White Grape Jelly

PECTIN CALCULATOR

Your Grape Jelly Recipe

FOR EVERY 2 (8 OZ) HALF PINTS, YOU WILL NEED

Grape juice 1 1/2 cups  

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 2 Tbsp 

Granulated sugar 1 2/3 cups (REDUCED SUGAR) 1 cup

Prepare Your Juice

The following yields 1 1/2 cups of Grape juice.

You will need: 1 1/4 lbs grapes and 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp water.

1. WASH; crush one layer at a time using a potato masher.

2. PLACE in a saucepan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. STRAIN mixture through dampened jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth to extract juice. Let juice drip,

undisturbed, for 2 to 4 hours. Note: Squeezing the jelly bag may cause jelly to be cloudy.

Make Your Jelly

1. PREPARE waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions, if preserving.* Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.

2. COMBINE prepared juice in an 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in Ball® RealFruit™ Pectin. Add butter, if using. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

3. ADD entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

4. PACK based on Enjoy Now or Fresh Preserve steps below.

*If you are preserving at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, adjust processing time as indicated by the altitude chart (https://www.freshpreserving.com/adjust-high-altitude-canning).

QUICK TIP: Adding up to 1/4 tsp butter or margarine will reduce foaming.

Fresh Preserve

1. LADLE hot jelly/jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

2. PLACE filled jars in canner, ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring water to gentle, steady boil.

3. PROCESS jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes.

4. REMOVE jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Clean and store jars according to manufacturer's instructions.

To adjust the amount of jelly you wish to make, use the following table.

Ingredient Amounts for Jelly in (8 oz) Half Pint Jars

NUMBER OF JARS TRADITIONAL / REDUCED SUGAR

1

Prepared juice 3/4 cup 3/4 cup

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 3/4 cup 1/2 cup

2

Prepared juice 1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 1 2/3 cups 1 cup

3

Prepared juice 2 1/4 cups 2 1/4 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 3 Tbsp 3 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 2 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cups

4

Prepared juice 3 cups 3 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 4 Tbsp 4 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 3 1/3 cups 2 cups

5

Prepared juice 3 3/4 cups 3 3/4 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 5 Tbsp 5 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 4 cups + 2 Tbsp 2 1/2 cups

6

Prepared juice 4 1/2 cups 4 1/2 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 6 Tbsp 6 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 5 cups 3 cups

7

Prepared juice 5 1/4 cups 5 1/4 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 7 Tbsp 7 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 5 3/4 cups 3 1/2 cups

8

Prepared juice 6 cups 6 cups

Ball RealFruit™ Classic Pectin 8 Tbsp 8 Tbsp

Granulated sugar 6 2/3 cups 4 cups

NOTE: Do not exceed eight jars per batch. Set may not occur in larger batch sizes

From https://www.ballmasonjars.com/pectin-calculator.html

Old Fashioned Cucumber Lime Pickles

Old Fashioned Cucumber Lime Pickles (with Pickling Lime)

Old fashioned lime pickles use pickling lime as a firming agent, which results in the crispest pickles imaginable!

Total Time

3 Days

Cook Time

45minutes mins

Additional Time

30minutes mins

Equipment

Pickling Lime

Water Bath Canner

Wide Mouth Quart Mason Jars

Wide Mouth Canning Lids

Colander

Ingredients

For the Pre-Soak

7 lbs Pickling Cucumbers 3-4 inches long (about 40)

1 cup Pickling Lime

2 Gallons Water plus more to rinse

Pickling Brine

8 Cups White Vinegar 5% Acidity

8 Cups Sugar

1 Tbsp Canning Salt

1 Tbsp Pickling Spice

Instructions

Wash and scrub the pickling cucumbers, and then remove the stems and cut off the blossom ends.

Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch (or thinner) slices.

Mix the pickling lime in water to create a soaking solution.

Place the cucumber slices into a non-reactive container (glass, ceramic, stainless steel, plastic, etc.). Avoid aluminum or copper containers, as the lime will react with the container, ruining the container and the pickles.

