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Homemade Canned Peaches in a Light Vanilla Bean Syrup

Homemade Canned Peaches in a Light Vanilla Bean Syrup

4 lb. (1.8 kg) peaches
1 T. lemon juice
2 C. (400 grams) sugar
1 quart (950 ml) water
1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise (optional)

With a paring knife, slice a shallow “x” into the bottom of each peach. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a few peaches into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the water and immediately place them in the ice water. Repeat with the remaining peaches. Fill another large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Starting with the corners of the “x” on the bottom of the peaches, use your fingers to peel the skin off. Place the peeled peaches in the lemon water to prevent them from browning. Slice the peaches and discard the pits. If desired, scrape the red flesh from the cavities (as it browns over time). Return the peaches to the lemon water while you prepare the syrup. In a large saucepan, combine the quart of water and 2 C. sugar over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla bean, if using. Add the sliced peaches and bring to a boil. Place the sliced peaches in sterilized jars, packing them fairly tightly. Pour the hot syrup over the peaches into the jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Discard vanilla bean. Cover with lids and process for 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Then store in a cool dry place and consume within a year.

Italian Plum Jam with Star Anise

Italian Plum Jam with Star Anise

2 1/2 C. chopped Italian plums
2/3 C. granulated sugar
3 star anise blossoms

Combine chopped plums, sugar and star anise blossoms. Let sit for at least an hour, or until the fruit has gotten quite syrup-y. Put fruit in a medium-sized pan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the jam thickens and passes the plate test. Because this jam has such a small yield, you can skip the canning step and just pour it into the jars and pop it into the fridge. Or, you can pull out your small batch canning set-up and put up either one pint or two half pints (all the better to share with your friends!).

Oil-Preserved Asparagus

Oil-Preserved Asparagus

2 pounds asparagus spears
l C. white wine vinegar
1 C. water
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 C. (220 g) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red chile pepper

3 sterilized 12-oz. jars and their lids

Trim the asparagus spears from the bottom so they will fit upright in the jars with 1 inch headspace—enough to cover them with oil. Depending on the length of the spears, reserve the bottom halves for another use, or, if you like, preserve them along with the tops. Combine the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a pot large enough to hold the trimmed asparagus. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then add the asparagus. Almost immediately they will turn from green to yellow-green and some of the tips will turn reddish. Cook until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Place a clean kitchen towel near the stove. Using tongs, remove the asparagus from the pot and line them up on the towel to dry. Once dry, pack the spears, tip side up, in the jars, taking care to pack them in tightly. You should be able to fill two or three jars, depending on whether you use some of the bottom halves of the spears along with the tips. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil with the crushed red pepper until warmed through. Carefully fill the jars with the oil, taking care to cover the asparagus completely. Screw the lids on tightly and let the jars sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. Check to make sure the asparagus remain completely covered; if not, add additional oil. Let the asparagus cure in the refrigerator for at least 1 week before eating, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. To serve, remove from the jar only as much as you plan to use and let it come to room temperature. Top off the jar with more oil as necessary to keep the remaining asparagus submerged.

Quince Jelly

Quince Jelly

7 quinces
12 C. water

5 C. quince juice
3 3/4 C. sugar
5 tsp. lemon juice

To make the quince juice, core the quince and chop it into rough cubes. Combine quince pieces and water in a large pot and boil until the fruit and liquid turn a rosy color. This can take several hours, so do it when you have the time to wander in and out of the kitchen, keeping an eye on the pot. When it’s done, strain the juice from the pulp (don’t throw the pulp away!). At this point, you can either make the jelly or put the juice in the fridge for a day or two, until you have the time to cook it down. To make the jelly, combine the quince juice, sugar and lemon juice in a large pot (use something far larger than you think is necessary, this jelly bubbles a great deal). Bring to a boil and let it cook until it reaches 220 degrees. When it has reached the appropriate temperature, remove the pot from the heat. Fill jars, wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Let cool undisturbed for at least 12 hours. In the morning, check both the seals and the quality of the set. Because quince has so much innate pectin, it should be quite firm. Eat with cheese or smeared on a slice of cold turkey.

Pickled Asparagus with Garlic and Hot Pepper

Pickled Asparagus with Garlic and Hot Pepper

8 pounds asparagus
6 cloves garlic
3 dried hot chiles, rinsed and halved (or 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes per jar)
1 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns (1/4 tsp. times 6)
1 1/2 tsp. whole coriander seed (1/4 tsp. times 6)
4 1/2 C. water
2 1/4 C. white vinegar (5%)
2 1/4 C. cider vinegar (5%)
1/2 C. pickling salt

Prep the vegetables: Rinse the asparagus, garlic, and hot chiles. Peel the garlic, and cut the chiles in half. Trim the hard ends from the asparagus and throw away. Cut the asparagus into 4 inch pieces, measured from the tips, so it fits in the jars with a 1/2 inch of headroom. Prep the jars: Sterilize the pint jars in a pot full of boiling water (or run them through the dishwasher). Into each jar, put 1 clove of garlic, half a chile, 1/4 tsp. peppercorns, and 1/4 tsp. coriander. Tightly pack the each jar with asparagus, tips pointing up. In a large saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, and pickling salt to a boil to make the brine. Carefully ladle the hot brine over the asparagus, leaving at least 1/2 inch of headroom in each jar. *It’s OK if the asparagus tips are a little above the brine. Process the jars: Wipe the edge of the jars clean with a damp cloth, then put the lids and rings on the jars. Process the pickles in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (more at higher altitudes). Wait 2 days before opening to let the asparagus pickle.

