Zucchini Pickles

My hubby loves pickles.  This season I had a bumper crop of cucumbers and I tried several different methods . . . natural fermentation, beer pickles, refrigerator pickles, kosher dills, garlic dills, etc.

I also had an amazing crop of zucchini.  I wanted to preserve some using a method other than drying or freezing them.

Zucchini takes on the flavors of seasoning very well, so I thought to myself, why not try making zucchini pickles.  I made a small batch to see if they would get hubby's approval.  They've been sitting a couple months and I finally busted into a jar and put them in with his lunch without any warning about what he was getting . . . he gets pickles everyday so he was expecting to have them.

Lunch passed with no comment from him so I asked.  He said he didn't notice a difference . . . they tasted like pickles.

Zucchini pickles passed muster!  And zucchini are so easy to grow that I'm thinking they'll be a suitable pickle substitute should a cucumber crop be less than expected.




I made them using my standard dill pickle recipe using a "low temperature process" method . . . the jars stay in the water bath at a lower temperature for a longer time which is supposed to keep the pickles crunchier.

Make sure you use fresh, crisp zucchini.  Don’t can soft or overripe vegetables or you will end up with soft, limp pickles.   Small, firm fruit with dark skin are better than the gigantic zucchini that are preferable for stuffing.

You’ll need a Quick Process Pickling mix . . .  I use Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill  . . . and clear vinegar.

I generally can pickles in pint jars . . . I prefer wide mouth, but that’s up to you.

Wash the zucchini in cold water.  Then cut them into spears.  Makes sure the pickles are a length that leaves at least a half an inch of head space in the jar.

Before you pack the jars you will need to make sure the jars are clean and sanitized.  If you’re dishwasher has a high temperature wash then that is sufficient.  If not submerge the jars in a large pot of water . . . I use my canning pot . . .  and bring it to a boil.  Put the lids in another pot and boil them for several minutes and leave them in the hot water.

Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid on).

Follow the directions on the pickle mix . . . basically combine the mix with vinegar (and water if the recipe calls for it).  Bring to a near boil.

Add the zucchini spears and simmer for 3 minutes.  Then pack the zucchini into the jars and pour the simmering pickle mix liquid over them. Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.   You can add a clove of garlic and a sliced jalapeno for extra spice.

The zucchini tend to float in the liquid that's why it's important not to over fill the jars.  Make sure you wipe the lip of the jar and push them down and seal with the ring.

Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling until you are ready to process. Then, here's the key to crisp pickles: pickles should be processed for at 180-185°F, which is obviously below boiling (212 F), but hot enough to kill bacteria.





Check with a thermometer to be certain that the water temperature remains above 180° during the entire processing time. But keep the temperature below 185° to avoid breaking down the pectin.

Process them for 30 minutes.

Then carefully remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool in a draft-free area.  I know it’s tempting but don’t touch the jars while they’re cooling and try not to bump or jostle them.  Just let them sit quietly.

After 24 hours you can remove the rings and make sure your jars have sealed.  But any jars where the lid hasn’t sucked down into the fridge and eat them first.  You can check by pressing your finger into the center of the lid . . . if it pops then it’s not properly sealed.

You can eat the pickles anytime but they’re better if you wait at least 2 weeks.  It’s torture but it’s worth it!

Hot Pickled Green Beans

Pickling is an easy way to preserve your garden vegetables.  

I got loads of green beans and hot peppers from my garden this year and wanted to do something different with them . . . so I decided to put them both together in a jar and pickle them.

This is an easy recipe for pickling green beans with a kick.  It will make 10 pints of hot pickled green beans!  

Hot Pickled Green Beans

4 Pounds Green Beans
10 12 Ounce Canning Jars With Rings and New Lids
10 T Garlic, Peeled and Minced
10 Small Fresh Hot Cherry Peppers or Jalapenos 
Peppercorns
Pickling Brine 

Pickling Brine: 
6 Cups Water
4 1/2 Cups Cider Vinegar
6 Tablespoons Pickling Salt


Start by sterilizing the jars and lids. Bring the water to a boil to sterilize the jars while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Boil the jars at least 5 minutes. Add the lids to a smaller pan of water and bring to a to boil.  Turn down to a simmer once the water has come to a boil. 

Make the pickling brine by mixing all ingredients together and bring to a boil.  Keep at a simmer until ready to use.