Pour the pickling lime solution over the cucumber slices, and weigh them down with a plate to ensure they're completely submerged.

Soak the cucumbers for about 12 hours, or overnight. Stir occasionally, if possible, to keep the lime evenly distributed in the water.

After the soak, pour off the soaking water and discard. Rinse the cucumbers 3 times in clean water, making sure that you remove all the lime from their surfaces and the container.

Soak the cucumber slices in clean ice water for 3 hours to chill them and remove any last bits of extra pickling lime.

Drain and discard the soaking water.

Prepare a pickling brine by mixing the brine ingredients (vinegar, sugar, etc). Unlike other pickling recipes, the brine should be room temperature at this point.

Pour the room-temperature brine over the prepared cucumber slices and let them stand for about 6 hours, or overnight. Cover to keep out pests, and refrigerate if possible.

After the brine soak, drain the brine into a stock pot (straining out the cucumber slices for now) and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and simmer the brine (without the cucumbers) for 35 minutes.

While the brine is simmering, prepare a water bath canner by pre-heating it for raw pack (about 140 degrees F) and also prepare jars, lids and rings.

Pack the cucumber slices into prepared jars. They can be packed quite tightly as they'll shrink during canning. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch headspace.

Once the brine has simmered for 35 minutes, pour the brine over the top of the cucumber slices in the jars, maintaining 1/2 inch headspace.

De-bubble the jars, adjust headspace, and seal with 2-part canning lids to finger tight. Load the jars into the pre-heated canner.

Bring the canner up to a full rolling boil, and when boiling, process the jars for 10 minutes (for pints) or 15 minutes (for quarts), adjusting for altitude.

After canning, allow the jars to cool on a towel on the counter to room temperature and check seals. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for short term use, but sealed jars can be stored on the pantry shelf.

Properly canned and sealed jars will maintain peak quality for 12 to 18 months, and be safe to eat so long as they're sealed. Refrigerate after opening. Allow at least 2-3 days after processing before tasting to allow the cucumbers to properly pickle. They'll be best after 2 weeks.

From https://creativecanning.com/cucumber-lime-pickle/#wprm-recipe-container-24382

Best Zucchini Relish

Best Zucchini Relish  

A sweet and tangy zucchini relish recipe that's perfect for canning, freezing, or quick refrigerator storage. It's easy to make spicy, scale down for a small batch, or use yellow summer squash. Zucchini relish is delicious with burgers, eggs, hot dogs, tacos, pizza, dips, dressings and more!

Prep Time

30minutes mins

Cook Time

30minutes mins

Canning 

15minutes mins

Servings

4 pints

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Large non-reactive pot

Canning supplies including jars, lids, a canning pot, rack, jar lifter, etc.

Measuring cups

Food processor – highly recommended but not required. You could also manually dice the zucchini into very fine pieces, or shred it using a cheese grater.

A large fine-mesh strainer and/or cheesecloth.

Ingredients

  

10 cups zucchini or summer squash - finely chopped, grated or shredded (plan to use about 4 pounds, but still measure cups)

3 cups yellow or white onion, finely chopped or grated (about 2 medium onions)

3 cups red bell pepper, finely chopped or grated (about 3 large bell peppers)

2.5 cups vinegar -  1.5 cups apple cider vinegar and 1 cup white vinegar (ensure it's 5% acid for canning)

2.5 cups white cane sugar

4 Tbsp pickling salt, sea salt or other kosher salt (not iodized table salt)

Spices

2 tsp whole yellow mustard seed

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp nutmeg (or allspice)

1/4 tsp black pepper

Make it Spicy (Optional)

1 or 2 fresh hot chili peppers (e.g. finely chopped jalapeño) OR

1 to 2 tsp red chili flakes

Instructions

 

Prepare the Vegetables

Wash the zucchini and bell peppers well.

