I am so clueless as to what to get 3/4 of the people I know for Christmas this year, and as always, a limited budget prohibits me from just handing out gift cards. So I was thinking of things like pepper jelly and lemon curd - stuff that I can make.
The only problem is, I have no idea how to can! Is it terribly tricky? I don't want to spend a lot of $$$ on ingredients that I'll have to throw away because they (jelly for instance) didn't set up right. Can I just buy a canning kit? I've seen at Wal-mart with the jars and whatnot.... would that work? And how long will stuff keep once it's made? If I make stuff this week, it'll be okay for Christmas?
Sorry for all of the questions - I'm running out of time! LoL
I am by no means and *authority* on this subject because I just had my first canning experience this fall, but IMO it is so much easier than I thought it would be!
I say you should give it a try with a small batch of something. I did apple butter which is fairly foolproof, but I am going to do jelly when it gets colder (I have the juice from the apples frozen) . My mother (the queen of canning) assures me that jelly is super easy as well.
Also, you still have time to do some canning before Christmas. Things don't need to "set" once they are canned. you can take it straight from your hot messy kitchen's to someone as a gift!
(not that I think *your* kitchen is messy, I just know what mine looks like after an endeavor like that!)
Canning acidic things like fruits and tomatoes is easy.
Jams and jellies are super easy, because you don't have to process them in a water bath. Follow the instructions in the pectin packages. Usually for jam, you just fill the clean jars with hot jam, top with lids and rings (clean and hot also), then invert (just take the whole jar and stand it upside down). Usually this is enough to seal them properly. After they're cool, you press the lids and if they don't move, then its sealed.
Other acidic things (pickles, tomatoes, fruit) require being boiled in a water bath canner for a certain amount of time, like maybe 20 minutes.
Non acidic things, like meats can be canned, but I think they require a pressure canner. I've never done this.
Thanks!! So how do I make the lids and stuff hot? I bought a canning kit at Wal-Mart today for jelly (wanting to make pepper jelly today; nothing like waiting until the last minute, hey? LoL) and it says to process in a water bath. I don't have a boiling pot though; is there something I can (no pun....hee hee hee) put in the bottom of my big stockpot to keep the cans from rattling around? (Boil bath pots have ridges/waves in the bottom, right?) Or if I make this can I just flip them over like you said and it'll be all good....
Thanks again for all the help. My grandparents are/were big canners and I would love to make this a regular thing.
So how do I make the lids and stuff hot? I bought a canning kit at Wal-Mart today for jelly (wanting to make pepper jelly today; nothing like waiting until the last minute, hey? LoL) and it says to process in a water bath. I don't have a boiling pot though; is there something I can (no pun....hee hee hee) put in the bottom of my big stockpot to keep the cans from rattling around? (Boil bath pots have ridges/waves in the bottom, right?) Or if I make this can I just flip them over like you said and it'll be all good....
Thanks again for all the help. My grandparents are/were big canners and I would love to make this a regular thing.
~Ash~
I guess you should follow the instructions given to you for your individual jelly, just to be on the safe side. If the pepper jelly instructions say do a water bath, then I'd do it. I've only skipped the water bath with the fruit jams, so I don't know if it makes a difference. If you have a pectin box that includes instructions specifically for pepper jelly, and they say you can just turn the jars upside down, then I'd do it.
I usually boil the lids and rings in a small saucepan briefly then keep them hot, pulling them out just before putting them on the jars.
I don't own a canning pot with rack, so there have been a few times I've processed in a water bath with the jars sitting directly on the bottom of the pan. They do get noisy with the bubbles bouncing around. But it works. I have worried that without the rack to lift it off the direct heat, the jars might get too hot, but I did it anyway and it worked just fine.
1) When a recipe calls for liquid pectin - don't use powder. LoL
I had to re-do the recipe with the help from the wonderfull lady at Bell, but it is sooooo good!! It made 5 cups, so there's a couple of gifts (neighbors) down I hope it sets up quickly, because I need to get this in the mail like, tomorrow!! The stuff I put in the fridge (in a little container - not sealed or anything.... just like a sample size) is already sort of gelatin-y. I hope it doesn't "over gel" and turn into like, a jello mold or anything! LoL
Thanks again for your help. I did do a water bath and all my seals POPPED when I set them down. Right on, right on.....
I hope it sets up quickly, because I need to get this in the mail like, tomorrow!! The stuff I put in the fridge (in a little container - not sealed or anything.... just like a sample size) is already sort of gelatin-y. I hope it doesn't "over gel" and turn into like, a jello mold or anything! LoL
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