# Sunday Canning



## JohnT (Aug 15, 2016)

Being that it was BRUTALLY hot on Sunday. What better way to cool down then to have several boiling pots on the stove..​ 
Spent a great deal of time canning on Sunday.​ 
Figs were on sale so I started by canning a batch of fig jam for the first time.​ 
GEEEEZE! those little things are a pain to peel! Peeling them took the better part of an hour, but the results were great. Fig jam is great on crackers as part of an antipasto. Yum!​ 
After cleaning up everything from making jam, I turned my attention to the cucumbers that were just picked.​ 
The mandolin that I have slices the pickles too thin, so I like to hand slice them. Although a little more time consuming, I prefer the results. 
I use MRS Wages bread and butter mix. All you do is add sugar and vinegar, and heat. I have been using it for several years and simply love them.​ 
After cleaning (AGAIN) I noticed that my cherry pepper plants had several nice, ripe peppers. I ended up making 2 quarts of pickled peppers.​ 
After cleaning yet again, I turned my attention toward dinner. Here is a pic...​


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## NorCal (Aug 15, 2016)

Nice work.


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## TonyR (Aug 15, 2016)

Looking good


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## Arne (Aug 16, 2016)

Mrs. Wages mixes are the way to go. We like the Kosher Dill, use the instructions, add one super chili sliced in half. Seems like most everybody likes them. A jar just disappears. Green Beans have been canned for a couple of weeks already. The tomatoes are finally turning red. Planted cantalope this spring. They have produced the sweetest melons I have ever eaten. Sure wish there was a way to keep them for later. Others around town enjoyed the fact that many of them ripened at the same time. First day picked one, two days later there were 11 ready. Still have to pull the onions. Will make what we calls onion balls out of them. Chop them up really fine, put them in a plastic ice cube tray. Now in a zip lock bag to hold the oder in and stick them in the freezer. When frozen, out of the tray and into another zip lock. Back in the freezer, when you want onion for cooking grab a couple of the cubes and throw em in. Onions last all year that way. Arne.


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## JohnT (Aug 16, 2016)

I have never really grew onions before. I have heard that you can dry them in the sun, braid the dried leaves, and hang them in a cool/dry place. Does this work?


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## TonyR (Aug 16, 2016)

That is what I do with my garlic, should work with onions. When i grew onions I would dry them GOOD in the sun for a few weeks then cut off the stock and roots, place them in net bags and hang them in the garage. Would keep till early spring.


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## Arne (Aug 16, 2016)

I have never had much luck with hanging them. Maybe I didn't get them dry enough. Seems like around the first of the year they would just wind up dry shells. Best luck we have had with them is like I posted above. Works about any place you want some onion flavor, except if you want a slice or two. But you can thaw them out and use them on a burger or whatever. Arne.


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## Mismost (Aug 16, 2016)

Sunday (and yesterday) were rain days here with a nice breeze, temp never got above 80. South Texas in August and under 100 degrees? It was so nice we sat on the porch and read until we nodded off and napped. Cool, the sound of rain on the tin roof, and comfy lounge chairs, it was perfect. Best mid August day ever. We did nothing, but we did it so well!

Canning...maybe next week!


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## JohnT (Aug 22, 2016)

Well, 

I did some canning again on Sunday. I made up a single batch of peach/blueberry, 2 pints of hot pepper rings (love them on tuna), and a double batch of dill pickle chips. 

So far, in case you have not been keeping score, I have made ...

2 batches of strawberry jam, 
1 batch of blueberry jam 
1 batch of fig jam 
1 batch of peach/blueberry jam
3 batches of dill pickle chips 
1 batch of bread and butter pickles 
5 quarts of pickled hot cherry peppers 
2 pints of hot pepper rings 

Most of the above will go to the Chester Garden club for their annual craft fair. They sell a lot of home made canned goods and use the money for sprucing up the town.

Next week: The free stone peaches are in season so it's peach jam!


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## Johnd (Aug 22, 2016)

@JohnT , why do you keep calling it "canning" when you are putting it all in glass jars???


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## mennyg19 (Aug 23, 2016)

Johnd said:


> @JohnT , why do you keep calling it "canning" when you are putting it all in glass jars???




Oh, don't get all technical...


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## Jericurl (Aug 23, 2016)

Looking good, John!

All I've done this year is some mead jelly, tomato jam, strawberry jam, some peach, and our bread and butter onions.
I have zero desire to do anything else right now, though I've got a freezer full of figs, peaches, plums, mustang grapes, and jujubes just waiting to be made into something!


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## Mismost (Aug 23, 2016)

JohnT....we're gonna have to start callin' you Cookie! Eat well!


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## JohnT (Aug 24, 2016)

Most of this will go toward the Chester Craft Fair (supporting the Chester Garden Club). I do take my cut off the top first before sending it all off.


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## Julie (Aug 26, 2016)

I started yesterday, got two batches of salsa done, couple dozen of corn blanched, cut and frozen. Tomorrow I am making another batch of salsa and freeze some more corn. Then it will be on to green beans, if I can find any that is, and peaches.


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## Jericurl (Aug 26, 2016)

I've dehydrated about 3 lbs of jujubes so far.