Wash the green beans and peppers.  Snap the ends off the green beans.  You can leave the little "tail" on the other end of the green beans.

Trim the beans so that they fit in your jar. If you have very long beans, like I do, you may have to cut them in half.  Pack them in tight to minimize air space.

Add 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon peppercorns to each jar and top with a pepper.  If it’s a small pepper use the whole pepper.

Fill each jar with hot pickling brine, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.

Use a plastic knife to remove air bubbles from jar by running it around the interior of the jar. Wipe the rims and apply the lids and rings.

Place the jars of beans into the canning pot.  Make sure the jars are covered with at least an inch of water.  Bring the water to a full boil.  Process the beans for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Remove the jars from the pot and let them sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.  At which time you may remove the rings and store them.

Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible. 

Let the beans sit for at least two weeks before eating, to thoroughly develop their flavor.

Chill before using for maximum crunch.

Mixed Pepper Hot Sauce

We like spicy food.  In fact, we put hot sauce or hot peppers in almost everything.  I grew and harvested a lot of hot peppers this year . . . jalapenos, habaneros and Hungarian wax peppers.  Plus a friend was generous to give us cherry peppers from their garden.  

This season I've pickled peppers, stuffed peppers, water canned peppers . . . so much good hot stuff!

This year I decided to make and can my own hot sauce.  And, because I had such a mixture of peppers ripen all at the same time I wanted to utilize all of them in making the sauce.  The result was a spicy, flavorful sauce that wasn't over-the-top but indeed very spicy!

Mixed Pepper Hot Sauce (15 Pints)

8 Whole Habanero Peppers
8 Whole Jalapeño Peppers
8 Whole Cherry Peppers
10 Whole Hungarian Wax Peppers
3 Tablespoon Salt
4 Medium Onion, Halved
8 Cloves Garlic, Smashed
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
6 Medium Tomatoes, Quartered
4 Cups Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar


Wash peppers in cold water.  Remove the stems but leave whole.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Grease or line a couple of cookie sheets.  

Distribute the onion, garlic and tomatoes in a single layer on the cookie sheets. 

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cookie sheet in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until the onion pieces are well roasted.

Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and place the roasted vegetables in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients on the list.   You’ll need to do this in 2 or 3 batches.

Blend until the mixture is pureed.  Pour into a sauce pan and heat to a high simmer.

While the sauce is heating up get the canning jars, lids and rings ready.  I used pint sized jars for the hot sauce.   The jars should be either sterilized in a high temperature wash dishwasher cycle or in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.  In a separate pot, the lids should be boiled for at least five minutes, as well.  


For processing the filled jars, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  

Fill the sanitized jars within a 1/4 inch of the top with the hot sauce. Wipe the lips of the jar with a clean dry cloth or paper towel. Then put the lids and rings on.  Screw on the rings finger tight only.

Put the jars in the canner then put the lid on.  When the pot has reached a full boil set the time to process the sauce for 15 minutes (sea level).

 

When the processing time is up lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight).  I normally let them sit for at least 12 hours.   You can then remove the rings if you like to reuse.

Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. 

Finally, store them in a cool, dark place.  Enjoy all year!

Drying Homegrown Basil

In my vegetable garden I always sow basil seeds with the tomatoes.  Let's face it . . . tomato and basil are perfect together.  

Throughout the summer I pick basil here and there for recipes and whatnot.  But now that summer is over and my garden is pretty much played out I have huge bunches of basil that I need to do something with lest they go to waste.

If you're planning on drying your basil keep in mind that basil begins to lose flavor once it starts flowering, so plan on harvesting it before it begins flowering.

Dried basil is less full-bodied when it is dried, but it doesn't lose its distinctive delicious taste.  Keeping the dried leaves whole instead of crushing them retains more of the flavor.

 

Drying basil . . . herbs in general . . . is easy.  All it requires is a little time . . . . or a lot of time depending on the drying method employed.  

Whichever method you use you must start by washing the basil. Place each branch under the tap.  The water should be about room temperature.  Carefully wash off the dirt and debris from the leaves. Then blot the leaves dry with paper towels.  While you’re washing the leaves discard any that are rotten or look bad.

