Category: Canning And Preserving


Oct
2015

Cilantro-Lime Enchilada Sauce

categories: Canning And Preserving, Sauces and Dressings
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This delicious homemade cilantro lime enchilada sauce can be used for enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc. Canning instructions are included.This delicious green enchilada sauce features the Southwest flavors of tomatillos, cilantro, and lime, and can be used for enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc.

After a 5 day visit to Southern California to see my family, I’m glad to be back home in the great Pacific Northwest. Today I want to share the recipe for a fantastic tasting Cilantro-Lime Enchilada Sauce that I made (and canned) back in July.

I’ve included instructions for canning this (optional), but you don’t have to do that to enjoy this delicious sauce on some enchiladas, or even to use as a taco sauce. It’s really good, very easy to prepare, and makes 3 pints of delicious enchilada sauce!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

This Recipe Uses Tomatillos – So What Is A Tomatillo?

I had never cooked with tomatillos before making this green sauce, but found them very easy to work with.  A tomatillo is also known as a Mexican Husk Tomato, due to the paper-like husk that surrounds it. This fruit/vegetable originated in Mexico, and is a key ingredient in Mexican and Central American green sauces.

Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce Is A Green Sauce!

When I make homemade enchiladas or order them at our favorite Mexican restaurant, I always go with a traditional red sauce, BUT I decided to branch out a bit and make this recipe for a green enchilada sauce.  The original recipe was from Pam at “Over The Big Moon.com”.

Do I Have To CAN This Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce?

No! Absolutely NOT! The recipe does NOT have to be canned, but I canned it (water-bath canning and recipe makes 3 pints), so I could have some in our pantry for “later”. Further down in this post, you can see how to store it, if not canning it!

I used the first batch of this sauce to make some Pork Enchiladas With Cilantro Lime Sauce, and whoa… they were amazingly DELICIOUS!

Chicken enchiladas with cilantro lime enchilada sauceThe sauce was very easy to prepare, and I absolutely will make it again, so I can have more in our pantry!  Here’s how I made it:

How To Make Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce

Rinse, peel and de-stem the tomatillos, then cut each tomatillo in quarters (6 cups total).

Tomatillos are used to make cilantro lime enchilada sauce.
Place the tomatillos into a large stockpot,, and add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeno peppers.

Cooking tomatillos, onions, jalapenos for sauce
Drizzle everything in the pot with olive oil. Cook the tomatillos on medium-high heat for a few minutes. While the tomatillos and other veggies are cooking, chop up the fresh cilantro.

Chopped cilantro for adding to cilantro lime sauce
Cooking The Tomatillo Mixture

After the tomatillo mixture has cooked for a few minutes, add the water, chopped cilantro, cumin, and salt to the pan. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat to low temperature. Cook on low for about 10-12 minutes.

Cilantro, water, and spices added to sauce in pan
Once the tomatillos are pretty soft, use an immersion blender to completely puree everything into a smooth sauce. NOTE: If you do not have an immersion blender (mine was a gift!), put everything into a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth (might have to do it in batches).

Once the cilantro lime enchilada sauce is smooth, add the lime juice to the mixture and mix well, to fully combine.

Using immersion blender to puree tomatillos in enchilada sauce
What If I Am NOT Going To CAN The Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce? At this point if you are NOT going to can it, you can use some right away, to make enchiladas!  Make sure to keep the leftover sauce covered and refrigerated.

Can I FREEZE The Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze the sauce. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. You will need to store the sauce in air-tight containers or freezer bags in the freezer.

Cilantro lime enchilada sauce has been blended

How Do I CAN The Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce?

**If you are going to can the enchilada sauce, you will need to add the hot enchilada sauce into your clean, hot canning jars (that have been prepped according to USDA safe canning guidelines).  YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO ADD ADDITIONAL LIME JUICE TO EACH JAR BEFORE PROCESSING (SEE RECIPE BELOW).

Fill the jars leaving 1/2 ” headspace, remove air bubbles, adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe rims, then apply 2 piece canning lids that have been prepped according to safe canning guidelines.  Process in boiling water in water bath canner for 40 minutes, following published canning guidelines**.

Jars of cilantro lime sauce in water bath canner

Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce, canned and ready to use or store in pantry!
Hope you will give this recipe a try! The cilantro-lime enchilada sauce is delicious and fresh tasting! Update (2019): This recipe for cilantro lime enchilada sauce continues to be used, over and over. I’ve made this enchilada sauce at least 5 times now, and it is fantastic!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you will come back soon for more delicious recipes.

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all my canning recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. These include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a wonderful day!

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://overthebigmoon.com/canning-cilantro-lime-enchilada-sauce/

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Cilantro-Lime Enchilada Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Canning Time
40 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
This delicious green enchilada sauce features the Southwest flavors of tomatillos, cilantro, and lime, and can be used for enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc.
Category: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cilantro lime enchilada sauce
Servings: 3 pints
Calories Per Serving: 163 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 cups tomatillos , husks removed and quartered
  • 1/2 cup brown onion , chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic (sliced thinly, or use equivalent of minced garlic)
  • 2 medium jalapeno peppers , finely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons cilantro , chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 additional fresh limes (to use only if you are canning this recipe)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Remove husks from tomatillos; rinse tomatillos, then cut into quarters. Place into large saute pan or stockpot, along with the garlic and chopped jalapenos, then drizzle all with a bit of olive oil.

  2. Cook the veggies on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes. Add the water, cilantro, cumin and salt to the pan. Put a lid on the pan; continue to simmer the veggies on low for about 10 minutes or so, until the tomatillos have softened.

  3. Once tomatillos have softened, use an immersion blender to blend ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. May also put the hot ingredients into a blender or a food processor (in batches), and process until smooth.
  4. Once sauce is smooth, stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice to combine. If you are NOT canning the sauce, it is now ready to use.
  5. IF YOU ARE GOING TO CAN THE SAUCE: Pour the hot enchilada sauce into clean, hot canning jars. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lime into each jar - DO NOT FORGET TO ADD THE EXTRA LIME JUICE TO JAR, SINCE THIS ADDS THE EXTRA ACIDITY NECESSARY FOR LONG TERM STORAGE. Leave 1/2" headspace in each jar. Remove air bubbles, wipe rim of jar with clean cloth, then attach prepared heated jar lid (again, per guidelines) and jar ring. Please follow USDA canning guidelines if you are not familiar with the canning process. Process in a water bath canner for 40 minutes. When done, remove jars to a kitchen towel (do not sit right on counter), and let jars completely cool. Once you have ensured they have sealed correctly, they may be stored in pantry.
Recipe Notes

**The cooking time listed is for making the sauce. If you will be canning the sauce, and additional 40 minutes of processing time will be necessary.

Nutrition Facts
Cilantro-Lime Enchilada Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 Pint Jar)
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 1169mg51%
Potassium 850mg24%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 450IU9%
Vitamin C 63.9mg77%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This delicious homemade cilantro lime enchilada sauce can be used for enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc. Canning instructions are included.

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Jul
2015

Raspberry Jam

categories: Canning And Preserving
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Making homemade raspberry jam and canning jars of it for long term storage is a great way to enjoy the taste of summer raspberries all year round!Making homemade raspberry jam and canning jars of it for long term storage is a great way to enjoy the taste of fresh summer raspberries all year round!
It’s THAT time of year once again… I go and pick fresh berries at a local U-Pick Farm, then come home and “morph” the berries into several different recipes. This Raspberry Jam is the result of my latest berry picking adventure!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

I Love To Pick Raspberries At A Local Farm

There’s something to be said for picking your own raspberries in the cool of the morning on a gorgeous day. It’s also fun to use those fresh-picked berries to make raspberry jam! That’s my feeling every single time I pick berries at a local U-Pick place, called Rowell Brothers Berry Farm, which has been in existence since 1853.

Fresh raspberries, ready to pick!
This time I picked about 14 pounds of Willamette Red Raspberries. Here’s a few of them…

One of the buckets of fresh raspberries, freshly picked!
I use a lot of berries picked to make homemade raspberry jam. Jam making, once you get the “basics” down, is fairly easy and results in lots of jars of jam to store in our pantry.

