Basic Bone Broth Recipe and How to Preserve It

Basic Bone Broth Recipe and How to Preserve It
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
                                                  
One ingredient we use a lot in soups and other dishes is bone broth. I’ll be honest it used to scare me to make it. We use it in place of store-bought bouillon or stock. Why? No fillers, or preservatives. More real nutrients and its better for you. The good news is it is easy to make. 
 
You will need bones, I like to keep species the same. A crock pot, or roster. Glass canning jars for storage. Below is an outline of the basic ingredients. You can change the flavor up by adding different vegetables or herbs. If you have some vegetables about to go bad, throw them in the pot with the bones!
 
4 pounds of bones (about 4 chicken carcass bones)
1-2 Onions
2T apple cider vinegar or 3T Braggs 
3 Celery Stalks chopped
3 Carrots chopped
Sea salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic
2” knob of ginger
2 bay leaves
3 springs Thyme
3 springs parsley
 
Place all the ingredients in a crock pot or roaster. Add water until everything is covered. Simmer on low, about 200 degrees in a roaster, for 24-48 hours. Stir and skim the fat occasionally. 
 
Remove the solids. Remove the bones from the vegetables and meat. Place the vegetables and meat in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the blended food back to the broth and stir. This will make the broth very thick. If you want a thinner broth, do not add as much blended solids back. 
 
You can also remove the bones and use an immersion blender to blend the remaining solids. 
 
You can freeze the broth in freezer containers, leaving 2 inch head space, or can using the directions below. 
 
Add the broth into sterilized pressure canning jars, leaving 1 inch head space. 
 
Wipe the rims clean and place lids on. I like to use the reusable canning lids from Tattler. 
 
Place hot jars into the pressure canner and fill with water until water is 2 inches above the jars. 
 
Process jars at 11 pounds psi for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts. 
 
 
 
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Storing White Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes at room tempature

Storing White Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes at room tempature
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we use for cooking throughout the year is potatoes. This storing method can be used for both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes. Note that red skinned white potatoes will not keep as long as brown or yellow skinned potatoes, and thick skinned keeps even longer. So use the red ones first, then the thin skinned, leaving the thick (like russets) for last. 

Storing potatoes for winter actually starts before the harvest. Reduce the water to the potatoes for a couple weeks prior to harvest. This helps the skin to dry and harden which will prevent mold growth later. Wait until the vines start to die back. They will turn speckled yellow before completely drying up. Waiting until this point allows the potato tubers to completely mature prior to harvest. 

Dig the potatoes, being careful to not cut or damage any tubers while digging. Lightly dust the dirt from the potatoes and place them in a shallow open box. 

Curing is next, and the most crucial for long term storage. White potatoes tend to be harvested late in the summer when it is still warm and humid. Sweet potatoes are more towards fall, when temperatures are cooling off. Both need to be cured for 10-14 days in warm temperatures with high humidity. White potatoes' ideal temperature is 65 degrees with 95% humidity, while sweet potatoes are closer to 80-85 degrees with 80% humidity. I cure my white potatoes in my garage, which is a little higher in temperature than ideal, but the humidity is about right. Sweet potatoes I place next to the furnace in boxes covered with a cloth to keep humidity up. 

After the curing period is up you can gently brush any remaining dirt off the potatoes. Dispose of or use quickly any with bad spots, soft spots, green ends, or cuts. Store potatoes in a cool and dry room. An unheated basement room or garage works well for this. But take care to make sure they do not freeze. I have a cellar room that we can close off to keep the heat out of, in our basement that works well. Ideal temperature for storing white potatoes is around 40 degrees, while sweet potatoes can handle a bit warmer at 55 degrees. 


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How to store squash at room tempature

How to store squash at room tempature
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we are trying to incorporate more of is squash.

