# Canning and preserving



## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Are any of you into canning your own or otherwise fresh produce? I am and really enjoy doing it and esp eating it later. I have made 2 types of jalapeños. This morning it was jalapeño and onions. I'm starting to get zucchini and yellow squash to eat fresh, and to make relish soon. Tomatoes are starting to ripen..
I'm open to give and receive suggestions and recioes...


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I've never canned but it's on my bucket list for this summer.I want to learn and do it for future references.I'm going to start with the maters and see how that goes.What I really want is some chow-chow for my beans.Ever make that,Nanny?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Yes, I have and it's wonderful. Purchase yourself a "Ball Blue Book" of canning. WM has them around $10 or so. It has a nice chow chow recipe
and salsa. ALWAYS use canning salt, never table salt as it has preservatives that will ruin your product. It took me a whole date of ruined pickles to learn that.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Tomatoes and green beans are a good starter to learn on.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I don't do beans,I have no luck with them unfortunately.Next time I'm at Wally World I'll pick up a Ball Blue book.Thanks for the advice.I was going to talk my DIL into teaching me but she has a baby due Sept 4 and probably won't want to especially since we don't have ac.I can't do that to her.Since I just got my maters in the ground,I've got time to learn and get ready.I may have questions later and it's nice to know you are here, Nanny, to give advice.Thanks!!!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

You're welcome! The canning process does make the house hot even with AC.


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## Feathered (Apr 10, 2017)

I've been canning for over 25 yrs. The recipe I have for spaghetti sauce is the best! I'll share it with you if I can figure out how. Also can salsa and pears. Going to try green beans, pickles and apple sauce this yr also.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'd love to have the spaghetti sauce recipe! I use a basic salsa recipe and "tweak" it with a smoked jalapeños. Slow cooker apple butter is some kind of good!! My pear trees got frost bitten but I think I still will have enough to can. The trick to pears is to not over cook them and use Fruit Fresh to prevent the pears from turning brown.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Take a picture of your recipe and you can send with a post by tapping the + in the lower left corner. When you tap on the + a drop down in the upper Rt corner will come down. Click on your pictures and the click "attachment " then send.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I've got tomatillas and anaheim and pablano chile peppers for enchilada sauce and salsa.I would love a good homemade spaghetti sauce.I tried getting one from Dale's grandmother who married an Italian and lived in Italy.She always said she would get the recipe out but she died before that happened and no one found it in her belongings.I found out I wasn't the only one who was wanting that recipe.Now it's gone forever....


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's just sad CQ! I don't remember any of my grandmother's recipe except white gravy and see showed me how to make that. Oh and her drop donuts.


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## Feathered (Apr 10, 2017)

I started with the recipe in this link. Over the past few years I've modified it to my taste. I add jalapeño peppers without seeds. And some batches I add smiley chipotle seasoning. I like a little zip! It's the best recipe for sauce I've ever tried. 
https://thefarmhand.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/bountiful-harvest/amp/


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## Feathered (Apr 10, 2017)

Smokey chipotle! Dang auto correct


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'll look at that one. Chipotle us soo good. You sound like my kind of cook, a little here and a little there.


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## Feathered (Apr 10, 2017)

Yes, I cook to taste. Makes recipe sharing interesting .


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

After a lot of research and price comparisons,I bought a T-fal 22 qt pressure canner and cooker with 2 racks.It holds 7 qt jars and I forget how many pint jars.It was $73 and change but came with a $10 instant coupon and free shipping.I'm studying the Ball Blue Book and my DIL is on call if I need help.Now,I'm just waiting for the maters to grow...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Go for it gal!!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I just canned 6 more pints of green beans and have some spicy squash relish soaking in salt to put up after supper.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Now I'm kinda sorry I didn't plant beans but I have no luck with them.They are always too stringy to eat.Not sure what I do wrong.I've always had maters and peppers but usually grew them in pots for fresh summer fruits.Now I want to grow and can for year long eating.I'm not really "homesteading",just want to be little more self-sufficient.Every year I loose a little bit of the city girl but it's replaced with a lot of country woman and I'm happier and healthier(if I could just quit smoking...)There's much more satisfaction when you can do it for yourself.Now if I could just raise my own meat and eat it without feeling guilty,I got it made!!!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

