Anyone know how to can grapeleaves?

[FarmerDenise]

I love dolma and want to use my own grapeleaves, next time I make it. I have enough of them

 

[Wifezilla]

Good question. I have a grape vine so big we named it "Audry" after Little Shop of Horrors

You can freeze them...I have done that...but never tried canning

 

[sylvie]

Haven't done this but would love to because I love Dolmas!
Here's a recipe that I found:
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/condiments/preserved-grape-leaves

Apparently the water bath time is important.

 

[freemotion]

So now I need to know what you stuff them with. I've seen them in the store and heard about them, but never actually tried them. There are a zillion wild (concord) grape vines where I walk the dog, but I never got around to trying anything with them.

It is so much more fun and interesting when I can discuss it with y'all first! Gives me the push to try cool new things.

An older lady who gave me a bunch of quart canning jars told me about the grape leaf/pickle thing mentioned in the link. I already copy/pasted to my recipe files, now I need to have some filling and cooking instruction, please!

Just hijacked your thread, FD! Shamelessly!

 

[Iceblink]

I do put grape leaves in the bottom of my pickle jars, I have noticed the pickles stay crisper. The grape leaves aren't mushy or falling apart either. Hmmm, I wonder if I could make pickled dolmas?!

Free- I just wash the leaves really well, and put them in the bottom of the jars, then layer in the dill, cucumbers, garlic cloves and red peppers. I just use regular brine. Oh, but I do soak the raw cucumbers overnight in salted ice water. I love the pickled garlic cloves, and I marinate pork chops in the leftover juice. Yumm!

I didn't make nearly enough this year, and I can't wait until cucumber season. DH has requested that I can enough for 1 jar per person per week.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Iceblink, I do the same thing. Learned it from an old neighbor friend years ago.

 

[freemotion]

Ooops, I meant how to make stuffed grape leaves. What do you stuff them with? How do you cook them once stuffed? I do have a recipe in a book somewhere, but I seem to remember it didn't impress me too much....maybe it was stuffed with rice or something boring? If I go through all that trouble, I want little treasures in those leaves! Like tasty cheese and/or meat spiced up a bit.

Any ideas?

 

[Wifezilla]

Here are some recipes...
http://www.bigoven.com/164607-Lebanese-Stuffed-Grape-Leaves-recipe.html
http://secretfoods.blogspot.com/2005/08/stuffed-grape-leaves-dolma.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1626,147178-249204,00.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1626,147179-248204,00.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,181,156172-234192,00.html

 

[freemotion]

I suppose I could just reduce the amount of rice and use brown rice. Did you see the recipe for dipping sauce in the second link? With six egg yolks????

 

[Wifezilla]

Anything that starts with "take 6 egg yolks" can't be all bad! LOL

I sometimes use cubed squash as a starch replacement in recipes. You can also use "riced" cauliflower instead of rice.