I love having a garden and growing my own fruits and vegetables every year. It’s so rewarding to plant and tend the garden and watch everything grow out of control over time. But I get a little overwhelmed with the harvest when everything is ripe and ready to pick, trying to figure out what to do with it all. Do we try to eat 10 tomatoes each week, or do I give them away at work and to neighbors?
A few years ago, I took up the hobby of homebrewing, which has been extremely nerdy and very fun—but also a wonderful way to use fruits and even some peppers from the garden. This year, our blackberry bush has finally matured enough to produce a decent amount of fruit. Every few evenings, I go out and pick the berries, wash them well, and let them sit in a water bath for a few hours until the bugs inside float to the top. Then I put the berries in the fridge. We nibble on them for a few days off and on, and then I put them in the freezer. Freezing preserves them best for homebrewing because it breaks down the cell walls of the fruit, allowing the yeast to access them more easily. It also helps to juice the fruit once it’s thawed out. After the harvest is over, I should have plenty (a few pounds) of fruit to make my blackberry mead, wine, or cider—I haven’t quite decided which yet.
I’ve also made jalapeño mead in the past, which turned out fantastic! I know it may sound a little wild, but it had a great flavor and only a little spice. Last summer, I also made a few meads from habaneros (pineapple and mango), and although they were very spicy, to someone who loves heat, they were very tasty.
The main method of preservation, though, for fruits and veggies is canning. Although there are two methods of canning, I’ll only focus on the one I’m most familiar with. A great resource for canning recipes can be found on Ball Canning’s website—they’re the biggest resource for canning supplies. I’ve found canning supplies all over the place, from the farm supply store to Walmart, so you don’t have to rely on online-only resources if you want to start canning at home. The main basics you need to know when you start canning with the water bath method are below:
Start with a tested and known recipe – Don’t wing it. You want to make sure what you’re making is safe and within the right ratios since you have to worry about preserving it for a long time. I have a few recipes below, and there are a ton of great ones available online from trusted sources.
Make sure all of your jars, lids, collars, tools, spoons, etc. are clean and sanitized – Use hot soapy water, and then be sure to sanitize with hot boiling water too, if possible. Doing this helps prevent breaking the jars due to thermal shock when adding them to the heat.
Fill the jars – You can use a ladle or funnel if necessary. Make sure you maintain the recommended headspace from your recipe and remove bubbles. Any jars that aren’t filled completely can be placed in the fridge for immediate use.
Wipe rims and add the lids with a damp cloth, then secure the bands.
Using canning tongs, add each jar into the water bath canner – Cover the jars with water by at least 1 inch. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil for the appropriate processing time. Turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the pot for 5 minutes.
Take jars out of the water and place onto a towel to cool – All lids should be sucked in and stay secured. Any lids that did not seal can be moved to the refrigerator and used immediately. Over time, if you notice any lids that seem bulged or contents that look odd, discard them immediately. It’s best not to risk you or your loved ones’ health on anything that might be suspect.
Kosher Dill Pickle Spears
Makes: about 4 Pint Jars
Prep: 20 minutes
Processing Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ lbs. 3-4 inch pickling cucumbers
2- ½ cups water
2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup pickling salt
Ball® Pickle Crisp
4 cloves garlic
4 small bay leaves
12 dill sprigs
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
4 small hot peppers (optional)
Directions:
1.Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
2. Wash cucumbers and hot peppers in cold water. Slice 1/16 of an inch off the blossom end of each cucumber; trim stem ends so cucumbers measure about 3 inches. Cut cucumbers into quarters lengthwise.
3. Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small stainless saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to simmer.
4. Place 1 garlic clove, 3 dill sprigs, ½ tsp mustard seed, 1 bay leaf, 1 red pepper, and Ball® Pickle Crisp (if desired) into a hot jar. Pack cucumber spears into jar, leaving a ½ inch headspace. Trim any cucumbers that are too tall.
5. Ladle hot brine into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
6. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed. https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=picklecrisp
Fresh Salsa
Makes: 4 pint jars or 8 half-pint jars
Prep: 25 minutes
Processing Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
7 cups diced, seeded, peeled and cored tomatoes (about 5 lb or 15 medium)
6 green onions, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 Tbsp bottled lime juice
4 drops hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp minced cilantro
2 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Ladle hot salsa into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
4. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars and half pint jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=fresh-salsa
Happy Preservation! Take Care, Nikki!