There are a few options to preserve squash for the winter. You can dice and freeze them, or store them at room temperature for 6-8 months depending on the type of squash. Squash with harder skins, like butternut, spaghetti, or pumpkin store well at room temperature. I will briefly cover storing squash at room temperature. 

Step 1: For any method is to harvest the squash. Cut the squash (butternut, spaghetti, pumpkin) from the vines when they are ripe and before the first killing frost. Squash plants can typically handle light frost just fine. 

Step 2: There are two different options here. The first is simply storing them on newspaper, the second is coating them with oil. 

Storing squash on newspaper is by far the easier way. Simply spread several layers of newspaper out on a counter, then set the squash on them without touching. You want to place them in a place with moderate temperature. I use my basement as it is finished and kept around 60 degrees in the winter, with little humidity (we run a dehumidifier). A root cellar is too damp, and an attic too cold in the winter for squash to keep. Feel free to decorate with them too around the house. This allows you to monitor them for mold and remove them before they become mush and enjoy their decorative features. 

The other option is to coat the squash with oil. Again you want to store at a moderate temperature, with low humidity. The oil method takes a bit more time and supervision, but the squash do keep longer. Before you store the squash, simply wipe each squash with a clean rag, soaked in vegetable oil. The oil reduces the spread of mold spores. If mold does appear, simply re-wipe the squash with oil. 

Happy squash harvesting and decorating!


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Homemade canned Salsa

Homemade canned Salsa
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we use for several canning recipes is tomatoes. I usually can salsa with many of the tomatoes. Its perfect for that side you forgot you needed to bring, or adding to chops or roasts. Making salsa is a simple process. 

For homemade salsa you will need (this will make approximately 3 quarts)
12 large tomatoes (approximately 1 cup each)
3 large onion
1 c vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar)
1 c Jalapenos chopped
½ c sugar
¼ c salt
¼ c cilantro (to taste)
4 cloves garlic
2 c corn (½ qt frozen)

I usually make 5 times the recipe and make as big of a batch as I can at one time. For the pot pictured the recipe is 3x. The smaller pot in the back will do 2x the recipe. 

You will need the following supplies:
Canning jars
Canning lids
Canning rings
Jar Funnel
Long spatula or knife
Hot water bath
Stock pot (I usually have at least 2)
Immersion blender (for smooth salsa texture)


Step 1. Quarter tomatoes and add all the ingredients to a big stock pot. Sometimes I don’t even quarter them. No need to remove skins or seeds. If you are using frozen tomatoes, just throw them in the pot. They will cook down and chop up as you stir the pot. 

Step 2. Add all the ingredients. As I harvest produce or find ingredients on sale, I will chop them up and freeze them in sizes I will need for the recipes. It makes the process so much faster. I also like to use fresh herbs if I have them on hand at the time (you will need about double the amount using fresh). Chop onions with a food processor saves your eyes and time too. Once everything is in the pot turn the burner on high and stir occasionally. 

Step 3. Stir the sauce and break up the chunks. I like to use my mix and chop for the first part to break up the big chunks. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend everything together in the pot. 

Step 4. Once the sauce has boiled down to the correct consistency (this will be based purely on individual preference), pour into your cleaned and sanitized jars (running them through the dishwasher is an easy way to do this).

Step 5. Fill quart jars to ½ inch below the rim. 

Step 6. Run the rubber spatula up and down along the inside of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Add more sauce if needed. Wipe the rim clean. Do NOT forget this step. Jars with bubbles can explode in the water bath. Sauce on the rims will keep the jars from sealing properly. 

Step 7. Lids. Rinse the, one time use, canning lids in hot water. This is new compared to older lids which you needed to boil first. Then set them on the jar and attach the rings down. Do not over tighten the rings, a quick tight twist will do before you burn your fingers on the hot jar. 

If you are using reusable lids you will want to boil the seals and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. I purchased some from Tattler at www.reusablecanninglids.com


Step 8. Fill your spare pot (or now empty pot) half way with hot water and bring to a boil. If you have the stove space you can actually start the pot of water when you start cooking your sauce in the beginning (this also saves time). 

