Canning and Preserving Food

[Honeylioness]

For my own reference as well as others who are just starting to put up their own produce or the overflow from the Farmer's Market I will be listing various methods and tips for canning and other ways to preserve foods.


Storing Fruits and Vegetables at Home:

cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1326/eb1326.pdf


Canning Lid Information and Comparisons

www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/showthread.php?t=17067

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How to Substitute Powdered and Liquid Pectic and Pectin


Pectic and pectin are related, but not interchangeable since they behave differently. Pectin can be found naturally in fruits. In some jelly and jam recipes, if there isn't enough pectin in the fruit to make it thicken itself, extra pectin must be added. Pectic, on the other hand, is an enzyme that breaks down pectin. It is called for often in wine recipes, as it breaks down the pulp and skins of the fruit to release the natural flavors and aromas. Each is available as a liquid and a powder. Use the proper conversion rate to substitute liquid and powder pectin, or to replace liquid pectic with powdered.


Instructions - Pectic

1. Read the recipe to see how much liquid pectic enzyme is needed.

2. Calculate how many teaspoons of pectic enzyme powder to use as as substitute, using a formula of 1/2 tsp. of powder for every 5 drops of liquid pectic enzyme.

3. Measure out the correct amount of pectic powder and add it to the recipe.

4. Reverse the substitution if your recipe calls for liquid pectic enzyme and you are using powdered pectic.


Instructions - Pectin

5. Determine how much liquid pectin is required for your recipe.

6. Convert this amount to tablespoons if it is listed in teaspoons (3 tsp. equals 1 tbsp.).

7. Calculate how many teaspoons of powdered pectin to substitute for the liquid version, using a conversion rate of 4 tsp. of powdered pectin for every 2 tbsp. of liquid pectin required.

8. Measure out and add the correct amount of pectin powder to your recipe.

9. Reverse the substitution if you are substituting liquid pectin for powdered pectin.

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Q: How many tablespoons are in one fluid ounce?

A:

1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons

1 tablespoon = 0.5 fluid ounce

NOTE: that is for FLUID ounces, not dry ounces. Dry ounces are a measure of weight, but fluid ounces is a measure of volume. Converting between weight and volume depends on the density of the substance.

[Honeylioness]

How to Freeze Corn - From Corn on the Cob!



If you like frozen niblets-type corn in the winter, just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a couple of dozen ears yourself, or bought a couple dozen fresh ears from a farm stand and then quickly froze it at home! It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a vegetable for the winter. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. The corn will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store. These directions are for corn which you will cut off the cob. If you want directions for freezing corn ON the cob, click here. Personally, I think you'll get better results and use less freezer space with it OFF the cob.


Ingredients and Equipment

* fresh corn on the cob - any quantity. I figure 1.5 ears per serving
* 1 Large pot of boiling water
* Plenty of ice - about 1 tray per ear.
* Vacuum food sealer or "ziploc" type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects better against freezer burn
* 2 large bowls, one filled with cold water and ice
* 1 sharp knife
* 1 Large spoon


Ideal ear - ripe but not bloated. the kernels are still tender (easily punctured with your fingernail) and the juice is milky). White, yellow or bicolor types are all fine!
Instructions


Step 1 - Get yer corn!

Start with fresh corn on the cob - as fresh as you can get. If there is a delay between harvesting and freezing, put it in the refrigerator or put ice on it. The sugars break down quickly at room temperature.

Step 2 - Get the pots ready

Get the largest pot you have (I use my canner) filled ¾ full with hot water, put it on your largest burner (or straddle two burners) and get it heating to a full rolling boil. Next, get a LARGE bowl filled with ice and cold water. You may need to buy a bag or two of ice if you are planning to do more than a dozen ears of corn.


Step 3 - Husk the corn

Husk the corn and pick off as much of the silk as you can. A soft vegetable brush is the fastest and easiest way to get the remaining silk off - just don't be too rough with it.


Step 4 - Blanch the corn.

All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color, flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. Corn requires a brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Blanching times generally vary from one to 10 minutes, depending on the vegetable. the duration should be just long enough to stop the action of the enzymes.

Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the corn in the boiling water, noting that the water ought to return to a boil in a minute or less. If it takes several minutes or more to return to a boil, you are using too small a pot or adding too much corn.

Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.

Blanching time varies depending on the type of frozen corn you are making: cut-whole kernel, cream style or corn-on-the-cob:

Blanching times, for freezing the corn:

*Whole Kernel Corn. - 4 to 6minutes.

*Cream style corn - 4 to 6 minutes.

Note: It's my opinion that best results come from whole kernel or cream style. Personally, I don't recommend freezing it on the cob: it takes up too much space in the freezer, and gets too mushy.


Step 5 - Cool the corn

Cool corn immediately in ice water. Drain the corn thoroughly.

After vegetables are blanched, cool them quickly to prevent overcooking. Plunge the corn into a large quantity of ice-cold water (I keep adding more ice to it). A good rule of thumb: Cool for the same amount of time as the blanch step. For instance, if you blanch sweet corn for 7 minutes, then cool in ice water for 7 minutes.

Drain thoroughly.

Step 6 - Cut the kernels from the cob

Obviously, if you are freezing the corn on the cob, skip this step.

Whole Kernel Corn – Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 the depth of the kernels. I hold the ear by the small end, and slide the knife down the ear. see the next photo.

Cream Style Corn – Cut kernel tips about 1/2 deep and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel.

Another way to prepare cream style corn for freezing is to cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching. Place the cut corn in a double boiler, and heat with constant stirring for about 10 minutes or until it thickens; allow to cool by placing the pan in ice water.

You don't need a special tool, just a very sharp knife!

However, a number of people wrote in to point out that they prefer one of the tools below, as do I, often because it is easier for them due to arthritis, or simply faster.

Close up, the corn comes off in strips. As you put these in the bag, they will easily separate into separate kernels.

Step 7 - bag the corn

Many people love their FoodSavers which vacuum seal bags of food. If you don't have one, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. Remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. I have seen on trick which is to use a straw and seal the Ziploc around the straw to suck the air out of the bag, then pinches the straw and quickly removes it while pressing the seal.


Step 8 - Label the bags!

"Sharpie" marking pens work well on plastic and won't rub off.


Step 9 - Done!

Pop them into the freezer, on the quick freeze shelf, if you have one!

Later, when you are ready to serve the corn, it just takes about 3 or 4 minutes in the microwave (from frozen) or in the top of a double boiler. It doesn't need to be "cooked", just heated up!


Tips:

* Harvest early in the morning, especially if the weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
* Harvest the corn at its peak maturity (milky fluid in the kernels, kernels tender, and not bloated). Immature corn is watery when cooked and over-ripe corn is chewy and doughy.
* Process promptly after harvesting, or keep cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.

[Honeylioness]

21 April 2010


Victoria Magazine

Calling All Readers

How does your garden grow? Tell us how you manage your surplus summer vegetables. Do you share the bounty with neighbors, sell it at a farmers’ market, or preserve it by canning or freezing? Your story could appear in an upcoming issue of Victoria or on our Web site!



As I garden in containers I usually do not have extra- however that has not stopped me from putting up a variety of foodstuffs each year. In addition to two local Pick Your Own farms where I get a variety of berries, apples, peaches, pears and pumpkins I have learned a few secrets of my local farmer's market.

Asking the farmer for a discount on unsold or slightly bruised produce garners you big savings - I have paid as little at $1 a pound for bruised, cracked or just ugly tomatos at the end of a day. Since they are headed for sauce their looks really matter not at all to me. I have also snagged good deals on tiny onions and baby cukes for pickling along with wilted bunches of basil I turned into "pesto pellets".

Each year I put up jars and jars of applesauce, canned fruits, jams, preserves, pickles and liqueur. You can also make things like pesto sauce, freeze it in ice cube trays then pop them out into a freezer bag for later use when you just need a little to spice up a dish or a quick bowl of pasta. I freeze berries for use during the winter and have even purchased bushels of corn and shaved the cobs to put up my own nibblets. It helps to ask around about what coworkers have gardens and let them know that when they are faced with all their bean plants ripening the same weekend and they have no idea what to do with all that bounty that you will be glad to take them off their hands.

