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Zeta Taskforce
Jun 27, 2002

I am drowning in Jerusalem Artichokes (sunchokes). They really do grow like weeds. As a bit of background, they are a plant that is native to North America and they are perennial sunflowers that regrow each year from the roots, which are also the edible portion of the plant. They are impervious to weeds, insects, or disease, and are highly productive.

I found this recipe for pickles to try to use some of them up. A couple things happened that I hope didn’t mess everything up. First, the recipe said it would make 3 quarts. Instead I barely fit everything into 4. The vinegar/sugar/water solution didn’t cover up the entire vegetables, probably only 85% of them, so I topped them off with another 1.5 cups of vinegar and a quarter cup of water. I hope this was OK. Then I became paranoid if 10 minutes was enough time to sterilize everything, so I let them go for 20 minutes in a boiling water bath. But then I’m reading today that pickles are a product of fermentation, and pickling isn’t the same as canning. Did I kill all the good bacteria?

So what have I done, and how will I know if what I did worked or not?

http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blpickle3.htm

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Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Zeta Taskforce posted:

First, the recipe said it would make 3 quarts. Instead I barely fit everything into 4. The vinegar/sugar/water solution didn’t cover up the entire vegetables, probably only 85% of them, so I topped them off with another 1.5 cups of vinegar and a quarter cup of water. I hope this was OK.

First, let me reassure you that you're probably going to be ok. Depending on the size of the chokes and other ingredients used, how tightly you packed the vessels and other considerations the volume the recipe makes can change. Pack your veggies in there tightly and make sure you thoroughly bubble your pickles.

You added a high acid solution to everything so the pH was probably not lowered in a way that will be dangerous to the food. However, it will change the taste of the final product, in this case making it more vinegary. Next time I'd make a full batch of brine according to instructions and top off all the jars after you thoroughly bubble them.

Zeta Taskforce posted:

Then I became paranoid if 10 minutes was enough time to sterilize everything, so I let them go for 20 minutes in a boiling water bath.

10 minutes is perfectly fine for sterilization. Just make sure it's 10 minutes on a full rolling boil.

Zeta Taskforce posted:

But then I’m reading today that pickles are a product of fermentation, and pickling isn’t the same as canning. Did I kill all the good bacteria?

Pickling can be a result of a number of processes and you don't have to ferment to make a pickle. I use natural fermentation via lactobacteria for the pickles I make in my crock, sauerkraut and kimchi. I also make pickles the "fresh pack" way by putting the veg directly jars, covering with brine, water bath processing and waiting 6 weeks for the brine to cure the items like you did. Both are valid pickling methods and both result in pickles, albeit with different characteristics.

By cooking the brine, keeping everything sterile and processing the finished product you kill all the bacteria that could be present in order to preserve the product. This is for the long term preservation and shelf stability of your items.

If you are interested in making pickles by fermentation, you would use a completely different method. If you have a crock or a clean food safe bucket and a lot of chokes to still go through, I have a recipe that was designed for the very same predicament you are currently in.

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

The local supermarket for the past few weeks has had an overflowing bargain bin. Today I found green beans and cauliflower. I was in the mood for more fermented veggies.



Sorry for the bad cell phone pic. This is a veggie medley of my bargain bin cauliflower and green beans, with red onion, garlic, bay leaf, basil, oregano and cayenne pepper. The brine is a mixture of whey strained from yogurt, salt water and lemon juice. This batch should be ready in three to five days, then go into the fridge and enjoyed.

Crouton
Feb 10, 2006
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space, cuz there's bugger all down here on Earth.
I pickled a bunch of spicy chili peppers I grew towards the end of September, and just opened the first jar (yeah it's kind of early but I couldn't wait.) They taste great, but I was hoping for a bit more crunch. They're very soggy, to the point where the texture isn't very appetizing to eat alone as a snack.

