WHAT ARE YOU CANNING TODAY?

[Mini Horses]

Just BUY the canner! Return the saw if he says ANYTHING!!!!

I answer to no one now but, my DH would never tell me no.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

My hubby would not stand in the way of any tools I felt the need of.... However, it took FOREVER to get him on board with a new freezer. I finally got to the point where I just told him... I'm not asking any more. Now... I'm telling! And, I had it ordered that very week. Every time I took advantage of sales and saved big $$$, every time I packed some MRE fresh from my kitchen into the freezer, to be brought up and enjoyed later, I reminded him that all these benefits were because of the new freezer. I usually finished that statement with something along the lines of: "Honey, I don't know why I gave you such a hard time about buying a freezer. If only I'd listened to you sooner!"

 

[flowerbug]

more tomatoes... had to pick again this morning. one case of quart jars left and then we're out until we get some more. hopefully tomorrow might be able to get four more cases or perhaps more if Mom can find them at the store. may have to use either some gallon jars (i think i have five or six gallon jars, but they don't have lids other than the factory lids which may or may not seal properly) or pint jars. we have a lot of pint jars... we'll see how this week goes... it remains interesting.

 

[Hinotori]

110 ten oz jars of tuna. 16 were bloodline raw packed for the dogs. The other 94 were all smoked and about half has jalapenos.

Also have 18 brined and smoked tuna bellies going in the freezer. Mom always mistakes them for the smoked salmon that's common out here.

I like the 10 oz jars. Works very well with the older cookbook recipes I've been trying. Many call for 10 oz cans. More than enough for sandwiches or casserole.

My brother's have gotten jealous of Mom and Dad. They only just realized that I've been canning some for them each time. 50 jars would be more than enough for just us.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I'm finally starting to put produce up. today: a cookie sheet full of chopped peppers went in freezer, IQF to be packed into snack sized zip locks for later use. One small yellow zucc for freezer. Hope to be able to can some beans tomorrow. I'm way behind, but garden finally getting up to speed. Tomatoes starting to come on.

New pullets are starting to lay.

 

[baymule]

I took 7 one gallon bags of frozen tomatoes out this morning and this evening i had 6 pints of chunky salsa and 7 pints of BBQ sauce. Plus I made a thick stew in the crock pot for supper.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I took 7 one gallon bags of frozen tomatoes out this morning and this evening i had 6 pints of chunky salsa and 7 pints of BBQ sauce. Plus I made a thick stew in the crock pot for supper.

When you worked up those tomatoes, did you thaw them, and drain the whey? Tell me how you handled them to make the process easier. Run under water to slip the skins, or did you just let them thaw for a bit to slip the skins... or leave skins intact??? Do you consider that freezing the tomatoes makes them overall easier to process?

 

[flowerbug]

110 ten oz jars of tuna. 16 were bloodline raw packed for the dogs. The other 94 were all smoked and about half has jalapenos.

Also have 18 brined and smoked tuna bellies going in the freezer. Mom always mistakes them for the smoked salmon that's common out here.

I like the 10 oz jars. Works very well with the older cookbook recipes I've been trying. Many call for 10 oz cans. More than enough for sandwiches or casserole.

My brother's have gotten jealous of Mom and Dad. They only just realized that I've been canning some for them each time. 50 jars would be more than enough for just us.

after you smoke them do you pressure can them?

did 19 quarts of tomato chunks yesterday. pretty much have to can tomatoes every day or every other day depending upon if we get time to pick and put them up. we have a case and a half of jars left. going to have to try those gallon jugs out as Mom wants tomatoes ready for some cooking she will be doing. even if they don't seal properly they will still be ok if kept in the fridge. hope we can find some more lids and/or jars this week or we'll be done with putting up tomatoes this year...

not much freezer space, but perhaps may have to go that route. we'll see... or pints...

 

[baymule]

When you worked up those tomatoes, did you thaw them, and drain the whey? Tell me how you handled them to make the process easier. Run under water to slip the skins, or did you just let them thaw for a bit to slip the skins... or leave skins intact??? Do you consider that freezing the tomatoes makes them overall easier to process?

I froze them because they were ripe and I didn't have time to process them. I just washed, quartered, cut out the core and any bad spots and chunked in a bag.

I put the frozen tomatoes in a big pot after cutting the plastic bag off. As they thaw, the water releases. A couple of years ago, I poured it off and canned tomato water for cooking soups, stews and beans. Big mistake. The resulting tomato sauce was flat tasting. Live and learn. So I now pour off the tomato water, put it into a pot and boil on high to reduce it down faster than cooking down the tomato solids. After the tomatoes are cooked and soft, I mash them through a strainer that removes the seeds and skins.

Old Tomato/Berry Strainer

I hauled out my old tomato/berry strainer yesterday to remove seeds from some roma tomatoes I was given. I cooked them on low heat for a bit, along with some cherry tomatoes I grew, then poured them in the strainer. I froze the juice for now, until I get the 2nd round of squash to go in soup...

www.sufficientself.com

The solids cook down faster because there is less water in them. When the tomato water is reduced a LOT, I pour it back in the tomato sauce. It is still a lot of work, but I feel it is a little faster on cooking it down.

 

[Hinotori]

Yes pressure canned. Fish is the longest at 100 minutes. Can raw pack as well. We just found we liked the smoked fish better.