Air Drying

Air drying is the easiest method as it doesn't require any special equipment.  Select stalks that are fairly even in length.  Hold the stalks upside down then take string or a rubber band or a twist tie and tie the base of the stems together . . . kind of like a bouquet.  

Hang the basil in an area where it can dry. You want to select an area that has good air circulation to prevent mold from growing.  Depending on conditions, it will take two or three weeks for the leaves to completely dry out.  The leaves will be brown and crunchy when they are totally dry . . . if they are soft then they are not yet dry.  

Using a dehydrator

I prefer to use my dehydrator.  It's faster and there's little chance that the leaves will mold or be otherwise contaminated.

Remove the cleaned leaves from the stalks.  Place the basil leaves on the drying racks, leaving space between them for the air to circulate, and only one leaf thick on each rack.

Set the dehydrator thermostat set to 95°F to 115°F.  If the ambient humidity is high you can set it as high as 125°F.   I started mine out at 95°F  and after several hours they were barely drying so I bumped it up to 125°F and they dried out within a couple of hours . . . it was a fairly humid day and we don't have air conditioning.  Overall mine took about 10 hours to dry but that time could have been drastically reduced if I had started out with a higher temperature.  Use your best judgment.

Storing

Once the leaves are dry you can either keep the leaves whole or crunch them up.  Simply pick them off the stalks (crush them or not) and then place them in an airtight jar or zipper bag.  

Store herbs in a cool, dry, dark place (away from sunlight). Dried herbs keep for years but for best results use within a year. Most herbs will diminish in flavor with age and a larger amount will be needed to achieve the desired flavor in cooking

Pressure Canned Peppers

This year . . . like most other years . . . I planted a variety of hot peppers in my garden.  

Because peppers are a low acid food they need to be pressure canned.

Obviously, for the best results you need to start out with the freshest, crispest peppers. Select smallish (1 inch to 1 and ¼-inch in diameter) tender, firm, crisp peppers.  Cut out any soft, diseased, spotted and rusty pods.  Figure 1 lb of peppers per pint jar.

A word of caution before you begin.  Unless your a tough warrior babe (i.e knuckleheaded lazy chick) like me, make sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes. Hot peppers can burn your eyes and skin and other . . . uhm . . . parts.  The oil from peppers isn't easily washed away.  My hands and fingers have had an unpleasant . . . but not painful . . . burning sensation the next day after cutting hot peppers without gloves and this was after many hand washing and showering.   You've been warned.


Equipment you will need:

Pressure Canner (I use an All American model 915. An excellent canner, by the way!)
Pint canning jars 
Large spoons and ladles
Lids and Rings
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter
1 small pot to sanitize the lids
Jar funnel

I've been told you don't need to sanitize the jars before pressure canning; however, I think it's a good practice . . . better to be safe than sorry.


Sanitizing the jars kills any fungus and bacteria to prevent spoilage.  You can use the dishwasher for this if you have an extra hot or sanitize cycle, but you can boil them in the canner while your prepping your beans, which is what I usually do.

If you're using the canner, fill the jars with water and place them in the canner.  Then fill the canner with water  until it is over the tops of the jars and bring to a boil.  You will only need about 3 inches of water for the actual canning process but you can dump out the excess water before you put in your filled jars.  Otherwise, fill the canner about half full and bring to a boil.


Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes.  

Wash the peppers in fresh, cold water.  

Boil the peppers in water for 3 minutes, then removed the peppers and reserve the water.  Just keep the water simmering and use this water to fill the jars after you've packed them with the peppers.

If you are using small peppers you can leave them whole.  Otherwise, remove stems, cores and seeds; slit them lengthwise to remove the seeds and open them up.

Fill jars loosely, leaving 1-inch of headspace at the top of the jar as this allows for expansion. Flatten whole peppers. Add on teaspoon of 5% white vinegar to each jar. You may add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar for taste but that's optional. 

Carefully fill each packed jar with water from pot of boiling water that they were cooked in.  Make sure to leave that 1 inch of airspace at the top of each jar.  Put the lids on each jar the put a ring on and screwing it down finger tight.  


Using the jar tongs, put the jars on the rack in the canner. You should have 3 inches of water in the canner.  Add hot tap water to the canner if necessary. 

Once all the jars that will fit are in the canner put on the lid and seal it, but leave the weight off (or valve open).

