Monday, September 7, 2009

Canning Like Crazy! Part III

It's been a busy week! Lee and I ventured to CrossIron Mills yesterday. It is the new super mall just north of Calgary. To say it was busy would be an understatement. It is an OK mall I guess. It has Bass Pro Shop so you can drop your hubby there and do your thing. Bass Pro Shop has a food section though that I recommend checking out. I bought some hot teriyaki sauce there and it is quite good. I also got some cornbread mix and spicy fish breading which I haven't yet tried.
In addition to dill pickles I also made bread and butter pickles. I reviewed many recipes for bread and butter, but decided to go with one I found on the Taste of Home website, simply because it seemed easiest. Being a beginner at this, easy recipes was high on the priority list.
Bread and Butter Pickles (from Karen Owen on Taste of Home website)
  • 4 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced
  • 8 small onions, sliced (I used 3 medium onions, got them fresh from the Mennonites)
  • 1/2 cup pickling salt
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 4 cups vinegar
  • 2 tbs mustard seed
  • 2 tsp celery seed
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

In a large container, combine the cucumbers, onions and salt. Cover with crushed ice and mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. drain; rinse and drain again. (My ice maker only makes ice cubes, and I couldn't be bothered to run it in the blender. Worked OK I think)

In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, vinegar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add cucumber mixture; return to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Word to the wise, wear old clothes, use an old ladle. This stuff will stain.

Yield: 7 pints.

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