For now they're great on sandwiches and the like, but is there anything I can do next year to try and get them crispier? I pickled the peppers whole, but put a slit in each one to let the brine get to the inside of the pepper. Should I not have done that?

onemanlan
Oct 4, 2006
Is there any one in here who makes spicy Chow Chow that goes well with BBQ? There is a restaurant around here that makes it and it's probably my favorite additive to any dish. So I'd like to learn how to make it on my own. Every recipe I've found has been for huge batches so I was looking for something a bit smaller, but I could be content with a large portion of it if need be.

cocteau
Nov 28, 2005

The best Darcy.
I want to do some ratatouille canning this weekend utilizing a bumper crop of eggplant. As I usually make it (roasted in an oven), it has tomatoes, zucchini, onion, sweet peppers, garlic, spices, and tomato sauce. Googling gave me a whole fat lot of crap recipes... some said it can't be canned, some said it has to be pressure canned but that fucks up the texture, and the few recipes I did find weren't really what I want.

So basically, if I just mix up a batch and pressure can it to, say 11 lbs for an hour, am I going to be okay? Should I stew it first or let the pressure canning do the cooking?

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Crouton posted:

I pickled a bunch of spicy chili peppers I grew towards the end of September, and just opened the first jar (yeah it's kind of early but I couldn't wait.) They taste great, but I was hoping for a bit more crunch. They're very soggy, to the point

There are a couple of things you can do. Most of my old family recipes have you soaking the vegetables in alum and water for several days before canning. Alum isn't easy to find anymore and I think it's a pain in the rear end to add several days to the process just to improve crispness, but that's one option.

You can also use pickling lime, which is calcium hydroxide, to make things crisper. Most instructions will have you soaking, rinsing and repeating until the water is clear. I also find this method a huge pain in the rear end.

My favorite option using pickle crisp, which you can find at any dry goods store or through the Ball website. Pickle crisp is calcium chloride and is a very common additive in the industrial canning process. It is easy to use (just add it directly to the jar), has the same effects as the cumbersome old soak/rinse/repeat ways and is actually less expensive per jar than the alternatives.

http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/detail/TCL+1440072750


Better living through modern technology I say! I'll add this to the OP for future reference too.

onemanlan posted:

Every recipe I've found has been for huge batches so I was looking for something a bit smaller, but I could be content with a large portion of it if need be.

How much do you want to make?

cocteau posted:

So basically, if I just mix up a batch and pressure can it to, say 11 lbs for an hour, am I going to be okay? Should I stew it first or let the pressure canning do the cooking?

A good rule for pressure canning your own recipes is to look at the time chart and use the instructions for the ingredient that takes the longest processing time. That path may lead to really terrible texture. This is what I do with my veggie stock and it works well, albeit I don't need to worry about texture or overcooking.

I don't have ratatouille canning experience and checking my cookbook collection came up with no luck for a recipe. I'd go to your local book store and check the canning cookbooks or the manual that came with you pressure canner to see if you have more luck.

Joe Friday fucked around with this message at 23:25 on Nov 3, 2011

onemanlan
Oct 4, 2006
I supposed I wouldn't want to make more than 10 jars of Chow Chow, but I suppose I could up my rate of eating it if I had more on hand. Do you have any specific recipes you like for this?

Crouton
Feb 10, 2006
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space, cuz there's bugger all down here on Earth.

Joe Friday posted:

My favorite option using pickle crisp, which you can find at any dry goods store or through the Ball website. Pickle crisp is calcium chloride and is a very common additive in the industrial canning process. It is easy to use (just add it directly to the jar), has the same effects as the cumbersome old soak/rinse/repeat ways and is actually less expensive per jar than the alternatives.

http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/detail/TCL+1440072750

Awesome, thanks. I'll try that next year.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

onemanlan posted:

I supposed I wouldn't want to make more than 10 jars of Chow Chow, but I suppose I could up my rate of eating it if I had more on hand. Do you have any specific recipes you like for this?

I don't make a ton of chow chow. Like you, I like eating it but don't have a need for a huge batch. Here is the recipe in Fancy Pantry that makes 4 pints or 8 cups. When put out into 8 oz jars you'll probably get 9 or 10, maybe less. The recipe warns that this isn't a super sweet:

4 cups small cabbage pieces (about 1 small head chopped)
3 cups small cauliflower pieces (1 small head)
3 cups bell pepper pieces, some or all red
2 cups cucumber pieces or coarsely chopped green tomatoes
2 cups small onion pieces
3 T pickling salt
2 & 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 t yellow mustard seeds
2 t dry mustard
1 t ground turmeric
1 t celery seeds
1 t ground ginger
2 t hot pepper flake
1/4 t ground coriander

1. Toss vegetables in the salt. Let sit 3-4 hours then drain and rinse them. Drain again.

2. Bring the sugar, vinegar and spices to a boil in a large non-reactive pot. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the veg to the pot and bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, pack the vegetables into clean, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Cover the vegetables with the pickling liquid, bubble the jars and adjust to maintain 1/4 inch headspace.