Prepare Equipment and Jars For Canning

To make this recipe for raspberry jam, first wash and pre-heat the jars and lids (lids are in separate bowl). Follow all manufacturer guidelines for canning equipment.

Jars are preheated in a water bath canner, used to make jamPrepare The Raspberry Jam

Crush the raspberries (I used my trusty potato masher), measure the exact amount of raspberries into a large cooking pot, then add one box (2 ounces) of powdered fruit pectin, and stir it in.

Fruit pectin powder is added to crushed raspberries in large pot.
Bring the raspberry/pectin mixture to a full rolling boil (a “rolling boil” means it won’t stop boiling even while stirring), then add the sugar quickly, and stir it all to combine.

Granulated sugar is added to fruit in pan when making jam.
Bring the raspberry/pectin/sugar mixture to a full rolling boil, then continue boiling it for exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Raspberries, pectin and sugar are brought to a full rolling boil.
After it has boiled for 4 minutes, remove pan from heat, and skim off the foam that has accumulated on the top of the jam mixture.

Foam is skimmed off the cooked raspberry jam mixture in pot.Fill the Jars With Jam

Ladle the HOT raspberry jam into prepared canning jars, using a wide mouth canning funnel.

Hot raspberry jam is ladled into hot canning jars using a funnel
Add jam up to 1/8 inch headspace from the top of the jar, then follow standard canning instructions for removing the air bubbles from jam.

Headspace is measured in canning jar.
Adjust the headspace (if necessary), then wipe rim of the jar with a wet paper towel to remove any jam debris (so the jar would seal properly).

Rims of the jam jars are wiped clean so lids will seal.
Use magnetic canning wand (if you have one) to pick up the hot lids out of the water, and place one on each jar.

Canning wand with magnetic tip lifts lids to place on jars.
Screw the jar rings on, fingertip tight, then carefully lower jars into water bath canner, making sure that jars are completely covered by at least one inch of water above the tops of the jars.

Jars of raspberry jam sit in water on rack inside cannerProcess The Jars Of Raspberry Jam

Cover the canner, and bring water to a boil. Process the raspberry jam for 10 minutes (after it comes to a boil).

Canner is covered, then raspberry jam is processed for 10 minutes.
When processing time is done, turn off heat, wait for a couple minutes, remove lid, then remove jars of raspberry jam (using canning tongs), and set them on a dish towel to cool.

Raspberry jam in sealed jars cool to room temperature after processing.
Let the jars sit, undisturbed on the dish towel for 24 hours, listening for the tell-tale “PING” sounds, which means the jars have sealed. Check the seal by lightly pressing on the middle of the lid with a finger. If the jar did not seal, the lid will spring back. if that happens, you must refrigerate that jar of jam.

After 24 hours, I put all the jars of jam into our pantry, to use up throughout the year and to give as gifts. Just yesterday, I gave a jar to my next door neighbor That’s it… a little bit of time guarantees us absolutely delicious, fresh raspberry jam all year long! YAY!  Sure hope you’ll give this recipe a try!

Looking For More JAM Recipes?

You can find all of my jam recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signatureRecipe Source: Instruction page for jam, found in box of MCP Premium Fruit Pectin.

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Raspberry Jam
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Making homemade raspberry jam and canning jars of it for long term storage is a great way to enjoy the taste of fresh summer raspberries all year round!
Category: Jam
Cuisine: American
Keyword: raspberry jam
Servings: 10 cups (approx.10 half pint jars)
Calories Per Serving: 43 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 cups of crushed raspberries (measure AFTER crushing them)
  • 8 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces Classic powdered fruit pectin (1 box)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Fill a boiling water canner half full of water. Bring this to a simmer. (At the same time, I start a teapot with water going, so I will have boiling water for the jar lids later on). Wash jars and lids in soapy hot water. Put lids in small bowl. Fill jars with water and put in canner on a rack, while it is simmering, to keep jars warm. (Or you can set jars on dish towel on a cookie sheet and keep in oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes for same effect).

  2. In a large bowl, measure out the exact amount of sugar. Set aside.

  3. Crush the raspberries, one cup at a time, until you have 6 cups of mashed berries. Put the berries into a large stock pot. Stir the box of Pectin into the berries. Bring the raspberry mixture to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly (a rolling boil is when it is boiling hard, so that it won't stop bubbling even when stirred). Stir in all of the sugar quickly (all at once). Stir well to combine.

  4. At this point, I pour boiling water over the jar lids that are in the little bowl. Let them just sit in the hot water for 5 minutes while you finish the jam.

  5. Bring the jam/pectin/sugar mixture back to a full, rolling boil. Once it is a full rolling boil, boil it for exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly. When time is up, remove pan from heat, then skim off any accumulated foam (and discard foam). Ladle the hot jam mixture into hot, prepared jars. Fill the jars, but leave 1/8 inch headspace at the top of each jar. Insert a plastic knife into each jar a couple times to help remove air bubbles. Adjust the headspace if necessary. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe down the rim and edges of the jar. You need it free of debris in order to get a good seal on the jar. Cover the jars with the hot, flat jar lid. Screw on the jar rings tightly.

  6. Lower each of the jars onto an elevated rack in the canner. The jars must be completely covered with water, and must have at least an inch of water over the top of the jar. Add more boiling water to canner, if necessary, to make sure.

  7. Cover the canner; bring to a gentle boil. Once the water is boiling, process the jars for 10 minutes. When done, wait for a minute, carefully remove canner lid (lift lid away from you because of steam); carefully lift each jar out of water (with canning tongs), and place on dish towel on the counter to cool (do not put jars directly on counter cause you don't want temperature differences to possibly crack jars). You should hear "ping" sound as the jars seal properly.

  8. After the jars cool for 24 hours, you can check to see they sealed properly by pressing the middle of the lid. The jar should NOT spring back when touched. If it does spring back, then you will need to refrigerate that particular jar. Let the sealed jars stand at room temp for 24 hours, then store unopened in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Recipe Notes

FYI-The ten cups of jam this recipe produced filled the equivalent of 10 half-pint jars.

Nutrition Facts
Raspberry Jam
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 43
% Daily Value*
Potassium 6mg0%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Vitamin C 1.2mg1%
Calcium 1mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Making homemade raspberry jam and canning jars of it for long term storage is a great way to enjoy the taste of fresh summer raspberries all year round!

 

 

 

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Jul
2015

Bread and Butter Pickles

categories: Canning And Preserving, From Our Veggie Garden
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Learn how to make traditional Bread and Butter Pickles, (perfect topping for burgers, sandwiches or just for snacking), and can the jars, for long term storage!Learn how to make traditional Bread and Butter Pickles, (perfect topping for burgers, sandwiches or just for snacking), and can the jars, for long term storage!Do you enjoy pickles?  I never really liked Bread and Butter Pickles… until a year ago, when my friend Sandy let me try some of the ones she grew in her garden (pickling cucumbers) and canned.

I’ve been a dill pickle fan since Jr. High School when I ordered HUGE dill pickles to sell to students during our annual Spirit Week.  I even used to buy GIANT SIZED dill pickles in the Main Street “General Store” at Disneyland as a kid. But bread and butter pickles? Didn’t like them too much until I tried these homemade ones.

Whoa… they were good! Really changed my opinion of them.  So this year, I decided to make my own with some of the pickling cucumbers I grew in our backyard raised bed garden. I got the recipe out of my “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”, which I bought last year, and found a recipe for Traditional Bread and Butter Pickles. Sounded good, so I thought I would give it a try! And guess what? It was pretty easy, and they are soooo good!

This recipe makes approximately 5 pint jars, so it’s not a HUGE batch, but it IS more than enough for our needs.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Here’s How To Make Bread And Butter Pickles

Slice both ends off each of the cucumbers (discard ends), then slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices. Thinly slice the onions, as well.

Pickling cucumbers used to make bread and butter pickles

Place the sliced pickling cucumbers, onions, and canning salt into a large glass (or stainless steel) bowl.