Apricot Vanilla Bean Preserves with Rosé

Apricot Vanilla Bean Preserves with Rosé

6 C. pitted chopped ripe apricots
3 C. granulated sugar
½ C. Rosé wine
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1 tsp. unsalted butter

Preserving apricots with vanilla and wine plays up the flavor of apricots beautifully without overpowering the fruit. Place a couple small plates in the freezer, these will be used to test the preserves later. In an 8-quart heavy bottomed stainless steel pot, add all the preserve ingredients. Place pot on the stove over medium-high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Skim off the pale yellow foam that forms at the top and discard. Stir the preserves frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. After about 25 minutes, begin testing the preserves by placing a small amount on a cold plate. Transfer the plate to the freezer for several minutes. If the cooled preserve is the desired consistency, then it is ready for final processing. If not, cook a few more minutes and check again. To process jars: Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids. Ladle the hot preserves into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and place flat lid and band on each jar. Tighten bands just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 8 minutes to process. Transfer the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 2 hours, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center; if the lid gives and makes a clicking sound when pressed, it hasn’t sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Sealed jars can be labeled and stored in a dark and cool place.

Pickled Beets

Pickled Beets

Makes 1 qt. or 4 half pints

8 small Beets ( 2lb.)
1 C. Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 C. Sugar
5 Peppercorns
1 tsp. Pickling Spice
1 Bay Leaf
Fresh Dill (optional)

Wash and rinse canning jar(s) and lid(s). Keep jars in simmering water. Scrub beets; trim leaving inch of the top and the root ends attached. Cook, covered, in boiling salted water to cover, 40 minutes or until barely tender. Beets should be somewhat firm. Drain, reserving 1 C. of the cooking liquid. Rinse beets in cold running water; slip off skins, roots and tops; slice. Fill the jar or jars with beet slices. Combine the reserved cooking liquid with remaining ingredients; bring to boiling; pour into filled jars until 1/4″ from top. Seal jar and refrigerate for 10 days before serving. For “putting up”, seal the half pint jars and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Cool and check seals. Store in a cool dry place.

Tiny Batch Gooseberry Jam

Tiny Batch Gooseberry Jam

8 oz. gooseberries, topped and tailed
8 oz. granulated sugar
1/3 C. water
juice from 1/2 a lemon

Prepare a boiling water bath canner and a 12 oz. jam jar. Combine the prepped gooseberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Set the pan on the stove over medium-high heat and begin to cook. If all the liquid evaporates before the gooseberries pop, add a splash more water. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the gooseberries have popped and the mess has thickened. Taste the jam and add more lemon juice, if necessary for flavor balance. Remove the pan from the stove and funnel the jam into the prepared jar. Wipe the rims, apply the lid and ring, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Celery Relish

Celery Relish

2 C. distilled White Vinegar
1/2 C. Water
1 1/4 C. Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 T. Salt
2 1/2 T. Mustard Seed
1/2 tsp. ground Turmeric
2 qt. sliced Celery
3 C. chopped Onion
1 1/2 C. chopped Green Bell Pepper
1 1/2 C. chopped Red Bell Pepper

Combine first six ingredients in large pot; heat to boiling. Add vegetables; simmer 3 minutes. Continue simmering while quickly packing one clean hot jar at a time (5 pints). Fill to within 1/2 inch of top, making sure vinegar solution covers vegetables. Cap each jar at once. Process 5 minutes in boiling water bath.

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and Butter Pickles

2 lb. medium Pickling Cucumbers
5 C. thinly sliced Onion
½ C. Salt
3 C. Water
1 ½ C. granulated Sugar
2 tsp. Mustard Seed
1 ½ tsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. Ground Turmeric
3 C. Distilled White Vinegar
2 cloves Garlic

Wash cucumbers; cut crosswise into 1/9” slices. Combine with onions in large crock or non-metallic container. Dissolve salt in water; pour over vegetables. Weight vegetables down with a plate almost as large as the crock. Lay something heavy on top to keep vegetables under brine and let stand 2 hours. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in large saucepot. Bring to a boil and remove garlic. Drain vegetables and add to hot syrup; heat just to boiling. Simmer while quickly packing one clean hot jar at a time. Fill to within ½ inch of top making sure vinegar solution covers vegetables. Cap each jar at once. Process five minutes in boiling water bath. Makes 3-4 pints.

