Author Topic: Canning and Preserving (Read 15251 times)

ShiFu · « **on:** July 24, 2018, 03:54:16 PM »

Hi all,
Lately I've been interested in learning how to can my Texas Chili in one pint jars.
My pressure canner holds eight 1/2 quart (one pint) canning jars, so totally one gallon of chili or chili beans per batch.

Canning and Preserving

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Canning and Preserving

chili beans2.png (199.4 kB. 350x262 - viewed 979 times.)

This is the spicy beans, ready to heat-and-eat.
It goes well with the salsa I made by fermenting peppers in brine.

Canning and Preserving

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ketel3 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2018, 11:15:13 PM »

This will become one of my favorite forum parts.
Ok I will contribute a little of my stuff.
first photo pickeled peppers
second photo hot pepper sauce cold sambal
third photo pickeled cucumbers ( sweet sour pickles )

ShiFu · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2018, 06:04:47 AM »

Nice K3!

Here is a picture of my pickle collection so far.
Only the jalapeno peppers are pickled in vinegar, the others are pickled in brine.
I use the brine recipe:
100 grams of water plus 4 grams of pickling or canning salt.

My veggie ferments are usually for about 4 days (the room temperature is always warm here), then stored in the refrigerator.

Canning and Preserving

pickle collection.png (71.34 kB. 350x262 - viewed 804 times.)

Its not easy to walk by the fridge without grabbing a cold, crisp pickle

Having the shallots and onions ready to use sure makes cooking more fun.
And jalapenos from our little garden is always a welcomed treat.

ShiFu · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2018, 06:32:15 AM »

It may seem a bit strange to weigh the water instead of measuring it but it works well for me.
I pack the jars with the vegetables and add water until the jar is full.
Then put a bowl on the scale and tare (or "zero") the scale. Then pour all the water from the jar into the bowl.
I usually get a weight of something like, for example, 132 grams.
So...
100g water divided by 4g salt = 25
132g water divided by 25 = 5.28 grams of salt needed.
and 250 g water (divided by 25) needs 10 grams of salt.

Pickling or canning salt is better than regular table salt because it does not have iodine or anti-caking agents which can change the vegetable's color and make the brine cloudy.

ketel3 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:09:54 PM »

Whaaw your collection is great.
I like the garlick

Yep your way to calculate the salt water amount is perfectly easy.
For salt , I never use normal salt,just like you.

Our own grown beetroot is also very nice to do , they are cooked as is with the peels on them ,after that peeled and slized and put into sterilized pots ,filled with cooked vinigar /water sugar solution and a litlle onion , after that put into a pan with hot water for 30 minits on 80 dgrs celsius to sterilize, you can store them for a very long time.
If some one wants the exact amounts I will post it.

ketel3 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2018, 01:33:43 PM »

We made soms new pickles and peppers.
Below photo you see some of the herbs like dill we used.

ketel3 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2018, 03:18:18 PM »

Not only distilling has my interrest but also prepairing and canning veggies,BUT I'M lucky to have acces to a little garden.
Right now I have more peppers than I need so it is nice to give some to friends.
See all the different kinds of peppers some are so hot

And pumpkins are great this year also,they will be used for pumpkin day for the school kids and believe me they like pumpkin soup.

Someone elso gardening ?

ShiFu · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2018, 07:07:47 PM »

Wonderful!

I just now ate the last of the pickled veggies so yesterday we started a new batch.

We do have a small container garden. It produces mostly weeds.
The few good vegetables that survive are feasted on by a great variety of insects.

We don't get much for the effort

ketel3 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2018, 07:21:24 PM »

If you want some nice flowers on you balcony ,and at the same time veggies I would put some runner beans in a pot they grow easy produce a lot and have nice red or white flowers depending on the kind.
When I had a balcony I tried this and you will be suprised how much they bring.
Pot size 30 cm diam wil do.
They are easy to put on salt it was done here in the past by almost everyone with a little garden.

Insects well ,a little soap,a little spiritus in your case heads ,a little amount tobacco , just a few drops from all to a 1 ltr bottle and it will kill almost all nasties after you spray them.

ketel3 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2018, 02:28:34 PM »

Make 2 out of one

Quinces,I still have quinces eaux de vie and wanted to infuse some with peels again as it is wonderfull.
At the same time I wanted to make quinces jam so I combined the 2
If you use the peels do not forget to clean the skin carfully to avoid bitterness.
The fruit flesh for the jam is cookes and passd true a sieve,and cooked again with sugar and gelatine.
O and the beans are our own

ketel3 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2018, 11:28:04 PM »

And here we are again,we make this recepy for years and years and it is more known by older people as the young ones just like pizza and french fries ,or a hamburger hotdog and so on.

