Bread and Butter Pickles

Makes 7 pints

 

You Will Need

• 4 quarts of cucumbers, sliced
• 1½ cups onions, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/3 quart ice, crushed
• 4½ cups sugar
• 1½ teaspoons turmeric
• 1½ teaspoons celery seed
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 3 cups white vinegar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the cucumber slices, onions, and garlic. Stir in the ice and the salt and let it stand for 3 hours. Drain thoroughly, and then remove the garlic cloves.
2. Combine the sugar, spices, and vinegar in a large pot and bring this mixture to a boil.  Add the drained cucumbers and onion slices and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pack the hot pickles loosely into sterilized pint jars and pour the liquid over them, to ½ inch off the top and adjust the jar lids.  Process these in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

 

 

Spicy Cranberry Salsa

Makes 6 pints

You Will Need

• 6 cups chopped red onion
• 4 diced large Serrano peppers
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ cups cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canning salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons clover honey
• 12 cups rinsed, fresh whole cranberries

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine all the ingredients together except the cranberries and bring to a boil. Let this boil for 5 minutes, then add the cranberries and simmer for 20 minutes more.
2. Pour this mixture into sterile jars, leaving a ¼-inch head space. Wipe the rims clean and adjust the lids. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

 

 

Pickled Pearl Onion

Makes 7 pints

You Will Need

• 4 quarts pearl onions
• Boiling water
• 1 cup salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 3 to 4 tablespoons mustard seed
• 2 quarts white vinegar, 5% acidity
• 7 small bay leaves
• 7 small hot red peppers

Directions

1. Cover the onions with boiling water and let stand for 2 minutes. Drain and dip at once into cold water and peel. Sprinkle the onions with salt and add cold water to cover. Let stand for at least 12 hours and drain.
2. Combine the sugar, mustard seed, horseradish, and vinegar in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Pack the onions into sterile jars, leaving ½-inch head space. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 pepper to each jar. Pour the boiling vinegar mixture over the onions and adjust the lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

 

 

Brandied Cranberry Orange Marmalade

Makes 6 half-pints

You Will Need

• 3 medium oranges
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 4-inch stick cinnamon
• 4 cups sugar
• 3 oz. liquid fruit pectin
• 2 tablespoons brandy

Directions

1. Cut the peel off the oranges lengthwise into quarter sections, cutting through the peel to the surface of the fruit. Pry back the quartered peels with a spoon and scrape off the bitter white portions inside the peel and discard.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the peels, baking soda, and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Do not drain. Section the oranges, reserving the juices. Add the orange sections, juice, cranberries, and cinnamon to the peels in the saucepan and return to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the stick of cinnamon and discard it.
3. In a large pot, combine the fruit mixture and the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in the pectin and continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off the foam. Stir in the brandy.
4. Pour into sterile jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean and adjust the lids. Process these in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

 

Tomatoes – Whole

Makes 7 quarts

You Will Need

• 21 pounds of whole tomatoes, skinned
• 4 tablespoons salt
• ¾ cup lemon juice, optional
• Boiling water

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes and the salt in a saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Pack sterilized jars with the tomatoes and the hot liquid, leaving ½-inch head space. Remove any air bubbles, clean the rim and adjust the lids.
3. If omitting the lemon juice, process the jars for 45 minutes in a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for a pressure canner with a weighted gauge or 11 pounds if the pressure canner has a dial gauge.
4. If using lemon juice, process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

 

 

Plum Tomato Chutney

Makes 6 half-pints

You Will Need

• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 plums, seeded and chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 4 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• Pinch black pepper
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan. Add the bay leaves, ginger, and green chilies, and stir.  Add the tomatoes and plums. Add the salt, zest, lemon juice, and vinegar. Stir in the sugar and pepper, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Spoon the chutney into sterilized jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Wipe the edge of the jar rim clean and add the lid. Process these in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

 

 

***These recipes and more can be found in Louise Davidson’s More Home Canning and Preserving Recipes for Beginners: More Easy Recipes for Canning Fruits and Vegetables. To get your copy, click on the cover or click here.

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