Pressure Canning Green Beans with Bacon

Pressure Canning Green Beans with Bacon

50 pounds of cut beans will produce approximately 45 quarts
10 pounds of cut beans will produce approximately 9 quarts or 18 pints
2 pounds of cut beans will produce approximately 1 quart or 2 pints

Bean Prep: Using a colander, wash the beans under cold running water. Disregard any ill-looking and rusty beans. Remove stems and leave the end tip. Cut beans in bite size pieces approximately 2” in length.

Bacon Prep: If you plan to make at least 9 quarts of home canned green beans, then plan on using about 1 pound of bacon. A great deal depends on the type and cut of the bacon you are using so be sure to have extra on hand just in case. And feel free to get creative! I once made a batch using peppered bacon and it was DELICIOUS!

In a large skillet, fry up your bacon slices until crispy but not burnt. Cool bacon in paper towel so excess grease is soaked up – the goal is getting the bacon flavor not the fat! When bacon has cooled, crumble into small pieces and set aside in a clean bowl

Jar prep: Prior filling the jar with green beans the clean, empty jars need to be prepped. For each quart-sized jar, add 1 T. bacon and 1 tsp. salt (optional). For each pint-sized jar, use a ½ T. bacon and ½ tsp. salt (optional).

Now, I don’t know about you, but I do not like eating mushy green beans with my meal. For that reason, I use the raw pack method when home canning green beans. Pack each jar tightly as many raw green beans as the jar will hold – being sure to leave a ½ inch head space. I use the end of my wooden spoon to tamp down the beans. This allows me to pack as many as I can inside the jar. Reason we pack them tight: When the jars are processed, the green beans will shrink up some so you want to have the jar packed full so you don’t wind up with more water than beans.

Because we raw packed cold beans you may cover the beans using cool/room temp water. I use purified water because we have well water with a water softener… When adding water be sure to keep the ½ inch headspace.

Wipe each rim with a clean washcloth, add lids and hand tighten the rings. Place jars in pressure canner and process at 10 pounds of pressure; process quarts for 25 minutes and pints for 20 minutes.

Spicy Asian Plum Dipping Sauce

Spicy Asian Plum Dipping Sauce

10 Ripe Red Plums (pits and stems removed and cut in quarters)
1/2 C. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 C. Tamari Soy Sauce
1 inch of fresh Ginger, chopped
2 whole cloves of Garlic, no need to dice
1 sliced Jalapeno Pepper seeds included
1/2 tsp. Stevia
2 Star Anise (optional)

If you are not canning this sauce, just put all of the ingredients listed above in a medium size pot and boil, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes on medium to reduce down the plums and meld the flavors. Remove from the heat and let it sit for a few to cool down some. Using an immersion blender, work through the plums to create a thick sauce much like a Salsa texture. And that’s it. Store it, freeze it, use it up within a month if it’s not frozen.

If you “can” the sauce. You’ll need a little more prep. Makes 4 -1/2 pints You’ll need to prepare at least 4 1/2 Pint size canning jars. Sterilize and have them ready to go when your Plum sauce is ready. Prepare the sauce just the same as outlined above and then set your pot near your canning jars. Ladle the sauce into each jar leaving 1/4 inch head space in each one. Wipe down the outside and top rims carefully to remove any sauce that may have dripped and place a lid and ring on each jar, tightening just until a resistance is felt, they shouldn’t be screwed on overly tight for the boiling water process. Place the jars down into your water bath canning pot so the each jar has water covering the top by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and time the canning process 10 minutes at a full boil. Remove them from the heat carefully sliding the pot off of the burner and let them sit there untouched for about 15 minutes. Using a canning jar clamp, carefully remove each jar from the pot and sit them on top of a dish towel in an undrafty area. Don’t move them for at least 8 hours so that they can set up and cool. After this, check to make sure each jar sealed correctly, remove the outer ring before storing. Label, enjoy within the next 2 years.

Sweet Cherry Preserves

Sweet Cherry Preserves

This recipe doesn’t have any extra added pectin – it only uses natural pectin from the fruits. If you want your jam to be thicker, think about adding some extra pectin to the recipe, but it wasn’t necessary for my tastes. Also, in one of the batches of preserves I made, I added a bit of amaretto and I loved the way it heightened the cherry flavor.

4 C. washed, pitted cherries
Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1-2 tsp. amaretto (optional)

Prepare cherries, then chop about 1/2 or 1/3 of them into rough pieces, and leave the others whole. Add all the cherries to a medium pot along with the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, until they start bubbling, then continue to cook while stirring occasionally for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure you stir especially towards the end of that time so the juice on the bottom does not burn. As they are cooking, use a spoon to smash the whole cherries to release the juice and flatten them. (If you don’t flatten them, they will stay really round and the preserves will not be very ‘spreadable.’)