Trim the ends off the zucchini (discard) and cut it into large chunks that will easily fit in the food processor. I also like to remove some of seedy, spongy center of the squash as needed.

Working in batches, pulse the zucchini in a food processor until it’s in fine pieces (think of the texture of commercial relish). Or manually dice or grate the squash into approximately 1/8 to 1/4″ pieces.

Measure out 10 cups of processed zucchini into a large non-reactive mixing bowl.

measure out 3 cups of onions, followed by 3 cups of red bell peppers. Add to the same mixing bowl as the zucchini.

Brine and Rinse Veggies

Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of kosher salt over the chopped zucchini, onions and bell pepper and mix thoroughly. Add 1 tbsp at a time and mix as you go to ensure even distribution.

Let the salted vegetables sit for several hours, or for the best results, in the refrigerator overnight. The brining process helps achieve the best zucchini relish texture possible.

Transfer salted vegetable mixture to a large fine-mesh strainer or sieve. I like to line it with organic cotton cheesecloth to rinse, strain, and squeeze the relish mixture with ease. Rinse the zucchini, onions and bell peppers well with water to remove excess salt, and then drain and wring out the water.

Use your hands (and the assistance of the cheesecloth) to squeeze, press, and remove as much liquid as possible. 

Cook the Zucchini Relish

Before cooking the relish, get all your canning supplies ready, including heating the water bath.

Add the strained zucchini mixture to a large non-reactive pot, along with the called-for vinegar, sugar, and spices.

Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced and the zucchini relish has thickened nicely. Stir regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Canning Instructions

Transfer the still-hot zucchini relish into hot sterilized canning jars with the assistance of a clean canning funnel. Leave 1/2-inch of headroom 

Remove air bubbles as needed using a bubble remover or small knife. Use a clean damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars clean before adding lids

Add sterilized canning lids and rings. Screw on the rings to finger-tight only, not overly tight.

Use a jar lifter to carefully transfer the jars to your pre-heated water bath canning pot, cover with a lid. The jars should be covered by 2 inches of water. Add more boiling water if needed.

Once the canner returns to a rolling boil, process for 15 minutes. (To adjust for altitude, process 20 minutes at 1000-6000 feet above sea level, and 25 minutes at 6000+ feet.)

When finished, transfer the jars from the canner to a cooling rack and leave them undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking jar seals. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal.

From https://homesteadandchill.com/wprm_print/best-zucchini-relish-canning-freezer-or-refrigerator

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

7 lbs cucumbers (1-1/2 inch or less)

1/2 cup canning or pickling salt

8 cups sugar

6 cups vinegar (5 percent)

3/4 tsp turmeric

2 tsp celery seeds

2 tsp whole mixed pickling spice

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp fennel (optional)

2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Day 1

Wash the cucumbers and trim 1/16 of an inch off the blossom ends, but leave the stem ends intact.
Place the cucumbers in a large, heat-proof glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with boiling water, cover the bowl, and let sit for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight). 

Day 2

Drain the cucumbers and cover them with fresh boiling water. Let sit for another 6 hours.
Drain the water, sprinkle with 1/2 cup  pickling salt, and cover with fresh boiling water. Cover and let sit overnight. 

Day 3

Drain the cucumbers and prick them several times with a fork.
In a large pot, combine 3 cups of the sugar, 3 cups of the vinegar, turmeric, celery seed, pickling spices, and fennel seed. Heat to a boiling point, then pour the hot syrup over the cucumbers. Cover and let stand. 

Drain the syrup from the cucumbers back into the pot.
Add 2 more cups of sugar and 2 more cups of vinegar. Bring to a boil, pour over the cucumbers, and let stand. 

Day 5 & Canning

Drain the syrup into the pot one last time, add the remaining 3 cups of sugar, and bring to a boil.
Pack the cucumbers into hot, sterilized mason jars. Add a piece of cinnamon stick and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract to each jar.
Pour the boiling syrup over the cucumbers, leaving 1/2 in of headspace.
Wipe rims clean, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and let them cool completely on a towel before storing in a cool, dark place. 