Pickling cucumbers, sliced onions and canning salt are mixed in large glass bowl

Mix them up real good, then cover the mixture completely with water, and let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours. It really helps to put a small salad plate on top to keep the cucumbers submerged.

Sliced pickling cucumbers and onions submerged in water
Make The Pickling Brine

While the cucumbers are taking a bath, mix up the pickling brine AND get your canning jars and lids prepared for canning (cleaned/heated per USDA canning guidelines).

To make the brine, mix together white vinegar, granulated sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric (a spice). Bring this mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once combined, turn off heat. (do this if making the brine ahead of time).

Brine for pickles is cooked in large saucepan

Once the cucumber and onion mixture has soaked for 2 hours, pour them into a colander and drain the water off. Rinse them very well, then drain thoroughly.

Cucumbers and onions (for pickles) are rinsed and drained in colander

Bring the brine mixture back up to a full boil, add cucumber mixture, stir to combine, then bring it all to a rolling boil.

Adding pickling cucumbers and onions to bring in large saucepanCooking cucumbers, onions and spices for bread and butter pickles

Filling The Jars With Bread And Butter Pickles

Remove the pan from the heat. Pack the vegetables into clean, hot prepared jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace at the top of the jar. Ladle the hot brine in, enough to cover the cucumbers. Remove the air bubbles, and add or remove more brine, if necessary, to keep the headspace at 1/2 inch.

Wipe the rims of the jars clean, to ensure a good seal, then place heated flat lid on top, and screw on the jar band to finger-tip tightness. Now you’re ready to process the jars!

Adding cucumber mixture for pickles to canning jar with a green funnel

Processing the Jars Of Bread And Butter Pickles

Place jars onto a canning rack in the canner full of simmering water. Make sure the jars are completely submerged in water (plus an inch of water over the tops of the jars). Bring the water to a full boil, then process jars for 10 minutes. When done, remove the canner lid, wait a few minutes, then remove jars with canning tongs to a dish towel on the counter to cool.

Once the jars are completely cool, test them to make sure they were properly sealed. Wipe the jars clean, then label and store jars (upright) in your pantry, to await the big moment when you open and enjoy them. Here a photo of a couple of the jars of bread and butter pickles, right out of the canner.

Two jars of canned bread and butter pickles

Hope you will give these delicious pickles a try! They really are quite good (yes, I snuck a few samples before sealing the jars)! Update: I served these pickles on the side with our other dishes for Thanksgiving 2015… Delicious! Here’s a picture:

Homemade bread and butter pickles, in serving bowl

Hope you will try this delicious recipe for bread and butter pickles. They taste GREAT! Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon for more recipes.

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious recipes for canning (water bath and pressure canning, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks


Author's signatureRecipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, Published 2006,by Robert Rose, Inc., page 303.

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Bread and Butter Pickles
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
 
Learn how to make traditional Bread and Butter Pickles, (perfect topping for burgers, sandwiches or just for snacking), and can the jars, for long term storage!
Category: Canning
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread and butter pickles
Servings: 5 pints (approx. 80 2 Tablespoon servings)
Calories Per Serving: 26 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 cups sliced pickling cucumbers (1/4 inch slices, plus both ends trimmed off each cucumber)
  • 4 medium brown onions , thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup canning salt (can also use pickling salt)
  • 3 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons mustard seeds (found in spice section at store)
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds (found in spice section at store)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (found in spice section at store)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Place the sliced and trimmed cucumbers, sliced onions, and canning salt into a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Stir to combine. Cover the cucumbers completely with water (I used a small plate on top to help keep the cucumbers submerged). Let them sit and soak for 2 hours. When done, pour into a colander, rinse and drain very thoroughly.
  2. While the cucumbers are in the soaking mode, you can prepare the brine, AND prepare your water bath canner, jars and lids (per canning guidelines), so they are ready to go.
  3. In a large saucepan, mix together the vinegar, granulated sugar, mustard and celery seeds, and the turmeric. Bring this brine mixture to a boil, while stirring. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour in the rinsed and drained cucumber/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Return the mixture to a full boil.
  4. Remove saucepan from heat. Pack the pickle/onions mixture into hot canning jars to within 1/2 inch from the top. (I used a slotted spoon to scoop out the veggies). Once the veggies are packed into the jars, Iadle the hot brine into the jars, covering the cucumbers fully. Remove air bubbles from jar, then adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims of each jar with a clean cloth or wet paper towel. Put hot, flat lid on top of jar, the screw on the band until it is fingertip tight.
  5. Put the filled jars into the simmering water in a water bath canner, adding more boiling water, if necessary, to make sure jars are completely submerged (and have at least an inch of water over the top of the jars). Bring water to a full boil and process pickles for 10 minutes. When done, carefully remove lid (away from you to prevent steam burn), wait a few minutes, then remove jars from canner, using canning tongs. Set hot jars onto a dish towel on counter (not directly on counter), then let jars cool. Test to make sure jars have sealed. Sealed lids will be concave (curving downward), and will show no signs of "give" when you press down in the middle of lid.
  6. Store cooled jars upright in cool dark place.
Recipe Notes

Recipe makes approx. 5 pint jars. Please refer to official USDA canning guidelines if you are unsure of proper process for preparing jars for canning/sealing.

Nutrition Facts
Bread and Butter Pickles
Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Sodium 708mg31%
Potassium 33mg1%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Sugar 5g6%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!earn how to make traditional Bread and Butter Pickles, (perfect topping for burgers, sandwiches or just for snacking), and can the jars, for long term storage!

Save

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May
2015

Ham and Bean Soup (and how to CAN it!)

categories: Canning And Preserving, Soups
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This delicious, hearty ham and bean soup will fill you up. Recipe includes “how to” instructions for canning soup to store in your pantry!Ham and Bean Soup (and how to CAN it!) / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Well… I finally canned my first batch of Ham and Bean Soup a few months ago. I am loving having this delicious soup in my pantry, ready to open, re-heat, and eat whenever we wish! My pressure canning experiences are becoming more frequent, and I love the convenience of having jars of homemade soups, sauces, and veggies, etc. sitting in our pantry (along with canned fruits and jam), just waiting to be eaten!

The soup is very hearty… flavored with ham, navy beans, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, etc. Once cooked, it thickens a bit, and is wonderful as a main dish or lunch serving. Even if you don’t can, you can still make a nice sized pot of this soup to feed your family very inexpensively. The soup is very filling, and delicious!

NOTE: If you want to can this soup, you must use a pressure canner. This recipe will yield approximately 6 pints (12 cups) or 3 quarts of soup.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page 

Prepare The Dried Beans

Here’s the basics of how I made this yummy soup: First thing to do is rinse the beans to remove any sediment, rocks, etc.

White colander with beans being rinsed in water
Cover the beans with 2 quarts of water in a LARGE pot, then bring them to a boil.

Cooking beans in water
After the beans begin boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let the beans rest for an hour.

Beans for soup cooking in red pan
While beans are “resting”, cut up the ham and veggies for the soup. I even used some of my dehydrated celery in place of “fresh” celery, and it worked perfectly!

Chopped ham and minced garlic for soup, in metal bowlChopped carrots, celery and onion for bean and ham soup

Make The Ham and Bean Soup

After the beans “rest” for an hour, rinse them, and put them into a large stock pot. Cover the beans with water (1 1/2 quarts), add the ham pieces and spices, and let it simmer on medium-low (covered) for 45 minutes.

Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook the ham and bean soup for 15 minutes longer. If you are NOT going to can the soup, you may wish to cook the soup just a bit longer (uncovered), which will help to thicken it.

Beans, ham, carrots, celery and onion for soup, cooking in pan
Canning Ham and Bean Soup

Prepare canning jars, lids, and screw bands according to recommended canning guidelines. (Make sure jars stay warm until you are ready to fill them). Fill the jars 3/4 full with the ham and veggie pieces (used a slotted spoon and a canning funnel for less mess).

