Spring isn’t here just yet, but most gardeners have started planning their gardens already. Hopefully most have purchased seeds because sometimes the popular varieties sell out early on. I waited too long to purchase a few things, and some of the varieties I got last year were sold out. So I decided to try a few new varieties along with some of my old favorites. Here’s a quick run down of all the new garden seeds I’m planting this year. Peas Last year was the first time I planted shelling peas. I’m not a huge fan of peas, my husband is. And yet I’ve only planted sugar snap peas once many years ago. I suppose if I liked peas more, perhaps I would’ve grown them more often. And if my husband helped with the garden more, perhaps he would’ve had more peas planted for him! Yep, that’s how it works! Well last season I planted a shelling variety called Maxigolt. Pea pods are around 3-4 inches with 6-8 peas per pod. I got my garden in late, yet I still had a great harvest of peas. And I only planted a small pea patch too! The patch was about 2’ x 3’, so that certainly looked small. Yet I got three harvests of peas that totaled a few cups each time. It turns out garden fresh peas taste really amazing!!! They were so much better than frozen peas (which are oodles better than faded and smooshy tin can peas). So I was excited to plant them again this year…. but Maxigolt was SOLD OUT online from many of my usual vendors. I did find a few in stock on a couple of other websites, but the cost was really high for the seed count. So this year I will plant my leftover Maxigolt seeds (which is not many) along with a new variety called PLS 595. Wow, what a non-sexy name! This is an organic variety that has Afila-type vines. These type of vines produce fewer leaves with many tendrils, so the plants do not need a trellis (they will trellis themselves as they grow). The lack of leaves is supposed to make them easier to harvest since the peas are easier to locate too. This variety gets to be 4 - 4 1/2” with 10 to 11 peas in each pod. It’s resistant to Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2 and powdery mildew. It has intermediate resistance to downy mildew too. While Maxigolt did really well for me last year, it did get some mildew on it. It was also a trellis variety with many leaves, although it wasn’t too difficult to harvest at all. Peas are cool weather crops, so I may try to sow in spring and fall. And even though I’m traditionally an impatient gardener who likes to get everything in all at once, I may try succession planting my spring peas. I have a larger plot of peas planned this year, so I will try planting a patch every week for a month. If this works well, it should extend my harvest quite a bit! Pole Beans A few seasons ago I planted Fortex Pole Beans. Regretfully they didn’t do well for me. But that was because they had a terrible beginning thanks to a pesky groundhog. So I’m trying them again this year. The small harvest I got from them years ago was wonderful. The beans grow up to 11” long. They are also long and straight beans and still remain tender once they get big. And of course they are stringless (there’s nothing nastier than getting tough strings in beans)! Flowers & Gourds I’m not a big flower person, but I usually plant Morning Glories and Zinnias. Nothing overly exotic or fancy. This year I saw Blue Queen Butterfly Pea and had to give it a try. This vine produces indigo-colored double blooms that can be used as natural food dye or cooked in tea, rice, or desserts. And much like Violets, the flowers have a magical color-changing property. Once steeped in hot water, the deep blue tea will turn purple with the addition of lemon juice. oooooh, magic! Just checkout our violet color-changing video! For years I have wanted to plant Luffa Gourds. My grandpap used to plant Luffa when I was a kid which I thought was really neat. Most people grow them to harvest the inside sponge which is used as a natural dishcloth. I was surprised to read that the gourd is actually edible when young. Apparently they can be a substitute for zucchini (which I routinely fail at growing). Now, if this plant can go unnoticed by squash bugs, I’ll be in heaven! If you’re interested in eating flowers, read our blog posts: Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! Dandelion Recipes – if you can't beat them, EAT them! Tomatoes My new varieties from Baker Creek Seeds and Johnny’s Selected Seeds are Blush, Juliet, and Carbon tomatoes. Blush is yellow-red marbled grape tomato with a fruity taste great for snacking. It’s an indeterminate variety, so it will hopefully be as prolific as other vining grape tomato plants. In the past when I’ve gotten overrun with cherry or grape tomatoes, I will roast them (skins on) to make pizza sauce. And if I’m sick of harvesting and cooking, I’ll pick green cherry or grape tomatoes to pickle them. For several seasons I have attempted to buy Juliet seeds, but they were sold out. Luckily they were in stock this year at Johnny Seeds. I’ve read this is a highly sought after variety because it is so disease resistant. While I love to plant heirloom tomatoes, it’s always nice to have a few backup hybrids that can really churn out the fruit! This plant can get 12-18 tomatoes per cluster, wow! These roma style tomatoes also have a long shelf life. After at least a decade of only planting Black Krim tomatoes, I decide to try a new black variety called Carbon. This variety resists cat-facing and cracking better than other black varieties. Black Krim is notorious for suffering those maladies along with scarring (which is actually very pretty since it is concentric scarring). So I will give this a try to see if it could possibly live up to Black Krim… which is my all-time favorite tomato!! Black Krim tomato sliced (left), a perfect Krim tomato (top right), Black Krim with concentric scarring (bottom right) Common Cat-Facing on Black Krim tomatoes. The left tomato looks like Ziggy, right? Right??? That’s not just me that sees it, right? :D I will also plant several of the new varieties I had last year that did very well. Celebrity tomato was a highly prolific producer! The fruits were medium to large, all perfectly shaped, with no cracks or disease. I also planted Striped German, a yellow orange variety. This heirloom had some pretty massive tomatoes. There were some cracks and blemishes, but the insides were meaty and had a good taste. Striped German (left) & Celebrity (right) Be sure to read our other blog posts on tomatoes to increase your yield in the garden (and the kitchen). Grow Prolific Tomatoes Using Japanese Rings Staking Method Trench Planting Tomatoes for Epic Root Growth & Strong Plants Banana Peel Fertilizers for the Garden (great for tomatoes) Tomato Canning Recipes Read all of our Tomato Blog Posts Carrots Rainbow is my favorite pelleted seed carrot variety that I plant yearly. This is actually a single carrot variety that has color variations of orange and yellow. So it will mature uniformly unlike colored carrot mixes created using several different varieties. Most of the mixes I’ve tried in the past have resulted in 95% orange carrots. Bummer. So when I found this mix, I got excited. When grown in containers, carrots can grow long and straight. Rainbow Carrot Mix. Both photos are the same carrot variety, just different colors. Last year we built a new carrot bed using salvaged boards from our old deck repair job. This was to replace the plastic carrot container we created many years ago. When we tried to move it off the deck, it cracked! So we needed a new carrot bed. And we just so happened to have some old wood boards laying around! If you’ve ever had issues growing carrots before, raised beds or containers with a DIY soil mix are a great solution. You can read my tips and tricks for growing carrots in containers in my past blog post. This new carrot bed is the first thing my husband and I have ever “built”. I was quite proud of our accomplishment even though it is far from perfect. Tuna Fish Joe supervised our work and was NOT impressed. It probably took us a thousand times longer to build than someone with real woodworking skills. I’m sure it would’ve been easier with new boards. But we made do with scraps we had! Some of the boards were bowed and the final box was not plumb. I lined the inside with thick heavy plastic to help extend the life of the boards and keep soil from leaking out of some of the gaps. I did a lasagna layer of sticks, leaves, compost, peat moss, and good soil on top. Last year’s carrot crop did well in the new bed. Read our blog post: Planting Carrots in Containers with Homemade Potting Soil Recipe Lettuce My new varieties from Baker Creek Seeds are Merlot and Cosmic Crimson Mix. Merlot is supposedly the darkest lettuce in existence, so it should have plenty of anthocyanin (antioxidant) content. It is wavy and crispy, has good bolt-resistance and cold tolerance. We’ll see about that! Once the weather turns hot, I’ve found “Bolt-resistant” varieties still bolt! This Cosmic Crimson Lettuce Mix is a pelleted seed. If you’ve never planted pelleted seed before, I super endorse it! These seeds have a coating which makes them bigger, easier to see, handle and plant. Yeah, looking at you carrot and lettuce seed!!! This will be the first time I’ve planted pelleted lettuce seeds before. In the past I’ve only planted pelleted carrot seeds. Another big benefit to pelleted seed is that you can spend less time thinning your plants. Normally I sprinkle tiny seeds when planting. But it’s easier to space out pelleted seeds (so you’ll save seeds too). The coating also helps with germination and use in mechanical planting machines. The only downside I’ve read about pelleted seed is that it can shorten seed shelf life. So it’s recommended to use the seeds in the first growing year. I have used leftover pelleted seed the next year with lower germination rates. I’m not sure what varieties are in this Cosmic Crimson lettuce mix. It looks like a basic mix of red and green romaine, flashy trout, and other frilly varieties. The downside to a pelleted lettuce mix is that I won’t get to see the ratio of light and dark seeds! It’ll be a complete surprise when they germinate. But I imagine it will taste like most lettuce mixes. The only time a mix tastes “different” is if it contains other “greens” like mesclun or arugula that can be more hot tasting. The photo above shows pelleted seed versus regular carrot seeds. They have a coating around them which make tiny seeds easier to see and handle. Grow your own food! Get gardening tips, canning recipes & food preservation tips. Follow our Grow It, Can It, Eat It Pinterest Board. Shop for canning labels to decorate your homegrown and canned food! Sign up for our newsletter to get more gardening tips, recipes, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop. Have you planned your garden or started your seeds yet? If so, what are you planting? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae worked up this family favorite Enchilada Sauce 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. For many, enchiladas are a family favorite. Make them extra special by canning your own enchilada sauce. Summer tomatoes are perfect for a delicious sauce you can pull from your pantry throughout the year. After your jars cool, affix pretty Custom Apothecary Tomato Canning Labels by CanningCrafts. Shop for matching canning labels in the Apothecary Canning Label Collection. Enchilada Sauce Canning Recipe Recipe modified from America's Test Kitchen's 'Foolproof Preserving' PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preservation method: Waterbath canning Difficulty level: Easy Yield: Makes about 6 one-pint jars You will need clean pint jars and closures, a boiling-water canner, rack, jar lifter, canning funnel, and wooden skewer 5 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed and cut into large pieces, seeds reserved (You may omit the pepper seeds if desired. The spiciness level will go down significantly without adding the seeds to the sauce). 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder 2 tsp ground cumin powder 1/2 cup water 1 white onion, roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp salt 2 tsp sugar 5 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped 6 tbsp apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp per jar)* *NOTE: The vinegar is NOT added to the pot of ingredients in the recipe. It is added to each individual pint jar before filling with the sauce. Adding vinegar to each jar will ensure proper and safe acidification for this water bath recipe. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Place 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. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Do not boil. Keep lids hot until ready to use. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, toast the New Mexico chiles, reserved seeds, chili powder, and cumin. Stir frequently to avoid burning, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often for about 25 minutes. Working in batches, carefully process hot tomato mixture in a blender until smooth. Return sauce to the pot and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Taste, adjust salt and spices if necessary. Remove jars from canner and place on dish towel. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar to each hot jar. Ladle sauce into jars, leaving 1/2” headspace. Slide a skewer in the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and threads with a moistened towel. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands to finger-tip tight. Place jars onto rack in canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, process the jars for 40 minutes. Turn off heat after 40 minutes and let jars sit in canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing centers of lids with finger. If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. Let prepared jars stand at room temperature 24 hours. Wipe down jars, affix CanningCrafts’ labels to jars, and date. Store unopened sauce in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection Decorate your home canned goods with our rustic Apothecary Canning Label Collection. These custom kraft labels are available for a variety of fruit and vegetables. Customize with a food name, short saying, ingredients, date, or weight. These old-fashioned labels are perfect for farmer’s market sales, pantry storage, and can also be used for bath & body products like sugar scrubs and candles. Shop for Tomato Canning Labels Get more Tomato Canning Recipes on our blog! If you're looking for more tomato growing tips and recipes, follow our Pinterest Tomato Board. 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.
Strawberry season is near, let the jam making begin! But what if you want to make something other than basic jam or jelly? Our strawberry recipe roundup list has you covered! We have butter, syrup, & chutney recipes too! Not everyone wants 7 cups of sugar in their jam either, so we also have reduced sugar options. AND we designed these FREE Printable Strawberry Canning Labels & Hang Tags so you can decorate all of your berry-good looking jars! There are multiple fun and colorful canning labels that you can handwrite text onto for your specific canned goodies. We also include cute labels just for jam and jelly. The printable hang tags include a variety of designs with fun sayings. Download the FREE Printable Strawberry Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Download the FREE Printable Strawberry Canning Labels & Hang Tags. When I can strawberries, I want to make sure I taste the natural strawberry flavor and not just added sugar. Now tastes vary, so perhaps some prefer jam that tastes like candy! Yet I gathered up some lower sugar strawberry canning recipes for this post as well as traditional recipes. I note which strawberry recipes use reduced sugar or substitutes like honey or maple syrup. Many traditional jam recipes have 6+ cups of sugar, so for those looking to cut back on added sugar, please give the lower sugar recipes a try. If you want to reduce sugar in jam, you can also use a low-sugar pectin. Pomona’s Pectin allows you to use even less sugar than other traditional low-sugar pectins. Many canners think they need a ton of sugar to can jam. This is not true, although opinions differ for sure. How much sugar do you need to preserve fruit or retain the color of what’s in the jar? Instead of sugar, can you opt for natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup instead (which are just sugars in a different form, yet more “healthy” options compared to refined sugar)? If so, what are the ratios of those ingredients to replace sugar? One important thing to note is the shelf life of canned goods preserved without sugar (or with reduced sweeteners). Lower sugar jam options will have a much shorter shelf life after opening the jar. So once the jar is open and in the fridge, it may last a few weeks before it starts to go bad. Traditional high sugar jams will of course last much longer in the fridge, sometimes a year or more! You can expect to have the same shelf life for unopened jars, although there may be some discoloration with low or no-sugar varieties. Canning in smaller jars will allow you to use up opened low-sugar jams much faster before they spoil. I prefer small 4-oz jam jars. 4-oz mason jars are the perfect size for canning small batch jams with natural sweeteners. The jam should get used up long before it can spoil in the fridge after opening. Here are a few good places to read more about reducing (or eliminating) additional added sugar in recipes. While sugar is not needed to can fruit, it helps improve flavor and color. Simply Canning has info on the downsides of canning without sugar. Once opened, a sugar-free or naturally sweetened jam will not last as long in the fridge, or it may become discolored on the shelf. The best solution for that in my opinion is to can in the smallest jars so you can use it up before it goes bad. I often can jam in 4-oz jars. Kathleen from Roots & Boots has a great article on how to can sugar and pectin free jam. She helps dispel some of the myths about canning without sugar. HealthyCanning also has an article on canning substitutes like Stevia or sucralose. The good news is that it is perfectly safe to use maple syrup or honey in place of sugar when canning. You can read more about how to substitute honey for sugar in recipes (honey can also replace other sweeteners). Swapping these natural sweeteners in place of sugar will change the taste of a recipe. Some recipes may work better using honey versus maple syrup. And while some recipes are created and tested using a specific sweetener, you can always experiment on your own too. Maple syrup can effect the taste of fruit. It’s best to use a light golden or amber syrup that has a more delicate taste so fruit isn’t overwhelmed with a maple syrup taste. Home Spun Seasonal Living has an article on how to use maple syrup in recipes in place of sugar. Naturally Sweet Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan has already tested canning recipes using natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, fruit juice concentrate, & more. I highly recommend this book if you want to reduce refined sugar in canning recipes. And plus, all the hard work of testing recipes with sugar alternatives has been done for you! There are different pectins you can use that help reduce some of the sugar in jam recipes. SBCanning has a good rundown of these pectins for reduced sugar canning recipes. Even plain water may be used to can fruit, although a light sugar syrup may be a bit tastier. Making Jam & Jelly Without Pectin The National Center for Home Food Preservation has guidelines on making Jelly without Added Pectin & also making Jam without Added Pectin. If you don’t add pectin to canned jams, you can expect to have a softer set jam. I personally don’t find that to be an issue at all. It is also possible to remake and reprocess jelly that is too soft. On the other hand, you can also have jam & jelly that is too stiff! This can be the result of overcooking, adding too much pectin, or too little fruit, juice, or sugar. If a jam or jelly is too soft or stiff for your liking, you can always use