And frozen another 6 lbs. This weekend I'll be going out one last time and I'm hoping I can get another 15 lbs worth.


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## Steve_M (Aug 26, 2016)

Tomorrow we are canning 20 bushels of tomatoes, I'll have pictures as we go. 
The last few years I would also smoke a brisket for dinner, but this year it's a big bowl of fresh pasta and gravy!( that's tomato sauce)


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## wineforfun (Aug 26, 2016)

Do you "canners" prefer a water bath for sealing lids or do you invert them?


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## Steve_M (Aug 26, 2016)

wineforfun said:


> Do you "canners" prefer a water bath for sealing lids or do you invert them?



We do water bath 15 minutes or so boiling water.


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## Jericurl (Aug 26, 2016)

wineforfun said:


> Do you "canners" prefer a water bath for sealing lids or do you invert them?



Waterbath.


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## Mismost (Aug 26, 2016)

Jericurl said:


> I've dehydrated about 3 lbs of jujubes so far.
> 
> And frozen another 6 lbs. This weekend I'll be going out one last time and I'm hoping I can get another 15 lbs worth.



I had to look up jujubes just to find out what they are! Where are getting yours?

They sound like they are custom made for South Texas weather and we have been wanting to plant some fruit trees.


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## almargita (Aug 27, 2016)

Canning police would probably hate me as I never process my pickles & peppers as that turns them to mush! Mine are always crispy & crunchy, never soft. Heat liquid to 185 degrees, pour over pickles& peppers, seal with lids, invert & immediately place in fridge, sometime freezer. They always seal, stay crunchy & last forever..... Stopped using water bath on pickles & peppers when they became soft & mushy! Do us it on others like tomatoes though.
Al


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## almargita (Aug 27, 2016)

Just leave them in fridge till lids seal, not forever......[emoji1]


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## Julie (Aug 27, 2016)

wineforfun said:


> Do you "canners" prefer a water bath for sealing lids or do you invert them?



I do neither. I heat the jars, fill them and let them sit. This is the way my grandmother did it and my mother did it. Never an issue.


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## Rocky (Aug 27, 2016)

Julie said:


> I do neither. I heat the jars, fill them and let them sit. This is the way my grandmother did it and my mother did it. Never an issue.



Julie, are you saying you heat the empty jars? How do you do this? In an oven or hot water? What temperature? 

Sounds interesting and a lot less work.


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## Julie (Aug 27, 2016)

Rocky said:


> Julie, are you saying you heat the empty jars? How do you do this? In an oven or hot water? What temperature?
> 
> Sounds interesting and a lot less work.



pour a little water in a pan, add a little water to each jar and add them to the pan, also, add the lids put them on the stove on a low heat, don't let the water boil, just keep it very warm. Take them out of the water as you need them and pour the water out of the one you are taking, pour it into another and place it in the water. clean the rim of the jar you just filled, place the lid and screw on the ring, sit it on the counter. Seals within 30 minutes


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## almargita (Aug 27, 2016)

Julie:

I just use the waterbath canner to heat the jars but do not process them.

Al


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## montanaWineGuy (Aug 27, 2016)

I made 5 quarts of Peach Jam, and several trays of Peach Crisps. This weekend, I'll go out and pick a bunch of apples and make some Apple Crisps. Reheated crisps with Ice Cream is the best treat during the long winter.


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## Jericurl (Aug 27, 2016)

Mismost said:


> I had to look up jujubes just to find out what they are! Where are getting yours?
> 
> They sound like they are custom made for South Texas weather and we have been wanting to plant some fruit trees.



Believe it or not, I found two patches from going out and foraging.
One is in the cemetery that my great grandparents are buried in. I went to visit their grave a few weeks ago and discovered the trees growing. The other stand is behind a property near my feed store. The owner was intrigued that I wanted to gather them, as she always considered them a nuisance. I'll probably regret it, but when I go to harvest hers I'm going to bring a pound or so of dried jujubes for her to eat.

They do very great in Texas, so much so that they are considered highly invasive. Most have found that if they just let the main tree grow and keep all the seedlings mowed before they can get established, then they are manageable


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## Julie (Aug 27, 2016)

Did my last batch of salsa, 26 pints in all and my hands are on fire from the hot peppers!!!!!!


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## Steve_M (Aug 27, 2016)

Today we canned 120 quart jars of tomatoes. We slice them layer in pots with basil and salt. Cook them down, they then go in water bath for 20 minutes. 






To finish it all off what's else? Fresh Pappardelle with bolognese sauce!


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## Johnd (Aug 27, 2016)

So if I'm understanding this process, when you do canning, it's actually in a jar. And you can do Sunday canning on Saturday?


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## mennyg19 (Aug 27, 2016)

Johnd said:


> So if I'm understanding this process, when you do canning, it's actually in a jar. And you can do Sunday canning on Saturday?




You're still being technical... 
What would you call it anyway, "jarring"?


