Asparagus must be harvested by hand, each stock cut off individually and therefore, it’s quite expensive most of the year, but if you buy it while it is in season, you can save yourself some money.  Buying in-season also means buying local, which is why I like to pick up my asparagus in June here in Alberta.    Of course, the other option is to grow this perennial in your garden.  Canning this vegetable also means it’s available year round (in the jar).  It’s great to throw on a salad, as a side vegetable or use it to make asparagus soup.  

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning 2020
Yield 7 – quart jars

Ingredients

24 ½ pounds (3 ½ pounds per quart) asparagus
7 tsp pickling salt
Water

Directions

1. Add 2 to 3 inches of water in the pressure canner and heat to a boil.  Keep water hot.  Also, place 5 or 6 inches of water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm quart mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover the jars with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Fill kettle with water and bring to a boil.  Keep hot and set aside until ready to fill jars.

3. Wash asparagus and break off tough stems.  Cut into 1 inch pieces or can whole.

   1. Hot pack – cover asparagus with boiling water.  Boil 2 or 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, loosely fill hot jars with hot asparagus, leaving 1 inch head space.

   2. Raw pack – Fill hot jars with raw asparagus, packing as tightly as possible without damaging the tips, leaving 1 inch head space.

4. Add 1 tsp salt per quart and add boiling water, leaving 1 inch head-space.

5. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace and wipe jar rims. Add heated metal lids and screw bands. Tighten until finger-tip tight. Place jar on rack in pressure canner. Repeat until all jars are filled or until all the asparagus is packed into jars.

6. Lock pressure canner lid in place. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Place the counterweight or weighted gauge on vent, bring pressure to 10 pounds (adjusting for altitude). Process 30 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude) or in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude). Turn off heat.  Wait for the pressure to drop to zero on a dial gauge or when no steam escapes when weight on weighted gauge canner is nudged, before removing the cover.  Always tilt the cover away from your face when removing the cover from the canner.  Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place.

TIP: Use only pickling salt.  Noncaking material added to table salt could result in cloudy brine.

Adjusting for altitude - Pressure canning method

Pickled asparagus is great right out of the jar, just like any pickle, but it’s especially tasty dropped into a vodka Caesar.  If you like your pickles spicy, make sure you add in some hot peppers.  

(USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, Preparing and Canning Fermented Foods and Pickled Vegetables 2020)

Yield:  6 - 500 ml jars (wide mouth is best)

Ingredients

10 pounds asparagus
6 large peeled garlic cloves 
4 ½ cups water
4 ½ cups white vinegar (5%)
6 small hot peppers (optional)
½ cup canning salt
3 tsp dill seed

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 6 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Combine water, vinegar, salt and dill seed in a saucepan and bring to a boil just before you are ready to pour over the asparagus.

3. Wash asparagus under cool running water, being careful not be damage the heads.  Snap off the tough bottom end.  Remove jars one at a time from the canner to a covered countertop.  Place a peeled whole garlic clove in the bottom of each jar.  Tightly pack asparagus in the jar with the tip end up, leaving ½ inch of head space.  If the spear is too tall for the jar, cut the bottom end off.  You want the spears standing up in the jar with the tip ½ inch below the surface. Place a hot pepper on top of the spears (if using).

4. Pour boiling hot pickling brine over spears, leaving ½ headspace.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.  Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight.  Place in canner on rack.  Repeat until all jars are full.

5. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner.  Bring to a full rolling boil.  Boil 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat.  Remove lid and wait 5 minutes.  Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry, remove screw bands and label with contents and date. 

TIP: Never place hot jars directly on the countertop.  Hot glass touching a cool countertop could cause the jar to shatter.  Use a tea towel or pieces of newspaper to cover the counter and to place the jars on.

TIP: An inexpensive way to make asparagus soup out of season is to use canned asparagus.

Adjusting for Altitude - Boiling Method

This colourful mix of green and yellow beans, orange carrots and green olives is great to look at and is even better tasting. Enjoyed straight out of the jar, placed on a charcuterie tray or dropped into a classic Canadian vodka Caesar, the pickles add great depth of flavour and colour. My daughter loves pickled carrots. She loves the colours of them packed into a jar. We were talking about all the different vegetables one can pickle and decided to put them all in one colourful jar.

Spicy Pickled Carrots and Beans

Makes 6-500mL wide mouth jars of pickles

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh 4 to 5 inch long green or yellow beans
1 ½  lbs fresh whole baby carrots or regular carrots; cut to ¼” to ½” diameter x 5” long.
5 cups of 5% white vinegar
2 cups water
1/3 cup pickling salt
12 fresh dill sprigs
12 pimiento green olives
6 peeled whole cloves of garlic
1 ½ tsp dried crushed red pepper

Directions

1. Place 6 clean 500ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat snap lids in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and lids hot until ready to use.  If you have a steam oven with a sterilize jam jar setting, you can avoid the boiling water canner and follow the steam oven directions for sterilizing your jars. If you use the steam oven, ensure you have the canner partially filled with water and heated to a boil (212°F/100°C).

2. Wash the vegetables and trim the stem end off the beans.  Peel and cut the carrots to similar size as the beans. Combine white vinegar, water, pickling salt and crushed red pepper in 3 quart stainless steel or enamelled saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

3. Place 2 dill springs, 1 clove of garlic and 2 olives into a hot jar.  Pack alternating green and yellow beans and carrots tightly into the jar. Ladle hot pickling brine over the vegetables.  Remove air bubbles and ladle in more brine, if necessary, to ensure a ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rim, removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining jars.

4. When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft, process at full boil, filled jars for 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude).*

5. When processing time is complete, turn stove off, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

6. After cooling, check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands, wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

I have been canning pickled beets with this recipe for the past 30 years. It’s a recipe passed down from my Mom and it is one of the best pickled beet recipes out there. What I like about it is it’s simplicity. I often give jars of these pickles away to friends. What I hear most often from them is how much they taste like the ones their mother or grandmother made. Every time I open a jar of these beet pickles, the jar is empty by the end of the meal.