the final product in a different way than intended. For instance, you can add to vinaigrette or meat glazes, oatmeal or smoothies, or ice cream toppings. Or you can just suck it up buttercup and eat that runny jam on biscuits still! If you have runny jam, you can attempt to remake and reprocess it. Or, you can keep as-is and stir into oatmeal or serve on top of ice cream. Problems with Final Jam & Jelly Products The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a handy chart on common issues with canned jam and jelly. So if you are wondering why your jelly is cloudy or why there are crystals or bubbles in your final product, take a look at their chart! NOW, on to some recipes! Again, I note which recipes are lower sugar, use sugar alternatives, and have specialty pectin or no added commercial pectin at all. Strawberry Jams & Preserves It’s hard to beat traditional strawberry jam on biscuits or rolls! I also like to stir a spoon into my yogurt, oatmeal, or add to ice cream and nut butter sandwiches. But every once in a while, I like to dress up basic jam and add vanilla bean, brown sugar, or other fruit to my strawberry jam. Add our rustic Custom Apothecary Strawberry labels to your finished jam jars. Shop for matching canning labels in the Apothecary Canning Label Collection. Strawberry Jam with Natural Pectin Canning Recipe Our Strawberry Jam recipe uses natural pectin in the form of granny smith apples and lemon. You make homemade applesauce “pectin” first, then you add it to your berries. It’s obviously a little more involved than using store-bought pectin, but the results are worth it. Plus you will have a more natural pectin. Our recipe also reduces the sugar a bit more than most traditional strawberry jam recipes. Get the strawberry jam canning recipe on our blog post and shop for Apothecary Strawberry Canning Labels in our shop. Below are additional jam recipes. Some of these recipes are pectin-free. Since strawberries are pretty low in pectin, making a jam without pectin will yield a softer setting jam. Healthy Strawberry Jam (Refrigerator recipe with maple syrup & chia seeds) Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam (no sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Low Sugar Strawberry Jam (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry Jam Sweetened with Juice Concentrate (with Pomona’s Pectin) Honey Strawberry Jam Recipe with Chia Seeds (low sugar with honey, no pectin) Honey Sweetened Strawberry Jam (with honey, no pectin) Honey Sweetened Strawberry Vanilla Jam (with honey & Pomona’s Pectin) Honey Sweetened Strawberry Vanilla Jam (with small amount of honey & Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry Freezer Jam (classic pectin freezer recipe) Strawberry Freezer Jam (with Liquid Pectin) Strawberry Maple Jam (with maple syrup & low-sugar pectin) Small Batch Strawberry Balsamic Jam (no pectin) Strawberry Basil Jam Strawberry Cardamom Jam (Refrigerator recipe with no pectin) If you have handfuls of mixed berries, try making a fruit compote! You can sweeten with concentrated fruit juice and a splash of lemon juice so the berry taste really shines! Strawberry Jams with Other Fruits & Vegetables Traditional Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (lower sugar but can be adjusted to taste, no pectin) Strawberry Rhubarb Lemon Jam (low sugar, no pectin) Low Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Rhubarb Berry Jam (No-pectin refrigerator recipe with strawberries, blueberries, & powdered sugar) Strawberry Rose Hips Jam (no cooking, no pectin immersion blender recipe, optional raw honey) Strawberry Meyer Lemon Jam Small Batch Strawberry Fig Jam (no pectin) Strawberry Kiwi Jam (no pectin) Strawberry Kiwi Jam with Ginger (classic pectin) Tutti Fruiti Jam (no pectin, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, & raspberry) Strawberry Plum Jam (no pectin) Strawberry Plum Rosemary Jam (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry Ginger Jam (Ball flex pectin) Strawberry, Honey and Ginger Preserves (honey with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry-Banana Jam (honey with Pomona’s Pectin) Low Sugar Apricot Strawberry Jam (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Pineapple-Strawberry Jam (low sugar or honey option with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry-Jalapeno Jam (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry-Cranberry Jam (low sugar or honey option with Pomona’s Pectin) Honey Sweetened Mixed Fruit Compote (honey with mixed berries) Our FREE Printable Strawberry Canning Labels are available for jam & jelly. Also included are blank labels for you to handwrite your own text. Strawberry Jelly It must be jelly cuz jam don’t shake like that! Jelly making (or eaten’) just ain’t my thing. I would rather have all the fruit pulp in a jar, but jelly does look awfully pretty all jarred up! Here are a handful of jelly recipes to try. Strawberry Jelly (uses Sure-Jell) Strawberry Rhubarb Jelly (pectin-free recipe uses gelatin jello) Strawberry Prosecco Jelly (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry Pepper Jelly (refrigerator recipe with low-sugar pectin) Strawberries I have only canned whole strawberries a few times. They taste ok enough, but I prefer to freeze them whole instead of canning them. They get soft and the color pulls out of them once canned. But they seem to taste perfectly fine and work well in oatmeal. You can also add vanilla bean or spices to basic canned strawberries if you wish. Canning Whole Strawberries (no sugar & low sugar options) Fermented Strawberries with Honey (ferment & refrigerate) Pickled Strawberries (refrigerator recipe with honey) Quick Pickled Strawberries (refrigerator recipe with sugar) Spicy Pickled Strawberries (no sugar refrigerator recipe) Strawberry Sauces, Syrups, Chutneys, & Butters Because some times you want something different than jam! Butters are tasty on biscuits and syrup is lovely on pancakes. But how about some strawberry BBQ sauce or vinaigrette? Now that IS different! Strawberry Honey Butter (low sugar recipe uses sugar & honey) Strawberry Rhubarb Butter (honey or maple syrup) Strawberry Rhubarb Butter (lower sugar) Strawberry Hibiscus Butter Roasted Strawberry BBQ Sauce (not a canning recipe) Strawberry Salsa Fresh Strawberry Sauce (Low-sugar refrigerator recipe. You can use sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste) Fermented Strawberry Rhubarb Chutney (ferment & refrigerate) Strawberry Syrup (lower sugar recipe) Strawberry Chutney Strawberry-Lemon Marmalade (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing Our FREE Printable Strawberry Hang Tags are perfect for gift giving jars of jam, jelly, preserves, or butter! Strawberry Pie Filling The only strawberry pie I have ever eaten has come from Elby’s Big Boy (in some parts, Elby’s is called Frisch’s Big Boy). It is a tasty but heavily gelled and goopy pie. Not to mention super sweet. While I’ve never eaten homemade canned strawberry pie filling, I can only imagine it is far superior to anything in most restaurants. Strawberry pie filling requires thickening, but there are only a few thickeners approved by the USDA. Clear Jel seems to be a favorite for canners since it doesn’t clump. The non-instant Clear Jel (regular type Clear Jel) will withstand the canning process. Avoid old recipes that call for flour or cornstarch for thickening as those are not approved for canning any more. Alternatively, you could preserve strawberries in syrup, then thicken with cornstarch after opening the jar. Strawberry Pie Filling (uses Clear Jel) Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling (uses Clear Jel) Drinks & Concentrates Syrups and sodas and juice, oh my! Most of these recipes are for the refrigerator. The exception being a wonderful strawberry lemonade concentrate for canning. Fermented Strawberry Rhubarb Soda (ferment & refrigerate) Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate (canning recipe) Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade (refrigerator recipe) Strawberry Kombucha (ferment & refrigerate) Strawberry Juice (optional minimal sugar used) Strawberry Simple Syrup (refrigerator recipe) Download the FREE Printable Strawberry Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Shop all of our Strawberry Canning Labels on CanningCrafts.com See our Canning Strawberries Pinterest Board for more strawberry recipes. 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Looking for a fun way to spruce up your recipe box? Download our FREE Printable Retro Recipe Cards. These color-coordinated kitchen recipe cards have a fun vintage vibe. Lined recipe cards can be cut or folded to 4” x 6” for easy storage in your recipe box. For extra long recipes, there’s plenty of room to write on the bottom portion of the card. We also included a basic lined card that can be printed on the back if more space is needed. Download and print the recipe card PDFs today! Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards This fun kitchen chef card is perfect for your very special recipes. Share your best recipes with family and friends. Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards A berry good recipe is worth sharing with friends and family. These colorful fruit and vegetable recipe cards are great for pies, jams, or baked veggies. Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards So we MEAT again. Meat always tastes better char-broiled. Fire up the grill and share your tasty recipes at the next block party. Got an Award-Winning baked good? Wanna share it? No? Hey, that’s greedy. If you change your mind, use this fun baking recipe card for your pies and cookies. Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards Shut your lid and CAN IT! If you’re a canner, you gotta love that sweet ping! Add your favorite jams and jelly recipes to this sweet mason jar recipe card. Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards Click to Download the Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards Sign up for our newsletter to get more free printables, holiday tutorials, recipes, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop.
