Create Preserves Like Mom's
Preserve a tradition that had almost disappeared by canning and pickling fresh food yourself without all the chemicals. Stock up on seasonings, salts, pectin, and even essential acids to help with the preservation of fruits, vegetables, meat and even fish. Don’t worry ever again about a power outage costing hundreds by spoiling everything in your refrigerator and freezer. In a tough economy many people are going “back to basics” and learning the art of canning and pickling just like their parents and grandparents did.
Can Sauces and Condiments
Your canning can go beyond jams and pickles. Create delicious tomato sauces from scratch and can them for your pastas and pizzas. Canning supplies such as Pizza Sauce Mix can give you the right balance of spices for a delicious finished product. With ketchup mix you can forgo all the chemicals in store brands and still enjoy some tomato flavor on your burger and fries. Don't forget ascorbic acid or citric acid to keep your condiments fresh! These “slow foods” will help you enjoy your meals more, knowing that you created even the basics yourself.
You can even make canning your sauces and condiments a family event. Choose an afternoon to gather around the kitchen counter, chopping fruits and vegetables, stirring pots, and concocting the sauces, jams, and pickles your family will enjoy all through the fall and winter. Invite over some friends or family to share in your effort and you can all enjoy the delicious preserves you made together. The sense of community that homemade preserves and sauces conjure is part of the joy of this traditional food. Plus, you can teach kids more about how food is made and they'll love to help you make pickles with Sweet Pickle Mix.
Be Sure to Start with the Basics
Grab Mrs. Wages New Home Canning Guide. Let an expert help you navigate through the process.
Insist on using the freshest produce and meats for your canning and pickling project. The end product will prove you right.
Save money by getting jars and other equipment from family, neighbors or even garage sales.
Trust common sense. The simplest solution is usually the best.
Now that you have some of the basics of canning and pickling, let’s get started.
Remember the Dill Pickle?
¾ cup of sugar
1/2 cup of Morton’s Canning and Pickling Salt
1 quart of vinegar
1 quart of water
3 tablespoons of Mixed Whole Pickling Spice
30 to 40 medium-sized fresh cucumbers
2 tablespoons of garlic powder or cayenne pepper for extra kick.
Dill Weed
Thoroughly wash and dry your produce. Mix salt and sugar to vinegar and water in a large pot. Put the remaining spices into a large tea ball or tie into a cheesecloth bundle. Simmer together for 15-20 minutes. Fill hot, sterilized jars with cucumbers and add your pickling mixture. Be sure to leave at least a quarter inch gap at the top to account for expansion. Adjust the lids and boil completed jars in a large stock pot for 15 minutes. By following these simple steps, your next canning and pickling project is sure be a success.
