daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Ok- so yesterday I canned my chicken broth in my pressure canner, and I felt so inspired that I mastered a pressure canner my very first time, I felt like I could branch out into more exciting things. (Maybe 'mastered' is a bit of an exaggeration, but I used it properly with successful results!!) So since peaches are 97 cents/lb right now, I decided I was going to try peach butter. Well, I think I've got it down pretty well, and I start to fill the jars and I realize that it's not going to yield the amt. the book says. It's short by about half. So I thought I must have just let it cook down too much. I tasted it, and thought it was good- a little sweet, but good. I finished filling the jars, put them in the water bath, and went to talk to DH while I was waiting. While we were talking I thought about it some more and realized that I had only used half the amount of peaches (but all of the sugar!!) Ooops!!!! What I need to know is is this going affect how long it lasts? Also, if you don't have enough to fill up a jar to the correct headspace, is that ok? I know not to overfill, but what about underfilling? Anyway-- thanks for all of the support!! I'll be posting pics soon!! Link to comment
Nett Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 [color:#6666CC] CONGRADULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST ACHEIVEMENT!!!! [/color] Link to comment
Necie Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Underfilling is not good either. Simple solution, though. Just stick that one in the fridge and eat it first. Don't know how all the sugar will affect it. Shouldn't make it unsafe for storage. May just be REALLY sweet, or end up more like jam/jelly than butter. Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Thank you so much Nett!! Necie- So if it says leave 1/4 an inch and I leave 1/2 inch, is that bad? I'm scared I'm going to overfill!! I figured that the 3/4 full jar probably would need to be used pretty quickly (and I'm just so torn up about this! lol!!) It does look more like a jam/jelly than butter! Oh well. DH teased me a little about my math, but who cares? He'll eat it anyway!! hahaha I think I'm going to go back and get more peaches and pears and can halves. Any advice on peeling a little better? I struggled a bit with that!! I guess I'll just have to practice more! Bring on the peaches!! (BTW Necie- that's my grandmother's nickname. I've never heard anyone else called that before!! That's neat!!) Link to comment
Necie Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 1/2 inch should be fine. I use my canning funnel as a guide when filling jars. Been doing it so long, I guess it just comes natural to know 'how full'. I keep a teaspoon handy, so if I get a jar a bit too full, then I can just take a little scoop out. Pears-the only way I know of peeling is with a paring knife. Tedious job. Peaches-I do like tomatoes. Drop them into boiling/almost boiling water til the skins pop and then into cold water and the skins slip right off. (Name is Denise, but friends and family call me Necie-that includes Mrs.S. ) Link to comment
HSmom Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Congratulations!!! I don't think your math error will result in shorter shelf life. A 1/2 inch of headspace in a processed jar should be fine. In my pressure canning, I always leave an inch plus. If I don't, I get overflow and more failures to seal. I wouldn't go much over that. With experience, you'll get a feel for it. Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Thank y'all so much!! I would have been sorely disappointed if I couldn't store at least one of the jars!! That was a lot of work!! I did leave an inch in the broth jars since those were pressure canned. I love the pic in Ball Blue Book that *shows* where it should be!! Also, my air bubble-getter-outer thing has the measurements on the end, so that's helpful, too!! I guess 1/4 inch just didn't look like enough to me!! I tried to do the boiling water into cold water thing (blanching??) to remove the skins. I don't think I left them in the hot water long enough. I just left them in 1 min. It did make it a little easier, though! I can't wait to do more! I learn a little more each time!! It's so exciting!! Oh- Necie- Nana's name is Verniece, and my middle name is Jeniece, after her and one of my aunts! Link to comment
Violet Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I don't have a quick way to peel the pears, but I did buy a pear corer. It is a handy gadget. It just takes the core and seeds out so fast ! Cut the peeled pears in half, then you scoop out the seed part, and then slide the pear corer up the middle. It sort of looks like you used a melon baller in the center where the seeds were, but a small slice, just enough to remove the core. Use up the partially filled jar first. The extra sugar won't affect the storage time, just the sweetness. Link to comment
Darlene Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Congrats Daisy, you're doing awesome! The sugar will act like a preservative, so the extra sugar like everyone else has said isn't a bad thing for storage, it will just be sweet...like you, right? lol To get the peels loosened off the peaches better, you'll need to keep them in the hot water longer. I did 450lbs of peaches 2 years ago so I know what you're talking about. Good luck! Link to comment
Cat Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 CONGRATULATIONS!!! Dittos to what everyone else said. And my 2 cents' worth: *You could try adding a bit of orange juice to the thickened peach butter for use over ice cream, pancakes, etc. Or use some of it in recipes for chicken or pork chop sauces, etc. Try spreading it in between the layers of a cake. *In my experience, canning peaches and pears as *halves* is more work, plus you won't get as much in your cans for all that work. Halves are beautiful if you're entertaining and want those "perfect halves" for your presentation, but you have to be very careful to get all of those air pockets out as you're tediously placing them in the jars (wide-mouth jars make that easier). I prefer to cut mine into either eighths or bite-sized chunks. *Cling-free peaches are easier to work with... Red Havens, Elbertas, etc. example of variety info online *Pears... yup, paring knife, and drop them into lemon-juice-water so they don't discolor. I have a set of metal measuring spoons that I use to take that core out easily. I can easily find the perfect size for pears, or apples, etc. *When you're canning a lot of fruit, go ahead and make up a big batch of the simple syrup you're using, and refrigerate it. You'll learn how much to take out to heat for your fruit, but it's easy to dump your remainder back in (keep it uncontaminated!) or take more out. You won't have to stop everything and make your syrup before continuing. Link to comment
