A unique and delicious way to preserve rhubarb, this chutney is fabulous with pork, Indian curries, and over cream cheese as an appetizer.

Caponata

Take your canned nectarines to the next level with the spices of ginger and cardamom.

What gives me the authority to teach you how to make sauerkraut, and how to cook it to make it taste like the Germans serve it? Glad you asked. I was born and raised in Germany, and by the time I moved to America at age 20, I had eaten barrels of this healthy, probiotic-filled fermented vegetable and seen various German grandmothers make it themselves. So you see, I'm kind of an expert (in sauerkraut, as well as bread, chocolate and beer. You know, the essentials). Let me show you how to make kraut, which is so much healthier (and cheaper !!!) than buying the canned crap. ~Update: I teach a self-paced online fermentation course, where I teach how to make sauerkraut, greek yogurt, beet kvass, kombucha and no-knead fermented bread. Click here for more info. You get my ebooks, demonstration movies, recipes and a private Facebook group all for $39!~ Our house feels like a giant fermentation vat. 25 pounds of Sauerkraut are cheerfully bubbling and fermenting. Next to the Kraut crock, a half gallon jar of cucumbers is quietly stewing in its juices, waiting for salt and whey to start the lacto-fermentation process. Cheese is aging in the crawl space under the bathroom. Next to the cheeses rest a few left over bottles of blackberry and beet wine. Yogurt is doing its magic in my home made yogurt incubator. All these substances are broken down by bacteria, yeasts and various microorganisms in the name of health. We make and eat this stuff because it is supposed to be good for us. Fermented foods improve digestion, restore proper balance of bacteria in the gut, are rich in enzymes, have higher vitamin content, and help us absorb the nutrients we're consuming. I have made Sauerkraut successfully for several years, and over time, many people have asked me how I make it. I don't know why people think being German makes me such an expert. I guess I did eat a lot of Sauerkraut in my childhood (although it was not home made). So let me show you how I make Sauerkraut from scratch, and then I will share the absolute best way to prepare it for dinner. Recipe for Sauerkraut: The recipe I have used for years comes from an old, beat up book called “Stocking up” by Rodale Press. Here's how I do it: Get your hands on some beautiful, organically grown cabbage. I grow a bunch in my garden just for Sauerkraut. How many pounds of cabbage you need depends on the size of the cabbage and on how much kraut you want to make. I usually use 30 to 35 pounds. Wash the cabbage and remove any outer leaves that have slug holes or bruises on them. You might encounter the occasional earwig crawling frantically out of the cabbage while you do this, or a lazy slug hiding between the leaves. Don't worry too much about these critters... they find their way out. If not, it's extra protein for you. Don't ask me why my daughter wears plastic shoes with high heels in the garden, or why she wears them period. Cut the cabbage in quarters and cut the tough inner core out of the pieces. Cut them small enough to put through your food processor with the shredding blade attached. If you were really groovy, you would use a non-electric Kraut cutter, especially made for this process, like this nice wooden one. But I love my Cuisinart, and it makes the job really fast. I cut enough to measure 5 pounds of shredded cabbage into a bowl. Then I add 3 tablespoons of canning/pickling salt to the cabbage in the bowl and mix it around with my hands. This is kind of like cheese making – a very tactile, messy process. I let this sit for five minutes. (In the meantime, I shred the next five pounds). After sitting in the salt and softening up a bit, I put this layer of five pounds into my 5 gallon sauerkraut crock. At this point, some people use fancy wooden Sauerkraut stompers, but I use my hand to do the following: press on the salted layer of cabbage with your hand until the juices come up. Then you keep adding layers of five pounds shredded cabbage, mixed with three tablespoons of salt. Keep pressing down after every layer. This year, I alternated the layers of cabbage with shredded carrots, which made it all more orange and strange-looking, but I think it will taste great! After you added the last layer, put a plate on top of the cabbage. The plate should fit snugly inside the crock. You really want to cover the cabbage tightly, otherwise it may spoil. I weigh down the plate with something heavy, like a mason jar or two filled with water, or ziplock bags filled with water. You want enough weight to keep the cabbage submerged in its juices. I cover the whole thing with a towel, so no bugs or curious kids can fall into it...or toothbrushes, since I keep the crock in the bathroom. Ferment this whole thing at room temperature (68 to 72) for a week or two (or more, depending on the temperature). It will start bubbling, which is really fascinating and a little weird. If scum forms on the surface, just take it off with a spoon. When bubbles stop rising to the surface, your Kraut is done. After a few days it starts to bubble. It's a little weird, right? You know what I'm saying? When it's done, you can either can it in a hot water bath for 20 minutes (which I used to do), or keep it in the fridge as a healthier snack without all the good stuff killed by canning. Your house will smell krauty and a little sour during the fermenting. You should walk into my house right now, with all the fermenting cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, and cheese drying before it's packed. Then you add the aroma from the goat barn, and you got country air! I like to eat Sauerkraut raw, but if you want to make a real German dinner, here's what I do: Fry up an onion in butter. A nice sweet Walla Walla fresh from the garden is perfect for this. Add a cut up (cubed) apple to the onions. When the onions are nice and opaque, add some great sausages. Let that sizzle for a while. When the sausages are almost done, add the Sauerkraut with some caraway seeds. My Mom used to add Juniper berries, bay leaf and peppercorns. You could add some white wine if you want to be fancy. Serve it with some good beer and home made bread or potatoes, and everyone will love it. Enjoy! Guten Appetit! Watch my one minute video on my online fermentation course below and get a sense of what it's all about! If you like what you learned here, please subscribe to our newsletter, where you learn free homesteading skills and get great tips and recipes, including this sauerkraut tutorial! click here ~Reminder: I teach a self-paced online fermentation course, where I teach how to make greek yogurt, beet kvass, sauerkraut, kombucha and no-knead fermented bread. You get my ebooks, demonstration movies, recipes and a private Facebook group all for $39!~

