# It's Jam night! (whatchu canning?)



## Adios Pantalones (Sep 10, 2014)

That's the night I make jam.

Habanero jelly, and beach plum jam- grew both of them


----------



## Jags (Sep 10, 2014)

Mmmmm...I remember the hab jelly.  Wiped out a few bricks of cream cheese with that stuff.  Looks outstanding.  I didn't can anything this year.  Put up some sweet corn in the freezer, but that is about it.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Sep 10, 2014)

I did a batch of spag sauce and 2.5 batches (seen here) of jelly. I have a mess of habaneros ripening, so prolly hot sauce before the season is over


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Sep 10, 2014)

I've got a few dozen Cherry peppers that'll be stuffed with provolone, prosciutto, and capicola this weekend then put in a jar with white vinegar, pepper corns and home grown garlic, in a few weeks they'll be good, for play off foot ball they'll be just right. 
Next week it'll be gallons of green salsa made from tomatillo's, mountains of hot peppers, and garlic, freeze that and I'll enjoy it through this time next year.


----------



## 1kzwoman (Sep 12, 2014)

Froze sweet corn last night,apples for sauce or jelly tomorrow as killing frost and snow here tonight


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

I've only canned one batch of wild blackberry jam but I've also done 2 batches of fermented sauerkraut, 2 quarts of fermented cherry tomatoes and a batch of fermented dilly beans and sour dill pickles.


----------



## 1kzwoman (Sep 12, 2014)

Smoke I really like the fermented gaurdiina  cauliflower mix.  Have you ever done it?
Fermented foods experiments are wonderful on so many levels,


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

No, I'm pretty new to it but I love the flavor.  Real sauerkraut is my new favorite food.  My fermented cherry tomatoes are awesome as well.


----------



## Jags (Sep 12, 2014)

Chimney Smoke said:


> My fermented cherry tomatoes are awesome as well.



Please explain.


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

It's very easy.  I fill a quart mason jar with cherry tomatoes and then cover with water mixed with around a teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt.  Put a weight on top to keep them covered in brine and then cover with a regular canning lid.  I let mine sit on the kitchen counter for about 8 -10 days and then put them in the fridge.  They stay plump but when you bite into it it just kind of explodes with a fizzy, tomato - sprite flavor.  I prefer the orange cherry tomatoes because they're a little sweeter.


----------



## Jags (Sep 12, 2014)

No vinegar?


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

No.  When you ferment food the good bacteria is naturally present on the veggies.  As long as the food stays under a saltwater brine the good bacteria prevent any bad bacteria from forming.  Real fermented foods like sauerkraut have no vinegar added.  Real old fashioned sour pickles have no vinegar, the sour tang is from lactic acid given off from the good bacteria.


----------



## Jags (Sep 12, 2014)

I am very familiar with kraut, but the cherry toms are new to me.


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

Same principle just a different veggie.  So far this summer I've fermented cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans and summer squash.


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Sep 12, 2014)

How long do these fermented tomatoes last in the fridge?
How can you tell 8th good bacteria and not botulism?


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Sep 12, 2014)

They're supposed to keep for months in the fridge but they don't last more than a few weeks for me cause I eat them.  Botulism really doesn't happen with fermented stuff because the bacteria that cause it is aerobic.  The good bacteria is anaerobic.  As long as the food is submerged with no air contact no bad bacteria can grow.  If you happen to do a batch that goes bad - trust me, you can tell by the smell.


----------



## 1kzwoman (Sep 12, 2014)

http://nourishedkitchen.com/recipe-index/ferments-cultured-food/
Has some good info



Jags said:


> No vinegar?


No vinegar. Good non iodized salt fresh water, fresh veggies, natural microbes!

I've one gingered carrots, and just garlic cloves as well


----------



## valley ranch (Oct 22, 2014)

Sorry these can't be enlarged by clicking on them, don't know why.

Richard


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 24, 2014)

I got a pressure canner this year and have been pestering my mom to teach me how to use it.  So far I've done 32 pints of sockeye salmon, and 7 quarts of carrots (to make speedy carrot soup).  Also I've done some pickled garlic scapes and 'mom's apple pie filling' in the boiling water bath canner.  Dehydrated ~60 apples too.


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 24, 2014)

By the way the botulism bacteria is anaerobic, which is why it's an issue when you can because you remove all the air.  I think that with fermenting in the way you've described, the oxygen in the jar will still be diffusing into the liquid so botulism wouldn't be a problem because there's still oxygen in the water.  But it's been a long time since chemistry class...


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 24, 2014)

Has anyone done lemons preserved in salt?  They are amazing.


----------



## billb3 (Oct 24, 2014)

canned some asian pears as drunken pears (wild turkey and a vanilla bean)
now I'm working on bartletts
(some of) this tray is destined as raspberry/pear jam.