Dee Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 CONGRATULATIONS.....isn't it a great feeling of accomplishment to see those jars lining up!!! Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 I did 450lbs of peaches 2 years ago so I know what you're talking about. Wow!! Maybe one day I'll get to that!! That's frickin' amazing!! Hahaha!! I was thinking that instead of the peach halves I might want to do slices. I like to bake cobblers and such. Would I process the jar the same as with halves? I'm so afraid I'm going to mess up and poison my family!! Everyone had such fantastic ideas!! Thank you so much for all of the support. I was thinking about posting pics. I know I've read that some people have a hard time when they are in the posts b/c of dial-up, so I thought I'd just add them as attachments. How would I go about doing that? If I'm driving y'all batty with all of the questions, just tell me so!! Until that time, I'll keep asking!! Hahaha!!! edited to say: Ok- I just went to the help section, and posting pics as attachments was the first thread!! Sorry- I've got it now (I think!!) Also, it didn't do a quote box like I've seen, so I guess I'll look that one up, too!! Please excuse the errors!! Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Ok, so I took almost 50 pictures for 10 jars of food!!! LOL I will definately spare y'all the pain of ALL of them. I'll just post 5 or so! Ok- these 2 pics. One is my beautiful twice used (!) Presto 16 qt. pressure canner. Now I know AA's are much better, but I needed to prove to myself in a more cost efficient way that this is something I'll stick with (and I'm hooked, if y'all couldn't tell!!)!! The other is my first ever batch of jars with my homemade chicken broth inside my wonderful canner right before I put the lid on it!! 566-canneronstove.JPG 567-jarsincanner.JPG Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Ok- The first pic is of my peaches while they were cooking. Mmmm- they smelled so good!! The second pic is after the peaches were cooked and squished with the sugar and spices mix right before I mixed them up!! 569-peachescooking.JPG 570-peachesandsugar.JPG Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 The final picture!! These are my 10 jars!! Woo hoo!! And while that may not seem like a lot now, it's officially 10 jars more than what I had 2 days ago!! That's how I like to look at it!! Hahaha!! 571-jarsinbox.JPG Link to comment
Adam_MA Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I like to see the pictures. Also that reminds me. Is your method of labeling similar to what everyone else does? Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Actually, I have no idea what everyone else does!! That is one of my oh-so-many questions!! I'm trying to scour past posts through searches to answer as many of my questions as possible so I don't drive everyone TOO crazy!! Hahaha I just used masking tape on the jar and wrote with a Sharpie. I put what it was and the date. Is that about par for the course? And thanks for looking at the pics! I was so excited to share them!! Link to comment
Shawna Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Awesome canning job!!! Way to go! Isn't it great to see those jars....look so pretty Adam....I write right on my lids in sharpie marker. I have used labels on jars but I found it's too much work to get the goo off from the label Just my opinion!! Shawna Link to comment
Dee Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Beautiful work Daisies! I write the contents and year on the lids with a Sharpie too Adam. Link to comment
HSmom Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I also use a Sharpie to write on the lid: Contents, month & year. I do not reprocess my lids, although I may use 'used' lids for something in the fridge or dry goods (rice, etc). For dry goods in the cabinet, I often use masking tape & a sharpie, so I can see the label without removing the jar from the cabinet. Link to comment
preparing Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 PRETTY! Thank you for the pictures! I have been printing out free labels and taping to my jars, but that has gotten really old and now I am going to write on the lids, and partly because it will help me make sure the lid is used and not to reuse it, but my new lids are in boxes anyway. Now you are making me want to do peaches! Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 I thought about just writing on the lids, b/c I think that's what Nana used to do, but I was afraid even Sharpie would rub off and I wouldn't know what things were and when I had canned them (once I get more than 10 jars!!) I think it would be much easier to just write on the lids. I thought about the sticky residue of the tape (what a PITB!!) Maybe I'll go take the tape off right now!! You ladies are full of such great info!! I love this board!! Link to comment
Darlene Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I've done pretty labels, fast labels, coded labels, permanent majic marker on the lid, stamps with dates on it, etc etc etc. I think the majic marker on the lid is the easiest and best way to go unless they're being given out as gifts. And Daisy, that isn't JUST 10 jars you took a pic of...those jars are priceless, no matter if it's 5, 10 or 100. I have never met anyone who looks at those jars and think they are no big deal. For some reason, they just ooze with that feeling of home and warmth and caring and love. You've done an awesome job! Once again...as SOON as I get this stupid house 1/2 way together, I'm gonna start canning again. I can't use my monster canner on this stove but I can use one of my smaller ones, which is better than nothing. Link to comment
daisies518 Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 Thanks Darlene!! I really appreciate that!! I know when my sister, cousins, and I were kids, we so looked forward to opening a new jar of Nana's.....well, whatever!! We loved it all, especially her pickles and apple butter. We would eat everything as fast as she would let us just so we could go to her pantry and pick another jar!! It's been a while since she could can (she has Alzheimer's), and I really miss that!! Maybe one day I'll have grandkids who will feel that way, too!! Good luck getting your house together! I'll pray the you have the strength and patience to stick with it!! (I know I need prayers when it comes to things like that!!) Link to comment
quiltys41 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Wow! You did a great job canning there and should be very proud of yourself! I can't wait to see what you come up with next! WTG on a job well done! Q Link to comment
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