Putting Up Preserves

[launderess]

Watching lots of vintage television as one does it seems "putting up my preserves" was big with housewives/households late as the 1960's. Do people still do this?

Growing up know many Italian families in area "canned" tomatoes from their own gardens. Now and then friends will give us chutney or other preserves they've done themselves.

Bought job lot of Mason jars at a thrift years ago for very little money. However only have used them to store laundry products. *LOL*

 

[neptunebob]

One of my sisters used to make grape jelly, it is an all day affair over a hot range.  You won't have time or energy for anything else that day.

 

[mattl]

I do a couple dozen quarts of tomatoes every fall.  Give some to relatives other I keep. Does not take that long, 2 -3 hours I'm done.  Processing add to that, but actual work time is not too bad for the results.

 

Can't beat home canned tomatoes...

 

[kate1]

I can things from my own garden. Around here it’s extremely common still and every fall you see women getting together and having marathon canning sessions. Canning supplies are also very common wedding gifts. I love having food that I’ve grown available to me throughout winter.

 

[combo52]

I sure do

Even this winter on February 15 the local grocery store had a surplus of Roma tomatoes and gave me over a bushel of them for $20 and I turned it into tomato sauce one evening only took a few hours with the pressure canner.

And don’t forget the famous canning parties that we’ve had at the WaireHouse Museum.

John

 

[combo52]

Home canning is so much easier today

With a dishwasher modern electric range central air conditioning it’s a breeze, and canning in February was really nice because all that heat felt so good,lol

John

 

[xraytech]

Still do plenty of canning here, I can whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, dill pickles, applesauce, string beans, peach jam, plum jam, black raspberry jelly, occasionally sour cherry jelly.
Also like to fry hot Hungarian peppers and onions in grease and can with tomato sauce.

Hoping to get into some slightly more time consuming stuff, like canned new potatoes and stew beef

 

[tomturbomatic]

When Sandy threatened us with power failures, I had a bunch of raw ground meat so I turned it into sloppy joes and pressure canned it. It worked out fine at 10 pounds of pressure and I did not have to worry about keeping it refrigerated, but fortunately, the power stayed on. YAY!

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Really admire people who do canning and preserve making (called jam on my side of the tracks). John's ( Combo52) photo of canned Roma tomatoes is suitable for framing...very nice!</span>

 

[oliger]

I'm known by the whole family for the best jellies and jams. I can a lot of vegetables in fall with the old bomb-exploding type of pressure cooker. Preserves are pretty much jam with whole pieces in it.

 

[foraloysius]

Here is how they do it in Italy.

 

[mattl]

Glad to see it's not a lost art.  I'm one of the few in my family that still cans.  I also dehydrate Roma tomatoes for "sun dried" tomatoes, if you ever buy them you know the cost.  I can buy a half bushel and dry them for the cost of one small package.  I have a dehydrator but use my oven.  It has a dehydrate function.  Been temped to make jerky but never have.

 

[lordkenmore]

I've never tried canning, although I have had some interest. But...I've never actually gotten around to it. Too lazy, perhaps. Plus I'd probably worry about doing something wrong--even if I slavishly followed the latest instructions--and killing myself with food poisoning.

I'd be more likely to try freezing.

 

[mattl]

The only change I"ve made to my canning process over the past few decades is to add Ascorbic Acid to the tomatoes.  Historically the tomatoes were more acidic, now not so much.  Still use open kettle, still use old jars for the most part.

 

[tolivac]

Remember canning tomatoes from long ago-from my Moms and Stepdads garden.Was sort of fun-yes AC helps here-did it during the summer!The canning pot took up two burners on the GE cooktop.Another burner for the blanching pot.That was my job-we had quite a production line.Those Kerr canning jars-you could get them at any grocer at that time.The box of jars had the lids,too.

 

[neptunebob]

I know that in the 1800's, people could not stand to can horseradish sauce.  A man named Henry J. Heinz took on the job of canning the vegetable and made a fortune.  Horseradish sauce, along with a lot of other foods are made by a leading Pittsburgh company, HJ Heinz. 

 

[frigilux]

While I don't have the space to store a lot of home-canned goods, the upright freezer that arrives next week means I'll be able to make freezer jam (blueberry; peach; strawberry; rhubarb) this summer!

I've always enjoyed canning tomato sauce and salsa, but rarely eat anyone else's home-canned goods unless I know they follow current food safety rules.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Hey Launderess,

As has been mentioned, you can also use the jars to freeze. When I make stock I "put it up" in pints and quarts. I do the same with chili. I've also made strawberry-rhubarb jam and rhubarb/orange/carrot marmalade and put it in 8 and 12oz jars. I used to make Concord grape jam, but the birds have been feasting on my grapes the last few years before I get a chance to get out there.

Just be sure to boil/sterilize the jars and lids, fill with the molten lava (jam), wipe the rim, put the lid and ring on hand tight and flip them upside down for 10-15 minutes. Invert to upright and when cool enough, freeze.

Good luck,
Chuck

 

[norgeway]

Grew up

Watching my Grandmother, I still can, Hopefully I can grow a good garden this year and have tomatoes , green beans, squash, and who knows what all else, I make pickles and jellies too., Apple butter is my favorite thing, I make it in the crock pot.