This was made with our own grown beetroot,the ugly basterds are cooked as they are with skin on it for 45 minutes and after cooling a bit the skin was removed than you slice them with a device we called a mandoline slicer.
Than overnicht soaked into vinigar and a little spices,to be precise 1 liter vinigar and 150 gram sugar,or as much to cover the sliced beetroots.
The next day you fill the jars and put them in a pan with water lids tighten and bring to the boil they should be kept near cooking point for 30 miniutes.
They will be ok for several years.
Ok you eat them just as they are heat them a little as part of a normal meal.
Or you can make a potato salad with sour herring and beetroot and eat it cold , in the summer this is a lovely refreshing meal.
Here some pictures.

ketel3 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2018, 11:29:40 PM »

And the last ones.

ShiFu · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2018, 06:19:36 AM »

I hope that someday Kettle3 and I can meet in China.
I'd take him to the local vegetable market (where they sell basically Everything) and let him ask:
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is sweet.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is bitter.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is sour.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, and it is just too ugly to taste

ketel3 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 20, 2018, 10:03:41 PM »

Quote from: ShiFu on October 15, 2018, 06:19:36 AM

I hope that someday Kettle3 and I can meet in China.
I'd take him to the local vegetable market (where they sell basically Everything) and let him ask:
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is sweet.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is bitter.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, but it is sour.
"What is that?" And I'd say, Don't know the name, and it is just too ugly to taste

IF I ever fly again it would be great to go to China,BUT not for China only but to meet you and Tan.
I think it will not happen but you know I say not never , but not ,as my life was full of supprises so you never know.

I could not wish for a better guide there than you

And you know what I would bring you something and you say what is that and I say I know but you doint .....but it is Umami as you did not mention that one

ShiFu · « **Reply #14 on:** October 21, 2018, 01:21:51 PM »

Welcome to China!
You and anyone else from the forum

China Customs will probably not let you bring in Pickled Vegetables (unless they are in a can and a reasonable quantity - not sure how much is reasonable).

BOOZE IS OK! But it should appear as factory sealed and I think the limit is 2 liters per traveler. That's common on almost all international flights.

Fresh vegetables though, that's a big No-No everywhere.

I NEVER EVER get in the security queue behind an old Chinese lady. She ALWAYS tries to smuggle an assortment of food through security.

I have concluded that airport security is no longer looking for drugs. They are looking for old Chinese ladies with radishes taped to her hips

ketel3 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2018, 02:11:02 AM »

The last peppers we process this year together with leeks, garlic, onion, zucchini, peanut oil, soy sauce.
We will give away the rest of the peppers to colleagues and friends,as it is simply to much our garden has produced this year.
After preparation, the jars are heated in a pan with water for another 30 minutes at boiling point.
Here is another picture

ShiFu · « **Reply #16 on:** October 24, 2018, 06:31:19 AM »

Excellent as always, K3.

That makes me want to get the pressure cooker out and process 6 quarts (liters) of jars.

ShiFu · « **Reply #17 on:** February 19, 2019, 11:29:17 AM »

Canning and Preserving

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A few pickled eggs. They don't last very long around here!

A #10 can of jalapeno peppers. Oh boy. That's a nice score for me.

An active vegetable ferment going. Onions, cucumbers, mild peppers and garlic.
I lost the cup that fits on top of the glass fermenter. It has a water lock in the rim at the top.
These are easy to find here and always seem to be sold with cheap alcohol inside.
The jug is more valuable than the booze.

veggieFermenter.jpg (15.54 kB. 173x229 - viewed 412 times.)

ketel3 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2019, 09:45:11 PM »

Lots of goodys,it is alway fine to see a jug full with colorfull vegies.
In a couple of months spring is there so now it istime to make plans for all we want to grow.
Pickeld eggs are great ,sometimes I put some in the smoke oven jummy.

ketel3 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 29, 2019, 05:55:17 PM »

The first vegetable pickling this year.
cauliflower on sweet and sour, with turmeric, cumin seeds, garlic ,bay leaf, chilli, vinegar sugar and water.
Now we have to wait a few months.