*OR use this low-temperature pasteurization treatment:.

The following treatment results in a better product texture but must be carefully managed to avoid possible spoilage.

Place jars in a canner filled half way with warm (120º to 140ºF) water.

Then, add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars.

Heat the water enough to maintain 180 to 185ºF water temperature for 30 minutes.

Check with a candy or jelly thermometer to be certain that the water temperature is at least 180ºF during the entire 30 minutes. Temperatures higher than 185ºF may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.

Sweet Heat Horseradish Pickles 2026

 

Based on this recipe added mantis hot sauce and horseradish  

Canada is gassing us again

 

2026 Garden Planted

 

Change of plan

 Ran out of time so I am going to leave the format the same as last year.

First Asparagus of 2026

 

2026 Plan

 

Start peppers 2026

 

Blood Orange Marmalade

Blood Orange Marmalade

Yield: 20 ounces

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 large blood oranges

2  lemons

1 quart water

3 cups Sugar (amount determined by amount of fruit mixture after initial steps)

Instructions

DAY ONE (about 30 minutes)

First work on the peel: I use a carrot peeler to take a thin layer of peel off the blood oranges and lemons. You do not want the pith—the white layer just below the peel. The pith has pectin and will be used later but do your best to keep it separate from the peel. You should have about 2 cups of blood orange peel and 1 cups of lemon peel. Slice it thinly. Reserve any pith that has come off the fruit.

Now slice the fruit and remove the seeds. Take off the layer of pith if it is thick. Set it aside with the seeds. Wrap the seeds and pith in the cheesecloth and secure tightly.

Use a food processor to break down the oranges and lemons. Pulse until the mixture is in small bits. The fruit will continue to break down when you cook it and marmalade is often a chunky mixture.

Place the water, all of the processed fruit, the peels, and the cheesecloth containing the pith and seeds into a large pot. Let this mixture sit overnight (not refrigerated). Note that you do not add the sugar until Day Two.

DAY TWO (60-90 minutes)

Bring the fruit mixture to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the peel is tender. Remove from the heat and discard the cheesecloth bundle.

Measure the fruit and liquid. Add 3/4 - 1 cup sugar for each cup of fruit mixture (yes, this will be a lot of sugar). Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue stirring as the mixture comes to the gelling point. The mixture will thicken, keep stirring. Perform a gel-test to see if the marmalade is ready for canning. Take a tablespoon of the marmalade and place it in the freezer for a few minutes on a very cold plate. After a few minutes, if the marmalade wrinkles when you push it slightly then it has reached the gelling point.

Ladle the hot marmalade into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Process in a boiling-water canner 10 min. 

Notes

The amount of sugar you'll need will depend on the ratio of fruit plus liquid to sugar. One cup to one cup is recommended. Here I decreased the ratio to 3/4 cup of sugar for each cup of liquid and the marmalade still came together very easily. If you use too little sugar you risk the marmalade not gelling and remaining in a liquid form.

Stating onions 2026

 

Tomato Sauce Italian style 2026

 Tomato Sauce Italian style.

Canning party 2026 friends came over to process their tomatoes 

Chicken

 

Turkey Stock

 Turkey stock 

Put carcass in the pressure canner for 3 hrs @ 15 lb to extract everything.  Strain bring to a boil put in jars and process in canner for 20 min pints 25 min quotes @10 psi.

Turkey

 Instructions

1. Start with leftover cooked turkey, already fully cooked. Debone the turkey and cut it into chunks or shred it, depending on your preference.

2. You can use turkey that has been roasted, baked, or even cooked in a slow cooker. Be sure to remove any skin and bones.

3.Bring turkey or chicken broth to a boil on the stove.  If you don’t have homemade turkey broth, you can use store-bought broth or water. Homemade turkey broth will give the best flavor, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have any.

4. Add 2 to 3 inches of water to your pressure canner and set the bottom rack in place. Preheat it to a gentle simmer while you prep the jars.