I also grow herbs that I can either dry for use during the year or can infuse into oils. When I started doing these things about 15 years ago it was considered rather "odd" by many people's standards. However I notice that those same folks never turn down a jar of homemade jam come Christmas!

[Honeylioness]

Green tomato relish recipe with cabbage and onions, along with bell peppers and green tomatoes.


Ingredients:

* 1 quart ground onions
* 1 quart ground cabbage, about 1 large head
* 1 quart ground green tomatoes
* 18 bell peppers, a combination of green, red, and other colors, ground*
* 1/2 cup salt
* 6 cups sugar
* 4 cups vinegar
* 2 cups water
* 2 tablespoons celery seed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

Preparation:

Combine onions, cabbage, green tomatoes, green and red bell peppers and salt; cover and let stand overnight. In the morning drain well. Put vegetables in a large kettle; add sugar, vinegar, water, celery seed and turmeric. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Pack into hot sterilized pint jars.

Seal and process in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes. (1,001 to 6,000 feet, process 10 minutes) *Red bell peppers can be expensive, but they are sweeter and add color to the relish. Makes 8 to 10 pints.


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Green Tomato Chutney[/u]


Ingredients:

* 2 pounds green tomatoes, cut in wedges and sliced
* 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
* 2 3/4 cups light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
* 2 cups cider vinegar
* 1 cup dark raisins
* 1 cup golden raisins
* 2/3 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups seedless green grapes
* 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large kettle or Dutch oven; stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add grapes and seasonings; stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 1 hour or until mixture is thickened.

Spoon chutney into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner, or 20 minutes for altitudes of 1001 to 6,000 feet. Over 6,000 feet, process for 25 minutes.

Makes about 2 1/2 pints.


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Zucchini and Green Tomato Relish[/u]


I used the coarse grind of my stand mixer's grinder attachment to make this sweet relish. This is a great relish for hot dogs or burgers, and it's a good way to use extra green tomatoes and zucchini. Finely chop the vegetables if you don't have a grinder.

Ingredients:

* 4 1/2 cups ground zucchini, about 2 1/2 pounds
* 2 cups ground green tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds
* 3 large red and/or yellow bell peppers, ground
* 1 large onion, peeled, ground
* 1/3 cup pickling salt or kosher salt
* 3 cups cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 teaspoon mixed pickling spices
* 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Preparation:

Put ground vegetables in a large nonreactive container with salt; gently stir to combine. Top with about 3 cups of ice cubes, cover, and let stand for 3 hours. Drain and lightly rinse.

In a large, nonreactive kettle combine the vinegar, sugar, spices, mustard seeds, turmeric, and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add drained vegetable mixture and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Pack into clean jars. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth and seal with 2-part lids. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Makes about 5 pints.


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Green Tomato Pickles Recipe


"Great use for green tomatoes! Do not use cold-damaged or bruised tomatoes in this recipe."

Original Recipe Yield 8 pint jars


Ingredients

* 1 gallon green tomatoes, thinly sliced
* 6 large onions, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup salt
* 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
* 1 tablespoon whole cloves
* 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
* 1 tablespoon celery seeds
* 1 tablespoon mustard seed
* 1 tablespoon ground mustard
* 3 cups distilled white vinegar
* 3 cups brown sugar
* 1/2 lemon, sliced
* 2 red bell peppers, minced
* 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a large ceramic bowl or crock, combine green tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Pour cold water over tomatoes and onions, and let stand for 1 hour. Place black pepper, cloves, allspice, mustard seeds and ground mustard in a small cheesecloth bag.
3. In a large pot, stir together vinegar and sugar, and then add the tomatoes and onions, the cheesecloth bag with spices, the sliced lemon, and minced red pepper. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Fill sterilized jars with tomato mixture, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Garnish with thin strips of red pepper arrange vertically along the sides of the jars. Screw on lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

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Green Tomato Chutney


Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds firm green tomatoes, about 6 cups diced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation:

Trim the stem and blossom ends from tomatoes and cut into 3/4-inch dice (you should have about 6 cups). Combine all ingredients in a heavy kettle; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for about 1 hour, until thickened.