Beet Pickles

makes 4-500mL or 2 Litre jars

Ingredients

4 lbs beets with 1” tops intact
Water to cover

Brine

2 cups sugar
2 cups white 5% vinegar
1 cup water

Directions

1. Clean and trim beets leaving 1 inch of stem.  Cook beets in water in a large pot until tender. Depending on the size of the beets this can take anywhere  from 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from heat and let the water cool. Once cool enough to place your hands in, peel the beets.  The skins should slide off easily. Leave tiny beets whole and cut larger beets into about 1 inch chunks or ¼ slices.

2. Place 4 clean 1 pint mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F). Set screw bands aside. Heat snap lids in hot water, not boiling (180°F). Keep jars and lids hot until ready to use.  If you have a steam oven with a sterilize jam jar setting, you can avoid the boiling water canner and follow the steam oven directions for heating your jars. If you use the steam oven, ensure you have the canner partially filled with water and heated to a boil (212°F).

3. Stir together sugar, vinegar and water in a stainless steel or enamel saucepan.  Bring brine to a boil, stirring often to ensure the sugar dissolves and does not burn on the bottom of the pot.

4. Pack beets in jars leaving ½ inch headspace, ladle brine over beets.  Remove air bubbles and add brine, if necessary, for ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rim to remove any food or brine and place warm lid on the jar.  Apply band and tighten to fingertip tight. Place the jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

5. Process for 30 minutes* (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat and let the canner cool for 5 minutes before removing jars.  Place on a cloth, right side up, on the counter to cool.  

6. Check seal after 24 hours.  Remove rims, wipe the jars clean, label with contents and date. Store in cool dark place for up to 18 months.

Tip: When boiling beets make sure they are all of similar size so they cook evenly.

Tip: Leaving 1 inch of the beet top on the beet helps to stop the beet from bleeding. Water will still be coloured, but not as much as if you cut all the stem away.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

I love eating fresh blueberries when they are in season. They are wonderful in desserts, in smoothies, or just straight out of the container. There are a multitude of ways they can be processed for out-of-season eating as well. Freezing blueberries is probably the easiest and fastest way to preserve the berries for later use, but canned blueberries are almost as fast to process and won’t take up that coveted freezer space. Canned blueberry pie filling takes a little longer to process, but that time is saved when you’re in need of a quick, yet delicious, dessert. As the pie filling name suggests, the filling can be used not only to make a delicious blueberry pie, but it can also be used to top a cool summer dessert or a cheesecake. Think cream puffs filled with blueberries and whipped topping. This blueberry pie filling would even make a nice addition to breakfast yogurt.

makes 7-Litre or 14-500 mL jars

Ingredients

7 pounds fresh blueberries
7 cups sugar
14 cups water

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Pack fresh blueberries evenly between 7 hot jars.  

3. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to ensure that all of the sugar is dissolved.

4. Boil gently for 5 minutes. 

5. Ladle hot syrup over berries, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) headspace.

6. Clean the jar rims, centre hot metal lid on jar rim, place screw band on top.  Tighten to finger-tip tight.

7. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat with all of the jars. Add enough boiling water to the canner to cover the jars with 1 inch of water. 

8. Once water returns to a boil, process for 15 minutes for quarts and 10 minutes for pints, adjusting for altitude*.

9. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date.

   
   

TIP: Berries to syrup ratio is not an exact science.  You may be short or over on the syrup. If you need more syrup, make more.  If you have more than you need, try using it in your homemade lemonade.

If you want to be as exact as possible when preparing the syrup, follow these directions: 

1. Fill a clean jar to the rim with blueberries.

2. Next, add cold water to fill the jar to within ½ inch from the top. 

3. Now pour that water into a measuring cup to determine how much water you need per jar. 

4. Multiply that amount by the number of jars that you will be processing.  The same goes for the blueberries. 

 (adapted from Utah State University, Agricultural Department)

Yields 7-litre or 14 500ml jars 
One litre of pie filling is enough to fill one 8” or one 9” pie shell.

Three good sized pots and a boiling water canner are required so have those on hand.

Ingredients

7 quarts (24 cups) fresh blueberries
6 cups granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups Clear Jel®
2 cups cold water
5 cups hot blanching water
½ cup bottled lemon juice

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 1 litre jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Fill the first of the three pots with 4 litres of water and bring to a boil.  Wash the blueberries.

3. Place 6 cups berries in boiling water to blanch them.

4. Boil for 1 minute after the water returns to a boil.  Using a fine mesh strainer with a handle, scoop out the berries and place them in a second pot with a lid to keep the berries warm. Repeat until all of the berries are blanched. (DO NOT DISCARD THE BLANCHING WATER).

5. Combine sugar and Clear Jel® in the third pot.  Using a wisk, stir the sugar and Clear Jel®. Add 2 cups of cold water and wisk until the Clear Jel® is completely incorporated, making sure that there are no lumps. 

6. Place on medium heat and add 5 cups of the hot blanching water, wisking constantly as the mixture begins to thicken and bubble.

7. Once thickened, add the lemon juice and boil for 1 minute.  Stir with a large wooden spoon as it boils to keep it from burning to the bottom of the pot.

8. Remove from heat and fold in the blueberries.

9. Fill warm sterilized jars immediately, removing air bubbles as you go. 

10. Leave 1 inch headspace. Clean the rims of the jars. Add warm metal lids and screw bands. Place in boiling water canner. Add enough hot water to the canner to cover the jars completely with 1 inch of water. Once water returns to a boil, process both pints and quarts for 30 minutes (adjusting for altitude).

TIP: to prevent calcium build up on jars, add 1 tbsp vinegar to the canning water.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

I love the taste of Peaches ‘n’ Cream corn. It’s so sweet, crispy and delicious. Here in Alberta, most of our fresh corn comes from the Taber area of southern Alberta. Apparently, the corn’s sweetness is a result of hot days and cool nights. I always use Taber corn when canning corn. Canning corn is different than typical canning in that it can only be done in a pressure canner, or alternatively, done for immediate freezing. There are a couple of tools available for removing the kernels from the cob. They can usually be found in kitchen stores. A sharp knife will also do the job.

This recipe is intended to have the corn stored and frozen in freezer-safe packaging where the air can be fully removed.

Ingredients

10 cobs of corn
Water

Directions

1. Husk the cobs by removing all of the outside leaves and the corn silk from the cob. 

2. Using a pot large enough to hold 5 - 10 cobs of corn at a time, fill 2/3 full of water and bring it to a rolling boil.  At the same time, fill your sink or a large container with ice cold water. 