Finish filling the jars with the hot liquid, making sure to leave a 1″ headspace in the jar. Follow canning guidelines to remove air bubbles from the jars, clean the jar rims well, then seal them with lids and screwbands to fingertip tight, and into the pressure canner they go.

Pressure canner, used for making soupCanning / Processing Times

Can quart jars at 10 lbs. pressure for 90 minutes. If you are using pint jars, process at 10 lbs. pressure for 75 minutes. NOTE: If above 1,000 feet in elevation: weighted gauge (15 lb weight), dial gauge (12 lbs- at 2,000-4,000 feet elevation).

Pressure gauge, used for canning soup
When processing time is done, follow recommended pressure canning guidelines for jar removal, according to the manufacturer’s instructions for canner (wait for pressure to drop naturally, remove vent cover, wait 10 more minutes). After that, place hot jars of soup on a dish towel on kitchen counter for 24 hours, to cool and seal completely.

Label jars (love my dissolvable labels-so easy to clean off), and check to make jars have properly sealed. Remove screw bands (for storage), wipe jars clean, and place them in pantry to await a craving for (and the convenience of) this yummy, “ready-to-heat-and-eat” soup!

3 jars of canned ham and bean soup on red towel
Ready To Eat The Ham And Bean Soup

This is a picture of the very first time I opened a jar of this ham and bean soup (about a month later) and heated it up for our dinner. The ham and bean soup was DELICIOUS!

Bowl of ham and bean soup with garlic bread on sideSure hope you will give this ham and bean soup a try! It is delicious, even if you don’t can it in jars, for long term storage!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soup recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://iowasue.blogspot.com/2011/07/home-canned-bean-soup.html

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 2 votes
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Ham and Bean Soup (and how to CAN it!)
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
 
This hearty ham and bean soup will fill you up... plus instructions for canning it to save for later!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: canning soup, ham and bean soup
Servings: 6 pints (or 3 Qts.) Total 12 servings
Calories Per Serving: 187 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound dried Navy beans
  • 1 1/2 quarts water (can also use chicken broth, if desired)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 large brown onion , chopped finely (about 1/2 pound)
  • 5 celery stalks , sliced
  • 6 ounces carrots , sliced thinly (1/4" slices)
  • 1/2 pound fully cooked ham , cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 whole Bay leaf
  • 6-8 whole peppercorns
  • Salt/pepper to taste (if canning, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pint, 3/4 teaspoon per quart)
  • Parsley , chopped (add some to soup-to taste; also use as garnish when serving soup fresh)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To prepare the soup:
  1. Rinse beans thoroughly. Place beans in large soup pot; cover with 2 quarts of water. Bring beans to full boil, then reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 2 additional minutes. Remove the soup pot from heat. Cover pot; let beans sit for one hour. Drain.
  2. Place beans back into soup pot. Cover with 1 1/2 quarts of fresh water (or chicken broth). Add the ham pieces, chopped parsley, and minced garlic. Add the peppercorns, and bay leaf (might want to put the peppercorns and bay leaf into a tea ball or a spice bag-they need to be removed from soup before serving OR canning). Simmer (covered) for about 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, add the carrots, celery, and onions; cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remove spice bag. If NOT canning, add salt as desired. Serve soup hot, and enjoy!
If Canning:
  1. While soup is cooking, prepare canning jars and lids, according to general canning guidelines (wash jars, keep warm, prepare lids according to manufacturer instructions, etc.). Add 3 quarts of water to your pressure canner and let it begin simmering (uncovered).
  2. When ready to fill warm jars, use a slotted spoon (and a canning funnel) to fill jars 2/3 full, with ham and veggie pieces. Then ladle the hot liquid into jars, being sure to leave 1" headspace. Remove air bubbles from each jar using a plastic knife or utensil. Wipe the rim of each jar really clean, then place lid and screwband on jar. Tighten to fingertip tight.
  3. Place covered and sealed jars onto rack in pressure canner (that contains 3 quarts water that has been simmering). Cover pressure canner. Crank up the heat; vent the steam for 10 minutes, then process at 10 pounds of pressure: Pints: 1 hour, 15 minutes. Quarts: 1 hour, 30 minutes.
  4. When processing time is complete, remove canner from heat. Let the pressure drop completely on it's own (follow your canner's manufacturer instructions carefully!), then carefully open lid. Remove hot jars with canning tongs and set them on a dish towel. Let them sit, undisturbed for 24 hours.
  5. Check to ensure all jars sealed properly, remove screwband rings, wipe jars clean, label, and store in pantry, out of direct sunlight.
Recipe Notes

Cook time indicated is for preparing soup to serve fresh.

If canning this recipe, cook time will also include 1 hour, 15 minutes for pints, OR 1 hour, 30 minutes for quarts.

If your elevation is over 1,000 feet, weighted gauge used should be 15 pounds.
A dial gauge should be at 12 pounds pressure for elevations 2,000-4,000 feet.

Nutrition Facts
Ham and Bean Soup (and how to CAN it!)
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 187 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 837mg36%
Potassium 608mg17%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 10g42%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 2445IU49%
Vitamin C 2.3mg3%
Calcium 76mg8%
Iron 2.4mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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May
2015

Blueberry Jam

categories: Canning And Preserving
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Homemade blueberry jam- nothing beats the fresh taste of these delicious preserves! Recipe includes instructions on how to can jars for long term storage!Homemade blueberry jam- nothing beats the fresh taste of these delicious preserves! Recipe includes instructions on how to can jars for long term storage!Have you ever had homemade blueberry jam on a piece of toast, English muffin, or biscuit before? Well, I have… and it tastes exquisite on all of them! I love to make homemade jam! For years now I have been making our own jam. I’ve made strawberry, orange marmalade, boysenberry, blackberry, rhubarb-orange, peach, apple butter, raspberry, bing cherry, and this blueberry jam. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve bought jam at the grocery store for at least 5 years!

I think blueberry jam tastes even better knowing I handpicked the berries right off the bushes! Even though I have three blueberry bushes in our backyard, I still go each summer to a local U-Pick farm and pick as many blueberries (and other berries) as I can carry (for only $1.25 per POUND!).

Blueberries are so easy to preserve. I freeze a lot of them, and use them year-round! It’s much less expensive to pick my own (about 20 pounds in about an hour of my time), than to pay so much at the store (around $4 for a tiny basket of berries)!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Fresh blueberries, ready to pick and use to make blueberry jam!Fresh picked blueberries - some will be used to make blueberry jam!
I’ve been making many varieties of jam for years, but this was my very first year for making BLUEBERRY jam. Boy, is it good! There’s nothing like spreading homemade blueberry jam on a hot, buttered piece of toast in the morning!

How To Make And Can Blueberry Jam

Here’s how to make blueberry jam (after getting the canning jars and lids ready according to canning guidelines):

Crush the blueberries (I used some of my frozen, but thawed berries) and place them in a large saucepan (6-8 quarts), then add lemon juice and water. Add a 1.75 ounce box of powdered fruit Pectin and 1/2 teaspoon butter into the mixture, then bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil.

Cooking blueberries to make jam!

While the berries, etc. are cooking, let jars simmer on a rack in a canner, in hot (but not boiling) water, to keep them hot before filling!

Simmering canning jars before filling them with blueberry jam!

Once the blueberry jam mixture reaches a full rolling boil,  add the sugar all at once, and stir well to combine.

Sugar is added to blueberry jam mixture

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil again, then boil it for exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, and skim off any foam that has collected. Carefully ladle the blueberry jam into hot canning jars, using a canning funnel to avoid a mess.

Blueberry jam is cooked until thick - ready to fill jars!

Filling Jars With Blueberry Jam

Fill the jars up to 1/8 inch from top of jar (1/8″ headspace) with the hot blueberry jam, and clean the rims. Place the hot, flat lids and screwbands onto jars, and screw the bands on, to fingertip tightness.

Filled jars of blueberry preserves are placed onto canning rack

Place the filled jars of blueberry jam onto a canning rack and lower them into canner. Make sure jars are covered completely with water (add boiling water, if necessary, to make sure the jars are covered by at least 1-2 inches of water).