After the cherries are fully cooked, add the sugar, stir to mix it in and dissolve it, then continue to cook over medium-high heat for another 5-7 minutes. (Again, be sure to stir, so the sugar and cherries don’t burn.) After cooking, the juice should have started to ‘gel’ a bit and thicken so that it starts to coat the back of your spoon or ladle. Remove the preserves from heat, and test if they are done. If the preserves are not done, return them to the heat and cook them for a few more minutes, then test them again. When done, let the preserves cool slightly*, then transfer it to jars. Once they are cooled, they will keep refrigerated for several months.

Honeysuckle Cordial

Honeysuckle Cordial

Use this lovely cordial to make a refreshing drink topped with soda or tonic, use it to sweeten ice tea, or drizzle it over fresh summer fruit.

4 C. honeysuckle buds, lightly packed
1 lemon
2 C. sugar
2 C. boiling water
1 tsp. citric acid*

Gather the honeysuckle blossoms, and shake them in a colander or lay them out on a tea towel. Pick through the blossoms removing any green leaves, stems, brown, wilted buds or bugs. Place the sorted blossoms in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off strips of the yellow (no white pith) lemon peel in strips and place on top of the blossoms. Cut the lemon into slices, discard the stem ends, and drop the slices in the bowl. Toss around to combine. In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, pour the boiling syrup over the blossoms and lemons in the bowl. Stir in the citric acid, cover the bowl with a tea towel, and leave for 24 hours undisturbed. The next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl or measuring jug with a pouring spout. Pour the strained cordial into bottles or jars. Makes about 16 oz. cordial *Citric acid is a natural preservative. It is also called sour salt and can be found in the kosher section at the grocery

Pickled Sweet Cherries

Pickled Sweet Cherries

Version 1 – Spiced Brine:
1 3/4 C. white vinegar
1 3/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. water
2 cinnamon sticks (about 4-inches long)
2 tsp. whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 pounds dark sweet cherries with stems

Version 2 – Savory Brine:
1 3/4 C. white vinegar
1 3/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. water
black peppercorns (4 to 5 per half-pint jar)
bay leaves (one per jar)
2 pounds Rainier sweet cherries with stems

Prepare canner and wash/sterilize 4 to 5 half-pint mason (or equivalent) jars. Keep jars in hot (not boiling) water until ready to use. Warm lids in hot (not boiling) water to sterilize and soften seal. Combine vinegar, sugar, water, and spices in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove hot jars from canner and pack cherries into jars. Pour hot brine over cherries to within 1/2-inch of rim. Wipe jar rims and threads. Screw on lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (for half-pint jars, process 15 minutes for larger pint jars). Remove from water and let cool completely, 12 to 24 hours. Check seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.

Blueberry and Apple Jam

Blueberry and Apple Jam

1 pound Granny Smith apples (about 3 small)
2 pounds blueberries, rinsed
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 T. fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Prepare for water-bath canning: Sterilize the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, put a small plate in the freezer, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl. (See this page for details.) Peel, core, and dice the apples, reserving the peels, cores, and seeds. Put as many of the apple trimmings in a jelly bag or 4 layers of cheesecloth as will fit, and tie the bag closed. Put the blueberries and sugar in a wide, 6- to 8-quart preserving pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, then continue to cook until the juices are just deep enough to cover the blueberries, about 5 minutes. Pour into a colander set over a large bowl and stir the berries gently to drain off the juice. Return the juice to the pan, along with the apples and the bag with the trimmings, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is reduced and thick and registers about 220°F on a candy thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Return the blueberries and any accumulated juice, along with the lemon juice and zest, to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, until a small dab of the jam spooned onto the chilled plate and returned to the freezer for a minute wrinkles when you nudge it, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir gently for a few seconds to distribute the fruit in the liquid. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids. Ladle the hot jam into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it’s just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each; if it can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.

Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Olive Oil

Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Olive Oil

6 pounds baby globe artichokes
1 C. bottled or strained fresh lemon juice, plus 2 tsp. for the
trimmed artichokes
2 C. white wine vinegar (6% acidity)
1 C. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp. pure kosher salt

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut off the top ¾ inch of each artichoke, then pull off the tough green outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow center. Use a paring knife to smooth the base of the artichoke a bit and peel the stem. As you trim each artichoke, put it in a large bowl of water with the 2 tsp. lemon juice. Prepare for water-bath canning: Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl. In a wide, 6- to 8-quart preserving pan, combine the 1 C. lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, and salt. Bring to a boil, then drain the artichokes and add them to the pan. Boil for 10 minutes. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the hot artichokes to the jars and ladle in the liquid, leaving l/2 inch headspace at the top. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles around the inside of each jar (be diligent about removing the bubbles here). Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars well, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it’s just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 25 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each; if it can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.