4. Process in water bath canner 10 minutes and wait at least 3 weeks to eat.nj

Haerc
Jan 2, 2011

hbf posted:

How about making syrups? I just picked a ton of blackberries and I think it's going to be way more jam that I'll ever need, even after giving away a bunch. These are Himalayan variety which grow like crazy all over the PNW and are on the seedy side. Can I just strain out the solids, and boil it with sugar? I don't want it to set at all, but I don't want it to be water like either, do you still use pectin? Looking on google, the recipes are all over the place.

This is kind of late, but I made a bunch of blackberry jam this year the way I usually do it (strain the seeds from half the berries) and it seemed abnormally seedy. Anyone else?

hbf
Jul 26, 2003
No Dice.

Haerc posted:

This is kind of late, but I made a bunch of blackberry jam this year the way I usually do it (strain the seeds from half the berries) and it seemed abnormally seedy. Anyone else?

I didn't strain the seeds on one of my batches and I'm regretting it. Way way too seedy, it's like crunchy jam. Don't really even like eating it. Next year I am definitely straining at least 75% for blackberries. They just have more seeds than most berries, and very hearty, woody seeds at that.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Haerc posted:

This is kind of late, but I made a bunch of blackberry jam this year the way I usually do it (strain the seeds from half the berries) and it seemed abnormally seedy. Anyone else?

I got my blackberries from Pike's Place Market and they were great and not too seedy, but they were also HUGE and shone like jewels and were the best blackberries I've ever seen ever. If fruits are small or wild picked I strain them since those are usually more seedy.

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

I've been making applesauce this week. So far I've jarred up a batch of strawberry applesauce and then a batch of applesauce with cinnamon. Perfectly sweet tasting too, so no sugar added. My next batch will be blueberry.

Sevryn
Mar 7, 2002

This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.
Anyone here got a good recipe for Cowboy Candy (candied jalapenos)? I had a burger at a local spot the other day that had some on there and it was freaking delicious!

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Sevryn posted:

Anyone here got a good recipe for Cowboy Candy (candied jalapenos)? I had a burger at a local spot the other day that had some on there and it was freaking delicious!

I've never made this but is sounds amazing. I found this recipe that looks pretty good as far as ingredients and flavor profile go:
http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/09/candied-jalapenos-cowboy-candy/

Although I'd love to have a family recipe in here if someone makes them regularly.

Darval
Nov 20, 2007

Shiny.
Been making a second round of Apple butter this week. I used way too many spices compared to the first batch, so don't like it just as much. Lesson learned: Don't be afraid to go easy on the spices when working with something that'll get reduced.

Also, this thread makes me want to make sauerkraut. Even though I can't remember how it tastes.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Lacolo posted:

Been making a second round of Apple butter this week. I used way too many spices compared to the first batch, so don't like it just as much. Lesson learned: Don't be afraid to go easy on the spices when working with something that'll get reduced.

Also, this thread makes me want to make sauerkraut. Even though I can't remember how it tastes.

Home made sauerkraut tastes great and very different from store bought stuff. Make a small batch and give it a shot. It's basically 3 T of salt for every 5 lbs of cabbage so you can make a small batch and keep it in the fridge.

If you have an overly spicy apple butter batch, make a chutney, barbeque sauce or ketchup out of it. When I first started canning I over spiced and heavily salted my apple butter after incorrectly following the recipe and it turned out terribly. It was a fantastic base for barbeque sauce though!

Joe Friday fucked around with this message at 08:07 on Nov 11, 2011

IM DAY DAY IRL
Jul 11, 2003

Everything's fine.

Nothing to see here.
I did a couple batches of pickled jalapenos a few weeks ago and they turned out really great. I was thinking about doing pickled red peppers and jalapenos for Christmas, any of you guys have a good recipe I could start with?