If you’re a canner, you’re well aware that “putting up” is a ton of work. And if you also GROW the food that you can, you know it’s a few more tons of work. It’s very time consuming and exhausting. Your hands will be sore from peeling and chopping. Your fingers will be pruned from washing produce. Your kitchen will be sparkling clean, err, your kitchen will be a mess… as well as your favorite apron, hair, and sweaty forehead. But hey, it’s all worth it, right? Nothing beats canning your own food! You will have the satisfaction of DOING IT YOURSELF! Being self-sufficient! Having produce in your pantry in the middle of winter! Knowing WHAT is in the jar and what is NOT. So kudos to you for keeping your supply chain local. But like I said, canning is a lot of work. Food preservation is often less tiring if you can small batches here and there during busy work weeks. You can accumulate quite the pepper’s pantry four jars at a time. But what if your garden is overflowing with produce that needs dealt with ASAP? Or what if you over indulged at the farmer’s market because seriously, who doesn’t? And what if you’re tired of being tired and doing it ALL yourself? The solution? Host a Canning Party! We’ll go through the ins and outs of hosting a canning party below. We also put together a FREE Canning Party Printables packet to help you out. The FREE printables include invitations, recipe cards, canning labels, and a canning inventory sheet. Download the FREE Canning Party Printables packet What’s a Canning Party? It’s a gathering of friends or family who will help you in your kitchen during “canning day.” It’s best to have a few who understand the canning process and all the safety protocals. Read our Get Ready for Canning Season post for procedures, safety notes, helpful tips, reliable source, and more! Not every attendee needs food preservation knowledge though. This would be a great time to help those who want to learn how to can. Sharing is caring after all! And sharing knowledge AND food in jars are some of the best gifts of all. Not to mention sharing the workload between a few friends will get the job done much faster. Friends can help wash, peel, and prep jars. It’s also a great learning experience for children to help in the kitchen. Having a group of helpers makes the work fly by and also be more enjoyable. An added benefit is that you can also share canning equipments, special tools, jars, recipes, or even ingredients. This will make it easier on your pocketbook if you can borrow a more expensive pressure canner. You would also have an opportunity to test drive equipment your friends own before you make your next big purchase. Your canning party can be in your own home or someone else’s home. If you have very limited kitchen space, see if you can get a room at a local church or community center. Otherwise, try to limit your guests to what you know will comfortably fit in your kitchen. And don’t forget you’ll have lots of dirty pots and pans at the end of the day to clean! Download the FREE Canning Party Printables packet How To Host a Canning Party First things first, you need to INVITE your canning friends to your party. Download our FREE Canning Party Printables packet to get started. The printables include invitations, recipe cards, canning labels, and a canning inventory sheet. Invitations can be printed and mailed to friends. Or you can use our special Canning Party Invitation PDF to digitally add your text and email. You can request that attendees bring specific equipment or ingredients so you don’t end up with missing items for your special day. It’s worth having duplicate utensils such as funnels and jar lifters. Plan Accordingly! Choose your canning recipes ahead of time. If you need some ideas, check out our canning recipes on our blog. Make sure the recipes are safe, reliable, and from trusted sources. If any of your recipes call for prior preparation, such as soaking a veggie in brine for a day, start that the day before. Be sure to have your work area sanitized and ready to go. Take note of what items your guests will bring so you aren’t missing anything for canning day. Setup your cutting workstation and any special equipment like food mills or juicers too. Have areas designated for washing, prepping, and final jar cooling. Check your canning jars for cracks or defects. Have jars ready to sterilize in hot water the next day or load your dishwasher up if that’s how you choose to prep jars. Depending on your recipe, you may not need to sterilize jars at all. Per the USDA, there’s no need to sterilize jars if they will be processed longer than10 minutes. Yippie! Since your party may be an all-day event canning bushels of produce, have a game-plan for snacks, lunch, or dinner. The last thing you want is for your helpers to pass out from hunger! You can either order food from a local restaurant or prep sandwiches, salads, or fruit yourself in advance. Have plenty of beverages on hand too! A little music or a movie playing in the background will set the mood as well. Rules? Yes, of Course Rules! Since sharing is caring, you will want your canning friends to reap the rewards of your party. If they help you wash, peel, chop, prep, and can, they should get to help themselves to your strawberry jam, dill pickles, or beef stew. You’ll likely have an idea on how many jars your produce will yield. So know how many jars you will pass to your friends and pack in your pantry. If your friends bring their own canning jars to fill, well, let me tell you, those are the friends to have! Canning jars don’t come cheap and can quickly disappear. So you can always award this very special friend with extras if you see fit. By the way, if you’re of the mindset that your jar isn’t part of the gift, check out our Return Jar canning labels. This can be a polite or rude way of asking for your jars back. Wowsers, these labels are surprisingly controversial! I want my jars back dangit, but other canners feel ashamed asking for them back. You get to decide! Choose your own adventure (and choose your own Flavor Adventure). Let the Big Day Begin! Once your guests arrive, choose the workstations everyone will work. Produce needs washed, peeled, and cut. Syrups or brines need made. Those can each be separate workstations depending on the people and produce you are working with. You might decide to put someone with more experience in charge of operating the canner. Working in groups, one friend can pack jars and another can follow up with sealing them. This will make the day a breeze. Kitchen space permitting, you may even have multiple canners on the stove at the same time. You’ll need to pay extra attention to timing and not get confused! And don’t be afraid to switch workstations! It might get boring peeling beets for an entire day. And wouldn’t it be more fair if everyone had purple hands at the end of the day? Hmmmm? If you have a beginner, take them through each station so they can grasp the full process from start to finish. Teach them the basics on prepping produce so they know what to trim and what to discard. Explain the process of packing jars, removing air bubbles, and how to properly screw on lids. Describe the differences between water bath and pressure canning and when to use each. Take a safety first approach especially with new canners! Allow them to ask questions so they can become comfortable when they finally can on their own. The last thing you want is to make anyone sick with your canned goods! At the end of the course, your newbie canner will almost assuredly appreciate the ever-loving “Ping” that signifies a job well done. And if you don’t hear that ping, you can use that as a teaching moment for the beginner as well. We’ve all been there, and none of us like being there! The Joy of Sharing! Some of us gardeners are known to be envious of what others can grow! We all have our strengths and weaknesses, success and failures. So don’t let any shortcomings keep you down. If you are unable to grow your own zucchini (like me), maybe one of your friends is a master at growing squash. Lucky you! If your friend becomes loaded with produce, perhaps you can have another party at harvest time. Depending on what you grow and preserve, you may have different canning skill sets. For instance, those who grow lots of veggies like squash, potatoes, or carrots, may have more experience with pressure canning. Using a pressure canner for the first time can make beginners nervous. Many newbies start with simple jams or fruit canned in a water bath or steam canner. So a canning party would be a great event to teach more advanced skills. If you’d like to expand your knowledge of preserving more vegetables or meat, I recommend reading up on pressure canning. A great book to start with is Pressure Canning for Beginners and Beyond by Angi Schneider. This book is great for the novice or experienced canner. All recipes are for pressure canning, and the book includes great info on prepping and canning meat. Download the FREE Canning Party Printables packet And speaking of recipes, our FREE Canning Party Printables packet includes recipe cards. Print a batch out in advance of your party for sharing your recipes. If your guests enjoyed your recipe, they may wish to share it for their own future canning party. You may also enjoy our Free Printable Retro Recipe Cards too. Finishing the Day The final step in finishing your jars would be to print and add canning labels from our FREE Canning Party Printables packet. If you want something more unique, you could look for custom canning labels in our shop. Make sure your jars are cooled for the appropriate time before touching the lids, usually 12-24 hours. Do a lid check to make sure everything sealed properly before storing or gifting jars. Remove the band and press the center of the lid to make sure it is concave and doesn’t pop up. Then pick up the jar just by holding the lid to make sure it stays attached. This will tell you right away if the seal is good. If a jar doesn’t seal, you can reprocess it or store in the fridge or freezer. Mark and date your canning labels and stick them to jars or lids. Depending on the time your canning party ends, you may need to gift your jars at a later date if they still need to cool. You may even want to gift your canning partners with other unique gifts to commemorate your fun day. Perhaps custom aprons, shirts, or kitchen gadgets would be generous gifts in addition to jarred goodies. Storing Your Jars If you had any beginners at your canning party, you may want to go over jar storage with them, especially if they take jars home. While it’s best to store jars in a cool room such as a basement, not everyone has that. Just don’t leave jars next to a heat source or in direct sunlight. Make sure jar lids are still sealed before opening and consuming. When you pry the lid off, you should hear a pop sound. Now I don’t want to get in a fight and have someone call the Canning Police on me! But we need to talk about the BANDS. And this always brings out arguments with canners for some reason. Seriously, some people get huffy about the bands! Some folks store their jars WITH the bands on and others remove them. By leaving the bands off, you’ll be able to tell if there’s anything wrong with your jar later. If the contents start to spoil, the lid should pop off. If you leave the bands on, you won’t be altered to that. It’s possible that bad jars can reseal themselves if the band is on too. Some canners opt to leave the bands on loosely for storage or gift giving. If you ever have doubt about a jar, THROW IT OUT. NCHFP has tips on spotting spoiled food. To finish out your canning party, be sure to log your inventory. Our FREE Canning Party Printables packet includes an Inventory Sheet so you can jot down everything you canned. This is a great way to record what you put up for your pantry throughout the year. It would also help you keep track of what you want to give as gifts. Download the FREE Canning Party Printables packet Have you ever hosted or attended a Canning Party? If so, what tips or advice would you like to add? Do you have any special stories you’d like to share?