Canning Garlic Green Beans

Canning Garlic Green Beans

Canning Garlic Green Beans

5 lbs green beans, Fresh

water

salt (optional)

garlic clove, Whole

 

Wash and break green beans, then wash and rinse again. Put into large pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Let boil 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, sterilize jars in boiling water bath and sterilize seals. Place 1 garlic clove into jars. Ladle green beans into hot jars, then fill jars with hot bean water, making sure to leave 1/4 inch headspace. Add 1/4 tsp salt to each pint. Wipe rims of jars, place hot seals on jars and tighten bands. Place in pressure canner and process 20 minutes at 10 lbs pressure.

Bourbon Sour Cherries

Bourbon Sour Cherries

4 C. sour cherries, stemmed and pitted
1 1/2 C. sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean, split and scrapped
3/4 C. water
1 / 4 C. bourbon

Mix cherries, 1/2 C. sugar and vanilla bean with seeds in a medium bowl. Let macerate 4 hours to really extract all the juices. Discard vanilla bean. In a medium saucepan stir together cherries with juice, remaining sugar, water and bourbon. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a slow boil and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until cherries are heated through. Ladle cherries into half-pint jars. Cherries should be packed tightly but not crammed. Cover cherries with syrup leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes.

Canned “Swedish” Meatballs

Canned “Swedish” Meatballs

10 lbs. 90/10 Ground Beef
½ cup fine ground bread crumbs
3 T. minced garlic
dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, celery salt (to taste)
1 large onion (finely minced – I used a food processor)
8-9 eggs
canning salt and pepper
½ tsp. nutmeg

4 small cans of Cream of Mushroom soup (or create sauce using real foods following cream of x recipe!)
¾ cup of water for each can of soup used
salt, pepper, parsley, celery salt
2 T. beef base

For Meatballs: mix all ingredients and form into 1″ balls. You want a nice firm meatball so use just enough eggs to hold the meat together. These will be pressure canned for a long time so the meatballs need to be firm to help hold their shape. They will be tender after pressure canning. Bake on baking sheets at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown and done. For Sauce: Combine ingredients until mixture comes to a boil and keep at a low simmer. To Can: have your jars, lids and rings sterilized and ready to go. Keep your jars hot for filling. Get your pressure cooker warmed up and ready to go. Add meatballs to jar, ladle in sauce leaving 1″ head room, debubble your jars, wipe the rim with a clean paper towel dipped in hot water and vinegar, place your lid and ring on and then place in the pressure cooker to keep warm. Process quarts for 90 minutes at 10 pounds (please use correct poundage for your elevation and follow directions for your canner) or pints for 75 minutes.

Quick Pickled Sugar Snap Peas with Mint

Quick Pickled Sugar Snap Peas with Mint

Depending on the size of your pickling container and how tight you fill it with veggies, you may need to make extra pickling brine to top it off.

1 pound (455g) sugar snap peas or snow peas, ends trimmed
1/2 medium onion, sliced thin
1/2 C. (30g) chopped fresh mint

1 C. (240ml) water
2/3 C. (160ml) distilled white vinegar
Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 T.)
1 tsp. (15ml) sugar
1 tsp. (15ml) kosher salt
2 tsp. (10ml) coriander seeds
1 tsp. (5ml) cumin seeds

In a 2-quart (2-L) jar, layer the peas, onion, and mint. Make the pickling brine: In a large bowl, combine 1 C. (240ml) water with all the brine ingredients (vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds). Pour the brine into the container with the peas, covering them completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before eating.

Lois Cooley’s Smoked Fish

Lois Cooley’s Smoked Fish

3 C. Dark Brown Sugar
¾ C. Coarse Salt
2 T. each: Celery Salt, Onion Salt, Garlic Salt, Powdered Mustard, Coarse Black Pepper

Mix ingredients well. Cover fish meat side in layers with smoking rub. Let stand 12-24 hours. Smoke to your liking. Pack in jars. Pressure cook 45 minutes at 15 pounds. Use Ball Seals as kerr will melt with fish oil and not seal.

Alternatively, you can freeze instead of canning.

 

Spicy Pickled Sea Beans

Spicy Pickled Sea Beans

4 handfuls sea beans
4 red fresh red chiles
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
Pinch of whole black peppercorns per jar
Pinch of mustard seeds per jar
4 sprigs fresh dill
1 1/4 C. water
1 1/4 C. white wine vinegar

Sterilize canning jars and lids in boiling water. When cool enough to handle, add the spices. Pack each jar half-full with sea beans. Insert chiles, garlic, and dill around outer edge of jars. Add remaining sea beans to fill jars. In a small saucepan, bring water and vinegar to a boil. Ladle over the sea beans, leaving 1/2″ of space from the top of each jar. Wipe edges clean, and tightly screw on sterilized lids. Add jars to a stockpot, and fill with boiling water. Process jars in boiling water bath for ten minutes. Remove jars, and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Check lids for proper seal according to package instructions. Store in a cool spot for at least one month before using, to allow flavors to develop.