3. Drop the cobs of corn into the boiling water (no more than 5 – 7 cobs at a time to keep the water hot). Start timing as soon as the cobs go into the water. 

   • Times per size:  small cobs: 5 minutes, medium cobs: 7 minutes and large cobs: 9 minutes.    

4. Once the time is up, immediately remove the cobs from the boiling water with kitchen tongs and drop into the ice cold water. 

5. Cool equally as long as they were in the boiling water. 

6. Once completely cooled, pack in serving-size freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. I use a vacuum sealer.  It’s excellent for removing all of the air from the bags.

Date and stack in the freezer for winter use.

To cook the corn for a meal, drop frozen corn into rapidly boiling water and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.  Enjoy with butter and salt.

YIELDS 6-500ml jars

Ingredients

10 cobs of corn
6 tsp of salt per pint (1 tsp per jar)
6 - 12 teaspoons of sugar ( 1 to 2 tsp per jar)
3 tsp lemon juice. (1/2 tsp per jar)
Water

Directions

1. Husk the cobs by removing all of the outside leaves and the corn silk from the cob. 

2. With a sharp knife or a mandolin, remove the kernels from the corn, either by standing the cob on end and slicing the knife downward through the kernels or by passing the cob across the mandolin.  Watch your fingers!

3. Place 2 to 3 inches of water in your pressure canner and start heating it. 

4. Place water in a boiling water canner or other large pot.  Heat to a simmer. Place clean, warm mason jars on a rack in the canner, ensuring that they are covered with water.  Keep jars warm until ready to use.

5. Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl of warm water. Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use.

6. Pack the kernels loosely and directly in hot sterilized jars. Fill to the bottom of the top rim with corn. 

7. Add 1 teaspoon of pickling salt, 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon lemon juice to each jar.

8. Pour in hot boiling water to fill to within ½ inch of the top of the jar.  Wipe the rims with a clean, wet cloth to remove any food.  Place metal lid and screw cap on the jar to finger-tip tight. 

9. Place the jars in the pressure canner and process according to pressure canner guidelines. It is recommended that kernel corn only be canned in pint sealers.  This is to ensure that the proper internal temperature is reached and maintained while canning.  Begin timing once the proper pressure is reached. 

10. Pressure can for 55 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure (Adjusting for altitude).  

11. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure gauge to return to zero before opening the lid.  Open the lid away from yourself to avoid scalding yourself.  

12. Place the jars on the counter for cooling.  I usually lay down several layers of newspapers, covered by a tea towel.  This ensures that the jars are not sat on anything that is too cool, as well as protecting your counter. Cool for 24 hours, test to check that the jars are sealed by removing the screw band and lifting by the metal lids.  As the lids seal, you will hear a telltale ping.  The lids should be concave for a proper seal.  Label and store in a cool, dry place.

    • To make cream corn, remove kernels from the cob, then scrape the cobs with the blade of the knife to remove the rest of the kernel. Pack lightly in jars.  Add ½ teaspoon each of coarse pickling salt, sugar and lemon juice to each pint 500mL jar.  Pour in hot, boiling water to fill to within ½ inch of the top the jar.  Follow steps as above, but pressure can for 90 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure (Adjusting for altitude).

*Altitude adjustment for pressure canning

Who doesn’t have dill pickles in their fridge? It’s a Canadian staple…isn’t it? Why not make your own? Canning dill pickles is one of the easiest processes to master and a great way to start your canning journey. Use cucumbers that are no longer than 5 inches with a diameter of no more than 1 to 1 1/2 inches. I have two slightly different methods (with different pickling seasoning) detailed below.

Dill Pickles

Makes 3-4x 500ml or 2 litre jars

Method 1:

Ingredients

4 lbs. small cucumbers
1 to 2 garlic cloves per quart jar
2 heads of dill with 3 to 4 inches of the stem intact per quart jar
2 teaspoons mustard seed per quart jar

Brine

2 cups water (soft water works best for crispy pickles)
1 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp. coarse picking salt

Directions

Pickles:

For dill pickles, I use slightly larger cucumbers than I use for the gherkins. If using quite large cucumbers, slice in quarters down the length.

1. Clean the cucumbers with water and a scrub brush.  Cut off any stems or blossom ends. 

2. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 5 clean, warm mason jars on a rack in the canner, ensuring that they are covered with water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

3. Place the heads of dill, garlic cloves and mustard seed in hot sterilized quart jar.

4. Fill with whole, small cucumbers to within 1 inch of top. 

Brine:

1. Combine the water, vinegar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

2. Pour the brine over the cucumbers to within ¼ inch of top of jar. Wipe jar rims clean.

3. Place clean, hot lids and screw bands on jars and process in boiling water for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude*. Ensure the jars are covered with at least 1 inch of water. Start the timer once the water comes to a complete full rolling boil. Once time is up, turn off heat. Wait 5 minutes and remove lid, always tilting away from your face. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

4. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place

5. Allow the pickles to stand for 4 to 6 weeks for best flavour.

Method 2:

Ingredients

3 ½ lbs pickling cucumbers

Brine: BERNARDIN Dill Pickle Mix

2 cups water
1 cup vinegar (5% acidity)
¼ cup Dill Pickle Mix

Directions

1. Prepare cucumbers as above.

2. Combine water, vinegar and Dill Pickle Mix in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling.  

3. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place clean, warm mason jars on a rack in the canner, ensuring that they are covered with water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

4. Pack cucumbers in hot, sterilized jars as per method one.  Pour brine over the cucumbers to within ¼ inch of top of jar. 