5. Pack the shredded or cubed turkey into canning jars, leaving 1 1/4 inch of headspace. Be sure the meat is loosely packed, so the broth can circulate between the meat during the canning process.

6. Optionally, add 1 tsp of salt per quart or 1/2 tsp per pint for added flavor. Salt is optional and will not affect preservation, but it helps with texture and flavor.

7. Pour hot turkey broth (or water) over the turkey in each jar, maintaining the 1 1/4 inch headspace. Use a debubbler to remove any air pockets. If necessary, adjust the broth level to maintain proper headspace.

8. Wipe the rims of the jars to remove any oil or residue, and then cap them with two-part canning lids. Tighten the rings until finger-tight.

9. Load the filled jars into your preheated pressure canner using a jar lifter. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for loading the jars properly.

10. Close the canner lid, but do not seal the vent yet. Bring the heat up to high and allow the canner to vent steam for 10 minutes before sealing the canner completely.

11. Once venting is complete, bring the canner up to the recommended pressure for your altitude and canner type (see notes).  Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes.

12. When the canning time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the canner to cool down naturally. Don’t open the canner until the pressure has returned to zero and the canner is safe to open.

Pumpkin

1. Seed and peel pumpkin, then cut into 1” cubes.

2. Place cubes in large stockpot, add water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

3. Fill jar with pumpkin cubes.

4. Add salt (1/2 tsp. per pint or 1 tsp. per quart) if desired.

5. Fill jar with cooking water, leaving 1”headspace.

6. Remove bubbles, wipe the rim clean, and place on your seal and ring. 

7. Process in a pressure canner according to the directions below.

8. Process pints for 55 minutes or quarts for 90 minutes, adjusting for altitude. 

Sauerkraut

 

If you prefer to can your kraut, pack the sauerkraut and juices into

pint or quart mason jars, leaving 2 inch headspace at the top of

each jar. Close the jars with two-piece caps. Immerse the jars in a

canner of water heated to about 140°F and bring the water to a boil.

Keeping the water at a gentle boil, process pint jars for 20 minutes,

quart jars for 25 minutes.

Basic Pickled Beets

BASIC PICKLED Beets

7 pounds beets, with their rootlets and 2 inches of their tops,

well scrubbed

Two 4-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces

1 tablespoon whole allspice berries

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pickling salt

1 quart cider vinegar

2 cups water

1) Put the beets into a large pot and pour enough boiling water over

them to cover them. Return the water to a boil and boil the beets

for 15 to 35 minutes, depending on their size, until they are just

tender.

2) Drain the beets and cover them with cold water. When they are

cool, trim them and slip off their skins. If they are large, halve or

quarter them—or, if you like, slice all the beets into Y,-inch-thick

rounds.

3) Tie the spices in a spice bag or scrap of cheesecloth. Put this into a

nonreactive pot with both sugars, salt, vinegar, and water. Bring the

contents to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and

simmer the liquid, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

4 While the liquid simmers, pack the beets into pint or quart mason

jars. Pour the hot liquid over the beets, leaving 2 inch headspace.

Close the jars with two-piece caps. Process the jars for 30 minutes

ina boiling-water bath.

5) Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks

before eating the beets. After opening a jar, store it in the refrigerator.

From The Joy of Pickling pg 108

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

Ingredients

 6 cups apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)

6 cups granulated sugar

½ cup chili flakes

½ cup garlic (peeled and chopped)

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 ½ tsp dried ginger

3 tbsp  ClearJel (cook-type) (optional... you can omit but do NOT use cornstarch, arrowroot, or flour)

Instructions

 

Sweet Chili-Garlic Sauce and Canning Prep:

Fill a large stock pot or boiling water canner with water and begin to preheat the canner. Wash your canning jars in hot soapy water. Check your rings for dents and count your lids to make sure you have enough. Boil or keep your jars warm, but do not heat your lids.