Cover the pan, bring the water to a gentle boil, then process the jars of blueberry jam for 10 minutes.

Jars of blueberry jam are processed in water bath canner

When the processing time is done, carefully remove the HOT blueberry jam jars to a dish towel on kitchen counter, to cool completely. It’s fun to watch the hot water on the lids evaporate, and to listen for the jars to “ping” as they seal.

Let the jars sit on the counter (upright and undisturbed) for 24 hours at room temp. After they are done “resting”, check to make sure all jars have sealed, then wipe clean.  Put a label on the blueberry jam jars, and place in pantry to use throughout the year OR give as gifts to friends.

Storing Jars Of Blueberry Jam For Long Term Storage

When I store jars, after making sure they are clean, labeled and sealed correctly, I unscrew the rings for long term storage. I also store the jars in single layers.

TIP: Did you know that stacking jars on top of each other can sometimes lead to breaking the good seal on the jar. You sure don’t want THAT to happen to your beautiful jars of homemade blueberry jam! Stack those gorgeous jars of jam in a single layer!

Jars of blueberry jam are sealed and cooling down on dish towel

That’s it! It really didn’t take very much time at all to make this delicious jam, and I ended up with 7 half-pint jars (8 oz. each) of delicious, homemade blueberry jam!

Homemade blueberry jam on a piece of toast- yum!

Hope you’ll give this blueberry jam recipe a try… it’s delicious! By the way… you can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a GREAT day! Thanks for stopping by- come back soon for more delicious recipes! 

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Have a great day!

Blueberry Jam / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Recipe Source: MCP Fruit Pectin (instruction page inside box)

5 from 2 votes
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Blueberry Jam
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Homemade blueberry jam- nothing beats the fresh taste of these delicious preserves! Recipe includes instructions on how to can jars for long term storage!
Category: Jam / Canning and Preserving
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blueberry jam
Servings: 7 half-pint jars
Calories Per Serving: 56 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 pints of ripe blueberries (will need 3 3/4 cups of crushed berries)
  • 6 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1.75 ounce powdered fruit pectin (small box)
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter (optional, to help reduce foaming)
  • 7 half-pint canning jars , flat lids, and rings.
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To prepare jars/lids:
  1. Fill water bath canner (filled half way with water) to a simmer. Prepare jars, flat lids and screw bands according to manufacturer guidelines. (i.e. Wash jars and screw bands with hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Place jars on rack into simmering water to get hot (but do not boil water). Let them stay in hot water until ready to fill. Drain well. Place flat lids in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water and let them sit (off heat) for about 5 minutes (time this so that flat lids are ready when jam is being ladled into jars).
To prepare jam:
  1. Crush berries (1 cup at a time-it's easier that way-I use a potato masher). If you are going to use a food processor, do not puree. just lightly pulse ... you want little pieces of fruit!
  2. Measure the EXACT amount of crushed blueberries into a LARGE saucepan (6-8 quarts). Add the lemon juice and water, and stir well to combine.
  3. In a separate large bowl, measure out the EXACT amount of granulated sugar; set aside. (You want this pre-measured so you don't have to mess with it when you need to add the sugar at just the right moment).

  4. Stir a 1.75 ounce box of pectin into the blueberry mixture in the saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter (this will help cut down on the foaming).

  5. Bring blueberry mixture to a FULL, ROLLING BOIL on high heat. (A full rolling boil is when the boiling doesn't stop, even when it is being stirred). Stir the blueberry mixture constantly.
  6. Once blueberries reach a full, rolling boil, add the granulated sugar ALL AT ONCE. Stir well to combine; bring the mixture to a FULL ROLLING BOIL once again, and boil for EXACTLY 4 MINUTES, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. If any foam formed, just skim it off the top with a spoon and discard.
  7. Quickly ladle hot jam mixture into prepared, hot, drained canning jars. I use a canning funnel to avoid a lot of drippy messes. Fill each jar, leaving 1/8-inch headspace at the top. Wipe the jar rims and the threads carefully to make sure any drips are removed before adding lids. Cover with the hot, flat lids and tighten on the screw bands. Put the jars on an elevated rack (do not let jars rest on bottom of saucepan); lower rack and jars into the simmering water in the canner. Make sure all jars are fully covered by at least 1-2 inches water above top of jar. Add more boiling water, if necessary to fully cover.
  8. Cover pan; bring the water to a "gentle" boil. Process the jars for 10 minutes (after water reaches the boiling point). Once done, carefully remove lid from canner. Lift jars out with canning tongs and place each jar, upright, onto a dish towel. Let them cool completely, undisturbed at room temperature, for 24 hours. You should hear the jars distinct "ping" sound sometime over the next hour, as the jars seal. After 24 hours, check the seal on each jar by pressing on the middle of the lid with one of your fingers. If the lid "springs back", then the jar did not seal, and must be refrigerated. If jars sealed properly, they can be stored in a cool, dry place (pantry) for up to a year (or more).
Nutrition Facts
Blueberry Jam
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 56
% Daily Value*
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Sugar 13g14%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 2.6mg3%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Homemade blueberry jam- nothing beats the fresh taste of these delicious preserves! Recipe includes instructions on how to can jars for long term storage!

 

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Apr
2015

The Pioneer Woman’s Salsa (and how to can it!)

categories: Appetizers, Canning And Preserving
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Enjoy The Pioneer Woman’s salsa, an easy, scrumptious, restaurant-style salsa! Recipe also includes instructions for canning it for long term storage!Enjoy The Pioneer Woman's salsa, an easy, scrumptious, restaurant-style salsa! Recipe also includes instructions for canning it for long term storage!
Do you like Mexican food? Our family sure does! Occasionally we go OUT for Mexican food, which always includes a big basket of tortilla chips (or two) and salsa to munch on before dinner is served. Well… I found this recipe for The Pioneer Woman’s (Ree Drummond) Restaurant-Style Salsa on line, and adapted it for canning! It’s SOOOO good!

The thing I like the most about making this salsa is that I can make it (and can it) any time of the year. The recipe calls for canned tomatoes, which is kind of nice, because we all know the very best ripe tomatoes are available during our summer months.

You Can Make This Salsa Any Time Of The Year!

But what if you want to make or can great salsa in the middle of January? (those grocery store tomatoes are kinda gross at times!) Well, with this awesome recipe you can make wonderful restaurant-style salsa (and can it!!!) any month of the year!

I made this salsa and canned it for the first time last July. We saved some to eat “fresh”, and I canned the rest. I was able to can about 10 jars of the salsa (Note: I DOUBLED this recipe), and last month (March 2015), we ate the last of our canned salsa.

Each time we opened a jar, the salsa tasted just as good as the day I made it… and I didn’t have to buy salsa for 8 months! YeeHaw and Awesome!

Do I HAVE To Can This Salsa?

The quick answer is no. You do NOT have to can this salsa! If you are not going to can it, you need to know that this recipe makes a large quantity, AND is as easy as putting all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulsing until fully mixed.

Adjust seasonings to taste, and refrigerate salsa for an hour before serving. That’s how easy it is!

How To Make The Pioneer Woman’s Salsa

Get the ingredients together. Prep the onion and jalapeno according to the instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients used to make the salsa.
Place all ingredients in a large food processor or blender (you may have to prepare this in batches, and then mix all together in a large bowl or pot).

Ingredients for salsa are processed in a food processor.
Pulse or blend until salsa becomes the consistency you prefer. Taste the salsa, and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste.

If You Are NOT Canning This Salsa

The salsa is done at this point if you are not planning to can it for long term storage. Cover the salsa and refrigerate it for one hour before serving with a ginormous bowl of tortilla chips. That’s it!

A large saucepan full of The Pioneer Woman's salsa, ready to eat, or can for storage.

Planning To Can The Pioneer Woman’s Salsa For Long Term Storage?

If you are going to can and preserve the salsa, prepare 5 half-pint jars (or 10 if you are doubling the recipe). Wash canning jars in hot soapy water, rinse, drain, then heat the jars.

To heat the jars, I place the clean jars on a dish towel on a baking sheet. Place jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, before heating the salsa up for canning.

