i have always, always been intimidated by canning. what if the jars don't seal properly and the food spoils? what if a jar explodes and scars me, in all ways, for life? what if i dump boiling water all over myself? (oh wait: exploding jar scalding me with boiling water? don't need to can for that, just attempt to make myself a quart of tea. yes, it did happen. yesterday.)
well, enough of all this fiddle-faddle, mama. can it, already.
a lot of the peaches were too soft for straight-up canning, but when i was looking for recipes and instructions, i came across one for peach butter. peach butter, y'all.
peel peaches. purée in blender. boil down to desired consistency. put in pint jars, process for ten minutes.
voila! peach butter!
the one on the left is in a "vintage blue" mason jar, which is why it looks a little odd.
this gave me three jars and change. i still had a lot of peaches left. a lot.
so this weekend i got brave. i found a recipe for no-sugar peaches. YUM. so i did it. all the steps: boil peaches, cool peaches, "slip skin off peaches" (haha, right), slice peaches, pack peaches, cover peaches in peach juices, process peaches for 30 minutes. purée the ones that ended up being too soft to make more peach butter.
i find it ironic and tiresome that the process of canning, which involves hot stoves and boiling water, takes place during the summer.
but i am proud of myself, dammit. and i have something to show for my work, at least.
in other news . . . we have another heartbeat. and already my heart is melting. the boys are so excited to have their very own baby.
4 comments:
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thanks for looking! good luck on your writing!
I am soooo impressed! I did some canning once---- the "cheater's way"--- with a running dishwasher to keep the jars sterile, and this tipping upside method for five minutes, then turning the full, sealed jars right side up and hearing them "click" as they each seal. Super easy! Yet, I am sad to say, I only did it once, for blackberry jam.
Mignon
nice! easy is good! i picked up a couple of tools the other day: a jar lifter (no more boiling water burns!) and a lid lifter. i wish i had not missed all the berry season: it seems to happen every year. all our tomatoes and figs ripened while we were gone, though, so i'm girding up my loins to tackle tomato sauce and fig jam. and fig preserves. and plain ol' dried figs: so easy!
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