5. Place bands and new lids on jars.  Tighten to finger-tip tight.  Place in hot water in canner.  Cover with water at least an inch above the lids.  Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude*. Start the timer once the water comes to a complete full rolling boil. Once time is up, turn off heat. Wait 5 minutes and remove lid, always tilting away from your face. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place

7. Let the pickles stand for 4 to 6 weeks for the best flavour.  I recently purchased a 130 year old linen cupboard.  I am now starting to fill it with preserves.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

Although peaches are typically ripe before pears, there is an overlap when both are available at the market at the same time, usually mid- to late August (here in western Canada at least). This is the perfect time to make fruit cocktail. This canned fruit is one of my husband’s favourites. On many days his lunch has a jar of fruit cocktail in it. It’s also great to have around for the young kids. They love this fruit combination and let me tell you, it’s far superior to the store-bought varieties. It does take a bit of work, what with all the peeling, chopping and coring, but in the middle of the winter it’s a perfect after-school snack. This recipe is adapted slightly from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (nchfp). Although this recipe is adapted slightly, it still falls within the safety guidelines outlined by the nchfp. I like grapes so I added a few more grapes and adjusted the pear quantity down to compensate for the additional grapes. I also substituted some of the granulated sugar for honey.

Fruit Cocktail

Yields 7- 500 ml jars

Ingredients

3 lbs peaches (9 to 12 peaches)
2 ¾ lbs pears (5 to 6 pears)
2 lbs green seedless grapes (3 ½ to 4 cups)
1 10 oz jar maraschino cherries
4 cups water
2½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup liquid honey

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Fill a large bowl with 2 gallons of ice cold water.  Add ½ cup lemon juice to the water. Set aside.

3. To remove peach skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place 4 or 5 peaches in the boiling water.  Boil 1 minute, remove peaches with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath. Skins will easily slide off.  Slice peach and remove pit. Cut sliced peaches into ½ cubes and place in the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. Repeat this process until all the peaches are peeled.

4. Pears can easily be peeled with a peeler.  Once peeled, remove stem and core. Cut into ½ inch cubes.  Place in lemon water. Repeat for all the pears.

5. Wash grapes, remove stems and set aside along with one jar drained maraschino cherries. 

6. To make the syrup, heat water, sugar and honey to a gentle boil. Keep warm until ready to use.

7. Drain fruit and add to the heated syrup, mix in grapes.  Return to a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes. Ladle hot fruit into jars to within 1 inch of the top of the rim.  Ensure an equal amount of peaches, pears and grapes for each jar. Add 2 maraschino cherries per pint. Fill jars one at a time, cover with syrup to within ½ inch of top of rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

8. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 20 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

9. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date.

TIP: Fruit-to-syrup ratio is not an exact science.  You may be short or over on the syrup. If you need more syrup, make more.  If you have more than you need, try using it in your homemade lemonade.

TIP: Sweetness is an individual thing.  If you prefer less sugar, add less sugar, more honey and more water.  There should always be some sugar added but it can be as little as 1/10th sugar to 1 water ratio.

TIP: Don’t be surprised if the maraschino cherries lose their vivid red colour during the processing stage.  It’s very common. They still taste just the same.

TIP: Try adding pineapple, mango or kiwi to the mix. Remember to keep the same overall quantities of fruit that the recipe calls for. Nothing says you can’t add other fruit. Berries may colour the juice so I would not suggest adding those (unless you like the idea of coloured juice).

TIP: It is never advisable to change a canning recipe unless you are still following the safety guidelines and it is not recommended at all for someone new to canning.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

I only started making these because my daughter asked me if I could teach her how to make pickled garlic. I can’t believe it took me so long to add these versatile little delights to my yearly canning list. I was surprised how delicious they are. They are good eaten straight out of the jar, added to a favourite pasta sauce, added as a salad garnish or placed on a charcuterie board with crackers, cheese and meats. Add a cute label to a jar of pickled garlic, pack it with a jar of hot pepper jelly and homemade butter crackers for a great homemade Christmas gift.

Pickled Garlic 

Makes about 5 x 250 ml jars

Ingredients

12 heads garlic (about 1 ¾ lbs)
2 ½ cups white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp pickling salt
5 tsp mustard seed
1 tbsp pickling spice
5 dill heads or 5 tsp dill seed 
1 ¼ tsp crushed red chili peppers (optional)

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer. Place 5 clean, warm mason jars on a rack in the canner, ensuring that they are covered with water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in warm water. Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use.

2. Peel and separate garlic bulbs into cloves. Set aside.

3. Combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a large stainless-steel saucepan. Tie pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.  Add to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Keep liquid at a simmer so it remains hot. Remove and discard the pickling spice bag.

4. In a hot jar, place 1 head of dill (or 1 tsp dill seed), 1 tsp mustard seed and ¼ tsp crushed chili peppers (if using).  Add garlic cloves to within ¾ inch of top of jar. Add hot liquid to cover garlic to within ½ inch of top of jar (headspace).  Remove air bubbles by sliding a small, non-metallic utensil (I use a wooden chopstick) between the side of the jar and the garlic cloves; re-adjust head space to ½ inch. Wipe jar rim, removing any stickiness.  Centre SNAP LID® on jar. Apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jar on rack in canner. Repeat for remaining dill heads, mustard seed, chili seeds, garlic cloves and hot liquid.

5. Ensure jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.  Cover canner, bring water to a boil. Process 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude) once water is at a full rolling boil. 

6. When processing time is complete, turn stove off, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

7. After cooling, check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands, wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

This mild garlic pickle can be used in a variety of dishes, including pasta dishes, salads, or potato salad.  They are great on a pickle tray or try throwing them in a classic vodka Caesar.  Really, use them anywhere you would like a mild garlic flavour in your dish.

Garlic Scape Pickles

Yield:  3 to 4 - 500 ml or 6 to 8 - 250 ml jars

Ingredients

2 pounds garlic scapes 3 cups water 3 cups apple cider vinegar (5%) 3 Tbsp pickling salt 3 tsp pickling spice 1/16 tsp Bernardin pickle crisp (per jar)

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 3 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Combine water, vinegar and pickling salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil just before you are ready to pour over the garlic scapes.

3.   Wash garlic scapes under cool running water.  Cut off the blossom end just below the blossom.  Set these aside.  Cut the curled end off so that you have a straight end and a curled end.  Remove jars one at a time from the canner to a covered countertop.  Place ½ tsp of pickling spice and 1/16 tsp of Bernardin pickle crisp in the bottom of each jar.  Tightly pack the cirled ends around the inside of the jar.  Then pack the straight ends into the middle of the jar, leaving ½ inch of head space.  If the spear is too tall for the jar, cut the bottom end off.  You want the spears standing up in the jar, with the top ½ inch below the surface.  All cut ends can be placed in a separate jar with pickling spice and Bernardin pickle crisp.