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine with the salt and the soy sauce.  Measure the sugar into a large bowl, and add the dried ginger (you can also measure the sugar and ginger directly into the pot in step four if you want to save a dish).

Measure the vinegar into a large heavy bottomed pot. If you are using powdered pectin, sprinkle that into the pot and whisk well to break up any clumps. Bring vinegar to a boil over high heat.

Add sugar and ginger and stir until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Add the chili flakes and the garlic mixture to the pot and stir until well combined. Turn the heat to low and simmer for three to five minutes.

Fill the Jars:

Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the sauce into your hot canning jars. Use a canning funnel if you have one to help keep the chili sauce off the rims of the jars. Stir the sauce as you go so the jars get an even distribution of ingredients (the chili floats and the garlic sinks).

Leave 1/4″ of headspace at the top of each jar. If you have extra sauce, refrigerate it rather than overfilling or underfilling the jars.

Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, lint free cloth or paper towel dipped in hot water, vinegar, or a mixture of the two. This will remove any sticky residue from the rims of your jars and help make sure you get good seals. Top the jars with lids and rings, and place them in your canner using a jar rack or tongs.

Process the Sauce:

Process the jars in the boiling water bath for ten minutes. Start the processing timer only after the pot reaches a rolling boil. (If you live at high elevation, consult a canning time conversion chart to increase the processing time accordingly for your altitude).

After the jars have boiled for ten minutes, turn off the heat and set another timer for five minutes, leaving the jars in the covered pot. This will help prevent siphoning (losing liquid from the jars).

Using jar tongs or the jar rack, lift out the jars and place them on a tray, a wire rack, or a folded towel. Don’t place hot jars directly onto a cold surface (like a stone, concrete, or stainless counter top surface). Leave the jars undisturbed to cool overnight, or from 8-24 hours.

Remove the rings from the cooled jars and check to make sure your lids are firmly sealed. Refrigerate any unsealed jars, or you can reheat the mixture and reprocess with new lids. Wash the jars to remove any sugar or sticky residue and hard water marks, label them, and store them in your pantry without the rings on.

From https://www.alewyfe.com/mae-ploy-chili-sauce-clone/#recipe

Pickled Sweet Green Pepper Strips

Pickled Sweet Green Pepper Strips 

MAKES 4 PINTS

THESE SWEET, SOUR, CRUNCHY STRIPS are a wonderful addition

to salads or accompaniment for dips such as hummus

and baba ghanoush.

4 thin slices fresh ginger (I used powered)

4 small garlic cloves

2 teaspoons pickling salt

2 pounds green bell or pimiento peppers, cut into Y2-inch

lengthwise strips

2 cups white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar

2 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

Divide the ginger, garlic, and salt evenly among 4 pint mason jars.

Pack the pepper strips snugly into the jars.

In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring the contents

to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat

and cover the pan. Simmer the liquid, covered, for 5 minutes.

Pour the hot liquid over the pepper strips, leaving 2 inch headspace,

and close the jars with two-piece caps. Process the jars for 10

minutes in a boiling-water bath, or immerse them for 30 minutes in

water heated to 180° to 185°F.

Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks

before eating the peppers. After opening a jar, store it in the

refrigerator.

From the joy of pickling pg 137

Marinated Sweet Peppers

 Marinated Sweet Peppers 

MAKES 3 PINTS

IN THIS RECIPE the peppers are softened by blanching, not roasting, so no peeling is necessary. 

The pickling liquid makes a good salad dressing.

2 1/4 pounds pimiento or bell peppers

(green, red, yellow, or a mix of colors)

3 small garlic cloves

3 thyme, marjoram, or oregano sprigs

1 cup white wine vinegar, or more if needed

1 1/2 teaspoons pickling salt

1 cup olive oil

1) Put the peppers into a large bowl and cover them with boiling

water. Let them stand for 3 minutes or until they are flexible.

2) Drain the peppers and cover them with ice water. When they have

thoroughly cooled, drain them well. Put a garlic clove and an herb sprig 

into each of 3 pint mason jars. If the peppers are very long, cut

them in half. Pack the peppers into the jars.