I've got 7 more trays in the cool garage.
Probably use the funky ones and mix in some asian pears for pear applesauce and can some pear halves.
Everyone who has tried the drunken pears want me to do more but vanilla beans are a bit pricey.
Worth it though I think.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Oct 24, 2014)

Cynnergy said:


> By the way the botulism bacteria is anaerobic, which is why it's an issue when you can because you remove all the air.  I think that with fermenting in the way you've described, the oxygen in the jar will still be diffusing into the liquid so botulism wouldn't be a problem because there's still oxygen in the water.  But it's been a long time since chemistry class...


The acidity of the natural fermentation process prevents botulinum. All those foods that you can can with just a hot water bath are acidic- jellies, tomatoes, etc. I did pickled garlic scapes last year- they were great! I just cooked them here and there this year, we love them.


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 24, 2014)

I stand corrected. Good to know, thanks Adios!  I haven't done any fermenting - I guess that's next on the list although for some reason it doesn't really appeal to me.  Maybe I just need to taste real kraut .

I left the buds on my scapes and that part went a bit mushy.  I think I'll try cutting them out next year, or just cooking in season - they lasted quite long in a paper bag, I bet if I put them in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge they'd last a couple of months.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Oct 26, 2014)

I put them in a plastic bag in the fridge and they lasted well over a month. I was very surprised


----------



## begreen (Oct 26, 2014)

We just opened up a jar of pickled hot peppers we canned about 3 weeks ago. They are a mix of our orange bulgarian carrot peppers and red and green jalapenos. A friend gave us the recipe and told us that the heat would mellow out with pickling. Fat chance. The bulgarian carrot peppers are still scorching hot, but they tasted great. It's funny when you have to find a jalapeno to cool off. These were great on chips with a bit of homemade salsa and they should be fantastic as a nachos topper. We just did a second larger batch so we'd have some extras for gifts.


----------



## DevilsBrew (Oct 27, 2014)

Anyone can soup?


----------



## Jags (Oct 27, 2014)

DevilsBrew said:


> Anyone can soup?



If I make an abundance, I freeze.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Oct 27, 2014)

Devils- I stick with accepted recipes and methods, which limits varieties of what I can do, but I have a pressure canner and am thinking about doing chili (which is the devil's soup)

I picked 3# cherry peppers! and 2# habaneros today to get them off the plants before we get a freeze. Pickled the cherries, and will ferment the habaneros in a couple of days when they ripen up a tad more


----------



## begreen (Oct 27, 2014)

Nice. That's a late harvest for your area.


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 27, 2014)

DevilsBrew said:


> Anyone can soup?



My mom does an amazing turkey soup using the Bernardin book recipe (I think it's the Ball Blue Book in the US) - she adds veggies and rice while it's heating up on the stove after coming out of the jar.  

I tried to find out a way if my favourite carrot and lentil soup could be canned - I even emailed Bernardin about it and got a very standard response about how it's not safe.  So I gave up and just canned the carrots and made up little lentil and spice packages to go with each quart jar in the correct proportions - shouldn't take too long to make with the carrots already prepped and cooked and most of the other ingredients measured out.


----------



## Cynnergy (Oct 27, 2014)

Sockeye, 'Mom's Apple Pie Filling' and garlic from my friend's farm.


----------



## DevilsBrew (Oct 27, 2014)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Devils- I stick with accepted recipes and methods, which limits varieties of what I can do, but I have a pressure canner and am thinking about doing chili (which is the devil's soup)
> 
> I picked 3# cherry peppers! and 2# habaneros today to get them off the plants before we get a freeze. Pickled the cherries, and will ferment the habaneros in a couple of days when they ripen up a tad more
> 
> View attachment 142565



If you try the chili, then please post.

Awesome haul you have there.


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Oct 30, 2014)

Cynnergy said:


> I stand corrected. Good to know, thanks Adios!  I haven't done any fermenting - I guess that's next on the list although for some reason it doesn't really appeal to me.  *Maybe I just need to taste real kraut *.



That'll do it for you.  I just started this year and I'm hooked now.


----------



## bsruther (Nov 24, 2014)

15 pints of chicken breast canned last night. I told the wife they would look like science projects when they were done, but don't look quite as bad as I thought they would.


----------



## Cynnergy (Nov 24, 2014)

bsruther said:


> 15 pints of chicken breast canned last night. I told the wife they would look like science projects when they were done, but don't look quite as bad as I thought they would.
> View attachment 145515



What will you use it for?  Are they your own chickens?


----------



## bsruther (Nov 25, 2014)

Cynnergy said:


> What will you use it for?  Are they your own chickens?


Most of it will get used for soup. Makes cooking a lot easier and it's better than anything from a can. Not our chickens. I found chicken breast on sale and couldn't pass it up and it was taking up too much space in the freezer so I canned it. We have chickens, but just for eggs.


----------

