I haven't preserved anything in awhile. I am thinking this year might be a great year to do some.
Who does canning and what do you can?

I do canning every year and have for years now.

I can:

- applesauce
- pears
- peaches
- jams/jellies
- chili sauce
- salsa
- blueberries
- tomatoes

The pears, peaches and blueberries I've had to buy, but wait until closer to the end of the year when they go on sale in bulk. This year I'll have to purchase my tomatoes too, but again will wait until closer to the end of the year.

I purchase the strawberries for jams from a local strawberry place. When we lived in the city, I had enough strawberries that I didn't have to purchase any. This year I plan on planting more strawberries and raspberries.

The apples were given to me by a friend here who doesn't use hers at all.

I have all my canning supplies ready and waiting. I did purchase a pressure canner but returned it as I want to get a different one. Then I'll do some canning of fish and meat.

I can hardly wait until canning season. I love the process of canning and love going downstairs and seeing my shelves filled with jars of every color and description.

Funny you should ask..........I was sorting all my jars and making sure I had enough lids to match. I am all set.

I can chili sauce, salsa, pickles, jams, peaches, pears, apple pie filling, tomato sauce.

Same here CJ, isn't it great to see the beautiful colours all lined up on the shelf!! Almost don't want to touch them, but we do, I took a picture last year just so I could remember!!!

I just learned to can last year.A dear neighbor was a really patient teacher,I just love it!!

I can tomatoes and Strawberries(makes a wonderful icecream topping)salsa and hoping to learn more this year.Glad I found this board!!


Heather,

How do you do the chili sauce....that sounds great!

I'd like to learn. The thought of canning has always intimidated me ~ I've been afraid of poisoning my family,lol.

I'd like to learn. The thought of canning has always intimidated me ~ I've been afraid of poisoning my family,lol.

Me too, Darlene! :toothy: I have all the jars, small, mediem, large and even very large jars. I have an old from my dad. But what I don't have is the *guts* to try...I wish I had someone who would be with me, the first time...

I would like to learn too. Dh said he'd be my "guniea pig" to test the preserves and stuff. I'd like to learn to can veggies, fruits and the chili and tomatoe sauces sound good. We go through salsa like mad, so maybe it would be a good thing for me to learn too....

It might be better to ask what I don't can :)

I can:

jellies/jams
fruits- apples (and pie filling), peaches, pears, gooseberries, blackberries, strawberries, pumkins (and pie filling)
veggies- carrots, green beans, corn, potatoes, squash, turnips, pickles
soups
meats- especially when I find a really good deal- like the .19/lb chicken leg quarters last week)
sauces- ketchup, pizza, chilli, spaghetti, salsa

and so on. . .

Canned meats? now that is the first time I have ever heard of that.

Oh yeah- I can meats all the time. Chicken, ground beef, venison. . . . .

My grandmother used to can whole chickens in gallon jars- I debone mine and can it that way. Far easier (esp. since I don't have many gallon jars)

Do you use a pressure cooker to can? Just asking because I have no idea how to do it.

Robin, in order to can meat safely, you need to have a pressure canner to do so. Canned chicken is awesome and so is canned deer meat!! I'm saving for a pressure canner, which you can pick up at Walmart for $99 (Cdn.).

The neighbour brought over some fresh rhubarb yesterday, so this week I'll be making rhubarb/strawberry jam again this year (as soon as I find the recipe!!). Dh and ds#1 really like it.

For those who are afraid of trying it, the best place to start is with jams/jellies. They are really easy to make, have all the instructions when you use pectin and you can seldom go wrong in making them. From there, you can progress to fruits (again which are easy).

Also, at Walmart you can pick up the Blue Ball canning book, or you can probably find a good canning book at your library. Most canning books have pictures in how to can or do preserves.

here's a link on how much you should can
http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/he215.html

A dear friend of mine said she used to can whole chickens and sausage with her mom all the time,and it was awesome eating!I think it would be wonderful to feed my family with all farm raised meats and veggies.BUT ,I have got along way to go:eek: :D :eek: I think it would be so neat ,though!

:chef: When I was younger, I canned many things. Venison, vegetables, Fruit. One year I canned 350 qts. Huckleberries and usually at least 4-5 bushels of Tomatoes. Did 7 bushels of corn one time {given to us--cut it off cob to freeze } soon found out it was cow-corn!!!!! Someone Jim knew once gave us so many cabbages--I had no idea what to do with it. Decided to make Cabbage-Slaw. After I sliced it all up thin, along with peppers & onions, I read the recipe AGAIN--found out you had to soak the cabbage overnight in salt water. Guess what I had to use??? Scrubbed the bathtub extra good & that's where it went!! I must say it was great eating. The mess was something else. During canning season--I would start when all the kids left for school & then clean up the mess before they arrived home. I have had some adventures but no more canning for me. Good luck to all who do it. :smball: Liz

I am going to try canning for the first time this year!!! I have watched my parents and my MIL do it for years but this will be my first time on my own. Dh bought me an entire canning kit to get started, I was excited just to get the Ball Blue book but it came with a 21.5 qt. canner pot, jars, tongs, funnel, magnetic thingie, recipes, coupons and the basket you put the jars in the bottom of the pan.
I need to do a lot of reading and hopefully I can do it!!!! :)

Oh Liz you do know how to have fun! Smart lady using the bathtub.;) I love huckleberry jam...seems like a lot of berries arent grown or easily recognized anymore. It's a shame. Maybe this is the year I'll learn to can...:)

Darlene, I could come up and show you! :D

I remember those times Mom mentioned! It seemed from late June through the end of September we always came home to a counter (and any available surface) filled with canned goods! I remember the cabbage in the tub and bushels of fruit and veggies. Tomatoes and peaches were not my favorite to do (the skinning process gave you itchy hands!) but the end product is well worth it!!