Spoon chutney into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner, or 20 minutes for altitiudes of 1001 to 6,000 feet. Over 6,000 feet, process for 25 minutes.

Makes about 3 pints of green tomato chutney.


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Gran's Green Tomato Chutney


Ingredients


5 1/2 lbs green tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 lb onions, finely sliced
4 tsp salt
4 1/4 C malt or apple vinegar
3/4-1 lb soft light brown sugar
1/2 lb sultanas (gold raisins), roughly chopped
3 tsp ground pepper


Equipment:

Preserving pan or other large lidless pan
7 - 10 jars with lids
Food wrap / cling film OR Canning Supplies
Sticky labels


Prepare


Finely slice your onions and washed green tomatoes, cutting out any bad bits. Add to a large bowl and stir. Add the 4 teaspoons of salt, stir again and then cover with food wrap or a large plate and leave overnight.

This will draw out lots of the tomato juices and help enhance the flavours. This step can be skipped if you don't want to leave it overnight, just reduce the salt by half.

I thoroughly recommend doing this step as it will reduce the time you need to cook your chutney for. Much of the cooking time is just reducing the liquid down so it's a thick enough consistency for chutney.


The next day...

Place the vinegar into a large pan. Add the brown sugar and stir over a medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved.

Bring to the boil.

Roughly chop the sultanas then add to the simmering vinegar and sugar. Bring the whole lot to a gentle boil.

Remove the cover from the tomatoes and onions that you've left overnight. Drain well but do not rinse. Rinsing will add more water and the goal of leaving overnight with salt was to remove as much water as possible without pulping them.

Add to the chutney and stir in well. Add the 3 teaspoons white pepper.

Once all the ingredients have been added they need to be boiled gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until thick and golden. The goal of this cooking time is to reduce the liquid down so the chutney's thick and to soften the tomatoes and onions until they take on the sugar and turn brown.

All you're doing for the next 1 - 2 hours is stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat if they start to boil too vigorously.

You might as well get your jars ready now!


Wash your jars and lids well in hot water.

Place them in an oven preheated to 280 Fahrenheit.

This will dry and sterilize them.

When your chutney has reduced by almost half and is thick and golden brown, it is almost ready. Boil it a little longer, I'm almost certain you'll be as impatient as I am and need to leave it just a tiny bit longer. I found a good gauge of it being thick enough was when I could drag my wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and see the bottom for a little while after it had passed. When that happens, it's ready.

Remove your sterilised jars from the oven and place on newspaper. At this point I realised I didn't have any newspaper so I used chopping boards. Regardless, make sure you have something covering your work surfaces to make it easier to clean up, bottling the chutney will make a fair bit of mess.

Holding the hot jars in an oven mitt in one hand, spoon the chutney into the jars with the other. When full give them a quick tap on the bottom against the work surface to knock out any air bubbles then fill the next jar.

When all your jars are full place a double layer of cling film or food wrap across the top of each jar and then trim around it. As the chutney cools the air below the wrap will contract, sucking the cling film down against the surface, protecting it further from mold. You can see the concave shape of the wrap in the pictures.

While the jars cool, write some labels showing the date, content and maker.

Once cool, add the lids and stick on the labels. You can start eating the chutney right away, or leave it to mature for one or two weeks. I couldn't wait so had some warm with cheese and biscuits.


OR Process in sealed jars in a water bath for 15-18 minutes.

[Honeylioness]

Lemon Curd


Suggested Uses for Lemon Curd

Use lemon curd as a filling for tarts or merinques, as a topping on ice cream or pound cake, or as a delicious spread between cake layers. It also makes a refreshing change from jam on toast, English muffins or scones.

A jar of lemon curd would certainly make a great stand-alone jar gift, or a nice addition to gift baskets. Don't forget to include a note with suggested uses for this delectable preserve.