I enjoy eating a quick and convenient granola or nut bar mid-day. What I don’t enjoy is all the added sugars that are in many store bought bars. They often contain added sugars in the form of syrups like tapioca, corn, barley malt, or brown rice syrup. Then there are also seed oils like palm kernel, vegetable, or sunflower oils. So while unwrapping a delectable bar treat is convenient, it’s not always healthy. And I haven’t even touched on the price! Some bars cost $1 or more each and are a little more than a few inches in size. So what’s the best way to maximize your dollars AND know exactly what is in your own food? Make as much of your food and snacks yourself, of course! Granola is one of the easiest foods to make. And it is so much healthier if you make it yourself and control the added sugars. My Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Granola Recipe is loaded with healthy ingredients. If you don’t want a bowl of cereal, my No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe is just as easy to make (and it’s portable). Both recipes use pure maple syrup as the sweetener. Dress your “portable” nut bars up with Custom Kraft Market Blend Canning Labels. Design comes in 6 colors, so labels can be mixed and matched for different bar varieties. But what if you want a convenient snack bar that has a little more crunch and protein? You’re gonna need some nuts for that! And what if you desire something a little sweet, but not overpowering? Ah ha, you’re gonna need a bottle of maple syrup. And not that fake stuff that has high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners in it. Ick!! PURE Maple Syrup is the way to go. Just read our blog post about Maple Syrup Health Benefits if you need convinced. So back to those nut bars! The great thing about this recipe is that it’s flexible. You can add your own mix of nuts, seed, and fruits. Then you can add your own flavor spin with additional mix-ins like protein powder and spices. The main thing to keep in mind as you make your bars is the ratio of ingredients. As long as you keep the ratio of dry ingredients and syrup the same, the bars should turn out ok. So what do you need to make these bars? I’ll list some options below and give you MY favorite recipe later in the post. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD for these tasty fruit & nut bars and read below for ingredient info. Nuts (Unsalted, raw or toasted) You can use a variety of nuts for these bars. The nuts can be raw or toasted. I prefer the taste of toasted nuts, although I purchase raw nuts and toast them myself for recipes. To toast nuts, add them to a skillet on medium-low heat. Toss them around every few minutes so they toast evenly and do not burn. I also only buy unsalted nuts. That way I can add salt to recipes later if needed. This nut bar recipe calls for a tiny amount of salt, but you can eliminate that if you have pre-salted nuts. Important Note: This recipe calls for 1 1/3 cups of nuts. Measure your nuts FIRST. Then chop them coarsely. If you were to chop the nuts, then measure them, you would end up with too many nuts. So which nuts to use? Dealer’s choice! Walnuts, pecans, and almonds share some of the same health benefits. Walnuts are a superstar of the nut world. They improve brain and heart health since they have high amounts of omega-3 fats. Walnuts are an anti-inflammatory food that help prevent cancer. Added bonus, they are great for weight management! Walnuts are full of fatty acids and some protein which help make you feel full, as are almonds. Two key nutrients in almonds, riboflavin and L-carnitine, help prevent cognitive decline. This makes them great for reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Pecans are also known to help reduce obesity due to their manganese, copper, and thiamine. Tree nuts can reduce blood pressure and decrease overall cardiac-related deaths. Nuts are one of the top cholesterol-lowering foods. Seeds (Unsalted, raw or toasted) So, are pepitas the same thing as pumpkin seeds? Technically, yes. But pepitas don't have a shell and are only found in certain pumpkin varieties (aka naked pumpkins). These crunchy green gems contain protein which is great for muscles. Their fiber supports a healthy digestive system. High in plant-based omega-3 and antioxidants, they can help lower inflammation and balance your diet. Pepitas are also packed with minerals! Phosphorus supports bone health, and zinc supports immune system health. Sunflower seeds are also an excellent addition to these nut bars. They are nutrient dense since they are low in calories. They are also loaded with micronutrients like vitamin E, thiamine, manganese and copper. Some studies have shown that sunflower seeds can help reduce heart disease risks, fight against cancer, support thyroid function, and balance blood sugar levels. Sesame seeds are tiny little superstars as well! They are rich in essential nutrients, a good source of protein, fiber, and key minerals. Plus they may help lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and balance hormones. They have up to 20% protein and 60% oil. So they are a high source of essential fatty acids and amino acids. Take note, some people are allergic to sesame seeds. There are other seeds you can add to your bars as well such as flax, chia, or hemp. I usually don’t add these seeds to my bars just because I think they can make a mess when eaten. I mean, if you want to shower yourself in flying chia seeds as you eat, go ahead and add them to your bars! Dried Fruit and Coconut Important Note: This recipe calls for 1/3 cups of dried fruit (which can contain a mix of fruit and/or coconut). You’ll want to do the opposite of the nuts when measuring the fruit. Coarsely chop your dried fruits FIRST. Then measure them. I prefer to use unsweetened coconut chips (or flakes). Shredded coconut would also work. Sweetened coconut often has corn syrup and other additives, so I avoid it. I toast the coconut flakes along with the nuts. Since coconut is high in calories, I tend to only add a tablespoon or so to my bars. Coconut is one of the healthiest fruits around. They are nutrient rich, provide immediate energy, and aren’t readily stored as fat. Plus they have powerful antioxidants which help protect your cells from damage and disease. Dried fruit can be a mix of cranberries, raisins, dates, apricots, cherries, apples or other options as well. Even though dried fruit can be healthy, you’ll want to make sure you choose the correct ones! Read the ingredient list! Choose dried fruits that are 100% natural without added sugar, oil, or the preservative sulphur dioxide. Added sugars may include juice, syrups, fructose, or sucrose. Or better yet, dehydrate your own fruit! Read our blog post on how to Dehydrate Fruit which is used in our DIY Instant Oatmeal Jars. Dried fruit is high in fiber, so it helps support your gut and digestion. Diets higher in fiber can also result in lower cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases. Dried fruits like cherries have many antioxidants to protect your cells from damage and disease. Raisins and dried berries are full of vitamins and minerals which help lower blood pressure among other health benefits. Apricots help support eye heart and vision health since they are high in beta-carotene. Crisped Rice Cereal You can use basic Rice Krispies type cereals or something fancier like whole grain brown rice crisps. I have used both plain and chocolate flavored cereal. Some store varieties are lightly sweetened or sugar free. Spices and Protein Powder (optional) The base recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of salt. You can eliminate this if you use salted nuts. I like to add vanilla bean paste to my bars. If you don’t have the paste, you can certainly use some vanilla extract. How much? Honestly, I never measure my vanilla or spices. I’m a vanilla dumper, no measuring spoon required! I make my own vanilla extract, so I feel less guilty if I use more than needed. You can read my blog post on How to Make Your Own Vanilla Extract. It’s super easy! Almond extract is also a great option, especially if paired with dried cherries. Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices in the world. It’s high in antioxidants, helps relieve inflammation, improves heart health, and can help lower your risk of cancer. Research shows it can also reduce blood sugar levels, therefore it is considered one of the best foods for diabetics. And hey, I guess I should mention that it pairs well with nuts and fruit! Since it has a naturally sweet taste, you can often reduce the amount of sugar in recipes if you add cinnamon. Protein Powder is a nice option to add an extra boost of nutrition to your nut bars. I like to use a scoop of Garden of Life Powders which are plant based protein (they also have grass-fed whey). Or you can try Powdered Bone Broth. Now, don’t let the thought of bone broth in nut bars turn you off! Powdered bone broth comes in vanilla, chocolate, and even salted caramel flavors. It won’t taste like chicken soup (although you can actually get chicken soup bone broth)! This stuff is rich in collagen so it helps support healthy joints, digestion, and skin. If you ever want to make healthy LIQUID bone broth, aka “Liquid Gold”, read our blog post How to Make Chicken Bone Broth in a Slow Cooker. But you’ll want to use that for your soup bowls, not these nut bars, HA! And last but not least, the sweetener that glues all this goodness together. Drumroll please… PURE Maple Syrup Not artificial syrup! Why not? Have you tasted REAL maple syrup? It's amazing! PLUS, it isn't made with high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients. A great benefit of maple syrup is that it has a less adverse effect on blood sugar levels than processed sugar. It also contains several trace minerals. Zinc fights illness and improves immunity. Manganese helps with fat and carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Maple syrup contains higher levels of antioxidants. This makes it better for digestion than refined sugar products. You can substitute Raw honey in place of maple syrup. However, I’ve found that honey is stickier and can make the bars fall apart a bit more (and bars are stickier to hold of course)! Dress your “portable” nut bars up with Custom Kraft Market Blend Canning Labels. Design comes in 6 colors, so labels can be mixed and matched for different bar varieties. Fruit & Nut Bar Recipe PRINT THE RECIPE CARD You’ll need an 8 inch square baking pan, parchment paper, and ingredients below. 1 1/3 cups of unsalted nuts*. I use toasted almonds, pecans, and walnuts. Measure nuts first, then coarsely chop them. 1/3 cup dried fruit. I use cranberries or cherries with toasted coconut flakes. Coarsely chop dried fruit first, then measure. 1/4 cup crispy rice cereal 1/4 cup seeds. I use toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds within the mix. Then I sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the bars before baking. 1/4 cup PURE Maple Syrup 1/8 teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted nuts) Optional spices: Cinnamon or vanilla bean paste (or extract). Optional scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder or Powdered Bone Broth. (If you add powder, you may need a tad more liquid sweetener if the mixture becomes too dry. If too dry, the bars may not stick together well). * Nuts and coconut can be raw or toasted. Toasting the nuts tends to really punch out the flavor. It only takes a few minutes, so I highly recommend toasting the nuts, coconut, and seeds for maximum flavor, yo! Substitutions: You can use raw honey or other sweeteners instead of maple syrup. In my experience honey makes the bars stickier and they fall apart a bit more. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Cut 2 strips of parchment paper and layer them in the pan. The paper will hang over the pan edges. You’ll be able to lift the final bars out of the pan by pulling up the parchment paper. If you don’t want to use parchment paper, you can try using a cooking spray or coconut oil on tinfoil. I have had the bars stick more if using tinfoil though. Add nuts, dried fruit, and seeds to bowl. Stir in the maple syrup, salt, optional spices & protein powders until coated. Dump into prepared 8 inch square pan and press down evenly with the back of your spoon. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake 18 minutes at 325 degrees F. The bars will not look done. They will be soft. Cool bars in the pan for about 15 minutes. Once cool, fold the parchment paper overhang back onto the nut bars and press down firmly with your hands. This will help compress the bars so they hold together better. Lift bars out of pan using the parchment paper overhang. Place on cutting board. Don’t remove parchment paper yet! Cut bars into 8 equal sized pieces. Cool completely before removing from the parchment paper. You can slide your knife under the bars to help scoop them off the paper more easily so they stay in one piece. If the bars are slightly falling apart, you can place them back in the pan and place in the fridge to firm up some more. Store in airtight container layered with wax paper for up to 2 weeks. You can also store these in the refrigerator if you want. This may help the bars stay together more. If the weather is warm, sometimes the bars can fall apart a bit more. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Want more Maple Syrup Recipes? See our other blog posts: Maple Syrup Health Benefits and Recipes Maple Roasted Carrots Recipe & Ways to Eat the Greens Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Granola Recipe Do you tap and harvest your own Maple Syrup? Then Shop Our Custom Maple Syrup Labels to decorate your next batch! Follow our Maple Syrup Tapping & Recipes Pinterest Board! 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.