Rhubarb Orange Vanilla Jam

Rhubarb Orange Vanilla Jam

6 C. granulated sugar
2 large navel oranges
5 C. finely chopped rhubarb
1 vanilla bean
One (1.75-oz.) package regular powdered pectin
1/2 tsp. unsalted butter

If you are going to preserve the jam, prepare the jars and lids: place 6 half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the jars, and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest in the hot water. Meanwhile, put the bands and lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat over medium heat until the water is simmering, then remove pan from the heat and allow the bands and lids to rest in the hot water until ready to use.

Measure the sugar into a large bowl and set aside. Wash one of the oranges and remove the rind in quarters. Thinly slice the rinds lengthwise, cutting away any excess pith. Chop the strips of rind crosswise into small pieces. Squeeze juice from both oranges. You should have about 1 C.. If you don’t, make up the difference with water.

Combine the orange rinds, orange juice, and rhubarb in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot. Add the vanilla bean to the pot. Sprinkle the pectin evenly over the fruit and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

Add the sugar to the pot all at once, stirring until dissolved. Add the butter and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute. Remove the pot from the stove and skim any foam from the surface of the jam.

Ladle the hot jam into the hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars, cover with the lids, and screw the bands on until just barely tight. Place the jars on a rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover the pot, and allow the jars to rest for five minutes. Remove the jars and allow them to rest undisturbed on the countertop for six hours or overnight.

Sweet Pickles

Sweet Pickles

Use small cucumbers. Wash, dry and place in crock. Cover with brine – 1 1/2 C. salt in 4 quarts cool water. Lay a cloth over the cukes, then place a plate over the top to weight them down so that all of them are covered by brine. Let stand 2 weeks, rinsing the cloth each day to remove the scum that gathers. After two weeks, remove cucumbers from brine, wash well, and cut into 1″ pieces. Place in crock and cover with alum mixture — 1 T. powdered alum in 2 quarts cool water — and leave for 18 hours. Drain well and cover with hot syrup — 2 quarts sugar, 1 quart vinegar, with 1 T. whole cloves and 2 sticks cinnamon per quart of liquid used tied in cheesecloth, brought to a boil. Each day for three days, drain off the syrup and bring to a boil and re-pour over the cucumbers. On the fourth day, drain, boil, add 2 C. sugar. Meanwhile transfer pickles to jars. Pour syrup over pickles in jars. Cover. No need to seal.

Green Tomato Pickles

Green Tomato Pickles

Gram’s Note: Good for the toms that don’t ripen in the fall

4 qt. sliced Green Tomatoes
6 medium Onions, sliced
1/2 C. Salt
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 T. ground Mustard
1 T. Mustard Seed
1 T. Celery Seed
1 T. Allspice
1 T. Whole Black Peppercorns
4 C. Vinegar

Use fairly small green tomatoes. Cut out the stem end and slice into 1/2” thick slices. Slice onion. Place in large bowl and sprinkle with salt; let stand overnight. Drain well. Place spices in small bag made of layered cheesecloth. Combine remaining ingredients in a large kettle, add the spice bag, and simmer about 5 minutes. Add onions and tomatoes, remove spice bag, return to a simmer and cook one minute. Seal in hot sterilized jars. Yields about six pints. If softer pickles are preferred, simmer for up to 30 minutes before jarring.

Velma’s Chili Pepper Sauce

Velma’s Chili Pepper Sauce

Gram: “dandy tasty with omelet & stuff”

20 Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
6 Green Peppers, chopped
4 White Onions, chopped
1 C. Sugar
2 C. Vinegar
2 T. Salt
2 tsp. Mace
2 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Celery Salt
2 tsp. Nutmeg
Red Pepper to taste

Cook everything to desired thickness. Pour into jars and seal.

Dilled Green Tomatoes

Dilled Green Tomatoes

Small Green Tomatoes
Celery Stalks
Green Bell Peppers
Garlic
Fresh Dill
2 qt. Water
1 qt. Vinegar
1/2 – 1 C. Salt (to taste preference)

Prick well washed tomatoes several times with fork and pack into sterilized jars with 1 stalk celery and 3-4 strips of bell pepper per jar. Add 1-2 cloves garlic and 3-6 heads dill. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil, stir to dissolve salt and pour boiling over vegetables. Seal jars. Let stand 4-6 weeks before using.

Evelyn Wright’s Freezer Corn

Evelyn Wright’s Freezer Corn

Cut 20 C. corn from ears. Add 2/3 C. sugar and a scant 1/2 C. salt. Pour 2 C. water over all. Boil 20 minutes, stirring often as it tends to stick easily to the sides. Freeze in bags or can (cold packed) in jars for 4 hours.