Step 9. Place jars in the pot, and cover with a lid to help it come to a boil quicker.

Step 10. Once boiling, set your timer for 25 minutes, and let it continue to boil (this is called Water Bathing)

Step 11. After the 25 minutes have elapsed, pull the jars out and set them on a doubled over towel on the counter. Listen for a small “pop” of the middle of the lid dropping down. This indicates that the jar is sealed correctly (for one time use lids). Let the jars cool completely. Check seals, remove rings, label, then store in your pantry.

For one time use lids, the bubble should be down and not pop up. For reusable lids, gently pick them up by the lid (it's terrifying the first few times), if the lid holds, the seal is good. 


Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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Homemade Canned Spagetti Sauce

Homemade Canned Spagetti Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we use for several canning recipes is tomatoes. I usually can spaghetti sauce with many of the tomatoes. It makes for quick meals in the winter months and the kids love it. Making spaghetti sauce is a simple process. 

For homemade spaghetti sauce you will need (this will make approximately 3 quarts)
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
12 large tomatoes (approximately 1 cup each)
6 beef bouillon cubes (or 3 pints beef/bone broth)
4 t basil
2 lg bay leaves
1t salt
1 t oregano
12 oz can tomato paste
Optional mushrooms

I usually 3-5 times the recipe and make as big of a batch as I can at one time. For the pot pictured the recipe is 3x. The smaller pot in the back will do 2x the recipe. 

You will need the following supplies:
Canning jars
Canning lids
Canning rings
Jar Funnel
Long spatula or knife
Hot water bath
Stock pot (I usually have at least 2)
Immersion blender (for smooth sauce texture)


Step 1. Quarter tomatoes and add all the ingredients to a big stock pot. No need to remove skins or seeds. If you are using frozen tomatoes, just throw them in the pot. They will cook down and chop up as you stir the pot. 


Step 2. Add all the ingredients. As I harvest produce or find ingredients on sale, I will chop them up and freeze them in sizes I will need for the recipes. It makes the process so much faster. I also like to use fresh herbs if I have them on hand at the time (you will need about double the amount using fresh). Chop onions with a food processor saves your eyes and time too. Once everything is in the pot turn the burner on high and stir occasionally. 

Step 3. Stir the sauce and break up the chunks. I like to use my mix and chop for the first part to break up the big chunks. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend everything together in the pot. 

Step 4. Once the sauce has boiled down to the correct consistency (this will be based purely on individual preference), pour into your cleaned and sanitized jars (running them through the dishwasher is an easy way to do this).

Step 5. Fill jars to ½ inch below the rim. 

Step 6. Run the rubber spatula up and down along the inside of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Add more sauce if needed. Wipe the rim clean. Do NOT forget this step. Jars with bubbles can explode in the water bath. Sauce on the rims will keep the jars from sealing properly. 

Step 7. Lids. Rinse the, one time use, canning lids in hot water. This is new compared to older lids which you needed to boil first. Then set them on the jar and attach the rings down. Do not over tighten the rings, a quick tight twist will do before you burn your fingers on the hot jar. 

If you are using reusable lids you will want to boil the seals and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. I purchased some from Tattler at www.reusablecanninglids.com

Step 8. Fill your spare pot (or now empty pot) half way with hot water and bring to a boil. If you have the stove space you can actually start the pot of water when you start cooking your sauce in the beginning (this also saves time). 

Step 9. Place jars in the pot, and cover with a lid to help it come to a boil quicker.


Step 10. Once boiling, set your timer for 30 minutes, and let it continue to boil (this is called Water Bathing)


Step 11. After the 30 minutes have elapsed, pull the jars out and set them on a doubled over towel on the counter. Listen for a small “pop” of the middle of the lid dropping down. This indicates that the jar is sealed correctly (for one time use lids). Let the jars cool completely. Check seals, remove rings, label, then store in your pantry.

