Canning food

[LiL' bunny fufu]

trax, nice name
u new?

[trax]

Yep, just came in today and decided to join the conversation. Thanks.

About canning...the pemmican that rusty described lasts literally for years, it's the traditional travel food of natives. It was important enough in the early 1800's that wars were fought over it. There's plenty of good canning advice and books out there for the un-initiated, Reader's Digest actually put out a really good one a few years back. I learned how from my Mom, and I recommend it to everyone.

[LiL' bunny fufu]

dood i like u
if i may ask how old are u

[trax]

Old, over the hill, archaic, ancient, artifactual, (alliterative) lol, 49. I creak when I move.

[LiL' bunny fufu]

hahahahahahaha lol

[rusty_oxydado]

Fruit Butters

Fruit butter is made by cooking fruits until soft, pressing through a sieve, and adding sugar. This mixture is cooked until thick enough to spread when cold. Fruits may be blended fro flavour and colour. Some combinations used are apples with grape juice, plums or quince. White or granulated brown sugar may be used. Brown sugar gives a darker butter with light fruits and a more pronounced flavour with bland fruits. Spices usually added to fruit butters are a mixture of 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground allspice and cloves per gallon of butter. Ginger is good with pears --- 1 or 2 teaspoons ground ginger per gallon of butter. For a spicy flavour in light coloured butter, cook with whole spices tied loosely in a cheesecloth bag; remove after butter is cooked. Lemon juice may be added to bland fruits.

General Directions

Use sound, ripe fruit or firm portions of windfalls or culls. Wash fruits thoroughly and prepare as follows:

Apples: Peel and slice or quarter. Use apples alone, or equal parts apples and cider or cider and water.

Apricots: Remove pits and skins if desired. Crush fruit and cook in its own juice.

Grapes: Crush fruit and cook in own juice.

Guavas: Remove blossom and stem ends. Peel skin if rough. Slice and put through a sieve or food mill.

Mangoes: Use half-ripe mangoes. Peel and slice. Add 1 to 2 cups water for every 6 cups sliced fruit. Cook until soft enough to mash.

Peaches: Scald and remove skins if desired. Remove pits; crush and cook in own juice.

Pears: Remove stems, but not cores and skins. Quarter or slice. Add half as much water as fruit. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice per gallon of fruit pulp.

Plums: Halve or quarter. Remove pits. Crush and cook in its own juice.

Quince: Remove blossom end, but not cores and skins. Cut into small pieces. Use from one-half to equal quantities of water to fruit.

Specific Steps

1. Cook until the fruit is soft, stirring constantly.

2. Press through a colander or food mill, then through a fine sieve to remove all fibrous material so pulp is smooth.

3. Measure pulp; add sugar, about one-half as much sugar as fruit pulp.

4. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt to each gallon of butter.

5. Boil rapidly, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. As butter becomes thick, reduce heat.

6. Add spices and lemon juice if used.

7. Continue cooking until butter is thick and almost flakes from a spoon. Or test for doneness by pouring a small quantity onto a cold dish. The butter is done when no rim of liquid separates around the edge of the butter.

8. Pour boiling butter into hot, clean, sterilized jars; seal at once.

Source: (Quick & Delicious) Canning, Pickling and Preserving by Johna Blinn