In a nonreactive saucepan, heat the vinegar and salt. As soon as the

liquid comes to a boil, add the olive oil. Bring the contents to a boil

again. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the peppers, leaving

2 inch headspace. The liquid should just cover the peppers; if it

doesn’t, add a little more vinegar. Close the jars with two-piece

caps. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath, or immerse them for 30 minutes in- water heated to 180° to 185°F.

Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating the peppers. After opening a jar, store it in the refrigerator. 

From the Joy of pickling pg 135

Peperoncini Rings

This is the same recipe for the Whole Peperoncini peppers but these are cut into rings

Low temperature processing

Honeyed hot pepper Rounds

 Honeyed Jalapeño Rounds

Although the jalapeño is probably the most popular chile in North America, the many

cultivars sold today vary so much that some are barely recognizable as jalapeños. Big ones,

looking more like Anaheims, are meant for stuffing. Others have had all their heat bred out of

them. For this pickle you want traditional jalapeños—small and hot, but not too hot. If you

can’t find them, consider using serranos instead. The pickle will be particularly appealing if

you mix green and red peppers.

You can seed the peppers or not, as you wish (but wear gloves if you do). After cutting the

peppers into rings, you can take out most of the seeds with a grapefruit spoon (a pointed

teaspoon with serrated sides) or a swivel-style vegetable peeler. Then put the rings into a

colander, and rinse off the seeds still clinging to the peppers. Some people cut the peppers

into rounds and then seed each round with the tip of an apple corer.

Though popular with my readers, this recipe has frustrated me: The peppers soften too

much. To keep them a bit firmer, you can add a pinch of Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride; see

here) to each jar just before processing. For still crisper peppers, you can treat the pepper

rounds with lime, as recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation:

Soak them in limewater (1 1/2 cups pickling lime to 1 1/2 gallons water) in the fridge for 18

hours, stirring occasionally; rinse them; and then soak them three times in cold water, for 1

hour at a time, rinsing between soaks.

In the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s version of this recipe the peppers are “coldpacked”—

that is, they are put into jars raw. Cold-packing may lessen softening, but it can

also cause the peppers to float in the jars. For cold-packed pepper rings that don’t float, try

the variation that follows.

Pickled jalapeño rounds are usually used as a table condiment, to spoon right into tacos or

black bean soup.

Makes 8 to 10 half-pints

24 to 30 whole black peppercorns

8 to 10 small garlic cloves, sliced

2 tablespoons Mixed Pickling Spices

1 quart cider vinegar (5 percent)

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons pickling salt

2 1/4 pounds jalapeño peppers, cut into 3/16-inch rings and, if you like, seeded

4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Put three peppercorns and a garlic clove into 8 half-pint mason jars. Have 2 more

half-pint jars ready in case you need them.

2. Tie the spices in a spice bag or scrap of cheesecloth and put it into a saucepan with

the vinegar, honey, and salt. Bring the contents slowly to a boil. Add the pepper rings,

and bring the contents back to a simmer.

3. Divide the peppers among the jars, and pour the hot liquid over them, leaving a little

more than 1/2 inch headspace. Discard the spice bag. Pour about 1 1/2 teaspoons olive

oil into each jar and close the jars with two-piece caps. Process the jars for 10 minutes

in a boiling-water bath.

4. Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating the

peppers.

Cold-Packed Jalapeño Rounds

Follow the recipe, but toss the peppers with 4 teaspoons salt and let them stand,

preferably in the refrigerator, for 2 to 3 hours. Drain them well, but don’t rinse them

unless you’re trying to reduce your family’s salt intake. Heat the vinegar with the honey

and spices but without added salt; let the mixture simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Put

the pepper rounds into the mason jars with the peppercorns and garlic, and pour the hot

vinegar over. Add the olive oil, and process the jars

Notes:

cut to 1/4

I used hot Hungarian wax peppers