4. Pour boiling hot pickling brine over scapes, leaving ½ inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.  Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight.  Place in canner on rack.  Repeat until all jars are full.

5.  Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner.  Bring to a full rolling boil.  Boil 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat.  Remove lid and wait 5 minutes.  Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6.  Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry, remove screw bands and label with contents and date. 

 TIP:  The garlic scapes can also be cut into 2 inch pieces and placed in the jar to cut down on prep time. Add garlic cloves if you run out of garlic scapes to fill the jar.

 TIP:  If there is left over brine, pour it over a jar packed with peeled garlic cloves, leaving ¼ inch headspace.  Add the lid and place it in the canner and process it along with the garlic scapes. 

 TIP:  Use the flower bud ends to make garlic scape pesto.  The pesto can be added to mashed potatoes. Mix it with mayonnaise to make a garlic pesto aioli and spread it on crackers, sandwiches or dip your French fries in it. Use it as a base for pizza sauce or add it to pasta.

 TIP:  Never throw out your pickle brine.  It can be used for so many different things.  Try making pickled eggs, add it to potato salad or include it in a homemade salad dressing. 

Kiwi is very high in fibre. According to California Kiwifruit (kiwifruit.org), two kiwis contain more fibre than a bowl of bran cereal. A serving of kiwi also contains vitamin C and E, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants and many other important nutritional benefits. Canned kiwi can make a very nice addition to a winter fruit salad. It also looks great in a frozen ice ring at Christmas, along with some orange slices, grapes and cranberries. When canning kiwi, always select solid, firm-ripe fruit. Discard any damaged fruit. Kiwi is generally in-season from November until late January. This is when they would be at their best price. It’s also a great time to can kiwi. The busiest canning season is over and there is some time to slow down, particularly in January when the holiday season is also over. I like to can kiwi and citrus fruits in January. These fruits bring a bit of brightness and colour to an otherwise cold and dreary time of year.

Kiwis in Syrup

Yield 7x 250 ml jars

Ingredients

12 – 15 ripe kiwi
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
7 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 125 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Peel kiwi.  Leave whole, cut into slices or 1 inch chunks, reserve fruit and any juice that may be present. Do not slice too thin as the fruit may disintegrate in the heating process.

3. To make the syrup, heat water and sugar to a gentle boil. Keep warm until ready to use.

4. Pack fruit and any fruit juice into hot jars to within 1 inch of the top of the rim.  Add 1 tsp lemon juice. Fill jars one at a time, cover with syrup to within ½ inch of top of rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

5. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. 

TIP: Fruit-to-syrup ratio is not an exact science.  You may be short or over on the syrup. If you need more syrup, make more.  If you have more than you need, try using it in your homemade lemonade.

TIP: Sweetness is an individual thing. If you prefer less sugar, experiment; add less sugar and more water. There should always be some sugar added but it can be as little as 1/10th sugar to 1 water ratio.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

Peach season means it is truly summer in Canada. Besides their incredible taste and colour, they are a nutritional power house. Packed with Vitamin A and C as well as being a good source of antioxidants, peaches are a flavourful way to stay on a healthy eating plan. Even canned peaches have been found to have similar health benefits as fresh peaches. Meaning you can eat peaches year round and still get similar health benefits (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. AUGUST 2019). The beauty of peaches is their simplicity of preserving. Peel, cut and can. I serve peaches all winter long either as a dessert, on top of pancakes or straight out of the jar.

Peaches in Syrup (Raw and Hot Pack Method included)
Adapted from A Guide to Home Preserving, Bernardin 1990)

Ingredients

20 – 25 lbs fresh, ripe peaches
10 cups water
5 cups sugar

Colour preserving 

2 gallons water
½ lemon juice

RAW PACK METHOD

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with 1 gallon of ice cold water.  Add ¼ cup lemon juice to the water. Set aside.

2. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 6 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

3. To remove peach skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place 4 or 5 peaches in the boiling water.  Boil 1 minute, remove peaches with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath. Skins will easily slide off.  Slice peach and remove pit. Place sliced peach in the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. Repeat this process until all the peaches are peeled and sliced.

4. To make the syrup, heat water and sugar to a gentle boil. Keep warm until ready to use.

5. Drain peaches and pack into hot jars to within 1 inch of the top of the rim.  Cover with syrup to within ½ in of top of rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

6. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place. 

Hot Pack Method

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with 1 gallon of cool water.  Add ¼ cup lemon juice to the water. Set aside.

2. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 1 litre mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

3. To remove peach skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place 4 or 5 peaches in the boiling water.  Boil 1 minute, remove peaches with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath. Skins will easily slide off.  Slice peach and remove pit. Place sliced peach in the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. Repeat this process until all the peaches are peeled and sliced.

4. To make syrup, heat to a boil.  Drain peaches and add to boiling syrup.  Bring back to a boil. Pack fruit into hot jars to within 1 inch of top of rim.  Add hot syrup to cover peaches to within ½ inch of top of jar rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

5. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place.  

TIP: Raw packed peaches will rise to the top of the jar. Hot packed peaches will float throughout the jar.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

Sunshine in a jar is how I see home-canned peaches.  Everything about them brings memories of warm, sunny, summer days, vacations in BC and delicious summer desserts.  Every summer, we make a trip to the Okanagan Valley just around the time peaches are showing up in the orchard markets located along every highway.  I process peaches every single year, most often in a simple syrup. This year I also made Ginger Bourbon Peaches, Habanero Peach Jelly, Peach Pie Filling and Fruit Cocktail made with peaches, pears and maraschino cherries. Peaches in a simple syrup are great on their own.  The syrup can be thickened and then used in a peach crisp. The Ginger Bourbon Peaches are spectacular heated and served over vanilla ice cream.  Of course, the peach pie filling can be used when making a pie, but it could be used in a multitude of different desserts. I picked up some peach habanero peppers this fall.  They are a produce that I have never seen before. They are peach in colour and their flavour is that of a really hot peach. To me, that just screams hot pepper jelly. I wanted to make sure the peach flavour shone through, so I added a jar of canned peaches to the mixture when making the jelly.

