Dreaming of summer: home canning
Now is the perfect time to start thinking about canning the bounty that comes out of the backyard garden during the coming growing season. Alright, I might be jumping the gun, but better to be prepared than trying to find supplies at the last minutes or realizing I didn’t grow enough or the right food to can.
The reality is just about anything can be canned. I’m personally looking forward to canning my own salsa; made with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic from right out of the garden! I’ve also had a great tomato vegetable “sauce” that included zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and hot peppers that can be added to a traditional tomato sauce for pasta or poured right over pork chops or chicken and baked. I want to try my hand at taking some the fruit we find at the farmers market and turning it into low sugar jam and stewed fruit.
My motives for canning are probably not the same as most people. Sure saving money, eating better quality canned goods, preserving homegrown food to be consumed off season are all great reasons to can. I, on the other hand, just want to be reminded of the coming summer every time I break into a jar of tomatoes. Not to mention the fact I really like mason, ball, and kerr canning jars.
So, as winter drones on in the heart of Michigan, I’ll be contemplating how much food to grow, how I’m going to find time to preserve all the food I want to have for the winter, and doing some serious reading. I’ve picked out “Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry” by Liana Krissoff to start sifting through.
I’ve also read the posts below to get an understanding for what others are doing in their canning process and what they are choosing to can. Family members also seem to be great resources. My Grandma has all kinds of tips and tricks for successful food preserving, along with my Mom and Aunt. Hopefully come July, I’ll have some great recipes, pictures, and experiences to share.
What other people have to say about canning:
Yes, You Can from Good.is
Tuesday Tip: Canning Made Easy from Life with a Possum
Do the Can-Can! Pickles & Lavender Lemon Jelly from Pie Bird