For one time use lids, the bubble should be down and not pop up. For reusable lids, gently pick them up by the lid (it's terrifying the first few times), if the lid holds, the seal is good. 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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Homemade Pear Sauce without added Sugar

Homemade Pear Sauce without added Sugar
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One of the things we were blessed with when we moved to our acreage was 2 pear trees! So of course I figured out how to make the most of them. One of the ways I found to use the pears and preserve them was to make pear sauce. Making pear sauce is a simple process. 

You will need:
Canning jars
Canning lids
Canning rings
Jar Funnel
Long spatula or knife
Hot water bath
Stock pot (I usually have at least 2)
Colander
Sieve/immersion blender/kitchen aid sieve attachment 
Pears

Step 1: Pick the pears while they are still green on the tree. This saves bruising when they fall off, and allows you to get the pears instead of the squirrels eating them all half way. Take them to a cool dark area and lay them out. I usually use an old sheet or boxes in the basement. Check on them every few days for those that are ripe. Mine turn from green to slightly yellow. 


Step 2: Once ½ to â…”  are ripe that you (haven’t eaten), gently wash them up in the sink removing any bad spots. If you have the kitchen aid sieve attachment, you don’t need to core the pears. If not, peal, quarter, and core the pears. The sieve attachment is well worth the time saved. 

Step 3: Cook the pears. If you want to prevent darkening, dip pears in lemon juice or citric acid. I don’t mind the darker color, so I skip this step. When cooking I used my smaller pan that the colander fits into. This allows me to simply remove the pears, without having to fish them out of the water. Cook until the pears are soft and mushy. This is about 5 minutes. 

Step 4: Puree the pears by running them through the kitchen aid sieve, or using an immersion blender if you peeled and cord the pears. You could also use a food processor or blender


Any more white than this and you are loosing to much of the pear. Cook them a little longer to soften them. Peal and core should be the main thing you see coming out this end.

Step 5: cook the sauce down. Return the pear sauce to the stock pot, bringing to a simmer until desired consistency is reached. Stir the pot regularly to prevent sticking/burning the bottom. 

Step 6: Fill the jars! Fill hot jars leaving ½ inch headspace. 


Step 7. De-bubble the jars by running a long spatula or knife along the edge or the jar. Wipe the rim clean. Do NOT forget this step. Jars with bubbles can explode in the water bath. Sauce on the rims will keep the jars from sealing properly. 


Step 8. Lids. Rinse the, one time use, canning lids in hot water. This is new compared to older lids which you needed to boil first. Then set them on the jar and attach the rings down. Do not over tighten the rings, a quick tight twist will do before you burn your fingers on the hot jar. 

If you are using reusable lids you will want to boil the seals and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. I purchased some from Tattler at www.reusablecanninglids.com

If the jar is too hot to grab you can use a lid tighter as shown to help.


Step 9. Place jars (pint or quart) in a hot water bath. Wait for boiling and then set the timer for 20 minutes. 


Step 10. Remove jars from the hot water bath and allow to cool completely. Check the lids to make sure the jars are sealed. Remove rings, label and store. For one time use lids, the bubble should be down and not pop up. For reusable lids, gently pick them up by the lid (it's terrifying the first few times), if the lid holds, the seal is good. 
 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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How to dehydrate apples

How to dehydrate apples
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. When we moved to our property, we bought 2 apple trees.  A favorite snack for the winter time is dehydrated apple slices. It is fairly simple and an easy snack when apples are no longer ripe or you're traveling!

You will need:
Core/slicer/peeler (you can use a cutting board and knife, but this tool makes the process so much faster).
Citric Acid/lemon juice (optional)
Apples

Step 1: Pick the apples just as they are ripening on the tree. This saves bruising when they fall off, and allows you to get the apples instead of the squirrels eating them all half way. Take them to a cool dark area and lay them out. I usually use an old sheet or boxes in the basement. Check on them every few days for those that are ripe. 

