Category: Canning and Perserving

Black Raspberry Jam

It is black raspberry season and with that comes black raspberry jam creating! 

Growing up, I have fond memories of harvesting wild red raspberries while my dad set up deer stands, checked for hunting activity, and the like. My sister and I would keep containers with us and would harvest away, swatting bugs and getting scratched by the branches. It wasn’t until I met the Mr. that I even knew black raspberries were a thing. 

Around our home, the red raspberries are referred to as “mama’s raspberries” and the black are “daddy’s raspberries.” As I started to learn to can early in our marriage, the first thing my husband requested was black raspberry jam. Of course, I had to oblige. 

I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support of my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources: 

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to can right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Ingredients for Black Raspberry Jam

For approximately 4 half-pints, gather: 

  • 5 cups black raspberries
  • 3 cups sugar 

(Yes, that’s it! No, you can’t swap out the sugar for a different sweetener. Canning is finicky like that)

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so overestimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, measure out the sugar and the berries. 

Measure the berries!
Smush, smush, smush
Add the sugar.
Mix and cook, cook, cook.
Almost there!
Oh yum!
And fresh bread? I am here for it!

The black raspberry Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the black raspberries with a potato masher. Stir in the sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the black raspberry jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf. 

Black Raspberry Jam

Two little ingredients (sugar and black raspberries) combine to make this wonderful taste of summer treat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 4 1/2 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cup black raspberries
  • 3 cups sugar

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, measure out raspberries and sugar.
  • Wash and sanitize 4 1/2 pint jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash raspberries with a potato masher. Stir in sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword black raspberry, Jam, Jam Recipes, Jellies and Jams, raspberries
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Looking for other canning inspiration?

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JessLeave a comment

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Some seasons, I totally forget about my rhubarb as it is coming up. I don’t know about you, but up until this year, I associated rhubarb season with spring. (Did you know you can harvest all summer long? I didn’t!) And spring is planting season so sometimes planting and prepping the garden gets in the way of the rhubarb. Not this year! I have had a blast giving different rhubarb recipes a try (check out these strawberry rhubarb bars!) and I am so excited to share this Rhubarb Strawberry Jam with you. 

I have given rhubarb strawberry jam a try a time or two before but hadn’t fallen in love with the results. Once I did a straight rhubarb jam that was green since that’s the color of our rhubarb. Not that appealing, if you ask me. But rhubarb is supposed to be a little tart, and too many strawberries counter that. 

I think I found the perfect blend here by having 67% more rhubarb than strawberries (I can’t stop my math teacher ways) and using low sugar pectin, cutting down on the sweetness a bit. And the color? Divine. It will seem like the rhubarb isn’t going to break down to a good jam consistency, but I promise, give it time and you will love the results. 

The Supplies 

This recipe will result in approximately eight 8 ounce jelly jars. You can use wide mouth or narrow mouth jars. Just be sure you have rings and lids for them and that they will all fit in your canner at once. It will likely be a little less, but with canning it’s always better to be over prepared in terms of jars. 

You will need a water bath canner or large stock pot with a lid. The jars need to be off the bottom of the pot. A water bath canner will have a rack to use. If you use a stock pot, I would invest in canning racks. You can also put a towel down in a pinch, but it is MESSY in terms of getting water everywhere.  

It is also helpful to have the tools in a canning kit like this, but it isn’t necessary. Canning would be crazy challenging without the jar funnel and jar tongs. The lid lifter is also very handy. 

While we are here, I will give you all the information you need to successfully can a batch of jam. However, if you are new to canning, you may likely want to gather additional information. My favorite places to learn more are The Ball’s Book of Canning or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. 

Your Ingredients

  • 3 cups diced strawberries
  • 5 cups diced rhubarb (I peeled mine to decrease on the fibrous material) 
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 
  • 4 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 package low sugar pectin 
  • ¼ teaspoon butter, optional

Your Steps to Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Begin by measuring out your sugar in a large bowl and set aside. It’s important to have all your ingredients prepared before beginning the canning process so don’t skip this step. I also highly recommend reading through the steps more than once before beginning (I know that we are all guilty of flying by the seat of our pants when cooking). 

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least ½” water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

Now to Create the rhubarb Strawberry Jam 

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of sugar and pectin. Sprinkle mixture over the fruit and stir. Add butter if desired. It will decrease foaming while the jam is cooking, but is not necessary. The foam isn’t bad. It just makes the jam a little less pretty. 

Heat fruit and pectin over medium high heat, stirring consistently. I like to use a potato masher to help crush the fruit as it begins to break down. Once it is close to a boil, stir constantly until you cannot stir down a rolling boil. On more than one occasion, I have thought I reached this point only to go a little longer and see what a “real rolling boil” looked like. 

