Zesty Bread 'N Butter Pickles

Locally grown pickling cucumbers became available about mid July.  I bought 2 quarts to start on my quest to find at least one good dill pickle recipe.  That was quickly followed by another 4 quarts of cucumbers an finally a hamper.  I spent a total of $30 on pickling cucumbers.  In perspective that would have bought me 6 - 1 gallon (3.8 L) jars of kosher dill pickles but store bought dills have sodium benzoate (a preservative) and yellow dye 5 (allergen), two ingredients we are avoiding wherever possible.  To break even on pickles I needed to have a total yield of 22.8 L of homemade pickles but only if I made all dill pickles.  Other store bought pickles, like sweet bread and butter pickles are as high as $3.89 for a 500 ml jar.  I decided to make a variety of cucumber based pickles to ensure I realized a savings.  Over the next few days I will share what I made with you. 

The first cucumber purchase was used to make Zesty Bread 'n Butter Pickles (left) and  freezer pickles (right).  Both are a sweet, tangy bread and butter pickle.  One is canned and the other is partially pickled before packing into jars then put in the freezer.  I used Tattler reusable lids on the canned pickles as pictured.  The bands are still on them because the jars just came out of the canner.  I used Bernardin storage caps on the jars for the freezer.  I have found that metal bands will rust in the freezer.  Note the difference in the colour of the two pickles.  The freezer pickles retain a brighter green colour.  Both are very flavourful pickles well worth having on hand.  My yield was 10 - 250 ml jars or 2.5 L.  At store bought prices this yield would have cost about $19.45 regular price and as low as $9.95 sale price depending on where purchased.

The Zesty Bread 'N Butter Pickles was a new recipe I decided to try this year from Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving, the Canadian equivalent to the Ball Blue Book.  I did a half batch rather than the full batch that would have given a yield of 7 - 500 ml jars.  I was quite pleased with the initial flavour of the pickles.  They looked quite nice in the jars as well.  There were no seal failures with the Tattlers so that was rather nice as well.

When making pickles, it is important to use a kitchen scale.  Most of the recipes are in pounds or kilograms with respect to the cucumbers and some additional vegetables.  Be sure to tare the scale with the bowl or container before weighing the produce.  To tare the scale, place the empty bowl on the scale and set to zero.  Now add the produce a little at the time until you reach the correct weight called for in the recipe.  Remove the filled bowl and prepare as called for in the recipe.  The scale should be tared each time you use it with a bowl or container.

Zesty Bread 'N Butter Pickles
source: modified from Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving, 2006, Pp. 73.

3¼ lb pickling cucumbers
½ lb onions
8 tsp pickling salt
2½ c white vinegar (5% acetic acid)
⅔ c granulated sugar
¼ c pickling spice
1 tbsp celery seed
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric

Wash cucumbers.  Cut a thin slice from each end of the cucumbers and discard.  Slice cucumbers and onions ¼ inch thick.  Layer the cucumbers and onins in a large glass or stainless steel container, sprinkling each layer lightly with salt.  Cover and let stand 15 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients in large stainless steel saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and boil gently 15 minutes.  Drain the vegetables.  Add to pickling liquid.  Mix well.  Return mixture to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Ladle into hot jars leaving ¾ inch headspace.  Wipe rim.  Place two piece metal snap lids (or Tattler reusable lids or glass inserts) on jars.  Apply screw band according to type of lid being used.  Process 10 minutes in BWB at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level.  At higher altitudes refer to altitude adjustment chart on Canning FYI page.  Remove from canner.  If using Tattler reusable lids or glass inserts, immediately tighten bands.  Do not tighten bands if using metal snap lids.    Allow to cool 24 hours.  Remove bands and check for seal.  Wash jars and bands.  Bands can be stored separately or replaced loosely on jars as desired.

