Well - I am finally coming to the realization that summer is over and fall has arrived and isn't going away so I can report my summer 2012 tally. I've canned more this year than ever before so I thought I would show you in pictures.
French fry cut potatoes and pickled green tomatoes.
Potato chunks.
More pickled tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Cherry freezer jam.
Regular beets and pickled beets.
Pickled green tomatoes, chilli sauce and tomato soup base.
Chilli sauce and relish from last year in my friend "give-away-jars" - not something I recommend!
One of my big shelves almost full.
Canned carrots.
Salsa and dill pickles.
Canning for summer 2012:
apple chunks
apple juice
apple sauce
sweet & sour BBQ sauce
raspberry jam
blueberry jam
cherry jam
potatoes
carrots
diced tomatoes
tomato sauce
pickled green tomatoes
beets
pickled beets
bacon
turkey
turkey broth
garbanzo beans
kidney beans
I kept the variety rather simple - down to basic things that we will eat mostly. The mostly is for the pickled tomatoes - I am hoping some miracle is taking place inside the jars and that in a few weeks they are edible! So far test tastes have confirmed my worst fears - even the dog won't eat them.
The bacon was a science experiment. I just had to try it. It got rave reviews during a recent camping trip and although the strips didn't stay in separate pieces it still tasted really good - the problem was the same as always with bacon - there is never enough! Bacon is not a regular item on our menu because it's not very healthy but everything in moderation - right!
The potatoes are a bit of an experiment as well. We don't have a root cellar YET and until then our experience has taught us that potatoes are too warm in our basement. So canning was a way to take advantage of the sales in the fall and not worry about them going bad.
I didn't make any cucumber pickles this year - next year I'll have to plant more cucumbers to make up for it!
Now my focus will be on dried beans, chicken and meals in a jar. The pressure of the summer and fall glut is over and I can take things a little slower.
I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to can this much. Besides the food I have been able to "put-up' I've learned how to organize myself in the kitchen and once I even had three canners going at one time. Being organized was something I really wanted to figure out. Just where to put everything to be efficient and how to keep jars hot while getting the canner ready was a challenge. I think I have it mostly worked out now.
I needed a hotplate for my new All American canner because it was too heavy for my glass top stove. The hotplate has been a disappointment - it takes forever to heat up the canner - so I've ordered a kerosene stove that I can use indoors. The canner is amazing and I'll be writing more about the differences between the Presto and the All American in a future post.
How's your food storage coming along? Did you do any canning this year?
Wow you make us look like we did nothing. All of our canning was over by June because it was too hot to keep the garden going in Florida. We canned alot of tomatoes, and we did strawberry jam, both in the freezer and canning, but that was it for this year.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading posts like this one when I lived in town and really wanting to do it too. At that stage of my life I had 5 kids at home and there wasn't the time or the room to even come close. The heat is also a motivational killer!! I didn't do much in July either - too hot! Hey - you did SOME!!!
DeleteWow! I ran out of storage space to do more canning so the making of jam are still in the freezer. Been dehydrating like a maniac for the last month until I can build/make more storage space.
ReplyDeleteOldschool
I noticed your dehydrated squash and you've inspired me to do the same!!! right after more pickled beets :)
DeleteOh dear sister. You were born a century too late. All of your hard work looks so yummy! If you we're interested in a revenue stream....I know a local pickle fanatic who would empty a shelf or two? ;). Ive been saving those "spicy beans" you gave me but I'll be cracking them open this week even tho they look lovely in my cupboard. Btw.... I finally put poor little Donald in the crockpot, threw in an orange or two, spices and let it be. It was totally worth the wait. Xoxoxo xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteBut if I was born a century too late you would have been born 96 years sooner too :) I'm not sure you would have been as happy about it as I might have been!!! Enjoy the spicy beans - we ate all of ours a looong time ago - yes - even me - the spice wimp!!! Getting ready to make the same "mistake" again - they were yummy!
DeleteAnita, I always wish I had as much time to push to do canning as you! All we did so far is freeze some tomatoes for making salsa in te winter, can some potatoes, and make spicy pickled green beans. We have been building and organizing our storage to make this easier and experimenting with different ideas. I think it has been good a year so far!
ReplyDeleteTara
Every little step leading in the right direction will get you closer to your goal - and doesn't it feel good?! Since we've moved I seem to have spent a lot of time organizing and figuring out where to put things (and changing my mind!) Eventually we'll get it right!!!
DeleteSpicy pickled green beans sound great!!!