PREP Reading and canning - Anyone else prepping today?

[Old Gray Mare]

Yesterday DH and I went fishing. Caught some and some we "caught" ended up as shark food before we could get them on the deck. Today we went swimming spent the morning dodging sea turtles.

Not prepping this weekend. The plan is to take advantage of up coming Labor Day Weekend sales. Now ask the same question next week? Also now that I'm hoping the wet season is starting, plan to be planting herbs and spices and whacking the weeds into temporary submission.

 

[John Deere Girl]

I really should can some chicken. At $3/lb still a good deal.

Which means I need some Jars.

Which means I need a pressure canner...

Time to get busy!

Any good recipes, that don't leave the chicken breast stringy/tough? That's one critique I've heard of home-canned chicken...

eta: any recommendations on available pressure canners?
Thanks.

All American canner is what I recommend, but they are pricey!

 

[Tristan]

All American canner is what I recommend, but they are pricey!

Man, are they!

What are the advantages over their more affordable competitors?

 

[Seeker22]

Picked a basket of tomatoes, I'll lay them out for a few days to finish ripening.
I always quarter up and freeze them till the fall then make sauce all at once.
Picked a half dozen cucumbers, not sure what I'm going to do with them. Already have a big bowl of cucumber salad in the fridge I haven't finished yet.
Taters are a ways out yet. I was late planting anyway.

Got a crock pot of sausage peppers and onions going for dinner for the next few days.
Had to buy the sausage, those did not grow from the pieces I planted.
Harder to grow than bacon.

Have you priced Bacon seeds lately? Oh, my gawd?!

 

[WalknTrot]

I really should can some chicken. At $3/lb still a good deal.

Which means I need some Jars.

Which means I need a pressure canner...

Time to get busy!

Any good recipes, that don't leave the chicken breast stringy/tough? That's one critique I've heard of home-canned chicken...

eta: any recommendations on available pressure canners?
Thanks.

Just use the Ball Blue Book process - either hot or raw pack. No part of the chicken should end up stringy and tough. I've raw-packed several year old tough-as-stone roosters and the meat comes out of the jar falling apart on your fork.

If I'm strictly canning something like boneless chicken thighs (breast would be the same) I usually cook them first in broth on the stovetop, then hot pack, because then I end up with 3-4 quarts of good broth to can as well.

Pick up a Ball Blue Book - they should be everywhere right now at Walmart, hardware, farm and fleets, etc. Put in some time studying the process, and then go for it. So far, I have not felt the need to go whole hog and spend the hundreds $$$'s on an All American canner, I still use Mom's old Presto with the gaskets. You can pick them up on ebay for not much money, and the gaskets are still available. I love my old rocker gauge!

 

[FMJ]

Salsa!

 

[Walkin' Away]

Tristan,
I have 3 different pressure canners. The first one I inherited from My Nana was an All American. That canner is older than I am and still works. That one I learned how to “can” on…it looks like a mine from WW 2. I like it b/c it has the screw down fasteners all the way around to secure the lid while processing.
It also doesn’t have gaskets…but it is heavy and only does 6 or 7 quarts.

I also have a large Mirro canner that is nice. It is tall and has stackable trays for pints and half-pints. Also heavy when fully loaded and also has need of gaskets.

Finally, the Presto…it is light weight and I think I like this one for small batches of quarts/pints b/c it is not as tall as the Mirro. It also requires gaskets. I think I got this one at Tractor Supply.

I guess when you are canning…it depends on what, how much, when you are doing it. Pressure canners take much more processing time and can really heat up the house. I like to do it in the winter as it also can warm the house at the same time.

I hope this helps. Good success to You.

W. A.

 

[Kathy in WV]

Man, are they!

What are the advantages over their more affordable competitors?

Main advantage is durability and it's gasketless.

 

[Kathy in WV]

I really should can some chicken. At $3/lb still a good deal.

Which means I need some Jars.

Which means I need a pressure canner...

Time to get busy!

Any good recipes, that don't leave the chicken breast stringy/tough? That's one critique I've heard of home-canned chicken...

eta: any recommendations on available pressure canners?
Thanks.

?

I really should can some chicken. At $3/lb still a good deal.

Which means I need some Jars.

Which means I need a pressure canner...

Time to get busy!