(Adapted from A Guide to Home Preserving. Bernardin 1990)
Yield 5 pints (500 mL) jars

Colour protection solution

1 gallon cool water
¼  cup bottled lemon juice

Ingredients

4 quarts or about 20 peaches
8 inch cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger root
1 tsp whole cloves
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
½ cup bourbon

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with 1 gallon of cool water.  Add ¼ cup lemon juice to the water. Set aside.

2. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 6 clean, warm 500 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

3. To remove peach skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place 4 or 5 peaches in the boiling water.  Boil 1 minute, remove peaches with a slotted spoon. Slice peach and remove pit. Place sliced peach in the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. Repeat this process until all the peaches are peeled and sliced.

4. To make a spice bag, break cinnamon stick into pieces and add to a cheesecloth, along with the ginger and cloves.  Tie into a small bag with kitchen string. To a large saucepan add sugar, water and spice bag. Bring to a boil. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Remove spice bag.  Drain the peaches and add to the sugar mixture. Boil 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon.

5. Hot pack fruit into hot jars, filling to within 1 inch of top of jar rim.  Ladle hot liquid over peaches to within ½ inch of top of jar rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace.  Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar. Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

6. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 20 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place.  

TIP: Freestone varieties of peaches are the only type of peach to use when canning. Unlike clingstone peaches, the flesh of freestone peaches separates easily from the pit, making it easy to remove the pit.

TIP: Always have an extra jar and SNAP LID® cleaned and heated.  Many recipes are based on a quantity of fruit. The fruit may vary in size, which could result in slightly more end product than will fill the number of jars specified in the recipe. 

TIP: If the skin is not slipping away from the peach after blanching, they may not be ripe.  Store unripe peaches at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Check each day for ripeness.

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

Home canned pumpkin is so basic. Two ingredients, pumpkin and water. That’s it. How much more natural can it get?

2 ½ - 3 lb pound pie pumpkin will yield 5 pints of cubed canned pumpkin.

Ingredients

Yield - 10 - 500mL jars

5 to 6 Pie Pumpkins
Water for boiling

Directions

1. Fill pressure canner with 2 or 3 inches of water. Heat to a simmer.

2. Heat water to a simmer in another large pot or boiling water canner. Place 10 clean warm 500 mL mason jars on a rack in the canner. Cover with simmering water.

3. Place SNAP LIDS in a bowl of warm water. Keep both jars and lids heated until ready to use.

4. Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.

5. Slice into 1 inch strips. Peel. Cut into 1 inch cubes.

6. Place in a pot of boiling water. Boil 2 minutes.

7. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out pumpkin and place in clean, sterilized jars, packing to within 1 1/4 inches from the top rim. Cover pumpkin with the cooking liquid leaving 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar.

8. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace and wipe jar rims. Add heated metal lids and screw bands. Tighten until finger tip tight. Place jar on rack in pressure canner.

9. Lock pressure canner lid in place. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Place the counterweight or weighted gauge on vent, bring pressure to 10 pounds (adjusting for altitude). Process for 55 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude) or in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude). Turn off heat.  Wait for the pressure to drop to zero on a dial gauge or when no steam escapes when weight on weighted gauge canner is nudged, before removing the cover.  Always tilt the cover away from your face when removing the cover from the canner.  Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

10. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward.  Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place.  Important - Never puree pumpkin before canning as the internal temperature will not get high enough inside the jar to kill off bacteria.

Tip - Use only pie pumpkins for your baking projects. The large jack-o-lantern pumpkins 🎃 available around Halloween are not meant for canning or baking. They are tasteless and stringy.

Tip - Never puree pumpkin before canning. The pumpkin in the centre of the jar may not heat to the temperature required to kill off harmful bacteria. Puree the pumpkin once you are ready to use it.

*Altitude adjustment for pressure canner

Sweet red peppers are a mainstay in my kitchen.  When they are fresh, they go on every type of salad we eat.  They go in pasta sauces, in Mexican dishes, in Spanish rice and of course, they are great on a pizza.  They can be very expensive out of season, so I try to buy in bulk while they are in season and retain that flavour all year long by roasting and canning them in jars.  Once canned, peppers are just as versatile as when fresh. There is no reason you can’t substitute green or orange peppers for red, hot peppers for sweet, or mix them all together in one jar.  Just be aware that when working with hot peppers, you need to protect your hands by wearing food safe gloves and by not touching your face. Peppers are a low acid vegetable, so they need to be pressure canned.

Roasted Red Peppers

Yields 9x - 500mL jars

Ingredients

9 pounds sweet red peppers
Water 
Pickling salt

Directions

1. Peppers can be roasted on a barbeque grill, on a gas top range or in an oven set to broil.  For the barbeque grill or gas top range, use tongs and place the peppers over the flame. Turn as the pepper blisters and blackens until the entire pepper has been roasted.

2. Using the tongs, place the blistered peppers in a paper bag or a plastic Ziplock® bag and seal it after each pepper is added.  Let the peppers sweat in the bag until they are cool.

3. While peppers are cooling, fill pressure canner with 2 or 3 inches of water.  Heat to a simmer.  To heat the jars, add water to a second large pot or canner and bring to a simmer. Place 9 clean, warm 500 mL mason jars on a rack in the large pot or boiling water canner.  Cover with simmering water. Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

4. Once cooled, peel the skins from the blistered and blackened peppers. Remove the stem and seeds.

5. Boil a kettle full of water.

6. Removing one jar at a time and filling, leave peppers whole or cut the peppers into strips and place loosely in jars. Add ½ teaspoon salt to each jar.

7. Cover peppers with boiling water to within 1 inch of top of rim.  Remove air bubbles by sliding a plastic utensil between the jar side and the peppers and add boiling water to ensure 1 inch head space.  Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar. Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in pressure canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

8. Lock pressure canner lid in place. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Place the counterweight or weighted gauge on vent, bring pressure to 10 pounds (adjusting for altitude). Process for 35 minutes for pints in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude) or in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude). Turn off heat.  Wait for the pressure to drop to zero on a dial gauge or when no steam escapes when weight on weighted gauge canner is nudged, before removing the cover. Always tilt the cover away from your face when removing the cover from the canner. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

9. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Remove screw bands and store separately.  Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place. It’s best to use home canned goods within 1 year for optimum quality.