Let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes.  After venting, put the weight on and close any openings to allow the pressure to build to 10 pounds.  Once pressure is up set the timer and process for 35 minutes.  Be sure to maintain the pressure.

Adjustments for Pressure Canner
Altitude in Feet	Dial Gauge Canner	Weighted Gauge Canner
0-1000	10	10
1001-2000	11	15
2001-4000	12	15
4001-6000	13	15
6001-8000	14	15
8000-10,000	15	15

If you live above 1000 feet elevation you need to figure your altitude adjustments canning. As your altitude goes above 1000 feet above sea level the atmospheric pressure is reduced. This causes water to boil at temperatures lower than 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

For safety in water bath canning you must bring the contents of your jar to at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit. To compensate for the temperature difference you must increase processing time.

The pressure canner is also affected by atmospheric pressures. A pressure canner must reach a temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit in order to stop botulism. To compensate for altitude differences, you must increase the amount of pressure used. The time does not change, only the pressure used.

Once processing time is up, vent the canner to release the pressure.  Make  sure the pressure gauge is down to zero before removing the lid.  Let the pot sit for 10 minutes before opening!

Place the jars in a draft free area and leave undisturbed for at least twelve hours.  At that point, you can remove the rings.  Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible.  Otherwise, place your jars in a cool 
dark place for storage.

Cold Packed Canned Green Beans

Canning green beans is just about as easy as growing them.  They are a great starter crop for a new gardener and they are also a good vegetable to learn how to pressure can with.

Green beans . . . water packed . . . must be pressure canned due to their low acidity.  

Green beans can be either hot packed or cold packed.  I prefer cold (raw) packed green beans because I will be using them in recipes and they will be less cooked than if I were to hot pack them.  It's also less work up front.




Equipment you will need:

Pressure Canner (I use an All American model 915. An excellent canner, by the way!)
Pint or quart canning jars (quart jars are more economical but for me pint jars are a good serving size so that's what I use for beans.)
Large spoons and ladles
Lids and Rings
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter
1 small pot to sanitize the lids
Jar funnel

I've been told you don't need to sanitize the jars before pressure canning; however, I think it's a good practice . . . better to be safe than sorry.


Sanitizing the jars kills any fungus and bacteria to prevent spoilage.  You can use the dishwasher for this if you have an extra hot or sanitize cycle, but you can boil them in the canner while your prepping your beans, which is what I usually do.

If you're using the canner, fill the jars with water and place them in the canner.  Then fill the canner with water  until it is over the tops of the jars and bring to a boil.  You will only need about 3 inches of water for the actual canning process but you can dump out the excess water before you put in your filled jars.  Otherwise, fill the canner about half full and bring to a boil.

Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes.  

Wash beans in cold water and snap or cut them to the desired size . . . I typically cut mine into 2-inch pieces because they fit nicely into the jar.  



Pack the jars tightly with the raw cut beans.  I add a bit of salt into each of the jars . . . use kosher or canning salt NOT table salt.  


Cover with boiling water leaving 1-inch head space.

After your jars have been filled you will need to remove air bubbles by running a utensil down inside the jar between the jar and the beans  . . . a plastic knife or rubber spatula works well for this.
Wipe the rims of your jars clean then top the jars with the canning lids and rings. 


Place filled jars in a pressure canner.  Bring the water to a boil and put the lid on and lock it down.  Vent the canner for 10 minutes.

After venting, start your timer for the processing time - 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.

Adjustments for Pressure Canner
Altitude in Feet	Dial Gauge Canner	Weighted Gauge Canner
0-1000	10	10
1001-2000	11	15
2001-4000	12	15
4001-6000	13	15
6001-8000	14	15
8000-10,000	15	15

If you live above 1000 feet elevation you need to figure your altitude adjustments canning. As your altitude goes above 1000 feet above sea level the atmospheric pressure is reduced. This causes water to boil at temperatures lower than 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

For safety in water bath canning you must bring the contents of your jar to at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit. To compensate for the temperature difference you must increase processing time.

The pressure canner is also affected by atmospheric pressures. A pressure canner must reach a temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit in order to stop botulism. To compensate for altitude differences, you must increase the amount of pressure used. The time does not change, only the pressure used.

Once processing time is up, vent the canner to release the pressure.  Make  sure the pressure gauge is down to zero before removing the lid.

