Canning Pics, Feel free to post yours!

[pumpkin9211]

Um, Hi... I'm lurking and nervous.....

How did you pros start? Did you have someone to teach you?

Hubby REALLY wants to can EVERYTHING-- but we have not canned anything... I am scared to invest in the equipment for him to use it once.

Any "newbie canning" or "canning for dummy" websites you can direct me too? Any of you have blogs?

There is many videos and such on youtube...but I don't know if they are reliable.. told hubby I would ask the canning folks on SC

[cheekysaver]

Ok I am going to give you a bit of a hook up here with some people canning on youtube that have been canning over 20 years.. they are my go to people when I want to learn something. I will put up some links for water bath canning and it is a less expensive way to start. I would encourage you to go to the bernardin site in canada because they have safe recipes for you to follow as well.

Peaches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJsoYxcWpg
Cranberry Sauce http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKbK27tSN-Q
Pickled peppers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uobQBlnaJdo
Dill pickles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYUJl...feature=relmfu
Plum Jam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQsomo2Z7U
Strawberry Jam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv_LrK7nqWc (they have canned for a few years)
Mandarin Oranges http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZGa6LcGFIU (only put in ripe sweet oranges and get all of the pift off) <<they are on sale right now $2.50 for 5lbs at coop.
Blueberry Pie Filling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSQCZqIYzUA (she is like learning from your grandma!)

If your in doubt you should always refer to a canning cook book like Balls Blue book for home canning or the free to look at bernardin site. The youtubes are a good guide but you need to make sure you practice safe canning. Pretty much anybody can do it so don't be scared off... If you don't like one persons vid search on youtube to find anothers... then verify the info with bernardin to ensure your food is safe. I love the vids because you get to watch and see how it is done... for me it works better then a book.

[2010ontest]

I will not post the link of my blog, because mine is in french... maybe not a good idea for a canning newbie to read in an other language.

But I read some good blog in english, some are canadian, some are american:

Well preserved (Toronto area): http://wellpreserved.ca/
Food in Jars: http://www.foodinjars.com/
A Gardener's Table: http://agardenerstable.com/
Hungrytigress: http://hungrytigress.com/
Learn to preserve: http://www.learntopreserve.com/

[NickiB]

Thanks so much! The raspberries are actually starting to dry, the smaller one's were almost done this morning. The Blackberries look as fresh as the day I put them on the dehydrator, Grrr... Will watch the video, but glad to know it's not necessarily me. I google searched last night but couldn't find anything specific, I knew someone here would have the answer! Next time I will definitely try freezing.. I read you should dunk blueberries in boiling water for 30sec or so to break the skins.. but nothing I could find gave tips on these berries.

Hopefully I will be posting some beautiful dried fruit in my cereal bowl soon!

Ok I found a vid for you. When dehydrating raspberries and blackberries freeze them first. It helps them break down and rehydrate better... the dehydrater she is using is the excalibur and it will dry items up to 2-3 times faster then the round dehydraters so if it takes her 24 hours it could take you 48 or a bit more and that is ok... the trays need to be rotated about every 12 hours placing the dryer items where the less dry fruit trays were. Humidity in your area can also vary drying times. Once your food is dehydrated and cool store it away in a air tight container right away... a half hour cooling is fine... once I left my dehydrated bananas out for 24 hours and they absorbed enough moisture from the air to make them softer again... I was cheesed off lol!!!

Here is the vid that shows the process for your fruit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBdq_dvLR_E

Now on another note mushrooms onions and peppers and some other veggies rehydrate better when they are slightly steamed... I put my cut up veg in a cassarole dish with about 2 TBSPS of water and I put a lid on it and turn on the microwave for 2 mins then I dehydrate. This gives the rehydrated veg a less chewy texture and it rehydrates much faster.

Dehydrating frozen veg you happen to get on sale can work really awesome... no steaming needed just put it on the tray and go.

Cauliflower and broccoli have very strong smells when you dehydrate and the cauliflower goes a off color and you might be tempted to toss it... don't toss it... when it is rehydrated it comes back a beautiful white color just like when you put it in the dehydrator.

I hope that helps!

[NickiB]

Pumpkin, If I can can salsa, chili sauce and make jam and not poison myself, i'm sure you can do it too! As the girls suggested above, definitely start with the water bath canning, you don't need to go to a big expense, if you already have a good large stockpot, you're basically out of pocket for jars & lids.

I've enjoyed it so much over the last few summers, I'm venturing into dehydrating, and am going to order myself a pressure canner... hopefully today!

Um, Hi... I'm lurking and nervous.....

How did you pros start? Did you have someone to teach you?

Hubby REALLY wants to can EVERYTHING-- but we have not canned anything... I am scared to invest in the equipment for him to use it once.