Printable Lemon Curd Gift Tag

You can use our Free Printable Lemon Curd Gift Tag, which includes suggested uses and the recipe for Easy Lemon Curd, or simply write your own.

www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/images/lemoncurdlabel.gif




Making Lemon Curd - A Primer

Fruit curds involve mixing beaten egg yolks, fruit juice, zest and sugar to a smooth, sweet consistency imbued with a tangy taste of citrus. Butter and egg whites are sometimes included the recipe. Unlike jams, however, fruit curds are not brought to a boil; this is to avoid curdling the egg and fruit mixture, and it means that lemon curd will not store as long as jam. For this reason, lemon curd is usually made in smaller quantities than jam, although refrigeration and modern preserving methods have increased storage time significantly from earlier times.



Easy Lemon Curd

3 eggs
2 large or 3 small lemons
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt

Wash lemons, and grate very thin strips of rind from the outside. Cut lemons in half and squeeze out juice. Remove any seed pips and set aside.

Beat the eggs gently and mix in lemon rind and juice, butter, sugar and salt. Place in the top of a double boiler (a heatproof bowl placed over hot water will also work) and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and mixture thickens. If curd seems too thin at this point, you may add another beaten egg yolk.

Pour lemon curd into small sterilized jars and cover with sterilized lids. This recipe stores well in refrigerator for up to three months. Makes approximately two cups or one pint. Can be used as lemon meringue pie filling, or spoon over warm lemon or vanilla pound cake for dessert.



Wikibooks Lemon Curd Recipe

1/2 cup (120ml) lemon juice
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/3 cup (80g) sugar
3 eggs
3/4 stick of unsalted butter (90g)
Pinch of salt (optional, to bring out sweetness and flavor of finished product)

1. Grate the lemon rinds to produce two tablespoons of zest. Grate only the yellow zest, avoid the inner white pith which is bitter.
2. Extract the juice from the lemons to produce 1/2 cup (120ml) of juice.
3. Cut the butter into small chunks.
4. Put eggs, zest, sugar, and salt into cooled sauce pan.
5. Whisk ingredients in pan till frothy and light in color (a minute or two).
6. Add lemon juice and whisk 30 seconds.
7. Add butter chunks.
8. Set pan on stove burner, turn on heat to medium-to-low, and start whisking contents so they don't coagulate or stick to bottom of pan.
9. Whisk constantly till butter melts and mixture thickens, then whisk another two minutes, but do not let mixture boil - it should be quite steamy (185°F, 85°C).
10. Optional: Remove zest with the strainer over a mixing bowl and pouring the mixture through. Then work the mixture through the strainer with the spatula to strain out the zest and any egg lumps; rake mixture off bottom of strainer into bowl.
11. Pour mixture from bowl into jar to within 1/4 inch (0.75cm) from top, taking care not to get mixture on rim, then seal jar with lid.
12. Refrigerate to thicken the product further.



Microwave Lemon Curd

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 TBSP finely grated lemon peel
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 eggs

Mix lemon juice, grated peel, and sugar in a 2-qt. microwave-safe casserole. Add butter, cover with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH for 4-1/2 minutes, whisk, then microwave again for 30 seconds on HIGH, whisk again.

Beat eggs until frothy and blend in about 1/2 cup of hot lemon mixture. Stir back into casserole and whisk well. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on MEDIUM for 2 minutes, whisk. Microwave on MEDIUM for another 2 minutes, whisk. Microwave on MEDIUM-LOW for 1 minute, whisk again. Microwave for 1 more minute on MEDIUM-LOW, whisk. The mixture should now be as thick as mayonaisse (if not, continue cooking on MEDIUM-LOW until it is).

When lemon curd is done, whisk well and ladle into hot, sterilized half-pint (one cup) jars. Cover and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Makes 4 cups.

[Honeylioness]

Pear Butter Recipe


Have more pears than you know what to do with? Pear butter is a tasty solution.


Ingredients:

* Pears (40 medium-sized or 50 small)
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preparation:

1. Peel, core and chop pears. Then, puree in a blender.

2. Put the pear puree, sugar and spices into a crock pot (4 quarts or larger), and set on high.

3. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half.