Learning how to ferment isn't hard! Fermentation is an easy method of preservation. Take a look at this guide to fermenting for beginners to get started.

Kumquat jam is a great way to use an otherwise tart fruit. It makes a beautiful presentation and is perfect for your morning toast or an exotic treat.

This spicy sweet onion marmalade recipe for canning (or freezing) is a delicious onion jam to spread on toast, pair with cheese or use as a glaze.

Yield: 8 x half-litre (US pint) jars

This simple mango jam recipe is bright and sunny, just like fresh mangoes. It comes together with just three ingredients, no pectin required!

Easy homemade plum jelly is a great introduction to making homemade jelly. This simple recipe has only a few ingredients and is big on flavor.

Kiwi Jam - mashed kiwi, banana, lemon zest, cinnamon and sugar.

If you haven’t made homemade jam yet, you NEED to jump on the bandwagon! Trust me, I was once feeling the way you are… “It’s too hard.” “It is too time consuming.”…. But let me tell you… It is EXTREMELY EASY! And well worth it! Be sure and check out No-Cook Strawberry Jam for that […]

I will admit it. I am easily intimidated when it comes to learning new cooking techniques. Don’t get me wrong — I love to learn new procedures and I taugh

Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae worked up this sweet, tangy, & spicy plum canning recipe. You can follow LaRae’s amazing food adventures on Instagram and her website. LaRae is a self-taught baker, cooking and baking instructor, recipe developer, and an editor at @thefeedfeed. See LaRae's other recipe guest blog posts.Transform fresh plums into a jewel-colored, spiced condiment that pairs well on a charcuterie plate or is perfect as a condiment at your summer cookout. Chutney tastes sublime with sharp cheeses and salty prosciutto and is also delicious as a side to grilled meats, or used as a spicy and sweet spread on a sandwich. Chutneys are thick, tangy, sweet, and subtly spicy. Our Custom Kraft Apothecary Plum Canning Labels are perfect for chutney, jam, jelly, or butter. Labels are customized and printed with your text for whatever plum goodness you put up. Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection for fruits and vegetables. Plum Chutney Canning Recipe Recipe was adapted from Ball's "Complete Book of Home Preserving" & used by permission ©2022 Chez LaRae PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preservation method: Water bath canningDifficulty level: EasyYield: Makes about 10 half-pint jars or 5-pint jars 8 cups plums, halved, pitted, and cut into wedges (leave skins on) 1 ½ cups brown sugar 1 ½ cups white vinegar 1 cup golden raisins 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (no need to peel) 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes 1 cinnamon stick PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Place the canning rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner, then place empty jars on the rack. Add water to the jars and the canner until the jars are about two-thirds full. Cover the canner and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. In a large skillet or dutch oven, combine plums, brown sugar, vinegar, raisins, onion, mustard seeds, ginger, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened—about 35-40 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up large plum pieces if desired. When the mixture is the consistency of a thick jam, remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick.Ladle hot mixture immediately into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Use a wooden skewer to remove any air pockets and readjust headspace if needed. Wipe jar rims and threads with a moistened towel. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands to finger-tip tight. Place jars onto a rack in the canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover, and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, process sauce for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars and place them upright on a towel to cool completely. After the jars cool, check seals by pressing the centers of lids with your finger. If the lid springs back, the lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. Let prepared jars stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Affix CanningCrafts’ labels and write dates on jars. Store unopened jam in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop all of our Plum Canning Labels to decorate jam, jelly, chutney, & butter. Follow our We're Jammin' Pinterest Board for more jam recipes Sign up for our newsletter to get free printables, gardening tips, recipes, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop.