Place the jars in a draft free area and leave undisturbed for at least twelve hours.  At that point, you can remove the rings.  Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible.

Otherwise, place your jars in a cool dark place for storage.

Dilly Beans

I have a bazillion beans in my garden.  I'm literally picking them by the gallon.  What to do with all those beans . . . besides eat them right up, of course . . . ?  Dilly-'em.  

What's a dilly bean?  A hot spicy pickled dill bean. What's better than a dilly bean?  A whole jar of them.  And what's better than that?  Jars and JARS of them.  Mmmm, yeah, baby!

Dilly Beans (Pickled Green Beans)

Figure approximately 1 pound of beans per pint jar. This recipe makes about six pints of dilly beans.





6 pounds green beans, trimmed to fit your jars 
3 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use more but it depends on how spicy you like them)
6 teaspoons dill seed 
6 cloves garlic
5 cups white vinegar (5%)
5 cups water
1/2 cup pickling salt (use a bit more if you’ve only got kosher)

You will also need a canning pot, pint canning jars, lids with rings, a jar lifter, canning jar funnel.




Begin by inserting the rack into the pot, add the jars and fill the pot (and jars) with water.  Bring the water to a boil to sterilize the jars while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Boil the jars at least 5 minutes.

Add the lids to a smaller pan of water and bring to a to boil.  Turn down to a simmer once the water has come to a boil. 

Wash and trim the beans so that they fit in your jar. If you have very long beans, like I do, you may have to cut them in half.  Pack them in tight to minimize air space.

Combine vinegar, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Remove the jars from the canning pot.  Make sure to leave about half the water and leave it at a heavy simmer.

While the brine is heating up, pack the beans into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace (distance between the tops of the beans and the rim of the jar). 



Then to each jar add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you want them), 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon dill seeds.


Pour the boiling brine over the beans, making sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace. 

Use a plastic knife to remove air bubbles from jar by running it around the interior of the jar. Wipe the rims and apply the lids and rings.

Place the jars of beans into the canning pot.  Bring the water to a full boil.  Process the beans for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Remove the beans from the pot and let them sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.  At which time you may remove the rings and store them.

Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible.

Let the beans sit for at least two weeks before eating, to thoroughly develop their flavor.

Pressure Canning Tomatoes

Now that the tomatoes in my garden are finally getting ripe it's time to start canning them.  I try to can them the day I pick them for the best results.  Obviously, that's not always possible, but I try.

When planning on how many jars you will need based on tomato volume figure 7 large tomatoes will fill one quart jar.

Besides the tomatoes the only other ingredients you will need is lemon juice and salt.  Salt is optional but make sure you don't use iodized table salt . . . you want a salt that doesn't have added ingredients.  




Equipment you will need:


Pressure Canner (I use an AllAmerican model 915). An excellent canner, by the way!
Pint or quart canning jars (quart jars are more economical)
Large spoons and ladles
Lids and Rings
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter
1 large pot for scalding the tomatoes
1 small pot to sanitize the lids.
Jar funnel




Be sure to sanitize the jars, this removes any fungus and bacteria to prevent spoilage.  You can use the dishwasher for this if you have an extra hot or sanitize cycle, but you can boil them in the canner while your prepping your tomatoes, which is what I usually do.

If you're using the canner, fill the jars with water and place them in the canner.  Then fill the canner with water  until it is over the tops of the jars and bring to a boil.  You will only need about 3 inches of water for the actual canning process but you can dump out the excess water before you put in your filled jars.

Otherwise, fill the canner about half full and bring to a boil.

Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Put the tomatoes, a few at a time in the boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 - 45 seconds is usually enough) and them put them into a large bowl of ice water.  This will make removing the skins ridiculously easy.


You want to use the freshest tomatoes you can; preferably unbruised and blemish free but that's in an ideal world.  Just be sure to cut out any bruised and discolored flesh when chopping them for the jars.  You definitely do NOT want rotten or mushy tomatoes!

Once you've removed the skins, cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters . . . making sure to remove any tough, bruised or soft parts.

Fill the sanitized jars withing a 1/4 inch of the top with the tomatoes. After the jar is filled, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per quart jar, 1 per pint jar.  This helps to reduce the odds of spoilage and to retain color and flavor. Then fill to 1/2 inch of the top with either boiling water or boiling tomato juice.  Add a pinch of salt, if desired.