Mango Lime Basil Jam

Mango Lime Basil Jam

8 pounds mangoes, very ripe -peeled, cored and mashed
4 C. sugar
10-12 basil leaves, whole
1 package Sure-Jell
1/4 C. lime concentrate or fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, optional

Peel and core mangoes. The mangoes I used were very very ripe so I just squeezed them from the pit/core making sure they were mashed well. In a heavy sauce pan, boil mango puree with remaining ingredients for about 25-30 minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Adjust lime and sugar content as needed for your own taste. *I love mine full of lime, so I tend to lime it up! Pour into nine prepared half-pint jars and seal. *This jam comes out as a softer spread, but is yummy just the same! Has the sweetness of ripe mango but the lime and basil gives it the savory that balances the sweetness!

Oregon Cottage’s Tomato Chutney

Oregon Cottage’s Tomato Chutney

4 lb. tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 C. minced garlic (about a medium sized head)
1 C. chopped onions
3/4 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. white sugar
1-1/2 C. cider vinegar
1 T. pickling salt
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 T. dry, ground ginger
1 tsp. hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. raisins, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy nonreactive 4-6 quart pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and cook at a low simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until thickened. Stir often as it thickens to prevent scorching. Ladle the chutney into 1/2 pint canning jars leaving 1/4″ headspace and attach the two-piece canning lids. Boil in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove and cool before storing in a dark, cool place. Makes five 1/2 pint jars

Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables

Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables

1 qt. White Vinegar
1 3/4 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Salt
2 tsp. Mustard Seed
1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed
1/2 tsp. minced Garlic
1 bay Leaf
5 C. Cauliflower Florets
3 lg. Zucchini, cut into 1/4″ slices
3 large Carrots, pared and cut into 1/4″ wide diagonal slices

Add all ingredients except vegetables to a large saucepan and bring quickly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook 5 minutes. Remove cauliflower with slotted spoon. Add zucchini and cook covered until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, add to large container with cauliflower. Repeat process with carrots, cooking about 5 minutes. Pour carrots, liquid and all over the other vegetables. Cover and refrigerate.

Morel Mojo

Morel Mojo

Chef Scott Dolich extends morel season by pickling them into a loose, relishlike condiment he calls mojo. At the restaurant, he dips into his supply to dress up spring vegetables like asparagus or ramps or to garnish grilled meats and fish.

1 1/4 lb. morel mushrooms
1 C. apple cider vinegar
1 C. beef broth
1 C. vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tsp. EVOO

Submerge the morels in a bowl of cold water and agitate them gently to dislodge any grit. Drain them in a colander and pat dry immediately. Slice off the stems and cut the morels into bite-size pieces. Combine the morels, vinegar, beef broth, vegetable broth, garlic, salt, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes in a large pot. Cover and simmer the mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the morel mixture cool slightly. Discard the bay leaf. Drain the morels, reserving the brine. Puree 1 C. the morels with ½ C. the brine in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until well combined but not entirely smooth. Add the olive oil in a steady stream with the motor running until well combined. Transfer the puree to a medium bowl and fold in the remaining morels. Discard the remaining brine. Salt to taste. Transfer the relish to an airtight container to cool to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the relish will keep for about l month. NOTE: Morels come into season in early spring and generally stick around through May.

Strawberry, Balsamic and Black Pepper Jam

Strawberry, Balsamic and Black Pepper Jam

3 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 9 C.)
1 1/2 C. white granulated sugar
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. finely ground black pepper (or to taste)

Start by getting a very large pot of water on the stove for processing the jars. It needs to be large enough so that there will be at least 1-inch of water above your jars – I use a very large soup pot. That much water takes a long time to boil, so put it on first. At the same time, place a small clean saucer in the freezer. If you time this whole process well, the jars should be done just a few minutes before your jam.

When the water starts boiling, add your empty jars to the water to sterilize. If you don’t have a canning rack, place a cotton tea towel in the bottom of the pot. Make sure your jars don’t touch the bottom or sides of the pot. Place the lids and rings in a heat proof bowl, ladle in some of the boiling water to cover, and leave to sit. Boil the jars for at least 10 minutes, and then carefully remove, dumping out the water from each one before placing on a dish towel. Keep the water boiling in the pot for processing.

In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, stir the sugar in with the strawberries and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then strain the fruit through a fine colander, stirring the fruit a bit to loosen the juices. Return the juice to the pot and reserve the fruit.

Simmer the juice uncovered for 20 minutes, or until you have about 1 1/2 C. remaining. Return the strawberries to the the pot with the juices, and add the balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. To check if the jam is done, remove the saucer from the freezer, place a dab of the liquid jam on the plate, and return the plate to the freezer for 1 minute. The jam will be stiff, but won’t quite gel.

Remove from the heat, and skim off as much of the foam as you can. Stir in the black pepper to your taste. It’s difficult to get a sense of the amount of pepper when the jam is hot, so if you want to check the flavor put a big glob of jam on the plate in the freezer for a minute. When it’s cool give it a taste, and add more pepper until you’re happy with the result.

At this point your jars should be ready to go. Fill each jar to within a 1/4 inch of the top (I know, that’s really full!). Put on the lids and tighten the rings to just finger tight – you want the air to be able to escape during processing. If you don’t have quite enough jam left to completely fill the last jar, place it in the fridge and eat within a few weeks.

