Just started a new money saving hobby...canning!

[bettymae1121]

After winding up with WAY too many cucumbers from my garden, and toying with the idea of canning for the past year or two, I decided to take the plunge. A 12 pack of quart wide mouth Ball jars, a Ball cook book, and various utensils cost about $20. We're using DH's turkey fryer as a water bath for the actual processing, so no expense there. We made six 1 quart jars of dill pickles, and I have enough cukes on the vine yet to make at least another 2 or 3 more quarts. We haven't tried them yet as they recommend letting the sit for at least 4 weeks so the flavors can fully develop, but they certainly look good!

This year I should have a huge crop of tomatos that will rippen all at once, more than DH and I can eat (especially since I don't like raw tomatos) so I'm going to dice them and can them for use in cooking, I use canned diced tomatos from the store in pasta sauce and chili anyway so they'll get used up for sure.

Since I'm a beginner I'll stop there this year, but next year I want to make tomato sauce and salsa, and maybe try some jam if I can find a good deal on fruit (we have no fruit trees and no room for berry bushes at this time, so we'll have to buy fruit for jam making).

I'm just excited because after the initial investment, it won't cost much to keep going. Once I have enough jars and invest in a presure canner (faster and needed for some low acid foods) I'll just need to buy new lids every year. And eventually I'll break even and start getting ahead as I'll need less food from the grocery store.

So I get to combine my hobbies of cooking and gardening, learn a valuable life skill, have delicious (i hope) homemade healthy food, and save money in the long run. Yay!

 

[MineMail]

I've been canning garden tomatoes for years and I enjoy growing and canning them. My garden didn't do too well this year - I started very late, so I was only able to harvest two jars' worth of tomatoes. The bowl is sitting next to the stove, waiting to be processed.

Last year, I gave into temptation around Christmas and bought a giant can of imported tomatoes from Costco. (135 oz or so) An aunt had said that she uses them to save money. She opens it, uses some of the tomatoes for sauce, then freezes the remainder in small batches. That worked well with the first can...then I took it to the next step and made a huge pot of tomato sauce with a second can, quadrupling my other ingredients. I jarred most of the sauce and it was wonderful for quick meals throughout the Spring.


There's a family who makes the news every August for their marathon sauce-making event. The big, extended family is Italian and they buy bushels of plum tomatoes every year at a wholesale market, then everyone pitches in to prepare tomato sauce - cleaning, blanching, milling, cooking, jarring and processing. It's a weekend-long event that's like a big party!

 

[riley2008]

Sounds like you are on a roll! Just be careful with the pickles; soon you'll have more than you can eat in a lifetime! We freeze lots of tomatoes every year and that is so nice to have handy. I freeze them in 1 cup containers, then dump them into gallon size bags. My mother seasons hers before she freezes them.

We love okra too. Freezes so well. My boys love canned beans, but again, I like the frozen ones better.

Have fun and enjoy!

 

[bettymae1121]

Sounds like you are on a roll! Just be careful with the pickles; soon you'll have more than you can eat in a lifetime! We freeze lots of tomatoes every year and that is so nice to have handy. I freeze them in 1 cup containers, then dump them into gallon size bags. My mother seasons hers before she freezes them.

We love okra too. Freezes so well. My boys love canned beans, but again, I like the frozen ones better.

Have fun and enjoy!

Not with my DH, he eats pickles like candy! We go through a jar a week, easy and I only get a couple from each jar. I'll make my money back on pickles alone!

 

[mjbaby]

Sounds like you're on your way! I've been canning for some time and for the last nine years have kept a canning blog (http://hotwaterbath.blogspot.com). I'm also a member of a newish canning group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/10150133985605529/) that's very supportive with sharing hints, tips and recipes. The ladies (actually, I think there's a guy or two in there!) are also super helpful and enthusiastic.

My favorite things to make are, yes, pickles (the basic recipe is so easy and variations are a snap), chutneys, applesauce, and a roasted tomato sauce. I totally dislike peaches - so many bowls and pots and ARGH - but enjoy the product so I sometimes manage to talk myself into it.

I hope you've had as much fun as I've had over the years!

 

[pampam]

Did you know one of the best ways to have crisp pickles is to have the brine and everything ready before you pick your cukes.

