Canning season!!!

Here's a question for you canning folks!

Last year I made bread and butter pickles for the first time with a recipe from Allrecipes.com (recipe is here: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/microw...es/Detail.aspx). They're made in the microwave and are SUPER easy, and I thought they were delicious! Great recipe for a newbie like me! I'm going to make them again this week, just have to find some nice fresh cukes.

Anyhow, the reviews of this recipe seem to suggest that if you put in the in the hot water bath to seal the jars, they were a bit limp. But don't you HAVE to do that to make them shelf-stable to store in the pantry?

Thanks !

I want to do some canning this summer (always love to eat summery foods in the Winter) and was wondering if anybody has a good recipe for canning apples or peaches? Seen a lot online, but you never know if the recipe is a proven winner! Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Jbird

I want to do some canning this summer (always love to eat summery foods in the Winter) and was wondering if anybody has a good recipe for canning apples or peaches? Seen a lot online, but you never know if the recipe is a proven winner! Thanks.

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Bernandins home canning book is awesome for beginners

Personally, I'd prefer using a water-bath to preserve them. As for them getting limp, I really don't understand it...they're cooked to begin with to tenderize them...perhaps the gal cooked them too long...?

They should be a cinch to seal quickly in a bath...I never came across this recipe but now that you pointed it out to me, I'd love to try it!

I just bought a new Better Homes and Gardens pickling book today (at Home Depot of all places), but I did see it at Michael's today also...There are so many recipes I'd love to try, but my first will always be red pepper jelly, since it's so expensive to buy!

Enjoy your hobby! :)

It is time for Jersey mac apples, superieur Prunes and Summer Crisp pears right now. I will start canning baby food as I am due in September

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Originally Posted by Lynn49

Personally, I'd prefer using a water-bath to preserve them. As for them getting limp, I really don't understand it...they're cooked to begin with to tenderize them...perhaps the gal cooked them too long...?

They should be a cinch to seal quickly in a bath...I never came across this recipe but now that you pointed it out to me, I'd love to try it!

I just bought a new Better Homes and Gardens pickling book today (at Home Depot of all places), but I did see it at Michael's today also...There are so many recipes I'd love to try, but my first will always be red pepper jelly, since it's so expensive to buy!

Enjoy your hobby! :)

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Water bath = sitting your jars into a big pot of boiling water for ten minutes or so to seal 'em up, right?

Happy Canning Season, Everyone!

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Originally Posted by Zonny

Water bath = sitting your jars into a big pot of boiling water for ten minutes or so to seal 'em up, right?

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Absolutely right, Zonny.
After you fill the jars to the recommended head-space, wipe the rims thoroughly, put the flat top on, then the screw top, and twist just until it provides resistance, then a wee bit more. Not tight. Place the jars into the jar rack in a big pot and start the timing from when the water begins to boil again.

Time varies with different types of canned items..your recipes will provide those times.

I've just about gone through our merlot and white wine jellies (yummy on cream cheese with crackers!) as well as my red pepper jelly, so the next time there's a sale on red peppers I'll pick some up.

I'm also going to try those bread and butter pickles that you suggested! We just love 'em!

Did you see this one, Zonny?
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/red-and...ly/detail.aspx

This one looks very interesting, too...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sparkli...am/detail.aspx

I love the idea of combining strawberries with cranberries!

Have fun everyone!!

Just made my first applesauce of the season. The orchards had Vista Bella apples. This weekend it is Melba apples.
Too bad I will have my cesarian when the pears and plums arrive. I guess hubby will just have to make the baby food this season. But he is awesome at it! :)

I've just finished canning peach salsa, delicious. I've been canning for weeks now, it is nonstop. My mother has an amazing garden, and it takes so much time to take care of, she doesn't have time to can, so I've been taking care of that. Peach preserves, peach jelly, regular tomato salsa, HOT salsa, dill pickles, sweet pickles, pickled jalapenos, pickles jalapenos that I stuffed with garlic cloves, sweet and dill zucchini pickles, zucchini relish, zucchini salsa, peach butter, cherry jam, cherry jelly, cherry sauce, cherry pie filling, cherry preserves, tomato sauce, chili sauce, candied jalapenos, sweet pepper jelly, hot pepper jelly, corn relish....it never ends!! I love it, though. I tried canning for the first time last year, and fell in love! :)

And earlier I canned a bunch of rhubarb, yum. I love that everything we grow is organic, and I control everything that goes into the cans.

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Originally Posted by juniperjune

Bernandins home canning book is awesome for beginners

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I love this book.

Go to bernardin.ca - they have tons of trustworthy recipes on their site.

Experienced canners out there - how scary/difficult is pressure canning? I bought a pressure canner last year, and the cashier told me to be careful not to explode my kitchen.... uhhhh, so I stuck with water-bath. LOL!

just follow the instructions & you'll do fine. :) (I took a community kitchen pressure canning class last year.....it's easier than you think.)

With a pressure canner, you'll be able to can homemase soups, stews, chilis, etc. ....and have quality control over the ingredients.

I'm amazed at your energy to do all that canning..........I taught myself how to can at about age 21.....had a lot of fun with it....homemade canned peaches & pickles are amazing.

Last year my friend & I canned 60 pounds of peaches & 40 of plums.....so yummy!

I usually do tons of homemade jams (from fruit I picked & froze in the summer) in December to give away at Christmas....the house is cooler then too. :)

I'm hoping to do pickles this week if pickling cukes are still available.
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My son made a beautiful garden this year so we split on a pressure cooker when I got home I discovered that it should not be used on ceramic or glass cooking tops??? In my book for the stove it sid I could use a pressure cooker if I followed certain guidelines but its scary to think that I can break my stove top,so I purchased a portable butane stove and it works realy well. So far we have lots of yellow beans,and corn canned,I froze the peas and apple sauce,made apple jelly and rasberry jam. Yesterday son cleaned his garden because of Jack Frost and braught me two large baskets of the ugliest green tomamto's ever and we are hoping they turn red so I can do something with them. I may not have lots of stuff but its a start. I plan on canning pea soup and brown beans also. I am using Jean Pare Company's Coming Preserves and a old Farms Journal freezing and canning cookbook also have a couple of new books coming from bookcloseouts. phew....:) I would love to can peaches but theres not a whole lot around here.