Step 2: Once 6-12 are ripe that you (haven’t eaten), gently wash them up in the sink removing any bad spots.

Step 3: Using the core/slicer spin the apples through the blade. I will often leave the peel on the apples. 

Step 4: If you don’t want the apple to brown, dip them in citric acid/lemon juice. I don’t mind them browning a bit, so I skip this part.

Step 5: Lay the sliced apples out on a dehydrating tray. You can buy add on trays for most dehydrators so you can do more at once. 

Step 6: Once all the trays are full, put the lid on the dehydrator and set the temperature for 135 degrees F.

Step 7: My apples usually take around 12-24 hours depending on how thick I sliced them. If you start it at night, check them in the morning and adjust depending on how they look. I typically leave a little juice in mine as they are easier for small kids to chew that way. 

Step 8: Remove apples from the dehydrator and place in freezer containers. Label and freeze. I do this because I leave some juice in them and then they last for an entire year without molding. 


Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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How to dehydrate pears

How to dehydrate pears
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. We were blessed with 2 pear trees on our property when we moved. You’d better believe I figured out how to use them! A favorite snack for the winter time is dehydrated pear slices. It is fairly simple and an easy snack when pears are no longer ripe!

You will need:
Cutting board and knife (works best. I’ve tried a slicer, but the pears are usually too soft).
Citric Acid/lemon juice (optional)
Pears

Step 1: Pick the pears while they are still green on the tree. This saves bruising when they fall off, and allows you to get the pears instead of the squirrels eating them all half way. Take them to a cool dark area and lay them out. I usually use an old sheet or boxes in the basement. Check on them every few days for those that are ripe. Mine turn from green to slightly yellow. 

Step 2: Once 6-12 are ripe that you (haven’t eaten), gently wash them up in the sink removing any bad spots.

Step 3: Slice the pears thin and even. I don’t take the time to peel the pears, but you can if you don’t like them.

Step 4: If you don’t want the pears to brown, dip them in citric acid/lemon juice. I don’t mind them browning a bit, so I skip this part.

Step 5: Lay the sliced pears out on a dehydrating tray. You can buy add on trays for most dehydrators so you can do more at once. 

Step 6: Once all the trays are full, put the lid on the dehydrator and set the temperature for 135 degrees F.

Step 7: My pears usually take around 12-24 hours depending on how thick I sliced them. If you start it at night, check them in the morning and adjust depending on how they look. I typically leave a little juice in mine as they are easier for small kids to chew that way. 

Step 8: Remove pears from the dehydrator and place in freezer containers. Label and freeze. I do this because I leave some juice in them and then they last for an entire year without molding. 




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How to can tomato sauce

How to can tomato sauce

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we use for several canning recipes is tomatoes. I usually make a big batch of tomato sauce for cooking in the winter or make into salsa or spaghetti sauce if I run out before summer. Making tomato sauce is a simple process. 


You will need:
Canning jars
Canning lids
Canning rings
Jar Funnel
Long spatula or knife
Hot water bath
Big Stock pot
Sieve or Immersion blender
Tomatoes

 

Step 1. Pick the tomatoes or if you have them frozen pull them out of the freezer. Slice the tomatoes. I usually quarter them. No need to blanch or core, just throw them into the stock pot. 


 

Step 2. If the tomatoes are a bit firm, place them in a pot to steam for a bit. I have this nifty strainer that fits perfectly with my pot. My mom uses her big strainer and her big pot. Some people throw all the tomatoes in a pot and use an immersion blender to chop it all smooth. If you want that you can skip steps 2 & 3

 


Step 3. Run tomatoes through a sieve. Pictures 1 & 2 are how the rejects should look. Picture three the tomatoes are a bit firm yet and I’m loosing quite a bit of pulp, not just skin and seed.