Low Sugar Gooseberry Jam

When we first looked at our new property back in September of 2011, I noticed the fruit trees and over grown gardens.  Tucked into one side garden in the backyard is a gooseberry bush but I didn't know that is what it was until this spring when I noticed a robin frequenting the bush.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered it was a gooseberry bush so officially declared war on the robin.  I wanted those berries for jam!  Well, the robin didn't quite see it that way.  He would sit on the fence yelling at me every time I got close to the bush.  He rounded up other birds in the neighbourhood to pull the sheets off the bush.  Finally, I broke down and bought three packages of bird netting at the dollar store, sewed them together and fastened them securely to the bush.  He was none to pleased at this turn of events but I did manage to get enough gooseberries to make a small batch of low sugar gooseberry jam.

Gooseberries are slightly tart berries and rather small.  Gooseberries grow on a low bush with long, sharp thorns so harvesting them is no easy feat.  I found picking slowly minimized scratches on my arms.  I had to pick over a period of a few days to get enough gooseberries for a batch of jam.   I used reusable glass inserts on the jars of jam for sealing.  I really love using the glass inserts!

Low Sugar Gooseberry Jam
recipe by:  Garden Gnome

3 c chopped gooseberries
2 tsp lemon juice
1½ c granulated sugar
3 tsp calcium water
1½ tsp Pomona's Universal Pectin

Wash the gooseberries then rough chop using a food processor.  Measure 3 c of the prepared gooseberries into a large sauce pan.  Stir in lemon juice and calcium water.  Mix the pectin with the sugar.  Bring the fruit mixture to a boil.  Stir in the sugar pectin mixture.  Return to boil and boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir for 5 minutes.  Ladle into hot jars.  Wipe rim.  Cap with metal snap lids, Tattler reusable lids or glass inserts.  Process in BWB for 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level.  If above that altitude refer to the altitude adjustment chart.

Five Dozen Ears of Corn

'Tis the midst of the busier home canning season with the busiest tomato season just around the corner.  Last week, the canners ran a couple of times a day.  I was very fortunate to find a local farmer about a mile out of town who is selling old fashion yellow corn.  All of the vegetable stands in town are selling peaches and cream corn (bi-colour) which simple is not a good corn for canning or freezing.

I came home with five dozen ears of corn with a goal of putting up 20 dozen ears.  Five dozen ears of corn is within my comfort level for processing usually the same day.  This was rather nice looking corn with good sized, even kernels.

A dozen ears of corn gives an average yield of 5 to 6 cups of kernels.  All of this corn was processed in one form or another as kernels.  I canned whole kernel corn, cream style corn, black bean & corn salsa (to follow next week), home canned beef soup (ditto), froze a gallon of charcoal grilled corn, and 4 cobs went to the chef/sous chef.

Corn has a high sugar content with some varieties higher than others.  The sugar will caramelize during the processing causing the corn to darken or even turn brown.  This is one reason yellow corn with a lower sugar content gives nicer results.  I had a yield of 8 - 500 ml jars of whole kernel corn (left two rows) and 8 - 500 ml jars of cream style corn (right two rows).  I paid $3 per dozen for the corn for a total price of $15.  I basically covered that cost in these two products that would cost $1.49 to $1.89 per 398 ml (14 oz) can in the grocery store.  I only used 2 dozen ears of the corn ($6) to make the sixteen jars so was well ahead of the game.  Everything I made with the remaining 3 dozen ears of corn simply lowered my overall costs for putting up a few corn products.

I will be putting up more corn products this coming week.  The price of  $3 per dozen is not the best I've seen it but it is a lot better than the price of the bi-colour corn in town at $6 per dozen.  We have had very adverse weather conditions that have had a large impact on local produce.  Corn is one vegetable I don't grow because it takes up to much space for the yield.  I'm more than happy to support a local farmer while putting delicious foods in my pantry and freezer as well as saving a bit of money in the process.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Dehydrating Vegetables

Most vegetables must be blanched before dehydrating to slow the enzyme action that promotes spoiling during drying and storage.  The exceptions are onions, garlic, peppers and mushrooms.