Canning Challenge??

[Stephanie]

In an attempt to motivate myself to get some things canned that I've been putting off...I'm posting this CANNING CHALLENGE!

 

 

I'm thinking there are a bunch of folks (like myself) who has been procrastinating on some canning!

 

It's not a contest of how much, but just an encouragement to say, "I finally got up off my duff and did it!"

 

Only you know those items lurking in your freezer that should already have been canned...maybe you've been meaning to do some dried beans? chili? broth? soup? salsa?

 

Last week I bought a bunch of chicken breasts with the intention of canning them...but never got around to doing it. The meat wasn't wasted as we cooked, stewed, baked and grilled but, it wasn't canned.

 

Sooo....will you join me in getting busy and canning whatever it is that you've been meaning to??

 

Canning jars are plentiful right now, 'tis the season!

[Homemaker]

I'm stocked up on jars and ready for canning my produce as soon as it's ready.

I haven't been doing any canning of meats lately because all my time is spent in the garden or tending to my chickens and building my new coop. I'll pick that up again in the fall.

[Crazy4Canning]

Weeeellll, okay. I've been wanting to can beans. You know - like for homemade refried beans. I've got TONS...just haven't done it yet because my basic pressure canning skills include chicken, fish, beef, and ummm...nuts.

 

I will make time soon. I need the cupboard space.

 

Thanks for the encouragement Stephanie.

[Stephanie]

Okay, I guess I'm the first one up to bat (so to speak)

 

In the canner are 4 quarts of roast beef chunks and 3 quarts of pinto beans.

 

 

I'm glad to have done that, and will be trying to do something else tomorrow if I can....need to raid the freezer!

[Homemaker]

To be perfectly honest,

I'm sick of canning!!! If I never have to look at my canner again, it will be too soon!

I'm tired of the mess from cooking up and canning so much food. I'm tired of babysitting the canner and watching the clock. I'm tired of the smell of vinegar in the house.

I'd much rather be out in the garden sowing seeds, tucking my little seedlings into the freshly tilled soil and helping the tendrils on the pea vines find the string to twine around.

 

But...

 

I know in a few months I will be sick of the garden. Sick of the sweat and bugs, tired of pulling weeds and pulling the hose around. Worn out from replenishing the mulch with grass clippings. Not to mention, cutting the grass. I will be thinking fondly of sitting in the kitchen watching the canner guage.

I will also be so grateful each day that I come in from the garden with sore achey back, that I can pop open a jar of chicken a-la king or chili and spread some jam on a slice of bread. I will be glad I spent those hours canning.

[chefddr]

I CAN'T CAN B/C I DON'T HAVE MY CANNER YET, BUT WHEN I DO, I WANT ALL THOSE RECIPES!!!!!!!!!

Also, while we ar on the topic. Someone mentioned going to the factory in Lancaster PA for jars and rings and lids and this is what I found (I live about 40 min from Lancaster)

 

Ball Widemouth canning jars 1/2 gal. 6 in a case for $8.15 case - thinking about this for juices and broths

 

800 Widemouth lids $116 (I figure this would be a good investment since you can never have enough lids and you can't re-use them)

 

Ball widemouth quart 12/case $9.52 case thinking of 12 cases

 

Widemouth rings 186/$66.89

 

and no, I am NOT Amish, I just want to be prepared for anything that may come down the pike and would like some opinions

 

also found Jelly Jars 12/case for $7.35

 

any thoughts???

[Canned Nerd]

In respect to those 1/2 gal. jars, be aware they are VERY restricted for use in canning recipes of certain juices and only in a Boiling Water Bath. Sorry, no broths since they require a Pressure Canner.

 

[Violet]

The half gallon are only for fruit juices, not even tomato juice.

[chefddr]

Thanks! no 1/2 gal and save money!!

[JCK88]

Nope not procrastinating here. This is the time of year I take a couple months off from canning before the produce harvest hits big time (strawberries in a month...) and I'm avoiding getting sick of canning before I begin the harvest. I have already canned enough meats and such for now and we are the hiatus of canning where I take inventory of what is left from last season and we eat a LOT of that. Thus, I do two things...save up some extra grocery money for stocking up AND empty some more jars for the new round.

 

I did buy some canning jars using a coupon that was in the Sunday paper week before last AND I bought 10 more of those coupons on ebay for a dollar, sent half of those to my buddy Angela.

 

I don't do canning every day--even IN the produce harvest season. However, I will often do it for several days in a row, then take a break and pick it up again in a couple days. I like canning and don't want it to become something to be dreaded.

 

I take canning breaks in April and May and again in December. Sometimes you just need "time out."

 

(besides, I canned way too much turkey, LOL )

[RNMOM]

Alright!! I'm a competitive person and I'm up to the challenge.......I think! This site was so inspriing to me last year during the harvest and canning season! I love you all!