Jars are cleaned and heated prior to filling them up with salsa.
Heat water in a water bath canner while preparing the salsa and jars for canning (according to manufacturer instructions). Bring the salsa to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. While this is cooking, put the jar’s flat lids into simmering hot water for 4-5 minutes.

Fill The Jars With The Pioneer Woman’s Salsa For Canning

Ladle the hot salsa into the hot, prepared canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space in each jar. Follow instructions in the printable recipe below, to remove air bubbles, and apply the flat lids and rings.

Place the prepared jars of The Pioneer Woman’s salsa onto a rack in canner. Process jars in a gently boiling water bath for 15 minutes (per instructions below in the recipe card).

Jars of salsa are processed in a water bath canner.
Once done, the hot jars of salsa are removed and rest on the counter for 12-24 hours. When completely cooled, test the jars to ensure they have sealed properly, wipe them clean, label the jars, and then they are ready for the pantry.

Processed jars of The Pioneer Woman's salsa ready for the pantry.
Hope you will give this wonderful restaurant-style salsa a try! We sure have enjoyed having absolutely delicious salsa available to us year-round, with only a couple of steps to our pantry to get it!

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. These canning recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted From: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
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The Pioneer Woman's Salsa (and how to can it!)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Canning Processing Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Enjoy The Pioneer Woman's salsa, an easy, scrumptious, restaurant-style salsa! Recipe also includes instructions for canning it for long term storage!

Category: Appetizer, Canning
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: The Pioneer Woman's salsa
Servings: 40 ounces (approx. 5 half-pint jars)
Calories Per Serving: 4 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes with juice
  • 20 ounces canned Rotel Tomatoes (2 cans) (10 ounce cans each) (these are diced tomatoes w/ green chiles)
  • 1/4 cup chopped brown onion
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1 whole jalapeno (quartered, sliced thin, seeds and all)
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (or more, to suit your taste)
  • the juice from 1/2 of a large lime
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To make basic salsa:
  1. Place all ingredients into a large food processor or blender (may have to process in batches). Pulse (or blend) until you reach the desired consistency you prefer. Taste the salsa; add more seasonings to suit your taste. If not canning this, refrigerate (covered) for 1 hour, then serve with tortilla chips.
If canning:
  1. Fill canner or large, deep soup pot (with metal rack on bottom) over half full with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Wash canning jars in hot, soapy water. rinse well; drain. I put the clean jars on a dish towel on a baking sheet in a preheated 250 degree oven for about 25 minutes to heat up.
  3. Prepare salsa according to above directions. Place salsa in a separate large cooking pot.
  4. Once jars are heated, bring salsa to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer/low boil for 5 minutes. While this is cooking, place the jar lids in separate saucepan, cover with water and simmer over medium heat (do not boil) for 4-5 minutes. (Keep lids hot until ready to use).
  5. Work with one jar at a time: Insert funnel into mouth of jar. Ladle the hot salsa into hot jar. Leave 1/2 inch headspace from the top of the jar to the salsa. Slide a non-metallic utensil (plastic knife or rubber spatula work well) into salsa 2-3 times to remove air bubbles. Re-adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more salsa (only if needed for 1/2 inch headspace).
  6. Wipe rims and threads of jars with a damp cloth so no sauce or food particles remain (food particles left on rim could cause jars to not seal). Place lid on jar (I use a magnetic utensil). Place screw band on jar. Tighten to fingertip tight (do not over-tighten). Place filled jar onto rack in canner. Repeat process until all jars are filled.

  7. Once all jars are in canner, adjust the water level until it covers the tops of the jars by at least one inch. Cover canner with lid; bring water to full rolling boil over high heat. Once water is boiling HARD, start the timing (15 minutes) for processing the salsa. Keep up the rolling boil throughout the cooking process. Process half-pint jars for 15 minutes. At end of processing time, turn the heat off. Remove the canner lid. Let the jars cool in the canner for 5 minutes before removing with tongs.

  8. Lift jars out of canner carefully. Place the jars on a dish towel on counter (where they can be undisturbed) for 24 hours to cool down. Within an hour or so, you should hear a "ping" sound as the jars seal. After 24 hours, check to make sure all jars have sealed, remove band from jar, wipe clean, label, then place in pantry for long term storage.

Recipe Notes

For the sake of the recipe instructions, the prep and cooking time is for making the salsa only.
If you are going to can the salsa, obviously the processing time indicated in recipe instructions will also be involved.
If making this in pint jars, the processing time is 15 minutes in a water bath canner. Making this recipe in half-pint jars yields approx. 5 jars. I DOUBLED the recipe easily, and was able to can 10 half-pint jars.

Nutrition Facts
The Pioneer Woman's Salsa (and how to can it!)
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 4
% Daily Value*
Sodium 21mg1%
Potassium 43mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Vitamin A 40IU1%
Vitamin C 1.9mg2%
Calcium 6mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy The Pioneer Woman's salsa, an easy, scrumptious, restaurant-style salsa! Recipe also includes instructions for canning it for long term storage!

 

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Mar
2015

Zucchini Relish

categories: Canning And Preserving, From Our Veggie Garden, Vegetable Dishes
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Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!
Last summer I was visiting a dear friend in her home. She told me she had canned some pickle relish, using shredded zucchini from her garden. Then she gave me not one, but TWO pint jars of her homemade zucchini relish to take home.

I was too embarrassed to tell her that I don’t even LIKE pickle relish, so I thanked her (graciously, of course!), and took them home to occupy a spot in our pantry.  My thought was… I don’t eat hot dogs that often, and I don’t use it in my potato salad, so what was I supposed to do with TWO jars of the stuff?

I figured I could always put it out with the condiments at a bar-b-que or something…I ultimately cracked open a jar of zucchini relish (my curiosity got the best of me), and tried it on a grilled hot dog, and guess what? I LOVED it… (insert rolling of the eyes here). WHO KNEW?

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Okay… Please Give Me The Recipe- I Confess

Fast forward…It’s almost a year later… and those 2 jars of relish are long gone. Used up over the past year… it’s a Christmas Miracle! (perhaps my taste buds changed?) So I told (more like “confessed”) my friend the WHOLE story of my initial reaction to her kind gift (truth-telling, from start to finish) and asked her for the recipe. Ha Ha.

We had a good laugh over it. She was kind enough to give it to me, just as she received the recipe from her Mom. I decided to make some for our pantry (you know… just in case there’s a world-wide pickle relish shortage!!!!!!).

I cut the recipe in half, and it made 2 pint jars and one half-pint jar… which should last us for awhile. The recipe I’m posting is for the whole amount, and it makes between 5-6 pint jars of zucchini relish.

So for all you relish lovers out there, here is a great relish for your hot dogs or hamburgers or potato salad, AND a great way to use up some of the zucchini that will overrun your garden this year! I’m glad I learned how to make my own. Even if you don’t “can”, you can keep one jar in the refrigerator for immediate use, and give the other jar to a friend.

How To Make Zucchini Relish

Here’s how you make it (it’s easy!):  You start with shredded zucchini that has been drained well to remove excess water. Mix in diced onion, green pepper (I even snuck in a bit of red pepper), and salt. Let the mixture sit (covered) for 24 hours. The salt helps draw out liquid from the zucchini. Drain well, and rinse with cold water. Drain once more.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
After draining zucchini mixture,  add it to the rest of the ingredients in a large stock pot, stir well to combine, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook it for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Canning Zucchini Relish

Ladle relish into hot, sterilized canning jars (following basic canning guidelines). Leave 1/2″ headspace, remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Process in a boiling hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Remove jars from canner and listen for that wonderful “ping” sound, indicating the jars have sealed properly. Let the jars sit on the counter, undisturbed for 24 hours, then store in pantry.

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Even if you don’t “can” food, you can always let the zucchini relish cool completely, then place it in jars (and kept refrigerated), then give one to a relish-loving friend or two… (never thought I’d ever say that!).

And… enjoy your hot dogs or hamburgers this summer, with this tasty zucchini relish on them (of course!).