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae worked up this crispy Dill Pickle 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. Are you looking for a homemade pickle that is tart and packed with fresh dill flavor and crunch? This summer canning recipe is loaded with traditional spices and a rich, warm color derived from turmeric. I also discovered a unique pickling process from America’s Test Kitchen that uses “low-temperature pasteurization” which helps produce a crisper pickle. Be prepared, you will need an instant read or candy thermometer and this process requires monitoring for thirty minutes. However, the results are fantastic and worth it. Our Custom Kraft Apothecary Pickle Canning Labels are perfect for Dill, Sweet, Bread & Butter or good old-fashioned Kosher. Labels are customized and printed with your text for whatever pickle you put up. Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection for fruits and vegetables. Crispy Dill Pickles Canning Recipe Recipe modified from “Foolproof Preserving” by America’s Test Kitchen. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preservation method: Waterbath canning Difficulty level: Moderate Yield: Makes four 1-pint jars You will need 4 clean pint jars and closures, a boiling water canner, rack, jar lifter, canning funnel, instant read or digital thermometer, cheesecloth, and wooden skewer 2 ½ lbs. pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed, cut into lengthwise quarter spears, 4-inches long 2 tbsp canning and pickling salt 2 cups chopped fresh dill plus four large sprigs ½ red bell pepper, chopped or cut into thin strips 3 cups cider vinegar 3 cups water ¼ cup sugar 1 tbsp brown or yellow mustard seeds (I like a half and half mix) 1 tbsp dill seeds ¾ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp Ball Pickle Crisp 4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Toss cucumber spears with pickling salt in a bowl and refrigerate for 3 hours. Drain cucumbers in a strainer. Do not rinse. Pat dry with clean kitchen or paper towels. Meanwhile, set canning rack in waterbath canner, place four 1-pint jars on the rack, and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then turn off heat, cover, and keep water warm. In a separate smaller pot, gently simmer lids and bands. Do not boil. Bundle chopped dill in a cheesecloth sachet and secure with twine. Bring dill sachet, red peppers, cider vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, dill seeds, and ground turmeric to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Turn off heat, cover, and keep warm. Place dish towel flat on counter. Using a jar lifter, remove jars from pot and drain water back into the pot. Add 1/8 tsp Pickle Crisp to each hot jar, then pack tightly with fresh dill sprigs, garlic, and drained cucumbers. Return brine to a brief boil. Remove and discard cheesecloth sachet. Using funnel and a ladle, pour hot brine over cucumbers to cover, distributing spices evenly. Leave ½” headspace. Slide wooden skewer along inside of jar, removing air bubbles that are in between cucumbers and dill. Add extra brine if needed for ½” headspace. Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center lids on top and screw on bands until fingertip tight. Lower jars in water and bring water to 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit measuring temperature with your thermometer. Process for 30 minutes and adjust heat as needed to maintain water between 180 and 185 degrees. The water will be at a simmer at this temperature, not a boil. Remove jars from water and place on a clean dish cloth. Let cool and do not disturb for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seals, and attach custom Apothecary Pickle Canning Labels by CanningCrafts. Pickles can be stored in pantry for up to 12 months. Recipe modified from “Foolproof Preserving” by America’s Test Kitchen. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection Decorate your home canned goods with our rustic Apothecary Canning Label Collection. These custom kraft labels are available for a variety of fruits and vegetables. Customize with a food name, short saying, ingredients, date, or weight. These old-fashioned labels are perfect for farmer’s market sales, pantry storage, and can also be used for bath & body products like sugar scrubs and candles. Follow our Fermented & Pickled Foods Pinterest Board for more 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.
Peaches a ’Plenty! If you have a bushel or two (or just a handful) of delicious summer peaches, you might want to preserve them now to enjoy later. My favorite way to eat peaches is fresh with the juices running down my arms! But when I can them, I want to make sure I taste the peach flavor and not just added sugar. I gathered up some resources and peach canning recipes for this post. I noted which peach jam recipes use reduced sugar or substitutes like honey or maple syrup. Many traditional jam recipes have 6+ cups of sugar, so for those looking to cut back on added sugar, please give these recipes a try. If you want to reduce sugar in jam, you can also try a low-sugar pectin. Pomona’s Pectin allows you to use even less sugar than other traditional low-sugar pectins. AND we designed these FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags so you can decorate all of your peachy-keen jars! There are multiple fun and colorful canning labels that you can handwrite text onto for your specific canned goodies. We also include cute labels just for jam and jelly. The printable hang tags include a variety of designs with fun sayings. Download the FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Download the FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Download the FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Many canners think they need a ton of sugar to can jam. This is not true, although opinions differ for sure. How much sugar do you need to preserve fruit or retain the color of what’s in the jar? Instead of sugar, can you opt for natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup instead (which are just sugars in a different form, yet more “healthy” options compared to refined sugar)? If so, what are the ratios of those ingredients to replace sugar? Here are a few good places to read more about reducing (or eliminating) additional added sugar in recipes. While sugar is not needed to can fruit, it helps improve flavor and color. Simply Canning has info on the downsides of canning without sugar. Once opened, a sugar-free or naturally sweetened jam will not last as long in the fridge, or it may become discolored on the shelf. The best solution for that in my opinion is to can in the smallest jars so you can use it up before it goes bad. I often can jam in 4-oz jars. Kathleen from Roots & Boots has a great article on how to can sugar and pectin free jam. She helps dispel some of the myths about canning without sugar. HealthyCanning also has an article on canning substitutes like Stevia or sucralose. The good news is that it is perfectly safe to use maple syrup or honey in place of sugar when canning. You can read more about how to substitute honey for sugar in recipes (honey can also replace other sweeteners). Maple syrup can effect the taste of fruit. It’s best to use a light golden or amber syrup that has a more delicate taste so fruit isn’t overwhelmed with a maple syrup taste. Home Spun Seasonal Living has an article on how to use maple syrup in recipes in place of sugar. Naturally Sweet Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan has already tested canning recipes using natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, fruit juice concentrate, & more. I highly recommend this