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

You wake up to a fine November morning and head out to the blind for the first day of firearm deer season. No more then 15 minutes have passed before a small herd of three deer come into view. The largest of the three gives you a perfect broadside shot and 13 1/2 hours later you have canned venison in your pantry.



The main reason to do this is to avoid the $60 - $80 processing fees being charged these days. The other reason is of course to have delicious canned venison ready for stew, soup, chili or whatever you desire to do with it. I gave a friend some canned venison (He is a very very good friend) for Christmas and he said it made the best vindaloo he ever had.



The jar on the right is the cut venison pieces in the jar to show what it looks like before being canned. No water or broth was added to the jars, the liquid inside is the meat's own drippings.

Elizabethan Error
May 18, 2006

Highspeeddub posted:

You wake up to a fine November morning and head out to the blind for the first day of firearm deer season. No more then 15 minutes have passed before a small herd of three deer come into view. The largest of the three gives you a perfect broadside shot and 13 1/2 hours later you have canned venison in your pantry.



The main reason to do this is to avoid the $60 - $80 processing fees being charged these days. The other reason is of course to have delicious canned venison ready for stew, soup, chili or whatever you desire to do with it. I gave a friend some canned venison (He is a very very good friend) for Christmas and he said it made the best vindaloo he ever had.



The jar on the right is the cut venison pieces in the jar to show what it looks like before being canned. No water or broth was added to the jars, the liquid inside is the meat's own drippings.
were they toy deer? that doesn't look like a lot of meat

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

MasterFugu posted:

were they toy deer? that doesn't look like a lot of meat

It was a full size deer. We also did some steaks, a roast and burger. I had another canner load waiting to go into the canner when I took that picture.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Highspeeddub posted:

You wake up to a fine November morning and head out to the blind for the first day of firearm deer season. No more then 15 minutes have passed before a small herd of three deer come into view. The largest of the three gives you a perfect broadside shot and 13 1/2 hours later you have canned venison in your pantry.

Can you give me processing times, and preparation method? I'm no hunter but I'd love to do this at some point.

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

Joe Friday posted:

Can you give me processing times, and preparation method? I'm no hunter but I'd love to do this at some point.

Processing times for 10 lbs pressure are pints - 75 minutes, quarts - 90 minutes. My canner guide however states if you use 15 lbs pressure you can do both pints and quarts in 50 minutes. This is the the processing time I used and every jar sealed.

Once the meat is off the bone make sure all the hair and dirt is washed away before cutting into chunks. one to two inch chunks are good. Pack into clean jars until you have about one inch head space. Tighten lids and bands hand-tight and process. I don't add salt, and no liquid is needed. The meat creates enough liquid from being processed.

Iron Lung
Jul 24, 2007
Life.Iron Lung. Death.
So I've never canned before I'm currently running a batch of Dilly Beans through their final water bath, waiting for a rolling boil to occur! Following this recipe: http://www.foodinjars.com/2009/07/dilly-beans/

How do I make sure I didn't totally screw up? I dropped one of the lids on the counter but it was clean so I used it. I'm not sure if they all set right because I have no idea how they're supposed to look or feel. Also my entire house smells like salad dressing now. Anyway, I'm real paranoid I'm going to kill my entire household and myself by eating them! Any tips would be great.

Edit: I guess it doesn't really matter because my stove is a flat top stove and apparently can't heat that much water to a rolling boil. After watching it bubble a few times a second for about an hour I figured it wasn't gonna get any hotter, the burner kept shutting off :(. Are the beans salvageable at all, or should I just toss them?

Iron Lung fucked around with this message at 16:08 on Nov 23, 2011

Zeta Taskforce
Jun 27, 2002

Joe Friday posted:

First, let me reassure you that you're probably going to be ok. Depending on the size of the chokes and other ingredients used, how tightly you packed the vessels and other considerations the volume the recipe makes can change. Pack your veggies in there tightly and make sure you thoroughly bubble your pickles.

You added a high acid solution to everything so the pH was probably not lowered in a way that will be dangerous to the food. However, it will change the taste of the final product, in this case making it more vinegary. Next time I'd make a full batch of brine according to instructions and top off all the jars after you thoroughly bubble them.