Release any trapped air bubbles by sliding a flat utensil up and down around the inside edge of the jars.

Wipe the lips of the jar with a clean dry cloth or paper towel. Then put the lids and rings on.  Screw on the rings finger tight only.

Dump out any excess water out of the canner leaving about 3 inches of boiling water.  Put the jars in the pressure canner.  Then put the lid on and screw it down.

Let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes before putting the weight on.  After venting put the weight on and let the canner build pressure.

For a weighted canner, like mine, process both pints and quarts for 15 minutes at 5 pounds of pressure.  Make sure you read the instructions for YOUR canner before using it.

When the processing time is up.  Vent the canner and remove from the heat.  DO NOT remove the lid until the pressure is down to zero.


Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight).  I normally let them sit for at least 12 hours.   You can then remove the rings if you like to reuse.

Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it.

Personally, I don't recommend reprocessing the jars if they haven't sealed because to tomatoes will be smooshy.

The tomatoes will float over the liquid.  This is normal, so don't panic.  You can reduce the amount of liquid in the jar by packing the tomatoes tighter next time.  But, remember, tomatoes are mostly water so you'll always get that water layer.

Finally, store them in a cool, dark place.  Enjoy them all year!

Canning your own food is very rewarding, saves money and the taste is so much better

My husband is a pickle fanatic . . . he has to have a pickle everyday with his lunch and if I happen to forget to put one in his lunch box I hear ALL about it.  And when we go out to eat, I have to protect my pickle from his pickle swiping fingers.

So, last year we grew cucumbers in our garden with the specifically for the purposes of making them into pickles.  They were good but not as crisp as commercial pickles.

My refridgerator pickles stay crunchy but I’m also not processing them in hot water.

This year we are, again, growing cucumbers . . . and we’re getting loads of them.  I wanted to find a recipe for crisp canned pickles.  I found one and with this process the pickles do look less cooked . . . i.e. smooshy . . .  and more like they will have a crunch to them.

This method utilizes a "low temperature process" method . . . the jars stay in the water bath at a lower temperature for a longer time.

To start off with make sure you use fresh, crisp cucumbers.  Don’t can soft or overripe vegetables or you will end up with soft, limp pickles.   Dark green, warty cucumbers are the best and will have fewer seeds.

You’ll need a Quick Process Pickling mix . . .  I use Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill  . . . and clear vinegar.

I generally can pickles in pint jars . . . I prefer wide mouth, but that’s up to you.  Figure it will take about 3 or 4 pickling cucumbers to fill a pint jar. 

Wash the cucumbers in cold water.  Then slice them . . . I cut the small pickles in halves but you can cut them into spears, if you wish.  Makes sure the pickles are a length that leaves at least a half an inch of head space in the jar.

Before you pack the jars you will need to make sure the jars are clean and sanitized.  If you’re dishwasher has a high temperature wash then that is sufficient.  If not submerge the jars in a large pot of water . . . I use my canning pot . . .  and bring it to a boil.  Put the lids in another pot and boil them for several minutes and leave them in the hot water.

Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid on).

 Follow the directions on the pickle mix . . . basically combine the mix with vinegar (and water if the recipe calls for it).  Bring to a near boil

Pack the raw cucumbers into the jars and pour the simmering pickle mix liquid over them. Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.   I also shove in a clove of garlic and a sliced jalapeno for extra spice.

Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling until you are ready to process. Then, here's the key to crisp pickles: Cucumber pickles should be processed for at 180-185°F, which is obviously below boiling (212 F), but hot enough to kill bacteria. 

Check with a thermometer to be certain that the water temperature remains above 180° during the entire processing time. But keep the temperature below 185° to avoid breaking down the pectin, which will cause softening of the pickle.

Heat them for 30 minutes.

Then carefully remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool in a draft-free area.  I know it’s tempting but don’t touch the jars while they’re cooling and try not to bump or jostle them.  Just let them sit quietly. 

After 24 hours you can remove the rings and make sure your jars have sealed.  But any jars where the lid hasn’t sucked down into the fridge and eat them first.  You can check by pressing your finger into the center of the lid . . . if it pops then it’s not properly sealed.

You can eat the pickles anytime but they’re better if you wait at least 2 weeks.  It’s torture but it’s worth it!