Here is a good example of something tasting delicious but looking...well....looking like it wouldn't taste delicious. It's brown and lumpy and just plain not pretty. I didn't have high expectations for this when I was canning it but, I have to tell you, I was VERY pleasantly surprised. I made it and brought it in for Jo and the family to try and they all loved it too. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe and encouraged me to try it to use up the mountains of rhubarb we had this year. I'm glad I tried it. This goes really well with pork and beef and, when Jo made her Baked Chicken Samosas (recipe HERE), it was superb with that as well. We also put some in our Bacon Cheeseburger Pop Tarts to add some zing! Rhubarb Relish Ingredients 6 cups chopped rhubarb 4 cups chopped onions 1 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 4 cups brown sugar, lightly packed 2 cups apple cider vinegar Directions Chop up rhubarb and onion. Place in large pot and add spices, brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir together well. Place over medium - high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat so mixture stays at a simmer and cook approximately 40 - 60 minutes, stirring often. After 40 (to 60) minutes relish is ready to use. You can either let cool and refrigerate or you can can the relish while it is at this stage. Follow regular canning instructions to finish processing. (I processed the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.) I believe I got 7 - 1 cup jars of rhubarb relish out of this recipe. I thought it was going to be too sweet for me but it wasn't. It was something really different. Tons of flavor that goes great with soooooo many things. Try it on your hot dogs and hamburgers, roasts, turkey, maybe even a little on a cracker with some cream cheese, or even as a dip for samosas, egg rolls, and whatever else you can think of! We're sharing at these great linky parties - Memories By The Mile, Anyonita Nibbles, Hun...What's For Dinner,

In this fruit butter, apricots and sugar combine to form a sweet, jam-like spread. Two ingredients have never tasted so good together!

Rhubarb Curd is a silky sweet/tart spread with the unforgettable flavor of spring rhubarb.  Spread it on toast, scones, biscuits, or just eat it out of the jar with a spoon!

This post is sponsored by Ball® Fresh Preserving. Nearly every summer since 2012, I’ve partnered with my friends at Ball® Fresh Preserving to share recipes and spread the love of canning. Some years, they asked

The ULTIMATE pickled vegetable relish, its flavor and versatility will astound you!  Not just for hot dogs and muffuletta sandwiches, add this giardinera to your burgers, nachos, pizzas, pasta salads and anything else your heart desires!

Preserved figs can be eaten whole, used in a variety of recipes or processed later to make fig paste.

Here's how to make yourself a luscious and tangy orange marmalade.

This Vanilla Mango Preserves recipe takes just an hour to make; it’s a delicious tropical twist on your favorite fruity jam and a great way to spiffy up your morning toast.

This simple mango jam recipe is bright and sunny, just like fresh mangoes. It comes together with just three ingredients, no pectin required!

In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about freezing eggplant slices. You'll find step by step directions on how to freeze eggplant and some tips to make the freezing process easier.

The main ingredient in this relish is Jerusalem artichokes, which are actually a kind of tuber. They are also known as "sunchokes" or topinambours in France. This is a delicious relish which goes particularly well with sausages or hot dogs, but is good with all meats and cheeses. The Jerusalem artichokes have a nice crunch, which is retained in the finished relish. You may notice that this recipe makes a lot of relish. Most people who make this give it as a Christmas gift, so they make a lot so they have enough for their family and enough to give away. You can halve the recipe if you don't think your demand for artichoke relish will be quite that high. The preparation time listed includes the time spent soaking the vegetables overnight.

Pectin is an important ingredient when making homemade jams, jellies, and preserves. Here's how to make your own at home.

Learn how to make Swedish Pickles. You 'll want to eat them everyday!

It's always fun to serve a meat or poultry dish with a twist. This tangy-sweet chutney is a wonderfully different garnish. With fine chunks of rhubarb and raisins, it has a nice consistency. It's among our favorite condiments. —Jan Paterson, Anchorage, Alaska

