Canning Blueberries

[MadClikr]

Organic blueberries went on sale at Whole Foods today for $1.99 a pint, so I got a few to snack on and can. I didn't realize how easy canning blueberries was until today! You just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a sterilized (run it through the dishwasher) pint size jar, pack it full of berries leaving about half an inch head space, and fill with boiling water or sugar syrup (6 or 7 cups of water to 2 or 3 cups of sugar; don't forget to keep the head space). Can for 15 minutes in boiling water, and you're set! I also made some blueberry sauce to go with our breakfast for dinner blender pancakes, and canned the extra in smaller jars. Yum!

These canned blueberries will be good in so many different things... oatmeal, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, yogurt, cottage cheese, muffins and bread, fruit salad...

[mspete]

I will have to try this. I sometime freeze blueberries to put in muffins. I can tomatoes basically the same way - pack peeled tomatoes into jars, pour hot water over them and process in hot (simmering) water for about ten minutes. Great for using in dishes with cooked tomatoes. You can add salt before pouring in the water or can salt-free. Tomatoes will be plentiful soon!

[MadClikr]

Can't wait for tomatoes! I think that I'm going to need to get a pressure cooker so I can expand my canning repertoire here pretty soon... right now, I'm limited to the more acidic fruits, tomatoes, and pickles, since they can all be done in just a hot water bath.

[mspete]

I have a pressure cooker and so far I have only used it for green beans. Maybe I will try something else this year. Today I picked yellow squash and cucumbers from our garden! Came into the house, rinsed the cucumbers, put some salt on them and promptly ate them! YUM!
Can't wait for the tomatoes.

[MadClikr]

Yum! I'd really like to be able to can green beans. I can buy really big bags of them at Costco for only about $5, but with such limited freezer space, it would be nice to can them instead! If you don't mind me asking, what kind of pressure cooker do you have, and do you like it? I'm not sure what to get, though I've read that the ones with weights are more reliably calibrated.

[mspete]

It is a Mirro - I think it holds five quart jars. It has a pressure regulator that uses 5 - 10 - or 15 lbs of pressure depending on which hole you place over the valve. It will probably hold 6 pints. I also have a smaller pressure cooker (Presto) that I use when pressuring foods that are to be eaten at a meal. I often put meat in it, pressure for 15 minutes or so, run cold water over it to release the steam, then add potatoes, carrots, onions, seasoned salt and sometimes squash. I pressure this mixture for 15-20 minutes and we have a "meal in a pot". I ususally serve this with cornbread and cold slaw. Pork "country ribs" are my favorite meat to prepare this way.

I also pick wild blackberries and muscadines to make jelly and/or jam. These grow wild in the woods behind our house. We really don't eat much jelly but I do enjoy making it. I usually give most of it as gifts. I guess since I was reared in the country that I can't stand to see these wonderful fruits go to waste. The blackberries are beginning to get ripe now. Very hot to pick them but I usually can't stop myself!

[MadClikr]

Thanks! I'll look into the Mirro, and the ribs sound delicious!

I remember picking raspberries and blackberries by the bucketful. I still have trouble paying $3 (on sale) for 6 ounces worth, but they are good!

[MadClikr]

We purchased an All American pressure cooker/canner, and I'm really looking forward to trying it! DH's parents gave us some deer meat, now I just need to figure out how to cook it!

We also found tons of black raspberry and blackberry bushes in their woods, and picked almost a gallon worth. I made a pie this morning, and I'm the process of canning two pints to see how they turn out. We'll probably be out there again next week to pick more - can't wait!

I'm also going to try to make my first loaf of zucchini bread... if not tonight, then tomorrow. :D If the recipe is any good, I'll make sure to post it here!

[mspete]

We had several weeks without rain and all the blackberries dried up before getting ripe! I checked them out at the places I usually pick them (wild ones) and only got about one cup!

I have a really good recipe for zucchini bread. If yours does not turn out as good as you would like, I will be glad to post the recipe here. It is really good warm and spread with butter! YUM!

[MadClikr]

This is the recipe for Zucchini Bread I found on-line:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/p...ipe/index.html

It's rated highly, but I haven't had the chance to try it yet.