I am trying to get better at the art of preserving food from 'in-season' to year round eating!! My grandmother waas an expert at that. Watched alot but never 'done' it myself.
I have a chance to go pick a bushel or two of pears. I pay a prety heffty price for those during winter and spring. I always 'bought' canned. These are free for the pickin.
Also have some apples for the picking too.
Any suggestions and step by step ways(for the mentally impaired, here)?? Anything to stretch the supplies to the off season or how to stretch freshness of fresh fruit, and food.
Thanks for ANY tips or processes!! from --just don--
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Speaking of preserving hows your foot?
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Theres acouple of ways in both cases wash with good detergent then bath in mix of clorox1/3 water2/3rds where gloves then dry outside wash there too. Now once dryed you can put in new paper bags 1.st suggestion is cellar no light cool dry.or 2nd dig a hole in well drained area about 2.5 to 3ft deep 2to3ft wide as long as needed 4 or 5ft now line the bottom of hole with half bale hay or straw then put a layer of your produce in on hay now layer again with hay and repeat until you get almost to top of your hole cver with more loose hay then put bails of hay on top to insulate from heat and cold we use to do this with cabbage and carrots tators they kept all winter.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Or did you want to "can" them??
I would go to Google and type in "canning pears"...that may give you the info you need.
I think you have to make sure the jars are sterile, buy new lids [the flat ones have to be new].
The rest of the process I have no clue. My mom used to freeze alot of vegetables, but I don't know anything about canning stuff.
Posted by ma (Member # 10055) on :
Freezing is the way to go!
It's so easy... All you do is wash the fruit, chop it how you want it, get a pot of water boiling (rolling boil!).
You drop your fruit in the boiling water for about a minute (blanching it's called) drain it, put it in a plastic freezer bag & freeze it.
The fruit is good for about 1 year.
Walla'... fresh pies in the winter!
Good luck hun, Ma
Posted by lymemomtooo (Member # 5396) on :
Don, my grandparents always had a supply of canned vegs to get them thru.. They also cured their own hams..So we never went hungry.
I used to do a lot of canning until my husband once pointed out how that I was probably paying twice as much as sale price on the cans..Now realizing that home canned is so much safer, at least you know where it came from, who touched it and what is in it., that I may go back next year.
I think it you just get a box of canning jars and lids, there are always directions in an enclosure.
Most just need to be clean and put in a rolling boil for a time and then put in with a syrup and you put lids on and let them sit to seal.
There are a few things that you must pressure can..Can't remember what at the moment..A bit rusty on canning..
My aunt always makes preserved pears..It is to die for..if you like pears..Probably loaded with sugar but can be used like a jam with hunks of fruit..
Good luck Don.. Think I will make sure I get plenty of seed catalogs this winter especially after the spinach thing...lymemomtooo
Posted by cindy_leigh (Member # 3514) on :
I have canned plenty of pears- my grandmother used to do this every year. The best, safest advice is the Ball (or Bell?) Blue Book, it is a canning, preserving, freezing guide put out by the jar manufacturer. I got mine at the hardware store where I bought the jars. The library might have it.
Some things do have to be canned in the pressure cooker- like green beans- to avoid clostridium botulinum wich is only killed by pressure.
Pears are OK to do in a regular water bath, though.
In general, wash and sertilize your jars. Peel pears, halve and core, arrange cut side down, overlaping, in jars. Fill to within ~1/2 of top with a sugar water syrup. Place lids on, immerse in boiling water bath, then remove after specified time to a towel- covered counter. As they cool, the lids are sucked down into a vacuum seal. Tighten rings. any that do not seal, put in refrig and use soon. (put a mesh grate or wire rack in the bottom of the boiling water pan to avoid the jars having direct contact with the pan bottom. ANd a jar lifter is a good gadget for retrieving those jars out of the boiling water.)
You can also get a food dehydrater and dry things.
You can prepare and vacuum seal in a food saver gadget.
Make applesauce and freeze. Easiest way is to simmer apples (quartered, no need to peel and seed if you don't want to) and then run thru a ricer or food mill. (they are not expensive).
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by ma: Freezing is the way to go!
I agree!
Posted by Ann-OH (Member # 2020) on :
You can dry fruits which are very tasty in the winter. Pears, apples, cherries, etc.