book if you want to reduce refined sugar in canning recipes. And plus, all the hard work of testing recipes with sugar alternatives has been done for you! There are different pectins you can use that help reduce some of the sugar in jam recipes. SBCanning has a good rundown of these pectins for reduced sugar canning recipes. Even plain water may be used to can fruit, although a light sugar syrup may be a bit tastier. SAFETY CANNING NOTE: Do not substitute white peaches in place of yellow peaches. White peaches have a higher pH which makes them a low acid food unsafe for canning (unless they are properly acidified). Shop for Cute Peach canning labels in our shop. These labels are part of our Cute Canning Label Collection that has matching fruit and vegetable labels. Peach Jam Canning Recipes You can’t go wrong with a basic peach jam! But every once in a while, I like to mix it up and add vanilla bean, brown sugar, or other fruit to my peach jam. While jam is great on biscuits or toast, I also add it to oatmeal, smoothies, or ice cream. No Sugar Peach Jam (Low/No Sugar or Honey Option with pectin) Peach Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin) Vanilla Peach Jam Maple Vanilla Peach Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin & maple syrup) Peach Cardamom Jam Peach-Ginger Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin & honey option) Raspberry and Peach Jam Peach Raspberry Melba Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin) Blackberry Peach Jam Strawberry Peach Jam Fruit Cobbler Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin) Peach Almond Jam Peach & Cherry Jam (honey & lower sugar compared to traditional recipes) Cherry + Peach All Fruit Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin & fruit juice concentrate) Peach Nectarine Plum Jam Peach Jam with Orange & Honey (honey & sugar) Spicy Peach and Yellow Tomato Jam (honey & Pomona’s pectin) Peach Jalapeno Jam Peach-Jalapeno Jam (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin) Peach Habanero Jam Honey Peach Preserves (with honey) Peach + Citrus Marmalade (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Ginger Peach Conserve (apple juice, brown sugar, & sugar-free pectin) Peach Bourbon Jam Small Batch Bourbon Peach Jam Peach Jam with Brown Sugar and Bourbon (brown sugar) Sweet Cherry and Yellow Peach Preserves and Peach Cherry Compote Sweet Cherry and Yellow Peach Preserves Pairing peaches and cherries are a match made in heaven. This peach cherry preserves recipes from Marisa McClellan from Food in Jars is one of my favorites. Marisa also has an amazing Peach Cherry Compote recipe sweetened with concentrated white grape juice. The peach cherry compote recipe is in her book: Naturally Sweet Food in Jars. The book has recipes for preserves made with coconut, maple, honey, and other natural sweeteners. Peach Cherry Compote on top of Vanilla Bean Peaches. The Compote recipe is sweetened with concentrated white grape juice. The compote recipe is in Marisa McClellan's book: Naturally Sweet Food in Jars. Shop for Gingham Peach canning labels in our shop. These labels are part of our Gingham Canning Label Collection that has matching fruit and vegetable labels. Peach Pie Filling Canning Recipes Peach pie filling requires thickening, but there are only a few thickeners approved by the USDA. Clear Jel seems to be a favorite for canners since it doesn’t clump. The non-instant Clear Jel (regular type Clear Jel) will withstand the canning process. Peach Pie Filling (uses clear jet to thicken) Peach Pie Filling with Ginger (uses clear jet to thicken) Honey Peach Pie Filling (uses clear jet to thicken) Cardamom Peach Pie Filling (low sugar with Pomona’s Pectin) Peach Jelly Canning Recipes The great thing about making peach jelly is that you can make it with discarded skins and pits. Just make sure you use organic peaches! You can also simmer down peach skins and pits to make syrup for pancakes or to use as a sweetener in other recipes. Peach Jelly (use peels or peaches, with low or high sugar options noted) Peach Peel Jelly Peach-Jalapeno Jelly (Low sugar recipe with Pomona’s pectin) Strawberry Peach Jelly Making Jelly without added pectin Download the FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Basic Peach Fruit Canning Recipes There’s nothing boring about basic sliced peaches in a jar! Peaches are one of my favorite things to can. I usually put up a dozen jars each of plain sliced peaches in a light syrup and vanilla bean spiced peaches. Both are great on top of pancakes, ice cream, or simply eaten right out of the jar. I add Ball Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector (citric acid) to my peaches to help keep them from browning. Canning Peaches in Fruit Syrup (water, sugar, maple syrup, honey, or fruit juices) Sliced Peaches Honey Spiced Peaches (with honey & sugar) Spiced Brandied Peaches (with honey) Chai Spiced Peaches in Light Honey Syrup (with honey) Honey Syrup Peach Slices (with honey & sugar) Ginger Bourbon Peaches Peach Butters & Syrups My preferred way to make peach butter is with the skins on in a crock pot. Why? Because I’m lazy! If I can avoid peeling peaches, I will. I have also used a pressure cooker to quickly cook down peaches. Then I use an immersion blender right in the pot to make the butter. Adding a splash of lemon juice, ginger, and honey makes a great butter for biscuits or oatmeal. If you want to skin your peaches for a recipe, you can also simmer down the discarded skins and pits to make syrup. Just make sure to use organic peaches. Honey Sweetened Gingery Peach Butter (honey) Peach Butter SlowCooker Peach Honey Fruit-butter (honey & sugar) Colorado Peach Butter with a kiss of vanilla White Peach Butter with Lemon (Slow Cooker/Canning with low sugar) Peach Vanilla Drizzle Peach Nectar (add sugar to taste) Vanilla Peach Syrup Peach Syrup using skins and pits Honey Sweetened Gingery Peach Butter Peach Salsa, Chutney, & Sauces Shop for Apothecary Peach Canning Labels in our shop. Peach BBQ Sauce Our zesty Peach BBQ Sauce makes a sweet and zesty homemade condiment. This unique BBQ sauce can be brushed on meat or grilled vegetables. Toss in cold pasta dishes, serve with cheese platters or spread on sandwiches. The possibilities are truly endless. Get the canning recipe on our blog post and shop for Apothecary Peach Canning Labels in our shop. Peach Habanero Hot Sauce Fermented Peach Hot Sauce Peach & Brandy Sauce Peach Rum Sauce Peach Mostarda Honey-Sweetened Peach Chutney (with honey) Lacto-fermented Cinnamon-peach Chutney Peach Mango Chutney Peach Chutney with Toasted Whole Spices Indiana Peach Chutney Peach, Pear and or Apple Allspice Chutney Peach Salsa Lacto-Fermented Peach Salsa Fire Roasted Tomato and Peach Salsa I make a Fiery Peach Salsa recipe from The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving that is pretty amazing served over steamed rice with grilled salmon. You can also dip chips in this salsa or top burgers with it. Pickled & Fermented Peaches Peaches aren’t just for jam and jelly, ya know! You can pickle and ferment them as well. Serve some fermented peach salsa or pickled peaches at your next summer BBQ to wow your guests. Pickled Peaches Fruit Shrubs Fermented Fruit Kvass (using peaches or other fruits) Lacto-fermented Cinnamon-peach Chutney Lacto-Fermented Peach Salsa Fermented Peach Hot Sauce Lacto-Fermented peaches with Honey & Purple Basil Download the FREE Printable Peach Canning Labels & Hang Tags. Shop all of our Peach Canning Labels on CanningCrafts.com See our Canning Peaches Pinterest Board for more peach recipes. Sign up for our newsletter to get more gardening tips, recipes, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop.