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## the_rayway (Aug 27, 2016)

I've been a bit lax this year with the canning (or "jarring") 

Peach salsa, dill pickles, fridge pickles, sour cherry jelly, black forest jelly, sour cherry-vanilla jelly, banana brown sugar butter with pecans, 4 citrus marmalade, strawberry jam, strawberry-lemon jam, strawberry-peach jam, spiced peach jam, crab apple juice, rhubarb juice, beets, and dilly beans so far. Tomatoes are just starting to ripen, so I started a roasted corn salsa today. Mmmmm so good!

Then it will be on to plum sauce, ketchup, apple sauce, roasted salsas, pickled peppers, tomato sauce, more dill pickles and beets, etc. Then the apple crush! Fresh apple cider is awesome. That should free up some room for more tomatoes in the freezer for the ketchup.

Plus I still have fruit left in the freezer from last year with my winemaking kind of being on pause right now. TBC on whether it will make it into a new batch or end up canned! (sorry - jarred).


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## Mismost (Aug 28, 2016)

Jericurl said:


> Believe it or not, I found two patches from going out and foraging.
> One is in the cemetery that my great grandparents are buried in. I went to visit their grave a few weeks ago and discovered the trees growing. The other stand is behind a property near my feed store. The owner was intrigued that I wanted to gather them, as she always considered them a nuisance. I'll probably regret it, but when I go to harvest hers I'm going to bring a pound or so of dried jujubes for her to eat.
> 
> They do very great in Texas, so much so that they are considered highly invasive. Most have found that if they just let the main tree grow and keep all the seedlings mowed before they can get established, then they are manageable



save me some seeds! Actually, I plan on going to a nursery in San Antonio tomorrow and I am gonna see if they have any trees for sale. Bet the deer would keep them in check down here.


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## Mismost (Aug 28, 2016)

Steve_M said:


> Today we canned 120 quart jars of tomatoes. We slice them layer in pots with basil and salt. Cook them down, they then go in water bath for 20 minutes.
> 
> To finish it all off what's else? Fresh Pappardelle with bolognese sauce!



MAN! I never even thought about using my fish fryer for canning outside. DUH!
Great idea. I'm slow, but I get there sooner of later.


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## Jericurl (Aug 28, 2016)

Mismost said:


> save me some seeds! Actually, I plan on going to a nursery in San Antonio tomorrow and I am gonna see if they have any trees for sale. Bet the deer would keep them in check down here.



I was planning on saving some for us, so I'll set aside some for you as well.


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## Jericurl (Aug 28, 2016)

Steve_M said:


> Today we canned 120 quart jars of tomatoes. We slice them layer in pots with basil and salt. Cook them down, they then go in water bath for 20 minutes.
> 
> To finish it all off what's else? Fresh Pappardelle with bolognese sauce!



That looks absolutely amazing. I want to try it. Can you post a few more details?


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## ceeaton (Aug 28, 2016)

Johnd said:


> So if I'm understanding this process, when you do canning, it's actually in a jar. And you can do Sunday canning on Saturday?



Yes, if you are close to the Mason-Dixon line like I am (18 miles away) you must use a Mason jar, down in Maryland you use a Dixon jar. And yes, you still call it canning. 

As far as Saturday canning and calling it Sunday, that is just a preseason ritual to get ready for the regular NFL season. You would never can on a Sunday, or you'd not be able to follow the games with the attention they deserve.

Wine drinking is allowed, but only after the 4 o'clock games commence on Sunday. There is no stated start time on Saturday, so wine or beer can be drunk as early as 9 am, but only if you are frying bacon. Otherwise a Noon start time is normal, or after church, whichever comes first.

I'm sure I can come up with more bulls**t if you give me more time and alcohol, as my wife says I am quite "full of it". Guessing on the "it".


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## Brub58 (Aug 28, 2016)

No, Seriously. Why is it called canning? We would call it preserving on this side of the Pacific.

And we do it in our Fowlers jars (fowlersvacola.com.au).


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## JohnT (Aug 29, 2016)

The process of canning predates the invention of the tin can. The process of preserving food in an air-tight container is called "canning". 

If you are truly interested, here is a good article on the history of canning...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning


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## JohnT (Aug 29, 2016)

WOW, I do not know which is worse.. Posting an article on the history of canning, or actually spending time reading an article on the history of canning.. I did both.. I need a life!


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## mennyg19 (Aug 29, 2016)

JohnT said:


> WOW, I do not know which is worse.. Posting an article on the history of canning, or actually spending time reading an article on the history of canning.. I did both.. I need a life!




I agree, go crush some grapes...


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## JohnT (Aug 29, 2016)

I got 24 pounds of peaches for $10. 

Made 4 batches of peach jam and ended up with 30 jars in total.. 

Each batch makes between 7 and 8 jars. SWMBO says that you can not double or triple a recipe and that it just will not work. I don't know if that is true, but went along with it anyway. 

The sad thin is that I have barely used half of my peaches.

Here is a pic


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## Steve_M (Aug 29, 2016)

Jericurl said:


> That looks absolutely amazing. I want to try it. Can you post a few more details?



We cut tomatoes in half mostly to check for rotting, remove any green parts. Layer them in pots with basil and salt, they are cooked for about 20 minutes just enough to break them down. Then in the water bath for 20 minutes.


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