It seemed like tomatoes, pickles and peppers went on forever! :eek:

Mom, tell them about your bout with hot peppers!! :yikes: And what to avoid!

I don't can much with only dh and I. But I have made jams and jellies, tomato sauce, pickles (bread and butter are my fav! :chef: ) blueberries and peaches. A couple of times my sis and I did it together as we both have small families.

I think I will be doing some this year too.

Diana, with hot peppers or banana peppers, you NEVER EVER cut them up with bare hands!!!

A friend had asked me over one time to help her cut up hot peppers and for days on end afterwards, my hands burnt!!! I have not ever cut up a hot pepper since!!!!!

I know CJ! :yikes:

If Mom doesn't answer this post, I'll tell you all what happened and it was worse than burning hands!!!

Ok Deed..You had better come up with the story, as I seem to have BRAIN FREEZE! :surprise: Have any of you ladies tried to can Sweet Green Peppers in vinegar & oil? Most everyone likes them. Use them for sandwiches, on salads, etc. My Mother-in-Law...God Rest Her Soul...taught me to can & I can tell you she was not too patient! She raised 7 Boys & 3 Girls in the Depression years. Ok Deed...NOW on with the story.. Love Mom :D

OK, I don't remember how long ago this was, but I think I was already out of the house, maybe the early 80's, but I was at Mom's a lot to do laundry etc... LOL

Anyway Mom has a runny nose all the time and usually leaves a trail of tissues through the house! She tucks them up under her shirt! :laugh: Gottcha!

Well while cutting up hot peppers Mom had to blow her nose. She washed her hands really well and proceeded to blow her nose. You got it, not only were her hands burning, her nose was too and her eyes ran so bad I think my Dad finished cutting up the peppers. I don't remember if the peppers got canned that day or they waited until the next day.

Moral of the story: If you are working with hot peppers, wear disposable gloves!!!

***Edited*** Mom was in pretty severe pain if I remember right, so this is no joking matter.

Deed...I seem to remember that story now!!!! :( Thanks for letting everyone one know about my vanishing tissues! :toothy: Love Ya, Mom

Your welcome! :crackup:

Originally posted by SewCrafty
Darlene, I could come up and show you! :D


I'd love to see you!!!! We've got to get together sometime this summer. Doesn't have to be for canning either. ;)

I love you and your Moms back and forth posting. How very wonderful that you have each other.:heartsm:

I feel your pain Liz with those peppers. Dh loves stuffed hot peppers so when he was at work I was kind enough to hollow a peck of them out so all he had to do was stuff them. No gloves, :loop: and it was extremely painful. Nothing made it feel better. I know the saying never say never but~
Never, Ever will I hollow out peppers, gloves or not.

I have my garden planted, my canning jars are stored close, and I have all the lids I need for this year. This year I will be doing jam, jelly, applesauce, and salsa. I freeze my vegetables and fruits, which include blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and peaches along with green beans and carrots. It won't be long until it all begins for this year!

yolo

Today, I'm making strawberry/rhubarb jam. When finished, I'll have 5 pint jars done.

CJ,

Strawberry/Rubarb pie is my favorite! :chef:

Could you post your recipe for jam?? Please, pretty please?? :D

Diana, just for you!! I'm going to start a new thread on it and I'll also put a recipe for a special rhubarb cake!!

I'm planning on doing some more canning this year. in the past I have done:
Applesauce
Peach Jam
Apricot Jam
Plum Jam
Salsa
Blueberries
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Apricots

Thanks CJ, I already have made copies! Now to get some rubarb, I'll have to see if Dad's is ready yet! :thanx:

I have canned apple jelly from Juicy Juice. It wasn't bad, either.

I was desperate to have some jellies in the house and didn't want to spend any money so I used what I had on hand. I am planning to do it again soon - the apple jelly, that is. I am also planning to do strawberry jam as soon as we can find some strawberries..

I only have 6 tomatoes and 6 heads of lettuce along with some green bean plants in my garden so far. If I can't get some more veggie plants in I will have to get my canning harvest from the farmer's market. I'd rather grow the veggies myself, but anyway...

Kristin

Getting ready to make apricot-pineapple jam when my aunt in Sacramento, California is able to send me the (FRESH!!!!) apricots in the next several days. I have been the happy recipient of ~15 - ~18 lbs. of 'cots in the last couple of years with which to make the jam. In 2002 I had to go to the grocery for the apricots, as Aunt Pat was not able to ship me any. The price was okay, $1.49/lb. and so I made a smaller batch because I really wanted to have the jam.

Also, towards the beginning or middle of September I will be making sweet chili sauce with lots of fresh garden tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions, and garlic.

The home-canned cranberry sauce I made in 2001 is moving VERY SLOWLY!!, but it is good.

I would love to be able to buy a pressure cooker and can meats and other veggies with it.

I think I promised to post my jam or chili sauce recipe here about a year ago, but neglected to do so. I will try to post both if anyone is interested.

Julie