 

I have been wanting to can beans, refried, black and pinto. I want to use more beans in our meals.

 

I also have eaten so much of the stuff we canned last year, I've sorta surprised myself. My home canned peaches are sooooo good and we are going to have to do it again.

 

I think we may be done with the freezing weather here, so I guess I better start getting those seeds in the ground.

 

I hope I"m as enthused in about four months when I'm up to my neck in heavy canning.

[Stephanie]

The other day, we opened one of the cans of beans that I did, they were perfect! So, today, I'll do some more!

 

I like to have things stored in a variety of ways. Some beans in buckets, some in jars for dried storage, some vacuum seals and now some canned.

 

Canning dried beans is so simple and low risk (cost wise) as well as extremely convenient. I'm thinking how nice it will be this summer when the Alabama heat is pressing down, not to have to cook dried beans to enjoy them.

[chefddr]

OK!! So I did it! Went in search of the canning tools (funnel etc . . . ) and lo and behold found a Martha Stewart Water Bath canner for $20!! at KMart! (unheard of when you are talking Martha Stewart!) So we are definitely making Jakes Jam tonight. I will post pics tomorrow.

 

Then, I went and got some lettuce plants, tomato plants and basil, three HUGE plastic pots and 80# of potting soil. Gonna do a container garden tomorrow too. I figured it would be ok to post that little tidbit here instead of doing a whole separate post. Will post pics tomorrow too (I hope).

Thanks for the incentive to get started!! WE are so excited. I told Jake that next time I won't buy strawberries at the market, we will find a farm, and as soon as tomatoes get cheap at the farm stands, Salsa!!

[Canned Nerd]

and as soon as tomatoes get cheap at the farm stands, Salsa!!

I cheat on the salsa since I go through it so fast -- using canned diced tomatoes and Ball's Salsa Mix. Not the best of course, but its fast and easy and I don't mind going through it fast. And of course you must use tested and approved recipes for your salsa and not get "creative" making and canning your own version.

 

[RNMOM]

Speaking of salsa........................ last year I got tired of waiting for my tomatoes to ripen so I went to Sam's Club and bought a bunch of #10 cans of diced tomatoes. They were less than $2.50 per can. I also bought some #10 cans of tomato sauce and tomato paste. It made the BEST salsa I've ever made and we ate it all up. I know it wasn't "pure" because it wasn't produced by me, but I'm going to do it again this year. Don't hate me!

[Stephanie]

I use those Sam's #10 cans of crushed tomatoes too for my Pace Copycat Recipe ! Love them!

 

I don't pressure can them, but make a gallon at a time, and we use it right from the fridge. Good stuff!

 

I did manage to get another 7 quarts of pinto beans done yesterday as planned!

 

I'm hoping to thaw out some more of the meat crowding my freezer this weekend and can some of it up! See, the thing is, I bought these humongous packages of meat with the purpose of canning it, got distracted, stuck it in the freezer, and need to see to it. That's what I mean about procrastinating. Not that we have to can every day, but some of us have purchased things with the intention of canning them and never got 'round to it'.

 

Now to decide....20 lbs of ground round? or a 20 lb pork tender loin? Decisions decisions decisions....

 

I'm thinking I'll do the pork loin, as I've never canned any pork before and this would be a good opportunity. I'll report in once I've accomplished one of those two meats!

 

[Virginia]

Just finished pints of dried black eyed peas and ham. Also did 4 pints of ground beef since I had room in the canner and a little extra beef.

 

Next is pork loin for me, too.

[Stephanie]

I did it!! With the help of dh we sliced and cubed the humongous pork loin that I bought from Sam's and it is now in the Pressure Canner building up steam.

 

The small amount of fat that we trimmed has been rendered and now will be available to use as seasoning for the next pot of beans that I cook. If I can keep the kids away from them, they swear it is bacon!

 

While searching the net for ideas and tips about canning Pork Tenderloin, I came across this page...

 

http://www.dnronline.com/flavor_details.ph...236&CHID=25

 

He tells the way to can it by pints, but then also gives a recipe for using the canned pork and it sounds so yummy.

 

Canned Tenderloin in Cream Gravy

 

1 pint canned tenderloin

 

2 cups 1-percent milk

 

3 tablespoons flour

 

¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

Place the tenderloin and all the broth in a large saucepan. Add the milk and mix. Measure the flour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add one-half cup water. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to mix the flour into the solution. Stir into the milk/pork mixture. Add the pepper. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens and will thicken no more, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over waffles made from a reduced-fat waffle mix.

 

There is no product in the supermarket that compares to canned tenderloin. Perhaps a local country market may carry canned tenderloin from the Pennsylvania Amish.