I love canning my food. I know what is in it and how fresh it is. Sometimes I save money too. Especially if I use produce from my garden. I also buy bushels of peppers to freeze and dehydrate, and freeze turnip by the bushel. Dehydrated tomatoes and peppers make a nice healthy snack. I dehydrate onions and make my own onion powder too.

 

[caaraa]

Sounds like you are on a roll!

 

[ChrisinNJ]

Dehydrated tomatoes and peppers make a nice healthy snack. I dehydrate onions and make my own onion powder too.

We started dehydrating as well this summer. But friend warned me not to dehydrate onions because the smell in the house is overwhelming. How bad is it?

So far we have dehydrated mushrooms, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, fruit leathers, herbs, and when my freezer died, we dehydrated all the mixed veggies to save them.

Now it's coming into apple season, so we are working on making and canning applesauce. We already canned 16.5 quarts, looking to at least double that amount since the kids LOVE it!

 

[pklein09]

Growing up, we did pickles (dill and bread & butter), jam, and tomatoes. I still do jam - whatever fruit I can get my hands on. We split weekends doing tomatoes because of Hurricane Irene. My mom and sisters put up just over 100 qts that weekend and we put up 53 qts last weekend. My mom does stewed tomatoes in pints as she gets them from her garden. She still might do some bread & butters, but no dills anymore. Both my of my Nanas did peaches, but mom said it was too much work. Instead of canning vegetables, I freeze some. I don't do as much because I don't have my second freezer anymore, but I did do some peas and corn.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

 

[MineMail]

My sister grows her own onions and chops/freezes them in portions. One of her daughters dislikes onions, so she prefers these frozen onions in recipes because they add flavor and nutrition without the texture.


I have hoards of basil - I've frozen two big bags full, which will get me through the winter. What can I do with the rest? I don't have a food dehydrator.

 

[pampam]

We started dehydrating as well this summer. But friend warned me not to dehydrate onions because the smell in the house is overwhelming. How bad is it?

So far we have dehydrated mushrooms, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, fruit leathers, herbs, and when my freezer died, we dehydrated all the mixed veggies to save them.

Now it's coming into apple season, so we are working on making and canning applesauce. We already canned 16.5 quarts, looking to at least double that amount since the kids LOVE it!

I can't say I noticed a smell. The onions are not cooked, they are dehydrated, so it's not like they are going to smell like they are cooking. You will have to see for yourself. Perhaps your friend doesn't care for onions.

Very often when I dehydrate my tomatoes, I put them in the blender afterward, and make a powder. I can reconstitute it to tomato paste, or add more water for tomato sauce, or even more water for tomato juice.

 

[sunnyday123]

I can't say I noticed a smell. The onions are not cooked, they are dehydrated, so it's not like they are going to smell like they are cooking. You will have to see for yourself. Perhaps your friend doesn't care for onions.

Very often when I dehydrate my tomatoes, I put them in the blender afterward, and make a powder. I can reconstitute it to tomato paste, or add more water for tomato sauce, or even more water for tomato juice.

I used to can tomatoes, but frankly the pressure cooker I borrowed scared the bejeezus out of me! Have they changed?

And also, how do you dehydrate your tomatoes and then make the paste from them? I wanted to try making my own paste this year, I hate canned. I also never thought about freezing diced tomatoes, I use them all winter for soups.

 

[wild.zinnia]

Is canning hard to do? I've really been thinking about trying it, but I'm afraid of food poisoning.

 

[monkey30]

My mom and sister do pickles and such every year. I am so far away and usually miss the weekend they are doing it. I currently have beets, carrots, spicy carrot, pickles, spicy pickles, bread &butter pickles, curried pickles, beans and peppers sitting there waiting to be eaten!

They are attempting banana peppers this weekend, and my sister said they were going to do a spicy relish with the green tomatoes.

I love them since I always have them, and I have not bought a jar of pickles in YEARS! Friends always comment on them at parties and I usually go through full jars those nights!

 

[herdtoDisney]

I'm so jealous! I want to try pickles but I don't have a source for the cukes. I'm also apparently a terrible gardner, as 2 years now we've had a garden and got squat. I want to try hard next year, and I have more sun in the yard now courtesy of Hurricane Irene removing some trees

I do can occasionally, I'll probably do some applesauce. I have found many good jars at tag sales, and once even on the curb! I don't think I ever bought them new. Of course you have to check for chips and nicks.

The Ball Blue Book is the best. It makes it so do-able.