10 minutes is perfectly fine for sterilization. Just make sure it's 10 minutes on a full rolling boil.


Pickling can be a result of a number of processes and you don't have to ferment to make a pickle. I use natural fermentation via lactobacteria for the pickles I make in my crock, sauerkraut and kimchi. I also make pickles the "fresh pack" way by putting the veg directly jars, covering with brine, water bath processing and waiting 6 weeks for the brine to cure the items like you did. Both are valid pickling methods and both result in pickles, albeit with different characteristics.

By cooking the brine, keeping everything sterile and processing the finished product you kill all the bacteria that could be present in order to preserve the product. This is for the long term preservation and shelf stability of your items.

If you are interested in making pickles by fermentation, you would use a completely different method. If you have a crock or a clean food safe bucket and a lot of chokes to still go through, I have a recipe that was designed for the very same predicament you are currently in.

I tried the pickles and they came out! Like you said, they were a bit on the vinegar side, but after you rinse them off and let them soak for half an hour, they are quite pleasant.

I wanted to wait to respond in case Jerusalem Artichoke pickles tastes like rear end, but since they don't I would be totally up to trying to the lactobacteria method.

HUGE PUBES A PLUS
Apr 30, 2005

I put the deer heart in the crock pot and let it simmer on low for a day. The meat in the heart becomes very tender to the point of being spreadable. I know a popular recipe for deer heart is to make it into pate or a sandwich spread. Not me.



I pickled it. Ready to eat in time for Christmas.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Iron Lung posted:

Are the beans salvageable at all, or should I just toss them?

Sorry I'm so late in on this reply. I'll definitely add that flat top stove warning in the OP. That is something everyone should know.

I hope you didn't toss the beans. Stash them in the fridge and store them there and you'll be good to go and they should keep for up to 6 months, probably a year. That really sucks and I'm sorry for your lack of water bath goodness.

Amber Sweet
Apr 30, 2009
So this year for Christmas I'm planning on going on my very first canning excursion. I've never made anything canned before, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all intimidated by it. I hope it works out because I'm really excited to open up this new world of lovely canned possibilities.

I want to make clementine marmalade for some family members as part of their christmas presents, this recipe in particular. Clementine's are plentiful and pretty inexpensive around here during this time of year and since I'm cheap this is what I'm going for. I don't know if this is a good recipe to use or not but after searching around they all more or less look the same. Some are much more complicated, involving letting the clementines soak for however long, draining them and doing it again, turning it into a two or three day process, but my family enjoys strong marmalade so I'm thinking this won't be necessary. I am planning on including some of the peel, which this recipe does not do, and maybe also adding some ginger because it sounds like a nice combination.

Since you folks seem so knowledgeable on the subject, any tips you can give a first timer? I don't really have any of the proper equipment, but I have a huge stock pot I can use to seal the jars and a metal rack that fits inside it. Also, some of the recipes I've seen include pectin, but many others say it's not necessary. I'm thinking because I'm so new at this I should probably include the pectin anyway, but I really have no idea.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated :)

Amber Sweet fucked around with this message at 14:51 on Nov 30, 2011

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Amber Sweet posted:

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated :)

What I would suggest for a beginner is to find a recipe that makes the amount you want and follow it exactly. Don't add or subtract anything, follow it just as it is and do not deviate. We all want to get creative right away and although adding your own herbs and spices to recipes makes it have your personal touch, you run the risk of making flavors too strong, changing pH or other things.

An example is your desire to add peel to the recipe. Citrus peels need to be soaked, boiled and tenderized before added to a recipe as a general rule since they are very tough. Just adding some into this recipe would result in wonderful marmalade with tough bits. Same thing with ginger.

The recipe you posted looks fine, although I think I'd rather find a recipe that uses pectin in exact measure rather than picking out lemon seeds and boiling an unknown amount of pectin out.

Amber Sweet
Apr 30, 2009
Thanks for the reply, Joe! I'll certainly take all that into consideration :) I've spent all morning searching through and comparing recipes, I may have become just a teeny bit obsessed.