To Can: Ladle the pear butter into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace. Then, run a spatula or bubble remover tool around the inside edge of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean; top with a boiled lid; secure the band, and process in a boiling water bath – 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts.

Place the jars on a towel, and allow them to cool overnight. Then, test the jars for a good seal in the morning (press down on the lid; and if the lid doesn't pop back, the jar is sealed). Refrigerate any jars that did not seal.

To Freeze: Ladlel the pear butter into clean, freezer jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headpace in pint jars and 1-inch of headspace in quart jars. Seal the jars, and allow to cool completely before freezing.

[Honeylioness]

Apple Butter


It's hard to find any apple butter, let alone good apple butter in the grocery store these days. Making apple butter is a great way to preserve the fruits of an apple harvest. In contrast to what the name implies, there is no "butter" in apple butter. The name comes from its smooth and buttery texture. Apple butter is delicious on buttered toast.

Although apple butter takes time to make (the sauce is slow cooked for at least an hour), the upfront part is easy. You do not have to peel or core the apples. The pectin for firming up the resulting jam resides mostly in the cores and there is a lot of flavor in the apple peels. After the first cooking, these parts get discarded as the pulp is run through a food mill.


Ingredients

* 4 lbs of good cooking apples (Or use your favorites - I like MacIntosh)
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar
* 2 cups water
* Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions)
* Salt
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Equipment Needed

* 1 wide 8-quart pan (Stainless steel or copper with stainless steel lining)
* A food mill or a chinois sieve
* A large (8 cup) measuring cup pourer
* 6-8 8-ounce canning jars


Preparing the Fruit

1. Cut the apples into quarters, without peeling or coring them (much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor in the peels), cut out damaged parts.

First Stage of Cooking

2. Put them into large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Measure out the purée and add the sugar and spices

3. Ladle apple mixture into a chinois sieve (or foodmill) and using a pestle force pulp from the chinois into a large bowl below. Measure resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add a dash of salt, and the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Second Stage of Cooking

4. Cook uncovered in a large, wide, thick-bottomed pot on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth (about 1 to 2 hours). A small bit spooned onto a chilled (in the freezer) plate will be thick, not runny. You can also cook the purée on low heat, stirring only occasionally, but this will take much longer as stirring encourages evaporation. (Note the wider the pan the better, as there is more surface for evaporation.)

Canning

5. There are several ways to sterilize your jars for canning. You can run them through a short cycle on your dishwasher. You can place them in a large pot (12 quart) of water on top of a steaming rack (so they don't touch the bottom of the pan), and bring the water to a boil for 10 minutes. Or you can rinse out the jars, dry them, and place them, without lids, in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes.

6. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. If you plan to store the apple butter un-refrigerated, make sure to follow proper canning procedures. Before applying the lids, sterilize the lids by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids. I use a hot water bath for 10 minutes to ensure a good seal.

As an alternative to stove cooking the puree you can cook uncovered in a microwave, on medium heat to simmer, for around 30 minutes.

Makes a little more than 3 pint jars.

[Honeylioness]

How to freeze fresh green beans


Freezing is accomplished in a few very simple steps.

1) Choose the freshest green beans you can find.

2) Rinse your green beans in cool water. Drain.

3) Cut the ends of the beans off. Cut the beans to whatever length you prefer.

4) Put the green beans into rapidly boiling water, cover the pot and boil them for 3 minutes. (You can re-use this water three to five times - but make sure it's brought back to a rolling boil).

5) Use a large slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the boiling water and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Keep them in the ice water for 3 minutes. Drain them well.

6) If you have a FoodSaver a great time to use it is right now. If you don't, put the green beans into ziplock freezer bags. Make sure you get as much air out of the ziplock bag as possible to help prevent freezer burn.

7) Get ready to enjoy farm fresh green beans whenever you want!



You cannot can beans in a water bath - you must have a pressure canner due to the risk of botulism with low acidic foods.

[Honeylioness]

When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mould spores and other bacteria on the surface. Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft.