Can-do spirit
>> Monday, May 17, 2010
With the garden go-go-going, I enrolled in a class at our local University extension to learn about preserving foods from the garden. The class covers hot water bath canning, pressure canning, jams and jellies, freezing, pickling, salsa and more. (And if you haven't checked out your own University extension, get Googling. The resources they provide are so helpful.)
So, anyhoo... I've really learned a lot. The first week, we canned salsa, green beans and carrots. I took them home the following week. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Ryan doesn't eat green beans, so I will be devouring that can of beans soon. =)
Anyhoo - last week, the class covered jams and jellies and freezing. Did you know that you should blanche everything before freezing to lock in nutrients and taste? No? Me either. But, it's true. And the book even tells me how long to boil the vegetables before blanching. So handy. I think I'll be freezing lots of things this summer. It definitely seems to be the quickest way to preserve. And, with our new freezer, we have plenty of space.
The biggest thing I was to preserve is tomatoes. We buy diced tomatoes like it's going out of style. I'm hoping to have enough tomatoes to can lots of them, along with canning tomato sauce, salsa and jelly. The freezing tips will be helpful for everything else.
And, in case you are interested, here's the recipe our teacher gave us for:
Hot Pepper Jelly
Makes 5-1/2 pint jars
3/4 cup hot peppers (jalapenos or other)
2 3/4 cups sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange)
1 pouch Sure-Jell pectin
5 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
Sterilize jars (heat jars in boiling water for 10 minutes). Liquefy half of the peppers and half vinegar in blender. Repeat with remaining peppers and vinegar. Boil peppers, vinegar and sugar slowly. Remove from heat, add pectin and boil hard for 1 minute. Skim top and pour into jars. Leave 1/4" headspace from top of jars. Apply lids. Boil in hot water (1 inch over the top of the jars) for 5 minutes.
It's quite yummo. Serve this with Ritz crackers and cream cheese. I think you'll love it. We had TONS of peppers last year. What a fun way to use them.
So, tell me. Do you preserve your food through canning, freezing or dehydrating?
Posts
17 people have something to say:
You go, girl! And thank you so much for talking about the safety aspect of a proper recipe.
Canning is easy and fun and a great way of stretching your food budget.
I'm happy to see another convert. :)
Fun! I've never heard of a University extension - maybe it's a southern thing? I can my own jelly and would love to branch out into more foods this summer after I see what my garden produces.
Ok so I'm not really a canning kinda girl but making my own pepper jelly might make me a convert. I spend a ridiculous amount of money on the stuff from Harry & David because I *may* be addicted. Thanks Kim, you are certainly a renaissance woman.
someday when we have a place of our own and hopefully a garden, i want to really get into preserving our produce. as it is, my husband has been making jam for as long as i've known him (we did maybe eight different varieties last summer, and have gallons of it left in the basement!), as well as tomato sauce, hard apple cider, and occasionally pickles. we get the produce from madison's amazing producers-only farmers market and from roadside stands, and even pick our black-cap raspberries from the wild brambles that grow in the public parks. =) delicious!
Wow I am so freaking jealous... I wish we had a garden. But the backyard is way too shady and with the pool there would be no room for the dogs to play if I cut trees to make one... Guess I will just have to live through you for now.
Preserving food seems like it would require growing it, so I fail on both accounts. But I'll be right over for some of yours!
At the end of the summer, I do freezer spagetti sause. But it usually only last us a couple months because it's soooo good!
I swear, with each day you're one step closer to Martha! I love the idea of growing and canning food... maybe one day :).
I froze and canned tomato sauce last summer. The freezing was waaaaay easier and less time consuming, but the canned tasted a bit better, I think. But I also caught my favorite apron on fire during the canning process, so I may be biased. ;)
Go Kim Go! Preserving the food we grow is SO gratifying. Let me tell you, when you can run down to the basement in a blizzard and get all the ingredients to make something fab for supper....that you grew yourself....SO WORTH IT!!! Chili never tastes quite as good, unless you use homegrown, homecanned tomatoes!!
This is so helpful! Canning is something that I want to do...someday... So, thanks for all of the resources and tricks!
You should check out this blog if you havent already.. Lots of great canning recipes.
http://www.foodinjars.com/
You are an inspiration! Finding a way to preserve all the garden goodies this year was a summer resolution that I have made absolutely no progress on. Example- I had to google "blanching". So obviously I need a class....or at least a book. Did you use a pressure cooker for any of your goodies?
Canning? I think I deserve a pat on the back when I whip out a pan and merely cook something. But canning?? I'm pretty sure you deserve some kind of a medal for that. Way to go, Mar... I mean... way to go, Kim.
It is one of those things I've thought of but never done. When I was little I did help my mom taken homegrown cucumbers and make/can pickles. I'm thinking of drying my extra rosemary- know anything about that?
I love any gardening post you do! Keep all this info coming. My first garden is in and I'm hoping you might wear off on me, at least just a little bit!
Glad to hear you discovered the benefits of freezing. I worked for frozen food association, and we are constantly saying that frozen fruits and veggies are just as healthy as fresh, since its frozen at its nutritional peak!
Post a Comment