I'm going to try it out the weekend when I have the time. If the first batch turns out gross, I'll try a different method. The most I'll be out is 10 bucks anyway so it's not a huge deal. I'm pretty excited and intrigued about this whole canning thing, I must say.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.
I made some whiskey satsuma marmalade and some meyer lemon marmalade tonight. It was great. I love winter canning so much!

hbf
Jul 26, 2003
No Dice.

Joe Friday posted:

I made some whiskey satsuma marmalade and some meyer lemon marmalade tonight. It was great. I love winter canning so much!

Can you post the Whiskey Satsuma recipe?

also, what is some other stuff good for canning in the winter?

hbf fucked around with this message at 08:18 on Dec 5, 2011

Shooting Blanks
Jun 6, 2007

Real bullets mess up how cool this thing looks.

-Blade



The GF suggested we make some jam for gifts for relatives this year, and I'm happy to agree. I'm trying to figure out what to make right now, and I'm leaning towards maybe a tangerine serrano jam or jelly - thoughts? Does anyone have a recipe for such a beast, or any other suggestions using seasonal fruit?

This will be our first time canning anything, but I'm looking forward to it!

Zeta Taskforce
Jun 27, 2002

Joe Friday posted:

If you are interested in making pickles by fermentation, you would use a completely different method. If you have a crock or a clean food safe bucket and a lot of chokes to still go through, I have a recipe that was designed for the very same predicament you are currently in.

I'm still interested in fermenting my chokes. I'm not finding that many recipes. Can I find one for carrots or another root vegetable and use sunchokes instead? Are these vegetables interchangable?

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

hbf posted:

Can you post the Whiskey Satsuma recipe?

You got it.

Satsuma Whiskey Marmalade

4 pounds satsuma/mandarin oranges
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 cups sugar
2 shots whiskey of choice
1 package pectin

Wash, scrub and peel mandarins. Reserve the fruit. Satsumas generally have very thin pith, but if any are thick, slice the pith out. Cut the peels into matchstick slivers - really thin. Put the peel shreds in a non-reactive pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes. Drain.

Remove all membranes from the fruit and chop them into cubes. Add these to a non-reactive pot with whiskey and 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, crushing the fruit with a spoon as you go. Add the peel, then reduce temperature to simmer for 8 minutes.

Add the rest of the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture is at a boil add the lemon juice and pectin and continue to boil 10 minutes, stir frequently. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the marmalade sit for 5 minutes. Do a jelly test to make sure it is ready.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims, place lids and rings on top and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath canner. Let sit upright for at least 24 hours before moving. Marmalade may take a full 2-3 days to set up.

Shooting Blanks posted:

The GF suggested we make some jam for gifts for relatives this year, and I'm happy to agree. I'm trying to figure out what to make right now, and I'm leaning towards maybe a tangerine serrano jam or jelly - thoughts? Does anyone have a recipe for such a beast, or any other suggestions using seasonal fruit?

This will be our first time canning anything, but I'm looking forward to it!

Hand made goods are the best goods! Winter canning is great as it warms the house and usually requires lots of fruit and spices. Canning ideas include greens, citrus, peppers, apples, cranberries, florals (dried rose and lavender make for great jellies), lemon curd, pomegranates, and so forth. Citrus is really key.

You can also consider meats. Traditionally, the solstice was when all the animals that couldn't be maintained over the winter were slaughtered, so it was one of the only times of the year where fresh beef, pig and larger livestock was available. Consider meat canning if you have a pressure canner.

I don't have a recipe immediately for a hot pepper citrus jelly, but I will most definitely look for one. That sounds amazing.

Zeta Taskforce posted:

I'm still interested in fermenting my chokes. I'm not finding that many recipes. Can I find one for carrots or another root vegetable and use sunchokes instead? Are these vegetables interchangable?

Oh, sorry I forgot you there! Here is the recipe for "Euell Gibbons Dill Crock" from Stocking Up. This recipe is for a variety of vegetables, including root veg, and since it's a non-canning fermenting recipe, you can use pretty much whatever you want. In regular canning, no, veggies aren't necessarily interchangeable, but for a fermenting crock, yes! Here is the link for the long version so you can read the whole thing, but I'll condense it down here too.

http://kitchengardeners.org/recipes/euell-gibbons-dill-crock

Ingredients per crock:
Vegetables you want to pickle
3/4 cup Salt
10 cups Water
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 head Garlic
3 bunches of Dill

Basically, start with a large food safe container. I use my 5 liter fermenting crock, but a 5 gallon food safe bucket will work too. You can also use smaller vessels, etc. but big works best.

