Canning Tips
~My Favorite Canning Book ever is Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Some of the recipes here come from that book.
~The recipes that I have are not your usual peaches or pears in syrup recipes. You can find information for those items in most basic canning books and other cookbooks.
~All recipes here have been tried and LOVED by everyone who has tried them.
~Altitude adjustments are as follows:
All recipes list processing times for 0 – 1000 feet above sea level.
1001 to 3000 feet above sea level add 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 feet above sea level add 10 minutes (this is my altitude range)
6001 to 8000 feet above sea level add 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 feet above sea level add 20 minutes
Have fun and don’t be afraid to try new fun things when you bottle your own food! Just make sure to follow the recipes. Adding your own ingredients or omitting ingredients makes a huge difference – not only in taste but also in the SAFETY of home canned foods.
I will add more recipes as I try them!
Chunky Salsa
Makes 6 – 7 pints
7 lbs tomatoes (about ¼ bushel)
10 anaheim or poblano chili peppers, seeded and chopped
3 jalapeno or Serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large white onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, snipped
½ c white vinegar
5 cloves garlic, minced or 1 T pre-minced garlic
2 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
Peel and chop tomatoes. Drain in a large colander for 30 minutes. Measure 14 cups of tomatoes and place in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir frequently. Stir in all other ingredients and return to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour into hot pint jars. Leave ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids and rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 35 minutes. At my altitude (4500 ft) it is 45 minutes.
This is a fairly mild salsa. If you want more “heat”, don’t seed the hot peppers.
Peach Salsa
Makes 4 -5 pints
½ c white vinegar
6 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches
1 ¼ c chopped red onion (about 1 LARGE)
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch chopped cilantro
2 T liquid honey
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ t ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rim, adjust lid and ring. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. At my altitude (4500 ft) process for 25 minutes.
For a hotter salsa, add ½ t cayenne pepper and do not seed your jalapenos.
Peach Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 8 ½ pint jars
6 cups finely chopped peeled and pitted peaches
1 c finely chopped and seeded red and green bell peppers
1 c finely chopped white or red onion
1 T finely chopped garlic
1 ¼ c liquid honey
¾ c cider vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 t hot pepper flakes
2 t ground dry mustard
2 t salt
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently for about 25 minutes. Ladle into hot jars leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rim and adjust lid and ring. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. At my altitude (4500 ft) process for 25 min.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Makes 7 quarts
8 c tomatoes, peeled and diced
4 c bell peppers (red and green), seeded and diced
4 c onions, chopped
7 c sugar – divided
3 c white vinegar
1 T salt
1 c clear gel A (this is very important – nothing can be used as a substitute)
1 cup water
2 20 oz cans pineapple, chunks or tidbits
3 c sliced carrots
Drain pineapple, set aside juice. Mix juice with 1 c water. Mix clear gel A with 3 c sugar. Set aside.
Mix all vegetables with vinegar, pineapple and salt in a LARGE pot. Bring to a boil. Add 4 cups of sugar and bring back to a boil. Pour pineapple juice mixture into clear gel A and sugar mixture – whisk with a wire whip until well combined. Add to vegetable mixture and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid scorching the bottom. Pour into hot jars. Wipe rims and adjust rings and lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. At my altitude (4500 ft) process for 30 minutes. If you would like to use your pressure canner, process at 10 lbs pressure for 10 minutes.
Pie Filling
Makes 6 -7 quarts
4 c brown sugar
1 c cornstarch
1 ½ T cinnamon
1 ½ t nutmeg
1 t salt
1 cube margarine
10 c water
3 T lemon juice
In a large pan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and margarine. Add water. Cook until thickened over medium heat – stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice. Put sauce into 7 quart jars – filling 1/3 full. Then fill jars with peeled apple OR peach slices. Add for sauce on top if necessary to cover all fruit. Leave 1 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Adjust lids and rings. Process 30 minutes in a boiling water canner. At my altitude (4500 ft) process for 40 minutes.
This is amazing for pies, cobblers, crisps, or heated and poured over ice cream! And it makes your house smell heavenly while you are canning it!
Chocolate Raspberry Sauce
Makes 6 half pint jars
½ c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pkg regular powdered fruit pectin
4 ½ c crushed red raspberries
¼ c lemon juice
6 ¾ c granulated sugar
In a bowl, combine cocoa powder and pectin, stirring untel evenly blended. Set aside.
In a large pan, stir raspberries and lemon juice. Whisk in pectin mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for ONE minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims. Adjust lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. At my altitude (4500 ft), process for 20 minutes.
This is so tasty on ice cream or over brownies!
