WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[FarmerJamie]

I dunno. They may be tainted. It might be best if you send them to me and I will ensure they are disposed of properly....

 

[Finnie]

Today’s fun play time in the kitchen:

So it’s a good thing I’m pretty much doing this for fun, and not to save money. This is peach lemonade concentrate, and all I got out of two 5# bags of lemons from Kroger! (Plus 5 peaches from my freezer.)

The 5# bags of lemons were on sale for $5.99 each. But they had such thick rinds! I usually figure on getting about a cup of juice per pound of lemons, so I was excited about the jars and jars of lemonade I was going to make. Nope. I only got 4 1/2 cups total from all 10 pounds!

I didn’t even look at their expensive lemons. I wonder if they were better quality. I might have gotten more juice for my money. Limes usually have thin peels, but usually cost more per pound. Maybe I should make limeade next.

 

[Mini Horses]

@Finnie didn't you buy the Carey brand electric canner? Whichever, your at least making use of it!

 

[Finnie]

@Finnie didn't you buy the Carey brand electric canner? Whichever, your at least making use of it!

No, I got the Presto. I’m doing my best to get some use out of it. My new hobby.

 

[Mini Horses]

Ok, I looked back & @murphysranch bought the Carey brand. Priced well, slightly smaller....so capacity is 4qt jars? How many pints? And, do you feel it's easy to use, clean, etc?

Update -- no surprise the cheap fraud didn't show up cr card company deleted the charge, as requested.

I don't NEED this canner but the size & convenience for small batch is appealing. Plus programmed controls. Truly, most of my canning is in season veggies, that's big batch stuff!

Y'all stop making me think I need it!!

 

[Finnie]

Update -- no surprise the cheap fraud didn't show up cr card company deleted the charge, as requested.

Oh, thank you for the update. I was wondering, but I figured you would have said if it had gotten delivered. I’m glad your cc company took care of it.

Truly, most of my canning is in season veggies, that's big batch stuff!

What canner do you use for big batch stuff? How many jars does it fit?

Now that I’m into canning, I’ve been starting to think about what I might want to grow to can. My Presto can hold 5 quarts or 8 pints. I guess if I have any big batches to do, I will just have to do them one after another. Which could be tricky since it takes a long time to depressurize when it’s done. I wonder if it’s ok to leave the jars in it overnight and take them out in the morning. I would think that would really slow down their cooling.

But the food that’s waiting to go in the next batch, I don’t know, might have to go in the fridge overnight and then get reheated the next day? I can picture that really heating up the fridge. Probably better to learn how much is the right amount to cook at one time and not chop/cook/blanche/ too much at once.

When I had too much broth to fit in the Presto, I got my GoWISE going. Had to make sure they were not plugged into the same circuit. I learned that the hard way when I used my toaster one time and blew the circuit. Fortunately the Presto was only in the jar warming phase.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have an All American canner, not the double tall. No way I could even move one of those if full. So I get only 7 qt jars in it. Not a whole lot more than the electric presto. It's a lot of manual but, I feel the release/removal time may be less -- from what I'm reading. anyway, I'm able to do 3-4 canners before I say "enough!" for today.

Being fairly close in results per batch, only the convenience of it doing the watching for me is the difference. If I've committed to a day of canning, I'm not going anywhere. So, I'll save the $$ for now and do my own watching.

Once the cooling is low enough I can open the canner, remove hot jars, add filled jars of next batch in same hot water & go again. It's partly confidence of use that's selling the electric programmable ones, IMO.

 

[murphysranch]

Yes, I bought the Carey/Nesco. I like it! Don't have to have hubs or son haul up everything from the basement for me (heavy Preso or All American) Holds 4 quarts and its so easy. No babysitting!

Next on my agenda is golden potatoes to put up before they all sprout!

 

[Mini Horses]

I have 5 pints of blueberry jam in water bath right now. Also have a white shirt -- speckled purple -- in the washer! What was I thinking!?

Well, a little something out of freezer now, thanks to @Finnie who reminded me of these, with her pie filling! I've got way more of them to get out & processed! Problem -- I eat little jams/jellies. Bet it'll be good on a cheesecake!

And when goats kid, and I'm milking, goat cheese covered with it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Blueberry smoothie - yum!