CQ, you may be planting the wrong variety. Try the pole bean and pick early. Any bean will be stringy if they get too big.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have to hand it to you all who can. Being set up for it and growing your own veggies is just awesome.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I received my new pressure cooker/canner.I was very impressed with just the looks.It's a 22qt T-fal.I got it at a really good price.Now I have to figure out how to use it.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's purdy, CQ!! It's different than mine. Mine doesn't have a pressure gage. I just use a 10lb weight. I guess I've been doing it so long that I can gage pressure by the sound it makes. Yours is a very nice one!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

The Ball Blue Complete Book of canning is very explanatory with pictures for green beans.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I'm looking for a bunch of green beans as we speak.And jars with lids,canning salt,a head room gager and I think that's it.It'll be awhile before my garden starts producing but I got a tomato on one of the plants,if it didn't drown with the 4" of rain that fell Friday...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I wish you were closer, you could pick the ones in my garden.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

One year I watered the tomatoes so much that they all had splits. 
Hubs bought black cherries, peaches, and tomatoes at the farm stand down the road.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Got 3 batches of pickles going last night. 2 shapes of dill and one of cinnamon (made with red hots candy). I'll can them this afternoon. My garden is about done. I may have some more great beans and hopefully tomatoes, peppers ,and okra. I want to try pickled okra this year.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Your garden is about done?!?!Mine hasn't even started yet.LOL I was looking for a pickled egg recipe but they require refrigeration,I wanted to can them but apparently you can't.How do bars keep jars of pickled eggs indefinitely,like they do?I got a few bags of pinto beans so I'm going to try those first,it sounds easy enough, but the heat returned and I'm not doing any all day cooking.The geese ate my corn and Brussel's sprouts.I'm trying to get more going but it ain't looking good.I may not have sprouts and corn this year.Nanny,how many jars of stuff have you canned this year?I bought a few cases of pint jars,I'm going to focus on them at first.I really want to try the different tomato sauces but you need A LOT of tomatoes and I only planted 3 big tomato plants.Maybe next year,I'll have to expand the tomato patch...My tomatillas and chile peppers are doing really good and I believe I''ll be able to make salsas and enchilada sauces with those.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I've canned 2 and a half cases of green beans and a few jars of tomatoes, plus freezing tomatoes. I put a bushel of fresh red beans in the freezer. A good trick for dried pinto beans is to soak overnight, rinse , pat dry ,then spread on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once they're frozen, put them in a gallon sized freezer bag. You can take out enough for a meal and they'll be done in 2 hours. Mine were fresh shelled out of the field, never dried.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I've also made blue berry preserves and squash relish.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I'm wanting shelf stable foods in case of widespread power outages,natural or man-made disasters,etc.My freezer has been unplugged since a storm knocked out power to most of the area a few years ago.It took over a week before power was restored here.The stores were closed,I lost over $200 worth of frozen food.It happened in August with heat indices in the 100's .We stayed out by the pond and trees back there where it was cooler and shaded.We had a living room and bedroom going back there.I learned a valuable lesson then about storing food and I don't like to make the same mistakes twice.Now I figure I can still buy cheap or marked down meat,cook it,can it and store it without electric.It can even be done on an open fire if need be.And it's already cooked and ready to eat like canned goods but made my way.I've been wanting to learn to can for a long time but I was always intimidated.I'm ready to do it now,when it gets cooler...


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Find a recipe for Pemmican. That's what they used 100+ years ago.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Dehydrated fruits and veggies are very stable. Any meat, root veggies or meats MUST be pressure processed for safety and prevention of food poisoning.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

This is what I did yesterday.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Today's bounty, Red Hot Cinnamon pickles


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Red Hot Cinnamon pickles


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Oops sorry for the double post.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Those cinnamon ones sound really tasty!!!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

They are! You can Google or pinterest "Christmas Pickles" if you want to give it a try. I didn't do 5 days though, only 3.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I didn't do any cukes this year but I'll be thinking about those red hot pickles next year.And a lot more tomato plants.It takes 45 lbs of maters for a batch of tomato sauce.I only kept 3 big tomato plants this year and gave the rest away.Next year,I'll know better and will be better prepared.Dale doesn't know it yet but the garden is going to be bigger next year.And he's going to learn how to peel tomatoes.LOL


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

How do you peel them?


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

nannypattyrn said:


> How do you peel them?


