The Cupboard
This time of the year begins the harvest of all of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that fill markets and home gardens everywhere. One of my favorite memories from my childhood are images of my grandmother as she “put up”, or canned much of her summer crop into mason jars in preparation for the coming winter months. And because nothing commercially prepared even comes close to that authentic flavor, I have continued with her tradition.
Canning is a great way to savor the harvest of summer when everything is dormant and cold outside, but it can also help to put a nice dent in your food budget.
Canning is pretty simple if you understand the science behind preserving food. And the other real nice thing about doing it yourself is you know what is going into your food. No need to worry about preservatives or additives of things that not only can you not pronounce, but you have no idea of its origin.
So take a trip to your local home goods or grocery store to pick up a dozen or so of canning jars and join in this tradition. If you wish to start out slowly, choose things like hot peppers or pesto which require very little effort. You can graduate, as you feel comfortable, to canning other foods such as apple sauce or fruit butters, that although these require a little extra time, they too are relatively easy to make.
The two key things to keep in mind when canning are sterilization and sealing. Sterilization, which is nothing more than thoroughly washing and rinsing the jars and lids in hot water and finally boiling in hot water to kill bacteria. This is very important to prevent spoilage. Sealing, which happens when you close the lid, helps to insure against spoilage as well. By giving the filled jars a water bath, in other words, boiling, you once again help to further sterilize the jars and it forces out any air bubbles that might have gotten trapped inside the jars. You will recall from your science class that it is the air that causes food to break down and spoil.
Here is my simple recipe for hot jalapeno peppers. This can be served up on sandwiches, with collards or on pizza for an extra kick. Any way you serve it, it is HOT!
Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
Ingredients:
- 12 large ripe jalapeno peppers, cut
- 2 pint canning jars
- 1 ½ cup white vinegar, heated
Technique
On a plastic cutting board, slice peppers crosswise into ¼ inch pieces. Note: if you have sensitive skin, use gloves before handling. If not using gloves, be sure to wash hands thoroughly, scrubbing with a little kosher salt to remove juice from peppers. Do not rub your eyes or touch skin before washing your hands.
Fill sterilized jars with peppers. Pour hot vinegar over peppers and place lid on jars, closing, but not too tight. Place jars in a pot or canning pot and add water to come up to 3/4 of the way of the jars. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove jars from the pot immediately, using a cloth to prevent burning your hands. Screw the lids tight and invert jars (turn upside down) on to a clean cotton dish towel and allow to cool. Once completely cooled, turn jars upright and press the center of the lid. If the lid does not pop, it is sealed. If the lid is not sealed, repeat the bath process once again.
This recipe can be used for any of your favorite hot peppers or other pickled vegetables.
