Canning

Khovde07

Does anyone else here can their own food? I started a few months ago and I'm absolutely loving it! It's so easy and a great way to save money and calories! For example... a whole pint of my homemade canned marinara is only 218 calories!

I'd love to swap and share recipes if anyone else cans food. I'm always looking for new ideas.

jgnatca

I made my own applesauce this fall but didn't bother with the sterilization. I kept the jars in the refrigerator and they were gobbled up in no time.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361132463848343620/

randomsue

I don't can but I am interested in doing it. Just a little overwhelmed by how to start.

Khovde07

I did applesauce last year but didn't end up eating much of it. I'll have to get to that this fall. This year I canned: Marinara, salsa, tomato soup, garlic dilly beans, green beans, corn, peaches, jam, and plum bourbon bbq sauce. I've probably got over 50 jars sitting in my basement cupboards and I still want to keep going! haha!

Canning can be very intimidating when you first get started, but I was honestly shocked at just how easy it was! I wished I had started doing it a lot sooner. It can get a little expensive to start because you have to buy all the jars and a canner (if you choose). Definitely start with the water bath method as it's easier and you can just use a large pot if you have one instead of buying a special canner. Keep in mind that only certain foods can be canned using the water bath method. There are tons of resources online to get you started. Do some research so you can make sure you're doing everything safely. I found Pinterest was a good resource if you search "canning" and start there. And if you have any questions, I can try to answer with what I've learned. Good luck!

InCHarmsWay

I LOVE canning. I only do water bath canning at this point (been doing it a little over a year now), but that still gives me tons of options. I do a million types of pickles (turnips, jalapenos, bread and butter, Persian pickled cucumbers...), jams, salsas, boozy cocktail cherries, chutneys, etc. Today I had non-homemade jam at work and couldn't believe how little I liked it compared to the ones I make at home.

Khovde07

It really is amazing how much better everything tastes when you can it yourself. Everyone I know scrambles to get my jars of salsa! This year I made a couple different strawberry jams. Just a plain strawberry and then strawberry champagne jam. So yummy!

Have you every made dilly beans? They are incredibly addictive and pretty healthy!

InCHarmsWay

My latest favorite is strawberry-fig jam...especially good with cheese! Yep, I do dilly beans! They are amazing (but not as healthy) as a garnish to a Bloody Mary

Khovde07

Yum! I'm thinking about making wine jam soon. I hear it's very good.

I'm a pickle fanatic so I make dilly beans and just snack on them straight out of the jar. No kisses from hubby after that tho haha

InCHarmsWay

He'll just have to eat them too!

Khovde07

courtenaymichele wrote: »

He'll just have to eat them too!

Only after he pries them from my cold, dead hands! Haha

Khovde07

shameless bump

Kalikel

Yes, I can. It's much easier to make a bunch of something and then open it up as you need it than it is to be always and forever making things. Jam, which is how I started, is a great example.

You also get things made just the way YOU like them.

Get one of those long magnets on the end of a bendable piece of metal. I forget what they're called, but they had it in my hardware store. They're way better than those lid racks.

Try to can as you go, using ingredients that are in season and as yummy as they can be.

There are many books on canning out there. Ball makes one that is pretty comprehensive, easy to read and has recipes. It's an excellent starter book, IMO.

Canning is much easier in practice than it seems when you begin learning how to do it.

Khovde07

Kalikel wrote: »

Canning is much easier in practice than it seems when you begin learning how to do it.

Totally agree! I'm loving having my own marinara. I wish I had tried it earlier in the season so I could have made more with the tomatoes I had. I think I'm only sitting on about 10 pints for the winter. Oh well, I can always buy tomatoes at the store.