Allow the juices to drop into a pot so they are ready to cook down. 

 

Step 4. Let the sauce cook down to the desired consistency. This step could take a while depending on how thick you like your tomato sauce. Just remember to stir the pot occasionally, so you don’t burn the bottom of the sauce. 

 

Step 5. Fill sterile jars leaving ½ inch head space. 

 

Step 6. De-bubble the jars by running a long spatula or knife along the edge or the jar. Wipe the rim clean. Do NOT forget this step. Jars with bubbles can explode in the water bath. Sauce on the rims will keep the jars from sealing properly. 

 

Step 7. Lids. Rinse the, one time use, canning lids in hot water. This is new compared to older lids which you needed to boil first. Then set them on the jar and attach the rings down. Do not over tighten the rings, a quick tight twist will do before you burn your fingers on the hot jar. 

 

If you are using reusable lids you will want to boil the seals and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. I purchased some from Tattler at www.reusablecanninglids.com

 

If the jar is too hot to grab you can use a lid tighter as shown to help.

 

Step 8. Place jars in a hot water bath. Wait for boiling and then set the timer for 20 minutes. 

 

Step 9. Remove jars from the hot water bath and allow to cool overnight. Check the lids to make sure the jars are sealed. Remove rings, label and store. For one time use lids, the bubble should be down and not pop up. For reusable lids, gently pick them up by the lid (it's terrifying the first few times), if the lid holds, the seal is good. 

 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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How to can corn salsa.

How to can corn salsa.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

I love growing my own food. Part of growing all the food is not only eating it fresh in the summer, but preserving it for winter use. One vegetable we use a lot of is sweet corn! I love to make the sweet corn into corn salsa for use in recipes or a simple chip dip. Depending on time of year and schedules, sometimes I just freeze the corn and come back to make salsa later. For freezing corn see the blog post here. 

You will need:
Canning jars
Canning lids
Canning rings
Jar Funnel
Long spatula or knife
Big Stock pot

Sweet corn
Tomatoes
Jalapenos pepper
Poblano pepper
Red onion
Garlic
Cilantro
Cumin
Salt
Sugar
Vinegar

I usually take the recipe times 6 to fill my pots. 

Step 1. Remove the kernels from 6 ears of corn. This is about 1 quart bag if you're using frozen corn. Place in a large stock pot.

Step 2. Chop 2 pounds (approximately 2 large tomatoes) and add to the stock pot. I like to use this handy dicer I found or a food processor to make the work faster. 


Step 3. Dice 1 jalapeno, 1 poblano pepper, and 1 red onion. Add to the stock pot. Many times I’ll chop them as I harvest and freeze them as shown. Then I can just dump the peppers in the pot as I go.



Step 4. Add 2 cloves garlic, 2t cilantro (double if using fresh), 2t cumin, 2t salt, 1 c sugar, 1 c vinegar. Add all to the stock pot.

Step 5. Bring the stock pot to boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 6. Pack the jars leaving ½ inch head space.


Step 7. De-Bubble. This step is very important!
Slide a long spatula along the edge of the jar 2-3 times to remove any trapped air bubbles.


If an air bubble is trapped and not removed your jar could explode in the canner.

Step 8. Wipe the rims and attach lids. Rinse the, one time use, canning lids in hot water. This is new compared to older lids which you needed to boil first. Then set them on the jar and attach the rings down as tight as you can. 

If you are using reusable lids you will want to boil the seals and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. I purchased some from Tattler at www.reusablecanninglids.com


Step 9. Place jars in a hot water bath and place lid on. Bring to boil and process for 25 minutes. 

Step 10. Remove jars from the hot water bath and allow to cool completely. Check the lids to make sure the jars are sealed. Remove rings, label and store. For one time use lids, the bubble should be down and not pop up. For reusable lids, gently pick them up by the lid (it's terrifying the first few times), if the lid holds, the seal is good. 


Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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