. Jellies are new to me. They make nice gifts and are a way to avoid waste. I'd rather eat jam given a choice because it has much, much better nutritional value, but I'll take a jar of jelly over an empty jar any day. :D I think little ds is old enough to help this year, even though it may be a lot more work for me than if he DIDN'T help, lol. I only canned with my older kids the first year and maybe part of the second because of visitation schedules and conflicting coparent idealism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I pressure can V8 juice if the pH is close to questionable. I have a pH meter, so I can tell. I pressure can green beans, but pickled beets do not need pressure canning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Can any recommend a decent, relatively inexpensive water canner and pressure cooker? We are starting a square foot garden this year and we need both :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Can any recommend a decent, relatively inexpensive water canner and pressure cooker? We are starting a square foot garden this year and we need both :) You can use a large stick pot & buy a rack for the bottom as a hot water bath, as long as it covers the jars a few inches. You can also use a pressure canner as a hot water bath by taking the gasket off while you use it. Mirro and Presto both make decent, inexpensive pressure canners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsJewelsRae Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I taught myself to can by going to pickyourown.org and following step by step picture tutorials! :) they have a ton of recipes. I usually make jams, canned peaches, pears, applesauce, salsa, tomato sauce, grape juice. I also freeze pumpkin, zucchini, and corn. We grow all of it in our garden but the grapes we get from family, and the corn is from my neighbour (a farmer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I just had my first canning experience today!!! And I think I'm hooked! I made dandelion blossom jelly. Hoping to try canning some salsa this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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