 

[Evi]

I'm getting close but still a little chicken about botulism. I'm freezing jam this year. Maybe next year I'll take the plunge.

 

[pampam]

I used to can tomatoes, but frankly the pressure cooker I borrowed scared the bejeezus out of me! Have they changed?

And also, how do you dehydrate your tomatoes and then make the paste from them? I wanted to try making my own paste this year, I hate canned. I also never thought about freezing diced tomatoes, I use them all winter for soups.

I don't have a pressure canner, only a regular canner. (big pot) A pressure canner is used more for canning meats and stews with meats or low acidic veggies like peppers etc. It is not the same as a pressure cooker, so don't try to use a pressure cooker for canning.

I stew my tomatoes in a large roasting pan I put in the oven so it doesn't burn on the bottom and I don't have to stand with it and stir while it cooks. Sometimes I add onions and peppers. I usually add salt and pepper. Sometimes I cook them whole, sometimes I dice them or even puree them. When they are cooked I put them in steralized jars, and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint, or 2 per quart. Years ago, the tomatoes were more acidic, not so much now, so thats why I add the lemon juice. I haven't noticed a difference in taste. I use realemon juice because the juice from jars in the store is more consistent for acidity. I gently stir, wipe the edge of the jar and seal. Then I imerse them in my canner, making sure they are completely covered with water. I boil the pints 30 minutes and the quarts for 40 minutes. When you remove them from the canner you will hear a popping sound as they cool on the counter. That means they are sealed and safe to use. If they don't pop, either refrigerate or reprocess them.


When I dehydrate the tomatoes, I make sure they are not too leathery. I put them in my blender, and make a powder out of them, and store it in a jar. When I reconstitute them, I remove what I want from the jar, and add a little water for paste, a little more water for sauce, and even more for juice. I havn't actually tasted the juice, I just use it in recipies.

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't have a pressure canner, only a regular canner. (big pot) A pressure canner is used more for canning meats and stews with meats or low acidic veggies like peppers etc. It is not the same as a pressure cooker, so don't try to use a pressure cooker for canning.

I stew my tomatoes in a large roasting pan I put in the oven so it doesn't burn on the bottom and I don't have to stand with it and stir while it cooks. Sometimes I add onions and peppers. I usually add salt and pepper. Sometimes I cook them whole, sometimes I dice them or even puree them. When they are cooked I put them in steralized jars, and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint, or 2 per quart. Years ago, the tomatoes were more acidic, not so much now, so thats why I add the lemon juice. I haven't noticed a difference in taste. I use realemon juice because the juice from jars in the store is more consistent for acidity. I gently stir, wipe the edge of the jar and seal. Then I imerse them in my canner, making sure they are completely covered with water. I boil the pints 30 minutes and the quarts for 40 minutes. When you remove them from the canner you will hear a popping sound as they cool on the counter. That means they are sealed and safe to use. If they don't pop, either refrigerate or reprocess them.


When I dehydrate the tomatoes, I make sure they are not too leathery. I put them in my blender, and make a powder out of them, and store it in a jar. When I reconstitute them, I remove what I want from the jar, and add a little water for paste, a little more water for sauce, and even more for juice. I havn't actually tasted the juice, I just use it in recipies.

ok, maybe I didn't use a pressure cooker. I canned years ago when I was first married, and I borrowed this big cooker thing from my Grandmother and I was always afraid it would explode on me! Now I just make my sauce and freeze it, but I want to try the tomato paste. I just want to get away from using canned vegtables as much as possible, and it never occured to me to dice and freeze tomatoes. I am going to go looking for a new cooker today, I'm sure they're much safer than the ones used years ago.

Do you dehydrate them in your oven? I've accidentally made sun-dried tomatoes on my windowsill, but I think it would be easier to do it in the oven!

 

[debbiemomto4]

How do you freeze your basil. I usually just wrap a few leaves in saran wrap and then in a freezer bag. Any better way?
It does last in the freezer and saves from buying fresh basil.
I also make a few batches of pesto sauce and freeze it.
I also have loads of spearmint what can you do with that?

My vegetables were dudes this year. I think we got too much rain and too many weeds.

 

[beansmom]

I'm getting close but still a little chicken about botulism. I'm freezing jam this year. Maybe next year I'll take the plunge.

evi, one thing to make sure you do is wipe the rims of your jars clean before placing the lids and rings on. Process per instructions. Water bath canning is a breeze.