 

For those who want to make a similar dish, but haven't the time to can the pork, there is an alternative. Brown the cubes of pork in canola oil. Cover and cook over medium heat about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cubes of meat reaches 160 degrees. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool. Add the milk, stirring to remove the brown crumbs from the saucepan. Proceed with recipe above, adding the flour/water mixture and allowing it to thicken.

 

Nutritionally, this pork and gravy recipe is a good product. It provides each of four diners a half cup of low-fat milk and 4 ounces of low-fat meat. There is no added fat and only 300 mg sodium from salt added to the canned meat. This is a good choice for those who enjoy cream gravy (white gravy made with milk) but do not want the fat associated with gravy made with water and the flour browned in the grease left in the skillet after frying the meat. Regrettably the better product, cream gravy, is not enjoyed often enough in today's cooking.

 

[Prickle]

Canned Tenderloin in Cream Gravy

 

Oh man, that sounds heavenly.

[Stephanie]

Okay, an update....

 

After canning the quarts of pintos, roast beef chunks and pork tenderloin....I still have a couple of projects I need to accomplish.

 

I may not get to it until this weekend, but I have a 20 lb chub of ground sirloin that I want to can using the Seasoned Beef Recipe in the Blue Book, we really like the way that turns out. I bought some tomato juice this week for that project.

 

And, I want to do more dried beans if possible. That is the most handy thing to have on hand in a pinch. Whether it is a crisis or just a time squeeze that day, it is so nice to have those dried beans already prepared and nothing to do but warm and maybe make a pan of cornbread.

 

Oh BTW - I used one of the cans of Pork Tenderloin to make the recipe above - We liked it a lot! I did add some of my dry mix Cream of Soup Mix to add some flavor/seasonings, but it was a big hit over toast. I'm sure it would also be great over rice.

[Stephanie]

Just checking in again, FINALLY I pulled out that 20 lb pkg of Ground Sirloin, thawed it and now dh has it browned up nicely. So, here in a bit, I'm doing some seasoned ground beef and getting that off my "to do" list!!

 

My freezer was WAY too crowded....now it looks better....guess I better fill it back up!!

[Stephanie]

Wellllll, the 7 qts of Seasoned Ground Beef came out wonderfully!

 

But, naturally, I had more ground sirloin than was needed for that canner load... so I decided to do 7 qts of chili today. The canner is building up pressure as I type.

 

I'm so thankful to have these large packages of meats out of my freezer!! I finally got it done!

 

I still want to do more dried beans...maybe tomorrow, or maybe next weekend! :wink (2):

 

BTW, anyone have any hints on how to get the pickle smell out of those 1/2 gallon pickle jars? I'm not going to can in them, but would like to dry store some dried beans in them.

[Crazy4Canning]

Stephanie -

 

Regarding that nasty pickle smell, a paste of baking soda & water works really well. I make a paste and rub it all over the inside of the jar and let it dry, then let the jars soak in the sink for a while. If the smell is still lingering, I use some clorox in the wash water. That usually takes care of it.

 

You can also add O2 absorbers to whatever you're storing that will also help with residual smell.

 

Do share your recipe for chili sauce! Is it the BBB? I'm going to try some this year. Now that I've mastered the 'basics' of pressure canning, I'm wanting to try beans, sauces, some different types of side dishes, etc. to round out the pantry. I must find a reason to keep buying jars on sale!

 

P.S. I took some homemade pickles - dill & sweet & some regular & hamburger relish to a picnic. Everyone LOVED it, even a friend who was a chef! He didn't know relish could be this good and pickles could be that crisp.

 

[Stephanie]

Thanks for the tip on the pickle smell removal! I hadn't thought about the o2 absorbers and I have some on hand.

 

This time, on the Chili, I actually used a different recipe. Last time I did the Ball Book and loved it.

 

However I found this recipe at this USDA site - http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

 

CHILE CON CARNE

3 cups dried pinto or red kidney beans

5-1/2 cups water

5 tsp salt (separated)

3 lbs ground beef

1-1/2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)

1 tsp black pepper

3 to 6 tbsp chili powder

2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes

Yield: 9 pints

Procedure: Wash beans thoroughly and place them in a 2 qt. saucepan. Add cold water to

a level of 2 to 3 inches above the beans and soak 12 to 18 hours. Drain and discard water.

Combine beans with 5-1/2 cups of fresh water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce

heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and discard water. Brown ground beef, chopped onions,

and peppers (if desired), in a skillet. Drain off fat and add 3 teaspoons salt, pepper, chili

powder, tomatoes and drained cooked beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Caution: Do not thicken.

Fill hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.

Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

 

 

 

*******************

 

I double the recipe and did quarts. We like chili con carne (or chili with beans) so I wanted to give it a shot.

 

 

 

[Violet]

Stephanie,

Please tell us what the difference in taste is and which you prefer. I really like to hear comments from people.

Good job !!!!!