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few canning recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Zucchini Relish / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Recipe Source: Debbie Stephens (and her Mom)

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Zucchini Relish
Prep Time
1 d
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 d 15 mins
 
Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!
Category: Canning, Canning and Preserving, Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: zucchini relish
Servings: 5 -6 pint jars
Calories Per Serving: 26 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 cups shredded zucchini (seeds scooped out and discarded)
  • 1 large onion , finely diced
  • 1 green pepper , finely diced (I even used a bit of red pepper!)
  • 5 Tablespoons canning salt
  • 2 1/4 cups vinegar
  • 6 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
  • 1 Tablespoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 Tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 Tablespoon celery seed
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the shredded zucchini, onion, green pepper, and salt. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit for 24 hours (this draws out liquid from zucchini).
  2. Drain zucchini mixture; rinse well with cold water, then drain completely again.
  3. Place the drained zucchini mixture into a large stockpot. Add the vinegar, sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, dry mustard, turmeric, corn starch, and celery seed. Stir to mix well.
  4. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Ladle hot relish into canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim of jar, adjust two piece lids.
  6. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Remove to a towel to cool. Make sure jars seal, then let sit for 24 hours before moving to pantry.
Recipe Notes

Note: I cut the recipe in half easily, and it produced 2 pint jars and 1 half-pint jar.
Also, note that the long prep time is the time allotted for zucchini/pepper/onion/salt mixture to soak overnight.
If canning this in half-pint jars, they only need to process for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Zucchini Relish
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make tasty zucchini relish (similar to pickle relish), an amazing condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., and learn how to can it for long term storage!

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Jan
2015

Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce

categories: Canning And Preserving, Chocolate, Sauces and Dressings
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Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a great topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate sauce for long term storage!Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!
Last year I found this recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce in a book I received as a gift from my husband, called “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”.  It’s where I found this absolutely DELICIOUS recipe for this yummy dessert topping! The book has 400 different recipes for home canning that I am so excited about, since I love to make jams and jellies, and have now also begun pressure canning veggies from our garden. This chocolate raspberry sundae sauce is one of my more recent finds!

One of the recipes that caught my eye was this one. Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce. Are you kidding me? I could hardly wait to try it out.  I made a batch last summer, after going raspberry picking at a local U-Pick farm. The recipe did not disappoint!

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Picking raspberries at a local farm to make chocolate raspberry sundae sauce!

Chocolate And Raspberry Flavors Are A Winning Combination!

The flavors of the raspberries and the chocolate come together well in this thick, sweet sauce. The sauce is fantastic served on top of ice cream, brownies, pound cake, cheesecake, etc. When serving it over ice cream, I warmed it up just a bit, and it was perfect!

I gave away several jars of this chocolate raspberry sundae sauce for birthdays and Christmas last year… guess I will need to make some more very soon!  If you are NOT canning it for long term storage, then make sure you keep the jars of sauce stored in refrigerator. It will only last short-term, but could still be given as gifts, or enjoyed with dessert!

I used some of these fresh raspberries that I picked for the sauce. Nothing beats the flavor of sun-kissed fresh raspberries!

Fresh raspberries ready to make sundae sauce!

Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce Is Canned In A Water Bath Canner

Once the jars are filled per instructions (see printable recipe below), they are canned. This is a photo of the jars in my water bath canner, ready for processing. The process is simple and doesn’t take too much time to process jars of this sauce to make them stable enough for long term storage.

Loading jars of chocolate raspberry sauce into canner for processing.

Ready To Enjoy!

And there you have it… cute little jars of chocolate raspberry sundae sauce. It’s a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! I’ve even used it on cheesecake, with great results! You could even eat it straight from the jar (not that I have any experience with THAT- wink wink).

This chocolate raspberry sundae sauce is packed with decadent flavor, and I am sure you will love it!

Jar of chocolate raspberry sundae sauce ready to store in pantry.

See how thick the chocolate raspberry sundae sauce turns out? It really is delicious!!!

Sundae sauce is thick and rich, and tastes great on ice cream and cake.

Hope you will give this recipe for chocolate raspberry sundae sauce a try. You will love it! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More SAUCE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful recipes for a variety of sauces, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a fantastic day!

Author's signatureRecipe Source: “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”, page 188, published by Robert Rose, Inc.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!
Category: Dessert Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate raspberry sundae sauce
Servings: 6 8 oz. jars
Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 package powdered pectin (1.75 ounces)
  • 4 1/2 cups crushed red raspberries
  • 4 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 6 3/4 cups granulated sugar
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. First, get your water bath canner, lids, and canning jars ready to go (per normal canning procedures for cleaning/heating jars and lids).
  2. Mix together the cocoa and pectin in a medium sized bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Put the crushed raspberries and the lemon juice in a large stainless steel saucepan. Whisk in the pectin/cocoa mixture, until it dissolves. Turn your stovetop heat to high; bring this mixture to a full boil. Stir frequently.
  4. Once the fruit mixture is boiling, add the sugar all at one time. Stir to blend. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil; stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Boil it (a full, rolling boil) for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat, skim off any foam that has collected on top of the sauce, and discard.
  5. Ladle the HOT sauce into your hot, prepared jars. Be sure to leave 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles that may be trapped in jar. Adjust the headspace (if needed). Add additional sauce if necessary to maintain 1/4' headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residual sauce (to ensure a good seal). Center the lid on the jar, then screw the jar band down to finger-tip tight resistance.
  6. Carefully place the jars into your canner. Make sure the jars are completely covered with water (fill about an inch over the top of the jars). Bring the water in the canner to a boil, then cover, and process jars for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the canner lid. Wait an additional 5 minutes, then remove the jars to a dish towel to cool. Do not move the jars around while they cool. You should hear the jars make a "ping" sound several minutes later, as they seal.
  7. Once jars have sealed and are completely cooled, place them in storage or pantry.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 60
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 15mg0%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Sugar 14g16%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!

 

 

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Sep
2014

My Heart Is Full… So Are My Pantry Shelves!

categories: Canning And Preserving, From Our Veggie Garden
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I took a good look at our canned and dried food pantry yesterday and was overcome with thankfulness for the blessing of abundance. I know lots of “serious canners” have LOTS and LOTS of canned goods in their pantries, so this would seem small, but for us, this is more than enough for our family and some of our friends to enjoy the bounty of summer!My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Up until this summer, the only canning I had done was making jams and jellies for our family’s needs, and to give as gifts for friends. I LOVE to give baskets of homemade jams and goodies to friends at Christmas. This summer I decided to learn more about canning and dehydrating.I did a lot of researching and reading up on canning and dehydrating foods, and then put that learning into practice. Baby steps…

Because we have a small raised bed garden in our back yard  and the fact that I bought a pressure canner (with birthday gift cards), I can now preserve a lot of what I grow in more ways than I was able to before. So… it is now September, and we are blessed to have “more than enough”. While I am absolutely in no way a “doomsday prepper”, it does feel good to know that we have canned goods in storage. It’s very convenient to pull a jar of home grown food off the shelf when we need something quick like salsa, veggies, jam, etc. (haven’t purchased jam in about 5 years!).

Canning some of our own home-grown food also saves us money, as we don’t have to purchase as much “stuff” at the store. Plus I LOVE to be able to give away a lot of the canned goods I “prepared with love” to our friends. For me, it’s a matter of being frugal and wise with what God has provided… and being able to bless others, as well. Now THAT’s a win-win situation.

My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Besides having produce and fruit available all summer to eat just by going out to our little backyard garden and gathering it,  I was also able to preserve from our garden (by canning OR dehydrating). Food such as strawberries, blueberries, green beans, tomatoes, onions, pickles, garlic, basil, flat leaf parsley, thyme, oregano, peppermint, sage, parsley, zucchini, coriander, rosemary, carrots, and peppers.

I was also able to preserve (by canning or dehydrating, or freezing) fruit that I picked at local U-Pick Farms or that I was given by friends ): apples, peaches, blackberries, boysenberries, raspberries, more blueberries, asian pears, etc.