Clean, trim and prep your veg, remove stems, for large peppers, make slices 2 slices lengthwise on each to allow for better picking.

Pack 1 bunch of dill in the bottom of the crock and throw a few peeled cloves of garlic in there. Add your vegetables on top, layering with dill and garlic cloves as you go. Cover the top with the last bunch of dill.

Your brine is a mixture of 3/4 measure salt to 10 measure water, with 1/4 measure of vinegar. So, I usually make 10 cups of water, 3/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Pour brine over your veg and make more following that ratio until the vegetables are just covered (they will shed water and condense as they ferment).

Cover the top of the bucket with a clean, sterilized plate that fits comfortably inside the container but doesn't leave a ton of space around the edges (I'd say no more than an inch, otherwise stuff will float to the top and not stay submerged in the brine). Weigh this plate down with something that can be cleaned. Alton Brown likes plastic bags filled with water, but those are an invitation to spill in my mind so use a brick or something you can wipe off.

Store this in a cool, dry place. Check it every few days and skim any mold or scum that floats to the top. Do not freak out if there is scum or mold, it will be fine.

Let them ferment a minimum of 2 weeks. The cooler the temperatures are, the longer it will take for the pickles to be ready. Start checking them after 2 weeks and remove them once you like the flavor.

Right out of the crock these will be really salty. I usually discard the brine, rinse all the pickles and then make a fresh brine of 4 cups vinegar to 1 gallon water with 1/2 cup of salt. Store in the fridge and enjoy the best pickles you have ever tasted.

Zeta Taskforce
Jun 27, 2002

Joe Friday posted:

Store in the fridge and enjoy the best pickles you have ever tasted.

Looking forward to it! Thanks.

Joe Friday
Oct 16, 2007

Just the facts, ma'am.

Zeta Taskforce posted:

Looking forward to it! Thanks.

Please post pictures and/or results, action shots, etc. and let me know how yours turns out. Every crock is different, but have been nothing but pleased with mine.

For interest, here is a marmalade beauty shot.

Shooting Blanks
Jun 6, 2007

Real bullets mess up how cool this thing looks.

-Blade



Joe Friday posted:

Hand made goods are the best goods! Winter canning is great as it warms the house and usually requires lots of fruit and spices. Canning ideas include greens, citrus, peppers, apples, cranberries, florals (dried rose and lavender make for great jellies), lemon curd, pomegranates, and so forth. Citrus is really key.

You can also consider meats. Traditionally, the solstice was when all the animals that couldn't be maintained over the winter were slaughtered, so it was one of the only times of the year where fresh beef, pig and larger livestock was available. Consider meat canning if you have a pressure canner.

I don't have a recipe immediately for a hot pepper citrus jelly, but I will most definitely look for one. That sounds amazing.

I don't have a canner at all right now, was planning on just getting an inexpensive water bath canner for now (or, hopefully, finding a canning rack that will fit into one of my existing stock pots - storage space in my kitchen is at a premium as it is). I'd already read about the acidity levels requiring a different type of canner, which is why I already decided on fruits. I'd honestly try your whiskey satsuma marmalade, but some members of the GF's family are teetotalers, and others aren't big on spicy foods - I figure one batch of citrus pepper jelly, and one batch of regular marmalade is enough for a first attempt.

If you can dig anything up along those lines, that would be great - if not, I'll pull a couple other recipes based on what's available locally.

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Zeta Taskforce
Jun 27, 2002

Joe Friday posted:

Please post pictures and/or results, action shots, etc. and let me know how yours turns out. Every crock is different, but have been nothing but pleased with mine.

For interest, here is a marmalade beauty shot.



I was reading more, and realized I don’t own a crock. I will ask for one for Christmas. (You made my family’s life easier because I am super hard to shop for). In the meantime could I use a glass jar with the lid on top, but not screwed on? I’m curious about temperature. Right now the chokes are being stored in my root cellar where the temperature will hover around 40 once it gets cold out. I also have an unheated that stays about 50. I think I will try two batches and see what I like better.

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