What?!?!The Canning Queen wants to know how to peel tomatoes?For freezing tomatoes I was taught to make a small "x" on the bottom,blanche,ice bath then remove the skin which peels off.You don't peel tomatoes?Do I not have to peel tomatoes to can them?It's a tedious job,especially for 45 lbs of tomatoes for a batch of sauce(which I've never done).If peeling isn't necessary,tell me now,That would make things a lot easier.I've only froze tomatoes 2 years and I did not like peeling them but it was nice to have tomatoes from my garden in Dec.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Lol, no I was wondering how CQ does them. I blanche for 1 min and slip the skins off.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

If you are just making sauce, you can cook them skins and all and mill them through a colander.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

nannypattyrn said:


> Lol, no I was wondering how CQ does them. I blanche for 1 min and slip the skins off.��


LOL You got me!! 1 point for,Nanny!!!Dale picked up this hand-held strainer with a handle,it looks to hold at least 1 cup if not 2 cups,with a squisher top.It's been sitting on the counter since last year because I couldn't find any uses for it.Now,I may have found a use for it.I wasn't looking forward to peeling tomatoes but I believe this tool may have been designed for just that.I'll find out in a couple of months.I'm just starting to get some tomatoes popping out,and the first good sized green ones will be fried,I can taste them now...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Believe it or not, my tomatoes are almost done. They don't set fruit in temps much over 90 degrees. It's 95 today.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Yours are done and mine have just barely started.Aren't we in the same country?One of the things that sucks living this far north we only have one growing season for maters,peppers,etc but can do early/late crops like cabbage and Brussels sprouts.We have to wait until the middle of May to plant outside..


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

You are quite a bit north of me. We do have 2 growing seasons here. I plan on having fall tomatoes. They are really better than the spring ones.
My hubs brought home a box of fresh peaches, so guess what I'm doing?


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

LOL Sounds good.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Turned out bourbon vanilla peach jam...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

15 lbs of grapes harvested this morning translates 2 gallons of juice and pulp for jam. My DD gave me tomatoes and combined with a few that I had, tomatillas from Aldi gave me 10 pints of spicy picante. Yum Yum!

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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

You didn't make wine?My tomatillas in the garden are doing really good.I remembered what you said about empty husks but so far all husks have fruit in them and the one in a pot on the front porch is loaded.I'm making salsa and enchilada sauce with them.I got everything I need to can some pinto beans but haven't got the gumption to try it.I still feel intimidated but one day I'll just do it.If I mess it up,no big loss it's just beans,right?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Boy, I can't believe the amount of work in canning and how many things you all can. It must be delicious!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Ok, CQ are you talking about the green pinto beans with the pods? If so, I'll be glad to talk /message you through the process. Very easy! If you're talking about the dried pinto beans, a little more time but again, very easily done. If you want a "personal trainer" I'd be happy to call you. 
Yes, canning stuff requires dedication and stamina, but in the end (no pun intended) the goods are so much better than store bought.

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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

No,I'm doing dry pinto beans with salt pork.Something cheap and easy.It's a recipe in the Ball Blue book.If I mess it up I'm out a couple of bucks and a little time.I talked to my MIL yesterday and told her my plans.She kept saying how dangerous a pressure cooker was and told a story about her sister.She did something in the cooker,turned it off and went to the bar.When she came home,it was cooled so she opened it without releasing the pressure.It exploded,almost killing her.The lid was like a projectile and went through the ceiling and beans went everywhere.I didn't really need to hear that but that's something I will definitely remember.I may take you up on your offer,Nanny,and I appreciate it because noone I know cans except my DIL and she's really pregnant and I don't want to bother her with that.She's due Sept 4th and I don't have ac.I thought maybe if I watched a video of someone else doing it,it wouldn't be so intimidating.They got a video for everything.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I can't imagine why or how a pressure cooker that is cooled would still have pressure. You said she went out, how long and was she sure it was cooled off? I've only known of one incident like that and it was my mom who decided to pressure cook spinach. A peice got in the stop cock and plugged it up. The safety valve blew and spewed spinach all over the ceiling.

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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

It had to have been some thing similar. The safety valve must have malfunctioned or something. I've been using pressure cookers and canners for many years without a problem.

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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I'm not sure how long she was gone but I know to release the pressure now.As soon as it gets under 70 degrees out I'm going to try it.I try to study up on it a little everyday and any day now,I'm going to do the first time seasoning and get a small feel for it.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

You don't release the pressure unless the instructions tell you to. Sometimes you release after cook time and sometimes naturally.

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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I kind of use a knife blade to just barely release the pressure a little quicker but not immediately. You run the risk of steam burns by releasing the pressure too fast.

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