My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks! My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks! My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks! My Heart is Full... So Are My Pantry Shelves! / The Grateful Girl Cooks!I feel very fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the country (the great Pacific Northwest) with a great summer climate and adequate rainfall where I can grow, pick, and preserve the bounty God has provided. I realize that it is all a gift… others might not be as fortunate, due to life circumstances or geographical location, and I thank God for this blessing.

I worked really hard this summer processing our garden’s abundance (even after giving away a lot of it to family and neighbors), and now as a result, for the next year or so my family and friends can enjoy the “fruits of my labors” by simply opening a jar! I am so filled with thankfulness for God’s provision and blessing… my heart is full…and now my pantry is full, also. For all of it… I AM GRATEFUL!

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Sep
2014

Crunchy Garlic Dill Pickles

categories: Appetizers, Canning And Preserving, From Our Veggie Garden
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Make Garlic Dill Pickles the “old-fashioned way” or use more current way (water bath) to can a few jars of pickles with summer’s bounty.Make Garlic Dill Pickles the "old-fashioned way" or use more current way (water bath) to can a few jars of pickles with summer's bounty.

Well… here’s our new favorite pickle… these homemade Crunchy Garlic Dill Pickles!  Even if you’ve never made pickles before… have no fear! You will only need a few things to make some yummy pickles. These jars of pickles, once sealed properly, will be shelf stable for quite awhile. Then when you need a new jar of pickles, just pull a jar out of your pantry, refrigerate, then enjoy! They are so good!

I grew our own pickling cucumbers this summer. I am so glad I did. Last summer my friend Sandy gave me some of her pickling cucumbers from her huge garden to make pickles. It inspired me to try growing them this year in our little backyard garden… so I did! I only grew 3 plants, but it was more than enough for about 12 or 13 jars of pickles.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Growing pickling cucumbers to make crunchy garlic dill pickles.
Yahoo! Of course you can always find pickling cucumbers (you know, the cute little ones grown especially for pickle-making!) at your local grocery store or a Farmer’s Market when they’re in season and plentiful during the hot summer months.

Making Garlic Dill Pickles The Old-Fashioned Way

Okay… back to the recipe. This method is the old-fashioned way to make these pickles. Basically you slice the ends off the cukes (yes, both ends), slice them into spears, chips (horizontally) or into sandwich slices (vertically), making sure you have enough cut slices to fill 6 pint-sized cleaned and hot canning jars (12 oz.). Add a bit of minced garlic and dill seed.

Let the jars sit in a 250 degree oven (I place filled jars onto a tea towel lined cookie sheet) until they are hot and ready to fill with a boiling hot brine. Then when everything is really hot (including the lids and seals heated separately), you pour the brine over the pickle slices, remove air bubbles, wipe the rims to make sure you have a good clean seal, pop the lids and rings on, and seal to fingertip tightness.

Once the lids and bands are on, invert the jars for 5 minutes, then turn right side up again. Let the jars cool on the counter (on a towel, to prevent breakage). You should hear the seals “pop” to indicate the jars have safely sealed, while they cool. If the jars do not seal properly, they must be refrigerated, as they cannot be stored safely for any length of time in a pantry.

**Then comes the hard part. You have to let the pickles “cure” for about 2 weeks before you open the jar and taste them. IT IS WORTH THE WAIT! Trust me.

NOTE: **This old-fashioned process (above) has worked on every jar I’ve made of these pickles. HOWEVER,  if you wish to can the pickles using a water bath process (which is the safest, most current and recommended process for canning safety), see below.

Canning The Garlic Dill Pickles In A Water Bath Canner

For the most current and recommended method to safely can these pickles, follow USDA recommended guidelines. Pint jars of the garlic dill pickles are filled, leaving 1/2″ headspace, air bubbles are removed, rims cleaned, etc. The jars should be processed in a hot water bath canner for 15 minutes.

Follow all current safe canning guidelines to prepare, jars, rings, and flat lids, if you will be canning these pickles in a water bath.

Jars of processed crunchy garlic dill pickles cooling down after processing.
I made long sandwich slices and round hamburger slices…

I made pickles (using both methods) this summer, and I’ve already made several new batches as more of my cucumbers have ripened. I  keep any extra brine I had leftover (if I wasn’t making the full recipe) in the refrigerator and then use it within a couple weeks for a new batch.

 These pickles are really very easy to make, and I just KNOW you’re gonna love them. By the way, if you enjoy pickles, be sure to check out my recipe for delicious bread and butter pickles!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: unknown

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

4 from 3 votes
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Crunchy Garlic Dill Pickles
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

Make Garlic Dill Pickles the "old-fashioned way" or use more current way (water bath) to can a few jars of pickles with summer's bounty.

Category: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Keyword: garlic dill pickles
Servings: 6 pints
Calories Per Serving: 166 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup canning salt
  • 4 1/2 cups white vinegar
  • 8 cups water
  • 6 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 5 Tablespoons (approx.) dill seed (not dill weed, but dill seed)
  • enough pickling cucumbers to fill 6 pint canning jars (depending on size, approx.18-20)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash canning jars in hot, soapy water. Place the clean jars upside down onto a tea towel lined cookie sheet (with edges) in the oven to keep them hot.
  2. Place flat lid seals and rings in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Wash the cucumbers, slice a piece off of each end (stem and bottom) of the cucumber, and discard, then slice your cucumbers into spears, chips, or lengthwise into sandwich slices. Pack the pickle slices into the hot jars (be careful when removing hot jars. I recommend canning tongs to hold the jars securely). I find it helpful to turn the jar sideways and slip the sandwich slices in... it helps them to stand up better in the jar.
  4. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic and 3/4 Tablespoon of dill seeds to each jar.
  5. When jar is filled (I remove one jar at a time from oven), place filled jar back in oven while filling another jar. You want the jars to stay really hot so that when you add boiling brine, the jars will seal properly.
  6. In a large saucepan, heat the vinegar, canning salt and water to boiling, stirring to dissolve salt.
  7. While the vinegar/water/salt brine is coming to a boil, in a separate bowl pour some **almost to boiling** water (plain "not quite boiling" water, NOT the brine) over the canning lids and rings. Let them sit in the very hot water for 5 minutes to soften the rubber seals.
  8. Once brine is boiling, remove jars from oven (be sure to place hot jars on a tea towel to avoid breakage). Pour boiling liquid into each jar, filling to within 1/2 inch from top (pickles must be covered with brine). Remove the air bubbles in each jar by inserting a plastic knife or canning tool down the sides of each jar. Add more brine, if needed to cover pickles. Leave about 1/2 inch head space in jar. Quickly wipe the rims of each jar with a clean towel to make sure the rim is dry and clean. Place flat lid on, then screw down canning ring to finger tight. Immediately invert the jars on the towel. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then turn them right side up again. Listen for the clicking sound to know the jars have sealed.
  9. **If you want to water bath can the jars, once filled and jar lids and rings are tightened, place them in a water bath canner and process for 15 minutes, following USDA canning guidelines and manufacturer instructions for your canner..
  10. Once the jars are all processed and sealed, leave them alone on the tea towel to cool. As they cool, you should hear the "clicking sound" of the jars sealing while cooling. Once completely cooled and sealed properly, store them in a cool, dark pantry for two weeks (to let the brine fully incorporate into the pickles, then refrigerate jar and enjoy. You might want to label each jar with the date they will be "ready", so you will know when you can enjoy them!
Recipe Notes

From start to finish, the jars stay in the oven for about 20 minutes to make sure they are hot before adding the boiling brine. The last thing you want is to have the jar crack.
Once pickles have "cured" for two weeks and you are ready to bust into a jar of these, refrigerate the jar for several hours before opening...they are at their best cold!

Nutrition Facts
Crunchy Garlic Dill Pickles
Amount Per Serving (1 pint jar of pickles)
Calories 166 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Sodium 9454mg411%
Potassium 1309mg37%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 650IU13%
Vitamin C 31.5mg38%
Calcium 236mg24%
Iron 3.1mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make Garlic Dill Pickles the "old-fashioned way" or use more current way (water bath) to can a few jars of pickles with summer's bounty.

 

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