Canning Club - January 2015
Okay, so I started a little club with some friends (mostly SCAdian housemates) and we’ve been canning. With RL issues and concerns, I’ve fallen behind in my blogging here (sorry ephebiphobia!) So here is January’s adventure, plus pics and recipes (if I have them)
In our group, we have old pros like my mom, who has been canning and preserving since she was 12, and my Momma (a dear friend named Linda), and we have total N00bs that this is their first foray into canning/preserving. My goal is to pass on this kind of info, so that I kinda do my part to keep it from becoming a “lost art”, and also further my experience and learning, so I’ve picking easy things and gradually ramping up. Pickles are seriously the EASIEST thing you can make. If you are afraid of canning/preserving and want to start, start with a pickle. There are TONS of recipes out there, and it can be a little daunting, but basically, here’s how it works:
Air, bacteria, and various fauna, as well as time itself, are the enemies of fresh food. You leave a piece of fruit on the counter, and in a week (if you’re lucky that it lasts that long) it will start to rot. It’s the circle of life.
Now, if you want to read the actual science stuff about how canning works, click here or here for some really easy to digest articles. Basically, how it works is you cook the food to kill any bacteria in it, you add sugar, salt, or vinegar (or a combination thereof) to add flavor and inhibit bacteria growth (sometimes for YEARS), you put the cooked mixture into a sterilized jar, and you seal it through a simple process that creates a vacuum in the jar and keeps anything from getting inside.... till you want it to!
The reason pickles are so easy is that brine is very forgiving. Brines can be sweet or savory, or both! I’m including a couple recipes in this post, as I made Bread & Butter Peppers and my mom made Mexican Carrots.
A good habit to get into when you start canning is the sterilization process. If you have a dishwasher, awesome! Put JUST your jars into the dishwasher at the start of your prep and run it on the usual (or sterilization/steam setting if you have one) then leave them in the warm dishwasher until you’re ready to fill them. If you don’t, do what I do. Wash your jars as you would any dishes, then put them into a pot of water (that you will then use to process your finished jars) with 2 inches of water above the tops, bring them to a hard, rolling boil. Pull them out with tongs and carefully pour the water out, stand them up in a cake pan, and put them in an oven on low (~250F or so) until you’re ready to fill them.
Now that you have your jars sterilized and prepped, on to the cook!
This made about 12 pint jars for me, your mileage may vary.
12 large bell peppers (I used a mix of red, yellow, and a couple green), cut into bite size pieces (or however large you want your pickles)
6 cloves of garlic, cut in half
14 tablespoons of pickling spice (I prefer Penzey’s, you can blend your own if you like)
6 cups white vinegar (you can use apple cider, I prefer more of a bite)
Put a 1/2 a garlic clove and 1 tablespoon of pickling spice into the bottom of each jar. Divide the bell peppers and onions between the jars, packing them in tightly. Put the rest of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
While you’re cooking the brine, put the flat part of your jar lids into a pot and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit in the pot till you’re ready.
Let it boil for a few minutes, then take off the heat and use a ladle to spoon the brine into the jars. You want the peppers to be covered. Leave about 1/2 an inch of space at the top of the jar. I usually stop at the start of the screw bands on the jar. Use a damp papertowel to wipe the rims of the jars before putting the flat part of the lids on them. Once you have the flat lids on, put the screw bands on and tighten them. You don’t want to crank it down hard, but they need to be closed. Put the closed jars into the water bath that you sterilized jars in, and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, set your favorite timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, pull the jars out and set on a counter or cooling rack. You’ll probably start hearing the jars POP as the lids seal. When they’re fully cool, you can unscrew the bands and lightly test the lids. If they are sealed, they won’t slide off. You can store them with the bands off, once they’re sealed, they’re sealed. If they aren't sealed, you can try the water bath again, or just keep the open jar in the fridge and use within a few months.
4 cups white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
2 additional teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 small onions, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
4-6 jalapeno chiles, quartered (seeded for less heat)
6 lbs carrots, peeled and cut on a bias 1/2 inch thick
In a small skillet set over medium-high heat, toast the cumin seeds, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool. Mix the vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano and crushed peppercorns in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the onion and jalapenos and turn off the heat. Bring a large saucepan of water and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander and immediately transfer them to the saucepan with the vinegar and onions. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then turn off the heat. Divide the toasted cumin seeds, and garlic cloves among 8 clean pint canning jars. Using a slotted spoon, divide the carrots and onions among the jars. Top with the hot vinegar solution, leaving ½ inch of head space at the top of the jar. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth and put on lids and rings. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Coming soon is February’s adventure: Juice Based Jelly!