Once a rolling boil has been reached, quickly stir in the remaining sugar. I find a strong whisk is helpful to make sure there are no clumps of sugar in the jam. Continue to heat over medium-high heat until a rolling boil is reached again, stirring constantly. Once the roiling boil is reached, time for EXACTLY one minute. Remove from heat. 

Canning Time!

Ladle hot jam into jars using the canning funnel, leaving ¼” head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth as you go, top with a lid, and put on a ring so that it is finger tip tight. Fingertip tight means you know it’s tight but you aren’t sealing it so much so that it wouldn’t leak on its side, if that makes sense. (Any leftover rhubarb strawberry jam can go in a small container and get placed in the fridge to be enjoyed immediately)

Place jars in JUST about boiling water bath canner. Cover and raise the heat until a rolling boil is reached. Cook jam for 10 minutes (adjusting for your altitude…under 1000 feet, you’re good. Over? Add 5 minutes for every 1000 feet). Once the time is complete, remove canner from heat and remove the cover. Allow the jam to sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Then remove and place on a towel on the counter. 

Afterward

Listen for the ping as the jars seal and just let them be for 24 hours. I know it will be hard to let them be because you’ll be so proud, but it’s recommended to make sure you get a good seal. Any jars that do not seal can be refrigerated and enjoyed right away. Note: It is recommended to store canned goods with their rings removed so that you can know if a false seal occurs. I generally just loosen them as loose as they can go. 

Greens and reds.
Sprinkle in the low sugar pectin and 1/4 cup sugar.
Break it down and cook it up.
Getting close!
Ladle it in.
Umm…perfection? I think so.

A FEW NOTES: 

  • Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. Early in my canning career I didn’t know the difference and had a few batches of jelly never set. 
  • If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. 
  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator. 
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. When I know they have sealed, I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them. 

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

The classic springtime combination of rhubarb and strawberry make a delicious jam.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Canning
Servings 7 half pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups diced strawberries
  • 5 cups diced rhubarb
  • 4 cups sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 package low sugar powdered pectin
  • ¼ teaspoon butter optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your water bath canner. Fill the canner with enough water so that once the jars are in the canner, they will be covered by at least one inch of water. Cover and begin to heat over a medium-high heat.
  • Measure out sugar. Set aside.
  • Place the rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice in a large, non reactive kettle. Add ¼ teaspoon of butter, if desired, to reduce foaming.
  • Combine pectin and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the fruit.
  • Cook over medium high heat until a rolling boil is reached, stirring consistently. I like to cursh with a potato masher as the fruit starts to break down.
  • Once a rolling boil is reached, slowly stir in sugar.
  • Continue to stir until you reach another rolling boil that can not be stirred down. Once a rolling boil is reached, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Ladle jam into prepared jelly jars, wipe the rims with a damp cloth, add lids, and tighten rings to fingertip tight. Put into the water bath canner. When the canner has a steady boil going, time and process for 10 minutes.
  • Once the jam is done processing, remove the canner from heat and let jars rest in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, remove jars from the canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.

Notes

  • Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. 
  • If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. 
  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator. 
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.
Keyword Canning, Jam, Jam Recipes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Strawberry Rhubarb
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other recipes beyond rhubarb Strawberry jam?

JessLeave a comment

Pressure Canned Carnitas Inspired Venison

Last year, we got skunked in terms of filling our freezer with venison. I am not a hunter, but my husband is an avid hunter. This year, he has provided us with three deer that we process all on our own. That means I have been able to get my pressure canning on and perhaps the best thing to come from that is this pressure canned carnitas inspired venison. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried about how this would turn out. Our family has a go to crockpot carnita recipe that utilizes a pork butt. When we had a kettle of cubed venison for canning, I thought, “What if we seasoned it with the carnita seasoning? Would it take it on well? How would it go on tacos or nachos?” The answer: It’s DELICIOUS and will be added to our rotation of canning every year from here on out. 

Pressure canning is my job in our home, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know there are horror stories of pressure canning out there and a number of people are afraid of it. And if they aren’t afraid of the act of canning the meat, they are hesitant to eat pressure canned seasoned venison. “How can meat be self stable and room temperature and still be okay to eat?” I promise, its easier than you think and the meat is great to eat. I follow all the recommendations from the National Center for Home Preservation. Let me tell you, this stuff is GOOD. 

Why should you can venison?

The meat is SO tender. It heats up in minutes, and you can have a meal on the table in under ten. The convenience is out of this world and you are still able to serve your family good for you food without being processed. We served this pressure canned carnitas inspired venison with some pico de gallo, lettuce, cilantro lime rice and cheese. It was loved all around. 