Carefully lower your jars into the boiling water, again using a rack or a towel, and keeping the jars from touching the bottom or sides of the pot, or from touching each other. That last thing you want after all this work is for a jar to crack or explode! Process for 5 minutes – if you live above 1000 ft, add 1 extra minute for each additional 1000 ft above sea level.

Remove the jars from the water and place on a towel in a corner of the kitchen where they can be left undisturbed for 12 hours. After about an hour, check that the tops of the lids are fully sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid – if you find one that pops up and down, place that jar in the fridge immediately and eat within a few weeks.

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

6 bags (12oz) cranberries
6 C. water
6 C. sugar

Cooking – In a stockpot, bring water and sugar to a boil, add cranberries, boil for 10 mins. After cranberries are soft use hand blender (immersion blender) to mix. Using a fine mesh strainer push through the liquid and pulp, then use cheesecloth to strain rest of seeds.

Filling jars – Using your funnel fill the jars with the cranberry mixture in half pints or pint size canning jars. Continue filling till the jars are filled to 1/2″ headspace. Remove the air bubbles with the rubber or plastic spatula and refill to the proper headspace if necessary.

Processing: Wipe the rims and place the hot lid/rings on the jars. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes at a full rolling boil. Wait 5 minutes, remove and place on dishtowel overnight undisturbed. The next day remove rings and clean jars and label with recipe name and date. Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Hot & Sour Cherry Preserves

Hot & Sour Cherry Preserves

1 1/2 lb. (4 C.) Sour Cherries, pitted
1 1/3 C. Sugar
2 T. Lemon Juice
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Gently stir together the pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large nonreactive bowl. Cover and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer the macerated fruit mixture to your preserving pot using a spatula to scrape any sugar that has settled to the bottom of the bowl. Add the ground cayenne and, over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Continue to boil, stirring frequently until the mixture passes the plate test, about 12 minutes. You can reduce the heat near the end of the cooking time if the mixture begins to scorch. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight. Process in a water-bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. After 24 hours, check the seals. Label, date, and store out of direct sunlight without the bands for up to a year.

Marinated Sugar Snap Peas with Ginger & Mint

Marinated Sugar Snap Peas with Ginger & Mint

1 1/2 C. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 T. honey
1 tsp. finely milled sea salt
1 pound sugar snap peas
1 green onion
1 sprig fresh mint
3 thin slices fresh ginger

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, honey, and salt. Heat until the honey and salt are entirely dissolved. Wash the sugar snap peas well. Using a knife, trim both ends and remove the tough string that runs along the back of the peas. Cut the green onion into 2 or 3 segments, so that they fit the jar. Stand them up in a clean l-quart/l-liter jar, along with the mint sprig and the ginger slices. Pack the prepared sugar snaps into the jar. If they don’t all fit, set them aside. You may be able to sneak them in once the pickling liquid is poured. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the sugar snaps. Tap the jar gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles. If you had any remaining peas, try to pack them into the jar at this time. Place a lid on the jar and let the jar rest until it has cooled to room temperature. Refrigerate. Let these pickles sit in the vinegar for at least 24 hours before eating. They will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Marinated Peppers

Marinated Peppers

1 ½ lb. Peppers
¼ C. Bottled Lemon Juice
¾ C. White Wine Vinegar
¼ C. Olive Oil
1 ½ tsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Aleppo Pepper
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper

Prepare a boiling water bath and 2 half-pint/250 ml jars. Place 2 lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Heat your oven’s broiler to high. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the peppers on the pan, and slide the pan under the broiler. Cook the peppers for 1 to 2 minutes per side under the broiler, until they are uniformly charred and they have collapsed inside their skins. Remove the pan from the broiler and cover the peppers with another length of aluminum foil. Let the peppers rest until cool enough to handle. While the peppers cool, make the pickling liquid. Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to low to keep the brine warm until the peppers are prepped. Once the peppers are cool, peel away the skin and remove the seeds and cores. Tightly pack the peeled peppers into the prepared jars and cover with the pickling liquid, leaving a generous 1/2 inch/12 mm of headspace. Using a wooden chopstick, gently prod the peppers to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Add more liquid to return the headspace to 1/2 inch/12 mm, if necessary. When the jars are nicely packed, wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes

Spiced Vinegar

Spiced Vinegar

1 pt. vinegar
1 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. golden syrup
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 onion, grated for juice
1 clove garlic, crushed for juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ C water
¼ tsp. ground ginger

Blend all ingredients together, and store in a cool place.

Onion Relish

Onion Relish

3 T. vegetable oil
12 C. white onions, chopped
1 C. celery, chopped
1 C. sugar
1 C. cider vinegar
1/2 C. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed

Sauté onions and celery in oil until they are soft. Stir in sugar, vinegar, water, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool and refrigerate.