Canning and food preservation

[Sirius]

In case anyone else is doing this, and would like to share tips, recipes or pictures, this is the thread to do it in.

I spent the day with my little brother (he's 32, not so little) canning beans, jam and preserves. This was the kickoff for our summer and fall plan to can ourselves silly. I also got to spend the day with my nephew Jayce, who is probably the cutest baby within three counties of here. Pictures of him to follow...

This was the first round of beans. We were running a test of sorts, and found out what we needed to know, so next week we are planning to can a full bushel of 60 jars! Ignore the ugly water line on the outside of the jars. Next time we are going to use spring water, instead of the hard tap water.

This was my first experience with jams. My brother and I took a series of canning safety classes last month in order to prepare for our can-a-palooza. Jams sounded really easy so we gave it a shot. This is blackberry and blueberry jam sweetened with honey and apple juice. And we made a super sweet peach butter. I really want to find a low sugar peach butter recipe, because it's too sweet for my tastes.

And that's Jayce. The smile doesn't leave his face until he is asleep. He's pretty awesome.

So anyway, I hope some of you other canners post some photos so we can ooooh and aaaah at your goodies.

 

[Heather]

Where did you get the beans, John? Are you growing them?
Don't tell me I never told you about my canning adventures in the '90's? I made some great looking pickles...

Pectin, just say no!

Love canning, but haven't done it in years! Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!

 

[Sirius]

Where did you get the beans, John? Are you growing them?
Don't tell me I never told you about my canning adventures in the '90's? I made some great looking pickles...

Pectin, just say no!

Love canning, but haven't done it in years! Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!

The beans are a purchase from a local farmer my brother knows. The number of small farms here is increasing by the year. "Eat local" is alive and well in Missouri. We are growing beans this year, but the haul will only be enough to enjoy fresh.

I will be posting many more photos soon. Beans, tomatoes, peaches, and apples are on our list of things to can. I should also mention, I am so tired, and we didn't really can all that much today. We only got 25 jars done.

 

[Sirius]

Today we started turning a bushel of peaches...

into peach salsa...

and peach butter and sliced peaches and ???

I am sick of smelling peaches. The salsa contains peaches, red bell pepper, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Amazing! Can't wait to pour some over a slow cooked pork loin this winter.

 

[luvsorchids]

Yummy :drool: I used to work with someone who made the best peach salsa :drool:.

Not canning, but I just finished drying 24 pounds of apricots. I should now have enough dried apricots to last for awhile .

Susan

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Hmmm....maybe I should try canning my jholokia peppers.....its a pretty intense crop this year...(Plenty for you Eric!)

 

[SlipperFan]

Those peaches look like a nice peach cobbler to me. And for eating with a little cream on them...

 

[Sirius]

Yummy :drool: I used to work with someone who made the best peach salsa :drool:.

Not canning, but I just finished drying 24 pounds of apricots. I should now have enough dried apricots to last for awhile .

Susan

That is a lot of apricots! Did you grow them yourself or buy?

 

[Sirius]

Hmmm....maybe I should try canning my jholokia peppers.....its a pretty intense crop this year...(Plenty for you Eric!)

How hot are jholokia peppers?

 

[Sirius]

Those peaches look like a nice peach cobbler to me. And for eating with a little cream on them...

It's still early in the season. My favorite frozen custard shop is offering peaches and custard.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Jolokia's are the hottest peppers in existence. Habanero's and Scotch Bonnets top out at about 400,000 Scoville units...Jholokia's (also called ghost chilies and naga chilies) top out at maybe 1,200,000 Scoville units. (Jalapeno's are about 40,000 units.)

 

[Sirius]

How can you possibly prepare food with them that is enjoyable? I understand some people like really spicy food, but to me, there is a point that seriously spicy food is no longer enjoyable. Maybe it's just my taste buds, but once I lose the ability to taste what I am eating because the sense of taste has been replaced by the sense of pain, I don't see any point to eating that food any more.

I ate some chicken one time that was slathered in what can only be described as "napalm" sauce. As much as it hurt going down, I am still haunted to this day by the effect it had on me the day after.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I mainly grow them for the fun of it...I give away 90% of them....especially to NY Eric who uses them to decimate his paintball adversaries. When I use them I just cut them open, remove the insides, and toss them in my sauce/curry/stew for no more than 5 minutes. Then I take them out. the result is very spicy, but not unbearably so. Or I might stick some of it in guacamole...I find that the fat in the avocado absorbs a lot of the heat, so I have to add a lot when I make it.

 

[Sirius]

At that level of heat, do you have to don a hazmat suit to cut them? :rollhappy: I got jalapeno juice on my hands the other day and forgot to wash my hands before touching my face. I can't imagine what your peppers would do to bare skin.