Canning: My First Adventure

I’ve always had a passion for collecting and sampling unusual jams. My pantry is currently stocked with more than 20 varieties of jam from all over the world. Recently our roommate pointed out to me how much money I could save if I just canned my own jams. And then he let me sample his homemade blackberry jam and I thought he was really on to something. So, with his guidance, hubby and I picked out a pressure canner that will work well with our flat-top ceramic stove (the common modern flat-tops rule out many popular brands of pressure canners so make sure to do your research). We also purchased several sets of canning jars in half pint, pint, and quart sizes, tools for handling hot jars, and dissolvable fancy labels for our jars.

I’m getting pretty excited about our first canning session, and in preparation I’ve marked a number of recipes from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, Put ‘em Up: A Preserving Guide and Cookbook, and Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber (her jams are all the rage in France and sell for over $10 a jar!). Here are the recipes I’ve decided to tackle this year, over the course of two or three canning sessions. Do you have any favorite canned goods you’d like to suggest I add to the list?

Fruit Sauces

apple pear sauce

cranberry sauce

peach melba compote

pasta sauce

salsa

Jams and Jellies

early grey jelly

thyme jelly

carrot orange cardamom jam

strawberry passion fruit jam

rhubarb honey rosemary jam

strawberry rhubarb jam

wild blueberry jam

raspberry lemongrass jam

vanilla apricot jam

wild blackberry jam

yellow and white peach jam

lemon curd

yellow peaches with lavender honey

Syrups

blueberry syrup

Whole Fruit

peaches in syrup

preserved tangerines in honey

Other

cherry mostarda

apple pie filling

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