Here are the jars that I "put up" yesterday.
Peach Rhubarb Pie Jam
Rhubarb Blackberry Lime Jam
Mmmmmm. This is what Jam is before it's jam!
One of my new favorite passions is canning. Why canning you may ask? I say Why not. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE to be in the kitchen and I enjoy baking, cooking and now canning. I am also a native Minnesotan so perhaps it's ingrained in my DNA. I am not sure why I decided that THIS is the summer that I learn how to can...Perhaps it's because I have a bigger kitchen than I've had in the past or maybe it was just time to learn. I've watched my mom can for years, but never until now had a desire to can anything. Ever. I started my canning adventure by doing what any self respecting person looking to learn a new skill would do: I trolled the Internet and picked up a copy of the "Canning Bible" also known as the Ball Blue Book. It has TONS of practical advise on canning and a ton of recipes in it too. Did you know that you can pretty much can anything? For real. You can can jam and fruit and pasta sauce and mustard and chocolate sauce and salsa and soup and well I could literally go on for days but I won't. Some other great resources that I found for canning were blogs. One of the blogs that I really like that has great information and recipes on it is: http://www.sbcanning.com/ this lady is very saavy when it comes to ANYTHING canning, she is a certified master canner (perhaps a new title I could attain). Another blog I like to look at is: http://www.foodinjars.blogspot/. The first thing I had to do when I was ready to can was to pick up a few supplies like a canning kit, which includes a funnel, lid magnet, air bubble remover and headspace tool and of course a jar lifter. This kit again can be picked up at local hardware stores or your local retailer like Wal Mart. I do not have a water bath canner, however, I do own plenty of large stock pots and at this time, it's what I use. I was able to get a pressure canner from a friend and she was kind enough to give me one of her grandmas to have (thank you Michelle). I in return, promise to keep her well stocked with my canned items. She also gave me a bunch of grandma's old jars and they are amazing. Am I the only one who thinks that old jars are super cool? I just WONDER what has gone into these jars, oh if only these jars could talk. There are a couple of the jars that are super special looking and I will be saving them for some super special treats and I will probably keep them for myself (selfish right) UNLESS, someone else appreciates the jars as much as I do. Have I mentioned that it's a pretty satisfying feeling to can your own food? It's pretty amazing to make something from scratch and then preserve it and use it in the next year. I KNOW exactly what is in my food, do you? I would like to share a couple of the recipes that I made yesterday that I found on SB Canning. She also has a Facebook page and is very good about getting back to you if you leave her a comment. It's also a knowledgeable community of people on there who can exchange ideas or recipes with you.
You all may be wondering why I am canning all these new recipes. It's simple really. I've got some things comming up, big things ;) Okay, Okay. I have entered a jam exchange on www.Stephchows.blogspot and every participant is to get a name and send them TWO 1/2 pints of jam. I am also entering a bunch of categories at the Payne County Fair in Stillwater next week. I REALLY want to earn a blue ribbon. Thats all kids, I hope you TRY these recipes and enjoy them.
I am going to end this note with the recipes I used yesterday. I found them on the SB Canning site. Enjoy and if you've never canned, give it a try!
Rhubarb Blackberry Lime Jam
(I doubled this recipe and got 5 1/2 pints)
2 Cups diced rhubarb
1 Cup frozen or fresh blackberries
1 tsp lime zest
2 T. bottled lime juice
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 T. pectin (Ball Flex batch low sugar/no sugar)
If using frozen berries, let thaw for 30 minutes if possible. Sterilize 2 half pint jars. Combine first 5 ingriedients in a stock pot or dutch oven and cook on high heat for about 10 minutes until the recipe is at a boil. Continue stirring until the rhubarb begins to break down. Bring back to a boil for one minute. Add the pectin and contine boiling for one minute more at a full boil. Remove from heat and using a canning funnel, ladel the recipe into the jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Add sterilized lids and rings and process in water bath for 10 minutes (at a full boil).
Peach Rhubarb Pie Jam
2 C chopped rhubarb
4 medium peaches (NOT Peeled, but pitted and cut into slices)
4 T. bottled lemon juice
2 C sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 T Ball flex batch (no sugar/low sugar) pectin
Fill your water bath canner with 5 jars and get the jars and lids boiling to sterilize them.
Add to the saucepan the rhubarb, peaches, lemon juice and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Back at the pot, check the consistency of the recipe and break up some of the peaches with your rubber spoon or spatula leaving chunks, add sugar and bring the recipe to a biil. Be careful as the recipe will be thick and will splatter during the boil. Once at a boil, add the pectin and bring back to a boil for ONE minute. During the minute, remove the jars from the water and set them on a dishtowel. Ladel the jam into the jars, leaving 1/4" headspace, and put lids and rings back on and waterbath for 10 minutes. Take out and place on a rack and leave alone for 12 hours. Check to make sure all your jars are sealed. Enjoy.
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