*Altitude adjustment for pressure canner

So many people have told me that they have never tasted Saskatoons. To me, that’s both sad and incredible at the same time. I’ve been picking and eating Saskatoons since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Growing up on the Canadian prairies, Saskatoons were plentiful, free and completely organic. As one of six children to a Mother in a wheelchair, it was a mandatory chore to spend a day or two every August picking Saskatoons. Mom would sit in the car picking through and cleaning the berries as we six kids would pick and drop berries into old ice cream buckets or tin cans. Mom would fashion picking buckets out of cans and wire that we would fill as we made our way through the Saskatoon patch. One for the bucket and one for the mouth until I couldn’t eat another berry. Once home at the end of a long picking day, the berries needed to be processed. This usually meant canning them in syrup or freezing them. Saskatoons can be eaten straight out of the jar, they make a nice jam and an incredible Saskatoon pie. You will find my Saskatoon pie recipe on the site. My sister-in-law, Pam, once told me it was the best pie she had ever eaten🥧.

Saskatoons

makes 7 quarts (Litre) or 14x pints (500 mL) jars

Ingredients

7 pounds fresh Saskatoons
7 cups sugar
14 cups water

Directions

1. Add 6 inches of water to the canner and heat to a simmer.  Heat 7 clean quart jars in the canner. Prepare lids by placing SNAP LIDS® in a bowl of warm water.  Keep both jars are lids warm until ready to fill.

2. Raw pack fresh Saskatoons evenly between 7 hot jars.  

3. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to ensure that all of the sugar is dissolved. Boil gently for 5 minutes.

4. Ladle hot syrup over berries, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) headspace. 

5. Clean the jar rims, centre hot metal lid on jar rim, place screw band on top. Tighten to finger-tip tight.

6. Place jar in boiling water canner.  Repeat with all the jars.

7. Add enough boiling water to the canner to cover the jars with 1” (2 cm) of water. Once water returns to a boil, process for 15 minutes for quarts and 10 minutes for pints, adjusting for altitude.

Tip:  Berries to syrup ratio is not an exact science.  You may be short or over on the syrup. If you need more syrup, make more.  If you have more than you need, try using it in your homemade lemonade.

If you want to be as exact as possible when preparing the syrup, follow these directions:  fill a clean jar to the bottom of the rim with Saskatoons in the jar. Next, add cold water to fill the jar to within ½ inch from the top.  Now pour that water into a measuring cup to determine how much water you need per jar.  Multiply that amount by the number of jars you will be processing.  The same goes for the Saskatoons. 

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water method
Altitude in feet Increase processing time by
1001 to 3000 5 minutes
3001 to 6000 10 minutes
6001 to 8000 15 minutes
8001 to 10000 20 minutes

I could go on and on about tomatoes. I mean, they are one of the most versatile and much-used fruits (yes, fruits) available to the home canner. Every year, I process in excess of 150 lbs of tomatoes. I make canned whole tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato juice, salsa and pizza sauce (do I sound like Bubba from Forrest Gump about his shrimp?). I also make tomato-based pasta sauces including roasted marinara sauce, meaty Bolognese sauce and even vodka sauce. This year, I also decided to try ratatouille sauce and cacciatore sauce. I made tomato curry jam and for the first time, I made tandoori tomato jam. I’m looking forward to adding these special jams to my festive charcuterie boards this Christmas. Now you understand why I say tomatoes are so versatile. Think about all of the full jars sitting in the cellar waiting for that quick winter meal. Growing (or even buying) tomatoes in bulk at the local Farmer’s Market can be so cost effective, plus the flavour is far superior to those available in the stores in the winter months.

Yield 7 quarts (litres)

Ingredients

22 lbs ripe tomatoes (about 10 medium tomatoes per quart)
14 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
7 tsp salt
Water

Directions for Raw Packing with Water

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 1 quart mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. To remove tomato skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop 4 or 5 tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath.  Skins will easily slide off. This is known as blanching. Cut out blossom ends. Either leave tomatoes whole or cut in half.

3. Boil a kettle full of water and keep hot until ready to use.

4. To hot, clean, quart jars add 2 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Pack raw tomatoes into hot jars to within 1 inch of top of jar rim. Fill jars one at a time, cover with boiling water to within ½ inch of top of rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim.  Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar. Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

5. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 45 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

6. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. (Adapted from: The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving, 2016).

Directions for Hot Packing

1.  In a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan, place tomatoes.  Add water to cover, bring to a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes.

2. To hot, clean, quart jars add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of salt. 

3. Pack hot tomatoes into hot jars to within 1 inch of top of jar rim. Fill jars one at a time, cover with boiling water to within ½ inch of top of rim. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace.

4. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight.

5. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full. Follow steps 5 and 6 above. (A Guide to Home Preserving, Bernardin of Canada, 1990)

Yield 7 500 mL jars

(Adapted from A Guide to Home Preserving, BerNARdin, 1990)

Ingredients

10 lbs tomatoes (approximately 30 tomatoes)
¾ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped sweet green pepper
½ cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp celery salt
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Fill pressure canner with 2 or 3 inches of water.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 7 clean, warm 500 mL mason jars on a rack in pressure canner.  Cover with simmering water. Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. To remove tomato skins, fill a large bowl with ice water.   Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dip 4 or 5 tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice water bath.  Skins will easily slide off. This is known as blanching. Cut out blossom ends. 

3. Chop tomatoes and add to a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan along with all of the other ingredients.  Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Scrape the bottom of the saucepan to prevent sticking.

4. Pack tomato mixture into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of top of rim.  Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in pressure canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

5. Lock pressure canner lid in place. Vent for 10 minutes.  Place the counter weight or weighted gauge on vent; bring pressure 10 pounds for a weighted-gauge canner or 11 pounds for a dial-gauge canner (adjusting for altitude).

6. Process for 60 minutes for pint jars and 75 minutes for quart jars in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude) or in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (adjusting for altitude). Turn off heat.  Wait for the pressure to drop to zero on a dial gauge or when no steam escapes when weight on weighted gauge canner is nudged, before removing the cover. Always tilt the cover away from your face when removing the cover from the canner. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. Cool upright for 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. Store in a cool, dark place.  

TIP: Never use aluminum, copper, brass, galvanized or iron equipment for canning.  The acids that occur naturally in foods can react to produce undesirable flavours and cloudy off-colour juices.

