PRESERVING


JAMS & JELLIES(low sugar)
FREEZER JAM
BEETS (Pickled)
CABBAGE
    KIM CHEE
    SAUERKRAUT

CUCUMBERS
    BREAD&BUTTER PICKLES
    BRINED VEGGIE PICKLES
    FRESH DILL PICKLES
    SWEET PICKLES
    SWEET VEGETABLE RELISH
   PICKLED PEPPERSSweeties and Hotties










JAMS & JELLIES

USING LOW-METHOXL PECTIN (This pectin can be found at health food stores, "hippie stores" or even at anyplace that sells "Sure Jel" regular pectin.)

CLEAN and prepare fruit, put in a large cooker and bring to a boil. STRAIN for jelly, or leave as is for jam.

MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF JUICE but leave in the cooker.

PUT in a separate bowl and mix: for each cup of juice
2 T. honey or sugar
½ tsp. LM(low methoxyl)pectin

POUR the pectin mix into the hot fruit juice and stir real well until it is all dissolved.

MIX: ⅛ tsp. calcium in ¼ c. water

ADD: 1 tsp. calcium mix/cup of fruit juice. Stir well

TAKE jam off of the heat. Put a little jam on a spoon and cool in the refrigerator. If it is too stiff, add a little more juice to the pot; if too runny, add another tsp. + of calcium.

SPOON jam/jelly into hot sterilized jars, put on heated lids and rings, process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Refrigerate after opening.



FREEZER JAM
Makes about 4 half pints.

PUT INTO A SAUCEPAN: Let stand for 5 minutes
½ c. water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin

PUT IN A BLENDER: blend smooth
1 c. sliced strawberries (or other fruit)
1 c. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
⅓ c. honey or sugar

ADD to soaked gelatin and heat to just boiling:
1 c. sliced berries
The blender mixture.

STIR well.

POUR into clean containers and refrigerate or freeze.













BEETS Pickled

PUT in a 4 qt. saucepan with enough water to cover:
3 qts. washed, unpeeled beets (uniform size)
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 T. mustard seed
½ tsp. whole cloves

COOK BEETS UNTIL JUST BARELY DONE

REMOVE BEETS, peel, slice or cube.

STRAIN and measure the beet liquid.

BRING TO A BOIL in the 4 qt. saucepan:
3 c. white vinegar
2 c. sugar
2 c. beet liquid (remove the spices)
1¼ tsp. salt

ADD prepared beets and cook until done.

PACK beets into hot sterilized pint jars, fill to within ½ ″ of the top with hot beet liquid, put on heated lids, rings, and process in a hot water bath for 30 minutes.

COOL on a wire rack away from a draft until all lids seal.










KIM CHEE

CHOP UP, put in a bowl, and sprinkle with 2 t. salt:
1 large head of Bok Choy or Napa cabbage

LET sit for 15 minutes.

RINSE CABBAGE AND ADD:
4 whole green onions, cut into 1½″ pieces
1 medium cucumber, cut into thin rounds
1 large clove garlic, quartered
1 hot pepper, de-seeded and quartered
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 T. salt

MIX WELL, COVER WITH WATER, put plastic wrap over bowl and let sit for a few days at room temperature (68-72°).

TASTE every day until the level of fermentation is to your liking.

Refrigerate and eat or can like sauerkraut.














SAUERKRAUT
This is best if made in the fall

SHRED about 5 lbs.green or red cabbage to fill a glass gallon jar.

SPRINKLE over cabbage as you fill the jar.
2-3 T. non-iodized salt
1 T. dill seed

TAMP the cabbage tight into the jar.

ADD just enough water to cover the cabbage.

PUT a heavy plastic sack with water in it on the cabbage to keep it submerged.

COVER jar with a clean cheesecloth.

LET SIT in a cool (68-72°), dark room. Check every day, cleaning off scum and tasting. When fermented to your liking, refrigerate and eat or can.

TO CAN:
Heat kraut to simmering (185-210°) Don’t boil. Pack hot kraut into sterilized pint jars. Put on hot lids and rings then process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

COOL jars on a wire rack out of drafts.