Any "newbie canning" or "canning for dummy" websites you can direct me too? Any of you have blogs?

There is many videos and such on youtube...but I don't know if they are reliable.. told hubby I would ask the canning folks on SC

[RSAS]

I like canning! Currently I only hot water bath can but would love to get a pressure canner.
This year so far I have done dill pickles, peach butter, yellow plum jam, peach salsa, pickled garlic, pickled jalapenos and orange jelly.
I also got a dehydrator this summer and have been playing around it with mixed results. I have done
spinach, cabbage, carrots, apples, beets, celery leaves, kale, and cilantro that have worked well. spinach, celery leaves, kale and cilantro were ground into a fine powder and used as seasonings in cooking.
cucumbers, strawberries, lemons I did but didn't care for. dried cucumbers just taste weird and the stawberries and lemons went moldy on me. I guess I didnt dry them long enough.

[NickiB]

Ok... I took the plunge and ordered the Presto pressure canner from Amazon! Not quite as good a deal as Cheekysaver, but I bet that's the tax! Looked for the jiggle regulator thingys.. but the only one on amazon didn't look like it had the adjustable rings for weight?

Do you mind Cheeky sending me the link where you ordered yours from? Want to make sure I'm getting the proper regulator..

[RSAS]

Found this pressure canner on amzon for $90 with $92 shipping!! Waaah??
http://www.amazon.ca/16-Qt-Aluminum-...NY/ref=lh_ni_t

[2010ontest]

Thanks so much! The raspberries are actually starting to dry, the smaller one's were almost done this morning. The Blackberries look as fresh as the day I put them on the dehydrator, Grrr... Will watch the video, but glad to know it's not necessarily me. I google searched last night but couldn't find anything specific, I knew someone here would have the answer! Next time I will definitely try freezing.. I read you should dunk blueberries in boiling water for 30sec or so to break the skins.. but nothing I could find gave tips on these berries.

Hopefully I will be posting some beautiful dried fruit in my cereal bowl soon!

oups I didn't see you comment before

Me, I don't freeze mine before dehydrating... but only choose the perfect one freshly picked of the day (and I do jam or sauce with the other raspberry less perfect)
It take 14 to 24hrs to dehydrate (depend on size of the raspberry)
I use a cheap dehydrator (round one, gift from MIL and found in a "centre d'entraide")
I rotate the plate (bottom to top) to help every 4-5hrs.
All strain of raspberry didn't react the same for dehydratation.
When I go picking the raspberry at my neighbor place, I prefered the later strain to dehydrate

[Sunshyne1]

2010ontest...
I have to ask...what do you do with the Raspberry Curd?


It looks like it would be the consistency of pudding...is that about right?

[2010ontest]

2010ontest...
I have to ask...what do you do with the Raspberry Curd?


It looks like it would be the consistency of pudding...is that about right?

This is more like lemon pie filling... but with raspberry!

I have use it with donut







pie



if you do "macaron" cookie, you could do the filing with dark chocolate mixed with raspberry curd...

You could also do a dessert like "verrine"... sorry don't know the term in english, so look at this link: http://www.google.ca/search?q=verrin...w=1280&bih=851

[sweetbabigrl]

those all look very yummy everyone

[cheekysaver]

Ok... I took the plunge and ordered the Presto pressure canner from Amazon! Not quite as good a deal as Cheekysaver, but I bet that's the tax! Looked for the jiggle regulator thingys.. but the only one on amazon didn't look like it had the adjustable rings for weight?

Do you mind Cheeky sending me the link where you ordered yours from? Want to make sure I'm getting the proper regulator..

Congrats on getting that investment peice! I will get back to you with the info later. My parents have 2 X 21 quart presto canners and I have one... Dad just ordered all 3 and I paid him for mine to save on shipping. (I come from thrify stock yaknow! LOL) Don't panic though... the regulator that comes with it will do until get your weighted regulator. The canner came within 2 days and the regulators are taking far longer.

[cheekysaver]

Found this pressure canner on amzon for $90 with $92 shipping!! Waaah??
http://www.amazon.ca/16-Qt-Aluminum-...NY/ref=lh_ni_t

I am not sure on the pricing on those smaller pressure canners. It seems odd that they charge for shipping. Normally over $75 has shipping included.

[cheekysaver]

This is more like lemon pie filling... but with raspberry!

I have use it with donut







pie



if you do "macaron" cookie, you could do the filing with dark chocolate mixed with raspberry curd...

You could also do a dessert like "verrine"... sorry don't know the term in english, so look at this link: http://www.google.ca/search?q=verrin...w=1280&bih=851

That looks so delicious! I bet it would be wonderful on a scone.

Boy is this about to age me LOL... I made lemon curd to put on my toast in the morning. When I was a kid it was called lemon cheese... it has no cheese in it but it certainly is yummy.