Home Canning

Pizza Sauce

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE FOR CANNING

  • 1/2 bushel tomatoes
  • 3 lb. onions
  • 4 green peppers

Cook for 2 1/2 hours until soft. Makes 7 quarts juice. Put juice through a sieve.

  • 1 1/2 tsp. red pepper (optional)
  • 2 c. vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. basil
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. parsley
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1/2 c. salt
  • 2 tsp. garlic salt

 

Boil juice and spice until thick. Add 4 (12 ounce) cans tomato paste, optional (for thicker sauce). Bring to boil. Put in jars and adjust lids. Place in pressure cooker for 5 minutes, for 5 pounds of pressure. Makes 18 to 20 pints.

Crisp Dill Pickles

Ingredients

  • 8 pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
  • 4 cups white vinegar
  • 12 cups water
  • 2/3 cup pickling salt
  • 16 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
  • 8 sprigs fresh dill weed
  • 8 heads fresh dill weed

Directions

  1. Wash cucumbers, and place in the sink (I use the bathtub!) with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required. Sterilize 8 (1 quart) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
  2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil.
  3. In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, then enough cucumbers to fill the jar (about 1 pound). Then add 2 more garlic halves, and 1 sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue.
  4. Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath. Process quart jars for 15 minutes.
  5. Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place.

Stewed Tomatoes

Makes about 6 pints.

  • 4 quarts washed, cored and chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped green peppers
  • 4 teaspoons celery salt
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt


Hot Pack

Remove peels on tomatoes. The easiest way to do this is to put them a few at a time in boiling water for about one half minute. Then rinse them in cold water. Now remove the skin with a knife. The skin should almost fall off, but leave the tomato flesh whole.  Core and chop.

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pack hot jars with hot prepared tomato mixture leaving ½-inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim and screw threads and adjust lids and screw bands.

Dial Gauge Type @ 11 pounds pressure or Weighted Gauge Type @ 10 pounds pressure.

* Pints 15 minutes
* Quarts 20 minutes

Follow manufactures instructions for opening and closing the pressure canner. Have 2 to 3 inches of hot water in pressure canner and stand the jars on the rack insert so they are not touching each other or the sides of the pot. Fasten lid and turn on heat. Steam, mixed with air, will start to flow from the vent. As the air is driven out from the canner the steam will change from a white vapor or cloud to nearly invisible.  Place the pet-cock on the top. 

Start processing time when pressure has been reached or when weighted gauge begins to rock. It is then time to close the the pet-cock or regulator. Maintain a steady pressure during processing.

When processing time is up, remove the canner from heat and let the pressure return to zero without assistance. Standard heavy-walled canners take about 30 minutes when loaded with pints and about 45 minutes when loaded with quarts. Do not attempt to cool pot with cold water. This can cause liquid to escape from jars and keep lids from properly sealing. It can also cause pot warpage.

After pressure reaches zero, wait 2 minutes longer and then slowly open or remove the pet-cock or regulator. Unfasten cover and tilt the far side up so any steam remaining will escape away from you. Using a jar lifter, remove each jar and place on a dry, non-metallic surface or towel. Leave space between jars for air circulation.

Spiced Preserves

For Spiced Peach/Pear preserves, tie the following ingredients in cheesecloth and add to the pot during cooking: 1 teaspoon whole cloves, ½ teaspoon whole allspice, and a stick of cinnamon (3-inch piece). Remove the spice bag before pouring fruit into hot jars.

 

For the #zoheads

  • 1 1/2 pounds or 4 cups of ripe, peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted, Can also be frozen peaches or fresh and frozen blended with canned.
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • (For spiced pears, use 1 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup if Splenda) and 1 cup sugar
  • Also, for spice pears use
  • 1/8 tsp  cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp  ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp all spice
  • 1 clove 
  • 1 Tbsp low sugar or no sugar pectin (optional)

Make sure the peaches or pears are ripe. Mash the fruit with a potato masher or in a food processor. In a bowl, mix in the sugar and pour the mixture into the bread pan. Select Jam or jelly setting and begin the cycle. When done, lift the lid of the machine and let cool for 30 minutes or remove carefully and let cool on a heat resistant trivet or surface.

Here's where I changed it

pour finished Zo jam into a stainless steel pot, add dab of butter and teaspoon of lemon juice.  Bring to hard boil, stirring often.  This will thicken it up considerably.  I also used the stick blender a bit to break up the fruit a bit more, as my pears were not the ripest. 

Pour or spoon carefully into jar or jars and let rest for 3 hours. Refrigerate and serve. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.