TIP: Add 1 or 2 tablespoons vinegar to canning water to prevent calcium build up on jars. 

TIP: Select ripe, firm, heavy-for-their-size tomatoes that are spherical in shape for canning.  Cut away bruised sections of the tomato or discard if unsure of its quality.

Tomato paste is a staple in most pantries.  I know it is in mine. Why not make your own?  It’s a fairly simple process, it’s a way to use excess tomatoes and of course, tomato paste is called for in so many recipes. For pasta dishes, meat dishes and soups, tomato paste is a thickener that adds tomato flavours to enhance many dishes.  I sometimes even use it as a pizza spread just by adding a few choice spices. Tomato paste is usually just tomatoes, lemon juice, bay leaves and salt, so a boiling water canner is all that is needed. Herbs and spices can also be added if you want to flavour the paste. Other ingredients, such as red peppers or garlic, can be added to flavour the paste.  In the case of red peppers, it is recommended that a pressure canner be used.

Yield 12, 125 mL jars 
(Adapted from A Guide to Home Canning, BerNARdin, 1990)
10 lbs of roma tomatoes will yield 3 cups of tomato paste. 

Ingredients

10 lbs roma tomatoes
4 tsp salt 
12 tsp lemon juice
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove (optional)
Olive oil (required for option 3 noted below)

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 12 clean, warm 125 ml mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Place whole tomatoes in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan with the salt.  The tomatoes will break down as they are cooked slowly for an hour.

3. Remove from heat and press through a food mill over a large bowl to collect the tomato paste and to remove the skins and seeds. Discard (or see Tip below).

4. Add garlic (if using) and bay leaves to tomatoes.  There are three options for reducing the tomatoes. Option 1: place the tomatoes in a slow cooker with a steam vent lid.  Cook on low heat until the mixture reduces to 3 cups. Option 2: cook slowly on low heat on the stove top for 2 to 3 hours or until reduced to 3 cups of paste.  Option 3: bake in an uncovered, oiled roasting pan in the oven at 325°F for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until reduced to 3 cups paste. Remove bay leaves and garlic before spooning the tomato paste into jars.

5. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice to each jar.  Spoon tomato paste into hot jars to within ½ inch of the top of the rim.  Fill jars one at a time. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

6. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 45 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date.

TIP: Roma tomatoes work best for pasta sauces as they have a lower water content than something like a beef steak tomato.
TIP: Dehydrate the skins and seeds.  When completely dry, process into a powder in a food mill.  This tomato powder is great as a thickener in soups and stews or even in chili (waste not, want not☺). 

Home-canned tomato juice is great tasting and has much less salt than store-bought juice.  I especially like the flavour of the horseradish in this juice. It gives it a bit of a kick.  If you want a real kick, mix in some of your own homemade horseradish. It’s fairly simple to make; just grind together clean, chopped horseradish root, vinegar, water and a pinch of salt in a food processor until it looks like a paste.  Drain off liquid if it’s too runny. Be aware that horseradish is very potent and hard on the eyes once it’s ground up. Also be very conscious of how much you add to the tomato juice. Add a bit at a time, check the taste and adjust to your preference. This juice is delicious chilled.  It’s also a nice addition to a Vodka Caesar.  This recipe was inspired by a combination of recipes I have tried in the past from Canning®, preserving+freezing+drying, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest 2014, The All new Ball Book of Canning and Preserving 2016 and A Guide to Home Preserving, BerNARdin 1990.

Yield 8 500 mL jars

An average of 1 ½ to 2 lbs of tomatoes are needed to make 1 pint of juice.

Ingredients

16 lbs ripe tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 washed large chopped red beet
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp celery salt
5 tsp prepared horseradish (use less if adding homemade horseradish)
¾ cup lemon juice (½ Tbsp per jar)

Directions

1. Place water in boiling water canner.  Heat to a simmer.  Place 12 clean, warm 500 mL mason jars on a rack in canner.  Cover with simmering water.  Place SNAP LIDS® in a bowl full of warm water.  Keep both jars and lids warm until ready to use. 

2. Core and chop tomatoes.  Set aside all but 2 cups.  Adding 2 cups of tomatoes at a time to a large stainless steel or enamel pot, heat quickly to a boil while crushing the tomatoes to release the juices.  Maintaining a boil, continue to add 2 cups of tomatoes at a time, crushing as you go. When all the tomatoes are added, add in celery, onion and chopped beet. The beet adds a nice red color to the juice.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender.

3. Remove from heat and press tomato mixture through a food mill set over a large bowl to collect the juices. Discard skins and seeds.

4. Return the juice to a large pot.  Simmer 30 minutes or until reduced to about 20 - 25 cups. Stir often to prevent burning.  Stir in next 4 ingredients (adjusting horseradish to your tastes) and simmer for a further 10 minutes.  

5. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar.  Ladle hot juice into hot jars to within ½ inch of the top of the rim.  Fill jars one at a time. Remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace. Wipe jar rim. Place SNAP LID® and screw band on jar.  Tighten until fingertip tight. Place in canner on rack. Repeat until all jars are full.

6. Add enough hot water to the canner to ensure jars are covered by 1 inch of water.  Place lid on canner. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 35 minutes (adjusting for altitude).  Turn off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter, without tilting, to a protected countertop.

7. The tomato juice could also be pressure canned.  Place 2 to 3 cups of water in the pressure canner and bring to a boil.  Add jars of juice. Lock the lid in place. Vent steam for 10 minutes before adding the weighted gauge.  Bring pressure to 10 pounds pressure for a weighted gauge pressure canner (adjusting for altitude) or 11 pounds pressure in a dial gauge pressure canner (adjusting for altitude).  Process for 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow gauge to come to zero, remove the weight for remainder of steam to vent. Open with lid facing away. Remove jars with a jar lifter and place on a protected countertop.

8. Cool upright 24 hours.  After cool, check that the jars are sealed.  Sealed jar lids curve downward. Clean, dry and label with contents and date. 

TIP: In order to prevent home canned tomato juice from separating, follow step 2 as instructed. 

TIP:  Always prepare extra jars and lids in case you have more product than anticipated. 

*Altitude adjustment for boiling water