BREAD&BUTTER PICKLES
PUT IN A LARGE BOWL and let stand for 1-3 hours with ice:
30 +- washed, unpeeled pickling or 8-9 regular long cucumbers , sliced ¼ ″ thick.
10 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 T. pickling salt
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 medium green peppers, chopped


MAKE A BRINE & BRING to a boil in a large cook pot:
5 c. white vinegar
2 tsp. each- celery seed, ginger, white mustard seed
3 c. honey or sugar
1 tsp. turmeric

ADD drained cucumbers and simmer for 5 minutes. (No more)

PACK cucumbers into hot sterilized pint jars. Fill to within ½″ of top with brine. Put on hot lids and rings and process 5 minutes in a hot water bath. Makes 8 pints.

Remove jars to a wire rack away from a draft and let cool.









BRINED VEGGIE PICKLES
PUT IN A CLEAN gallon jar: don’t pack too tight
Small cucumbers, or larger ones (sliced)
Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet peppers, garlic...
1 piece of peeled horseradish root
1 small jalapeño pepper
1 head of fresh dill weed with the stem
2 T. mustard seed
1 T. black pepper corns
3-4 fresh grape leaves

MAKE A BRINE: Stir well to dissolve salt
¾ c. pickling salt
1 gallon water

POUR brine over veggies until they are covered.(It may not be all used) Put a heavy plastic sack with water in it on top of the veggies to keep them submerged.

Cover jar with a clean piece of cloth. Let sit in a dark place at 68-72° for 1-4 weeks.

Taste once in awhile until the level of fermentation desired is reached. Clean off any scum that forms.

Put the whole jar in the refrigerator and eat out of it or can like dill pickles.








FRESH DILL PICKLES

WASH & CUT OFF the stem ends of fresh pickling cucumbers that are about 2-4” in length.

PACK EACH HOT, sterililized pint or quart jar with:
Washed cucumbers.
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1-1” piece of peeled horseradish root
½ stalk of fresh dill weed, tops included
½ de-seeded jalapeño pepper (optional)
1 fresh, washed grape leaf (roll like a cigar)

MAKE A BRINE : Bring to a boil
1 pint white vinegar
1 qt. water
½ c. pickling salt
(This recipe should be enough for about 6 pints or 4 quarts)

POUR hot brine into each jar to within ½ ″ of the top.

PUT on hot lids and rings, screw down tight.

TURN jars upside down on a wire rack and let cool.
Pickles will be ready in 6-8 weeks. Store in a cool, dark place.












SWEET PICKLES
1 Quart at a time in the refrigerator

WASH tiny pickling cucumbers and pack into a quart jar.

MAKE A BRINE: Stir to mix everything well.
1 T. pickling spice
½ tsp. alum or 1 fresh grape leaf
1 T. salt
1 c. white vinegar

POUR brine over cukes, top off with cold water to fill jar.

PUT on a lid and set in a dark place for 30 days.

DRAIN, discard spices, and wash the pickles. Wash out the jar and put pickles back in with 1 c. granulated sugar.

ROLL pickles around in the jar until evenly coated with sugar.

PUT jar into the refrigerator and take out pickles as needed.












SWEET VEGETABLE RELISH
MAKES ABOUT 8 PINTS, Use on hamburgers or in tuna mix.

PUT IN A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR: grind coarsely
12 medium onions (4 c. ground)
10 green tomatoes (4 c. ground)
12 green peppers
6 sweet red peppers
4 small-medium zucchini
6 medium cucumbers

SPRINKLE ground veggies with ½ c. salt and let stand overnight. Rinse and drain.

PUT veggies in a large sauce pan and PUT IN:
6 c. sugar
2 T. mustard seed
1 T. celery seed
1½ tsp. turmeric
4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 c. water

BRING veggies to a boil. SIMMER 3 minutes. LADLE hot relish into hot sterilized pint jars.

SEAL with hot lids and rings.

Turn upside down on a rack and let cool.











PICKLED PEPPERS
HOTTIES & SWEETIES

Use a mixture of hot peppers: jalapeño, Serrano, Poblano...
And sweet peppers: bell, Anaheim, Cubanelle, banana...
They should be ripe and fleshy, never green.

WASH and de-seed the peppers, slice into quarters.

PUT into each hot, sterilized quart jar; leaving ¾” head space:
1 T. each-black and yellow mustard seed
1 tsp. pickling salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
Carrot rounds – cut to ¼″ thickness
Baby onions
Sweet & hot pepper pieces

MAKE A BRINE: bring to a boil
Equal amounts of vinegar and water
Honey or sugar to taste

POUR brine into jars to within ½ ″ of top.

PUT ON hot lids and rings.

PROCESS in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

REMOVE to a wire rack and cool.