At the exact time I was ladelling my homemade marmalade into sterilized jars I heard Ready, Steady, Cook in the background. One of the guest chefs had blueberries in her mystery bag and she decided to make blueberry jam in the microwave in ten minutes. Okay then. She also made a passing comment that went something like this; "in this day and age there is no other way you would ever consider making jam other than in the microwave". Funny how she happened to say that at the very moment I had expended a lot of time and energy into making jam (okay marmalade) the old fashioned way. Is somebody trying to tell me something? Well I'm afraid Miss Bloom, I am making jam (marmalade) and I am definitely not making it in the microwave. Incidentally, her blueberry jam resembled more of a runny blueberry sauce. If you are not interested in making marmalade from scratch, I mean it, from scratch, then it's best to save your time and look no further. And I am guessing if you are that person, then perhaps microwave jam would appeal to you. If you are still with me, then let's soldier on. This jam and marmalade making is a real labour of love. Is it worth it? In my case I have beautiful oranges that I can pick straight from the tree, so that is a big motivation for me. Long after the last orange has fallen, or been eaten by hubby or been hacked into by cockies; I will have my homemade marmalade for months. I always keep some for Christmas, because I use it in my glaze for the baked ham. I know everyone in my family just looooooves that ham and using my homemade marmalade makes me feel that it's a touch more special. Marmalade is a lot fussier than jam. I must separate the segments of orange flesh without the pith, then I have to remove the pith from the rind, then I have to slice the rind as finely as possible. Then it's a two day wait before I can even cook it because it must be left overnight. Make no mistake, it is fussy stuff. No bother. Just knuckle down and do it. Knowing if the jelly set is right can be a tricky business too, but you live and learn and then you know. So I conclude that it is time consuming, it does take effort and it can be tricky. In this fast world; time, effort and risk are simply not convenient and not worth the trouble especially with lovely local or exotic imported jams in fancy jars alluring you to "pick me, pick me", on our overcrowded supermarket shelves. You may well be thinking "am I nuts". Maybe I am. For you see this nutter yearns for a simple life and an enjoyment of simple pleasures. And yet to me homemade jam or marmalade is far from simple. It is luxurious and wonderful and when I sit down to enjoy it, I take my time and savour each and every bite. And I look at it. Intently. I admire the rind cooked to perfection. A nice "al dente" texture has been achieved. I'm thrilled. The colour is amazing. I haven't overcooked it and it is a shiny, transparent glistening orange colour. The olfactory senses kick in and the tangy, rich, deep soul of the orange whack me in the nose. No bubbles, hurray, the judges will like that. As for the setting; well that is the best part; it's perfect. And my very unshowy marmalade sits displayed in a very ordinary straight sided jar. Plain and simple. Just how I like it. All things considered I feel happy and I feel clever. Funny isn't it, how some simple homemade marmalade can make me feel this excited. Next time I push my trolley past the jam isle, I shall watch shoppers deliberating over which variety to buy. And I will overtake them with a smile on my face feeling very, very clever. Sweet Orange Marmalade adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly 5 large (1kg) oranges 1 1/4 litres water 1 1/4 kg sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice A couple of extra lemons PS: This recipe in the Weekly includes 2 teaspoons citric acid but I leave it out. Cut oranges into quarters. Using a sharp knife carefully cut the orange flesh away making sure to leave all the pith behind. Cut the orange flesh into thin slices; place into a clean bowl; reserve seeds. Take each quarter; with your sharp knife carefully and slowly cut into the pith up against the rind as closely as possible and remove all the pith. If it doesn't all come away then attempt to remove the remaining pith. A small sharp knife may come in handy for this. Reserve half the pith; discard remaining pith. The orange rind should look like the picture below; nice fine quarters with no white left on them. Cut the rind into very fine strips. Take your time. For me this step is quite critical. Aesthetically, it is very unattractive to find huge chunky pieces of rind but the most important reason is if the pieces are not even then they may not be cooked all the way through ultimately affecting the keeping time of the marmalade. Place the fine strips of rind together with the orange flesh and half the water. Cover; stand overnight. Take out all the seeds you can get from an extra couple of lemons. Place these with any seeds you may have taken out from the oranges. Add to the reserved orange pith. Tie seeds and pith in a piece of muslin; place muslin bag into a separate bowl and the remaining water. Cover; stand overnight. (The citric acid was added at this stage in the AWW's recipe). Next day combine contents of both bowls in a large saucepan. Add lemon juice. Bring to boil; simmer, covered for about 40 minutes or until rind is soft. Discard muslin bag. Pour sugar carefully into the centre of the pot. Stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil; boil uncovered without stirring, for about 15 minutes or until marmalade jells when tested. Allow to sit in pot for about 10 minutes before placing into sterilized jars. You will get better distribution of the fruit that way. Pour into jars carefully; seal immediately. (Unlike the recipe in the AWW, which states to seal when cold. No way. Rubbish!) Toast and marmalade for tea. And I'm happee. I served my tea in a lovely "April Rose" fine bone china cup and saucer made in England. It belonged to my father-in-law's mother so I couldn't tell you how old it is. Didn't I tell you I was into "old fashion"?

Not the colors on the trees, although that's may have been what inspired me to make this recipe because the reds and golds are glorious in t...

Easy Apricot Chutney Recipe. A super easy chutney recipe where apricots and brown sugar offer a sweet contrast to red onions, ginger and Indian spices.

Figs are magical. Floral, soft and sensual, they are symbols of fertility, abundance, and enlightenment in various cultures around the worl...

This fig jam is sweet and easy to make with no canning required!

This is an old French recipe and embodies the best of French country cooking -- simple and flavorful. By keeping the pits in the recipe, the flavor of the apricots is deepened and just a touch of almond is imparted. Makes approximately 6 cups.