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae created this sweet Apple Cider Butter recipe. This canning recipe will make a great Fall gift. 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. Apple butter is one of my favorite fall canning projects. Apples are at their peak, folks are drawn to warm spices, and the season for gift giving is just around the corner. This treat is delicious served on English muffins, toast, or waffles. Stir a little into your morning oats or mix with yogurt and granola. One question I get a lot is “Does apple butter contain butter?” No, apple butter is a thick, fruit spread that has the luxurious and smooth consistency of butter. This spread is fall canning at its best. I make a batch or two every October and give jars as gifts. I prefer using 8 oz jars as they are “just right”, not too big and not too small. Dress your finished creations with beautiful CanningCrafts' Watercolor Apple canning labels and a bit of pretty ribbon and you have the ultimate Fall gifts. Teachers, hostesses, friends, neighbors, and family all love these little treats. Note: As canning lids and jars have been in short supply in 2020 I have used different shaped jars for this project. Jars can be processed together as long as they are the same size (4 oz, 8 oz, pint, etc.) If you are processing 4 oz jars with quarts, for example, I process the jar sizes separately. Apple Cider Butter Canning Recipe Recipe modified from the cookbook “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD 6-7 lbs apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (I like a mix of Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Gravenstein for a complex flavor) 2 cups apple cider 1 cup honey 2 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp nutmeg Preservation method: Waterbath canning Difficulty level: Easy Yield: Makes about 8 8-ounce jars You will need clean jars and closures, a boiling-water canner, rack, jar lifter, canning funnel, and wooden skewer Place a small dinner plate in freezer for “frozen plate test” (*See note below). This test helps determine when the apple butter is not runny and ready for canning. Place 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. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Do not boil. Keep lids hot until ready to use. In a large Dutch oven, combine apples and apple cider. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, transfer apple mixture to a food processor or blender. You can also use a stick blender directly in the Dutch oven. Puree just until a uniform texture is achieved, but do not liquefy. Back in the Dutch oven, combine apple puree, honey, and spices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, until mixture thickens. At this point check texture. Does it look like smooth butter? If necessary, use a stick blender to further blend it into your desired consistency. *Frozen plate test: Spoon a small amount of apple butter onto a frozen plate. When liquid does not separate, creating a rim around the edge, and mixture holds its buttery, spreadable shape, the butter is ready to put into jars. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace. Remove air bubbles with wooden skewer and readjust headspace if needed. Wipe jar rims with damp cloth and ensure there is no fruit or gel on the rims of the jars (or the jars may not seal). Apply lids and bands and adjust until fingertip tight. Place jars in boiling water canner. When all jars are in the canner, adjust the water level in the canner so that it covers the jars by at least one inch. Cover the canner with a lid and bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling hard and continuously, begin counting the processing time of 10 minutes. Once full time is complete, turn off heat and let jars sit in canner an additional five minutes (this standing time allows the pressure inside the jars to stabilize and reduces the likelihood of liquid loss that could otherwise occur when the jars are removed.) Remove jars and place on a kitchen towel-lined space. The towel will help reduce the chance of jar breakage. Do not dry the lids or jars at this point. You do not want to disturb the lids while the seals are being formed. Allow jars to cool for 24 hours before removing bands and wiping down jars. Date jars and store in a cool dry place for up to one year. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop all of our Apple Canning Labels. Looking for more apple canning recipes? Try our Apple Pie in a Jar canning recipe. Want more apple recipes? Take a look at our mega list of Apple Canning recipes. Follow our Canning Apples Pinterest Board for more recipes & inspiration. 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.
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae worked up this tasty Strawberry Jam 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. Fresh strawberries are one of the first bright signs that warm and sunny weather is on its way. Eat strawberries out of hand or make and can the most luscious, ruby red jam. The recipe below uses natural pectin from fruits (instead of store-bought pectin) and we lowered the sugar by over one cup versus traditional strawberry jam. This recipe has two parts. The first part is making the pectin using tart apples and a lemon. The second part is combining the pectin you’ve made with the strawberries. It is slightly more involved than using commercially-prepared pectin, however it is still quite easy to make and the results are incredible. You will have enough strawberry jam for your pantry and a few extra jars to share. After your jars cool, affix pretty Custom Apothecary Strawberry labels by CanningCrafts. Shop for matching canning labels in the Apothecary Canning Label Collection. Strawberry Jam Canning Recipe Recipe modified from the cookbook “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preservation method: Water bath canning Difficulty level: Easy to moderate Yield: Makes about eight 8-ounce jars You will need clean jars and closures, a boiling-water canner, rack, jar lifter, canning funnel, wooden skewer, and a fine sieve. 5 tart apples such as Granny Smith, stem and blossom ends removed, chopped coarsely, cores intact 1 lemon or lime (unpeeled and finely chopped) Water 8 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half 5 ½ cups granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean (optional), split and scraped. Use scraped pulp for recipe. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Place 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. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Do not boil. Keep lids hot until ready to use. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine apples, lemon, and enough water to prevent sticking. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, partially cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, until mixture is very soft. Working in batches, transfer mixture to a fine sieve. With back of a spoon, press mixture through sieve to yield two cups applesauce. Discard skins and cores. In a clean, large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine applesauce, strawberries, and sugar. Boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and mounds on a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla if using, and skim off foam. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe rim, center lid on jar. Screw band down until finger-tip tight. Place jars in canner. When all jars are in the canner, adjust the water level in the canner so that it covers the jars by at least one inch. Cover the canner with a lid and bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling hard and continuously, begin counting the processing time of 10 minutes. Once full time is complete, turn off heat and let jars sit in canner an additional five minutes (this standing time allows the pressure inside the jars to stabilize and reduces the likelihood of liquid loss that could otherwise occur when the jars are removed). Remove jars and place on a kitchen towel-lined space. The towel will help reduce the chance of jar breakage. Do not dry the lids or jars at this point. You do not want to disturb the lids while the seals are being formed. Allow jars to cool for 24 hours before removing bands and wiping down jars. Date jars and store in a cool dry place for up to one year. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection Decorate your home canned goods with our rustic Apothecary Canning Label Collection. These custom kraft labels are available for a variety of fruit and vegetables. Customize with a food name, short saying, ingredients, date, or weight. These old-fashioned labels are perfect for farmer’s market sales, pantry storage, and can also be used for bath & body products like sugar scrubs and candles. Want more Strawberry canning recipes? Read our Strawberry Canning Recipes Collection blog post. 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.
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRae worked up this zesty Peach BBQ Sauce 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, and recipe developer. See LaRae's other recipe guest blog posts. Searching for a delicious and unique way to can fragrant, summer peaches? Try our zesty Peach BBQ Sauce. Peaches are an ideal base to make a sweet and zesty homemade condiment. When shopping for peaches, choose fruit with a pleasant and sweet aroma and that has an exterior that “gives” when you lightly press on it. Ripe peaches not only taste good, but their skins also slip off much easier when blanched in hot water. Peach BBQ Sauce can be brushed on chicken, pork, tofu, or grilled vegetables. Toss in cold pasta dishes, serve with cheese platters or spread on Dagwood sandwiches. The possibilities are truly endless. Tip: We use one fresh habanero pepper to give this sauce a little heat, but feel free to use a half pepper for a milder kick. You will have enough Peach BBQ Sauce for several barbecues, pantry storage, and a few extra jars to share. After your jars cool, affix pretty Custom Apothecary Peach labels by CanningCrafts. Shop for matching canning labels in the Apothecary Canning Label Collection. Peach BBQ Sauce Canning Recipe Recipe was adapted from “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving” & used by permission ©2021 Chez LaRae PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Preservation method: Water bath canning Difficulty level: Easy to moderate Yield: Makes eight 8-ounce jars You will need clean jars and closures, a boiling-water canner, rack, jar lifter, canning funnel, wooden skewer, and a fine sieve. 6 cups ripe peaches, skins and pits removed*, roughly chopped One half or whole habanero pepper, depending on level of desired spiciness 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 small white onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 ½ cups honey ¾ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup bottled lemon juice 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp dry mustard powder 1 tsp brown mustard seeds 1 tsp celery seeds 2 tsp salt PRINT THE RECIPE CARD * To remove peach skins, blanch peaches in a boiling water bath for about 40 seconds. Then with a slotted spoon, immediately transfer peaches to a pot of ice water to cool. The peach skins should easily slip off. As an added bonus, you can use organic peach skins and pits to make peach scrap jelly or peach syrup. 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. Wearing rubber gloves, remove stems from habanero pepper, cut open, remove seeds. In a large Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until peaches, onions, and red peppers are softened. Blend with an immersion blender or standard blender until consistency of a commercial BBQ sauce. If sauce is too thin, cook down until desired consistency. Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/2″ of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads with a moistened towel. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands to finger-tip tight. Place jars onto rack in canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, process sauce for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After the jars cool, check seals by pressing the centers of lids with finger. If the lid springs back, the lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. Let prepared jars stand at room temperature 24 hours. Store unopened jam in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. PRINT THE RECIPE CARD Shop our Apothecary Canning Label Collection Decorate your home canned goods with our rustic Apothecary Canning Label Collection. These custom kraft labels are available for a variety of fruit and vegetables. Customize with a food name, short saying, ingredients, date, or weight. These old-fashioned labels are perfect for farmer’s market sales, pantry storage, and can also be used for bath & body products like sugar scrubs and candles. Want more BBQ canning recipes? Read our Summer Canning Recipes for BBQs and Picnics blog post. Want more Peach canning recipes? Read our Peach Canning Recipes Collection blog post. See our Canning Peaches Pinterest Board for more peach 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.
CanningCrafts has adhesive canning labels for your home canned goods. We have fruit and vegetable canning labels as well as classic labels that work for any food item. Our label design collections are perfect for canners who want all their home canned goods to match. We design custom honey labels, maple syrup labels, and “From the Kitchen of” labels too! Our custom wedding labels are perfect for your very special day! And don’t forget the decorations! Dress up your mason jars in style with our cloth jam jar covers, hang tags, and ribbon. And gift giving couldn’t be easier with our DIY Cookie Jar Kits. LABEL DESIGN COLLECTIONS Do you put up a lot of fruits and vegetables? If so, you may want all of your canning jars to look similar. We have several design collections with matching labels. So if you want your Strawberry Jam labels to match your Pepper Jelly labels, we have you covered! Take a look at some of our most popular design series.