What are you canning or freezing right now? (2010)

[Raiquee]

I realize that KittyFarmer posted this, but the thread was from 2008-2009...so I thought I would resurrect it (if that is okay) and ask what everyones canning! I am NEW to canning, but love it

So far all I have put up is:

4 pts of cherry jam (with yummy door county cherries I hand picked)
4 pts of mango chutney (yummy with pork and chicken!)

I plan to do another 4ish pints of orange marmalade soon, whenever I get to it I also saw a recipe for a strawberry lemonade marmalade which sounds DELISH.

I am wanting to get the ball huge book of canning recipes..and also a pressure canner (I've only been able to do hot water baths...but I can't end of summer! I'm gonna have tomatoes coming out of my ears!)

I eventually want to get to doing my own stock, but that comes when I get chickens. And chickens come when I move I also am working very slowly as I don't have experience (and no one in my family canned) and I am kinda intiminated! haha.

 

[wardj86]

Not canning anything yet!

I'm the only person in my circle of friends that does any preserving, too. I was taught by my husband's grandmother.

I definitely recommend getting a pressure cooker. That has saved me so much time, plus veggies come out half cooked!

I mainly can tomatoes, green beans, and the MANY peaches I have. I do the occasional jam and jelly, too.

But good luck on all your canning adventures!

 

[jenjscott]

I just put up some pickled quail and banty eggs. I made some regular and some spiced. I am checking out the different flavors. But now I've got to wait five weeks to try them out!

 

[chandasue]

Nothing yet... But that's to be expected in MN. I'll have peas very soon and picking strawberries next week for jam! So excited to restock the pantry!

 

[Raiquee]

ward) I definatly want a pressure canner, cause if i'm mistaken, that's the only "safe" way to process most veggies right? I really want to mess with some pickles this year, and may just start with fridge pickles but eventually wanna move up the line

Jen) I have never had pickled eggs...I wonder if DH would like them. He likes some of the "not normal" things

chandasue) I hear you, I'm in WI. But my strawberry plants have just been pushing out berries. However, I only got a ziploc baggie full (sandwich size) that I'm saving for rhubarb pie. I can make like..a salad with them.

I think I am going to pick up that ball canning recipe book today tho. Anyone else own it? Love it? Only ok?

 

[chicken fruit]

I am too chicken to try canning. Iam too afraid of killing my family.

But I dry and freeze. I need to dry some onions, and Iam out of powdered cheese- so thats on the to-do drying list. I am becoming quite the drying queen.

Like I dont have enough to get done, berry season is starting and there will be berries to dry and freeze.

I should learn to can. I just wish I had a person to actually do it with me and teach me. I cant believe my gramma up and died without teaching me that first. Someone want to be my gramma for a weekend? LOL

 

[the funny farm6615]

just got done with cherry jelly.

if you use much jelly(we do) when you get your ball blue book, there is a recipe for jelly useing any 100% juice that you can get at the store. we make a lot of that and it is easy too. and soooo many different kinds. mixed berry was the last we made.

 

[chandasue]

ward) I definatly want a pressure canner, cause if i'm mistaken, that's the only "safe" way to process most veggies right? I really want to mess with some pickles this year, and may just start with fridge pickles but eventually wanna move up the line

Jen) I have never had pickled eggs...I wonder if DH would like them. He likes some of the "not normal" things

chandasue) I hear you, I'm in WI. But my strawberry plants have just been pushing out berries. However, I only got a ziploc baggie full (sandwich size) that I'm saving for rhubarb pie. I can make like..a salad with them.

I think I am going to pick up that ball canning recipe book today tho. Anyone else own it? Love it? Only ok?

You are correct on the pressure canning veggies unless you're pickling them. Then the acid from the vinegar is sufficient. Well worth the investment. I'm going to do more of my canning in my pressure canner this year just to save time!

I also have 2 ball canning books, Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and a thin blue one. But I use the big one mostly, all the basics covered and reliable recipes. I keep looking at The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest but haven't decided if it has anything really any better than the ball book or not.

Does anyone know of any lids that don't contain BPA (that white lining on the inside of the lids) but fit on Ball jars?

 

[chicken fruit]

There's the weck canning supplies, but theyre their own thing- they use those rubber ring gaskets.

All the canning supplies out there (ball, kerr, etc) are owned by the same company, and they dont have anything BPA free because the company defends the safety of the chemical in their products.

 

[chandasue]

Yes, I've seen the weck canning supplies but it's too expensive to replace all of my jars (I do a lot of canning, nearly enough to provide us with most of our veggies for the year). Does Ball/Jarden sell in Canada? I believe Canada has banned the use of BPA entirely so I was wondering if Ball/Jarden is available in Canada, wouldn't they have to be making lids without it? I just can't seem to find anywhere that sells online from Canada to verify...