Any good recipes, that don't leave the chicken breast stringy/tough? That's one critique I've heard of home-canned chicken...

eta: any recommendations on available pressure canners?
Thanks.

I always cut my chicken in chunks to can and it's just my habit to cut across the grain. That would prevent any real stringiness. But honestly it comes out so tender every time. You'll love it!

 

[John Deere Girl]

Man, are they!

What are the advantages over their more affordable competitors?

They will last forever! No gasket either. I have a 920, and I love it!

 

[Night Owl]

I did picking veggies & fruits, then did first cleaning out of vines and removing that darn deer netting i swear every year I’m never going to put on again because of all the plants that grow through it, but I do. Got blueberries and slices of limes in the dehydrator. Making & canning 24 - 1/2 pints of strawberry jam for Christmas gifts. (Orscheln‘s was bought out by Tractor Supply, so I got the most darling country spatulas for 60% off to go with my basket of goodies for gifts).

Yesterday I made clam sauce w/pasta and green pea with ham soup for lunch and dinner today, so I dont have to deal with meals.

 

[Night Owl]

Man, are they!

What are the advantages over their more affordable competitors?

I have an American Canner and 3 Prestos. I use the Prestos all the time over the American canner. It’s too heavy, my lid doesn’t like to glide into place without trying 3 or 4 times and I did I mention how heavy it is to move & carry. But glad I have it if I had to do rebel canning on a wood fire.

 

[DennisD]

I'm prepping today: brewing 5 gallons of beer ( Imperial IPA).

Gotta be ready in case Joe puts restrictions on alcohol.

 

[oops]

N today the almost full 20 gallon crock of kraut comes off ...so more cannin is the order of the day...we aren’t even close to end of harvest yet...sigh

 

[AlaskaSue]

Hubby took me on an inpromptu extended weekend trip over here to the east coast of FL (New Smyrna Beach). Three of the kids made it ... two left to go home today and the youngest will drive back in the morning so he can be to work by 12:30.

I've been relaxing, writing, doing some digital housekeeping in my favorites folders. We'll head back Tuesday morning, just in time for the storm. I think I've earned a birthday this year between one thing and another.

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New Smyrna is my favorite place! Fantastic that your guy took you away to play <3

 

[AlaskaSue]

I’m canning the rest of my collards and kale this week. Bunnies decimated my Brussels sprouts and cabbage during my long sojourn Outside the state. But I did have a success growing my first ever artichokes. That is on the menu today with some fresh Copper River Sockeye salmon. Other than that I’m rearranging my bedroom/sewing studio. Lots on the winter agenda!

 

[paxsim2]

Bagged sliced sweet peppers for the freezer. Okra is on today's agenda. Then baking banana bread with pecans and chocolate chips and pickling banana peppers which were supposed to be jalapenos. Oops!
At dinner I'll put 2 frozen chicken breasts on to poach for other meals this week.

 

[GingerN]

I made blackberry pancake syrup and blackberry jam today. I made two batches of cowboy candy and pickled jalapeños last week. Bagging up sliced peppers and onions to freeze. I cooked down some tomato sauce but haven’t had time to do anything with it yet. Might toss that into the freezer too.

can I get your recipe for cowboy candy, please? My husband had some when we went to Helen a couple of years ago and loved them. Thank you!

 

[Skyraider]

Awesome how many folks are canning. I know it is labor intensive and a back killer after a full day and late evening. Finished up tomato sauce a couple days ago. Dug a bushel of kennebec yesterday and am on my second batch. Seven quarts at a time, two more to go today. I use a 22 qt Mirror, has lasted me for years and will for many more. I have replaced the gasket and have a couple in storage. Also the small rubber sealer piece. Still have a long row of potatoes to dig but I’m cutting firewood with a Son tomorrow so it will have to wait. You know, in years past I have left them in the ground with a foot of straw on them and dug them through the winter. My second crop of Provider green beans will be ready in a couple days. Pick some last night for dinner and they were killer.

Skyraider

 

[thereisnofork]

PIcked another 1.5 gallons of blackberries and made 24 1 cup jars of seedless low sugar jelly. Made about 20 cups last week, with both normal and lower sugar. My wife made raspberry jam, and next week it's concorde grape jelly.

Should have added I send a lot of this to the relatives who can't do this anymore due to age.