Bottom line? I am beyond excited to share how I prepare this pressure canned venison with all of you. I promise there is no reason to be afraid of a pressure canner. At the beginning, I was100% a novice who simply did some reading at the beginning. The only caution I want to give is that it does take time (primarily hands off) for it to cook. I would say make sure you have three hours to be around the house, but truly you can be doing other things while it cooks. Just be present. If you do want more information, read your canner’s directions or check out the NCHP. 

Ready to create some pressure canned venison stew? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients (for 9 pints of Pressure Canned Carnitas Venison) 

14 cups raw, cubed venison 

2 ¼ cup onion (¼ cup of onion per pint jar-you’ll want a little extra so no jar goes without) 

Seasoning (see below) 

Seasoning 

Combine 5 teaspoons salt, 3 ½  teaspoons dried oregano,  3 ½  tablespoons cumin, and ⅓-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. (you can add more if you would like but I went with the idea that I can always add more, but I can’t take it out) 

Tools of the Trade

Normally, I put this at the end of a post, but with a pressure canner, I feel as though I should put it at the beginning. I love using my weighted pressure canner. It doesn’t stress me out and I can create so many great things with it. I also think a canning funnel is a must here. 

Before you start this process, make sure you read the general directions to your own pressure canner. They may differ from what I am sharing, and you should always follow those directions first. Also, if you are a beginner canner or even advanced, it is always a great idea to check out the National Center for Home Preservation Site for more information! 

Your Steps to Pressure Canned Carnitas Inspired Venison

Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize pint jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid of the canner. Set aside. 

Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture. Mix well to fully coat the meat. Using a canning funnel, add ¼ cup onion in each jar. Fill the remaining space with seasoned meat, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight. 

Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar). 

Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft. 

Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator-this takes about 45 minutes). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars. 

Again, we served this carnitas style venison with tortillas and all the fixings: pico de gallo, lettuce, cilantro-lim lime, and cheese. Black beans would be a great addition as well!  

Measure out the meat, dice the onions, and get some seasoning.
Season it up!
Jar it up!
So dang good!

Looking for a video of the process of canning meat? You can check out my regular seasoned pressure canned venison recipe.

Pressure Canned Carnitas Inspired Venison

Fill your shelves with a pressure canned carnitas inspired venison for quick meals throughout the year. Full of south of the border flavor and easy to create!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Canning
Servings 9 pints

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 14 cups cubed venison stew meat (about 7 pounds)
  • 2 ½ cups chopped onion
  • 5 teaspoons canning salt
  • 3 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 ½ tablespoons cumin
  • ⅓-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid the canner. Set aside.
  • Combine salt, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
  • Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture.
  • Stuff pint jars with ¼ cup onion. Finish with raw seasoned meat, leaving 1 inch of head space.
  • Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight.
  • Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar).
  • Process pint jars for 75 minutes at 10 pounds. If your altitude is greater than 1000 feet, use 15 pounds. Follow the directions of your pressure canner or see the more detailed directions in the notes.

Notes

This could be done in quart jars as well. Increase onion to 1/2 cup per jar and fill jars to the the 1 inch head space. This recipe will likely result in 3 quarts. 
Detailed Directions
Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft.
Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars.
Keyword Canning, carnitas, pressure canning, venison, venison recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other venison inspiration?

Check out some of the posts below!

JessLeave a comment

Pressure Canned Seasoned Venison

I love fall as it turns to winter. The warmth of sweatshirt and jeans weather. Fires. And hunting. Now, I am not a hunter (hunter’s safety was offered during girl’s basketball and I had to choose), but I do love filling my freezer with protein harvested from the woods. I also fill my shelves with pressure canned venison: Both in the form of venison stew and pressure canned seasoned venison. 

Pressure canning is my job in our home, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know there are horror stories of pressure canning out there and a number of people are afraid of it. And if they aren’t afraid of the act of canning the meat, they are hesitant to eat pressure canned seasoned venison. “How can meat be self stable and room temperature and still be okay to eat?” I promise, its easier than you think and the meat is great to eat. I follow all the recommendations from the National Center for Home Preservation. Let me tell you, this stuff is GOOD. 

The meat is SO tender. It heats up in minutes, and you can have a meal on the table in under ten. The convenience is out of this world and you are still able to serve your family good for you food without being processed. Our favorite way to use our seasoned venison is to drain off a little of the liquid and heat it in a kettle with BBQ sauce. As the meat is stirred, it will break down (so tender!) and create a shredded venison that can be served with rolls (may I recommend my silver dollar rolls?) and some coleslaw. YUM. 

Bottom line?

I am beyond excited to share how I prepare my seasoned venison with all of you. There is no reason to be afraid of a pressure canner. I was 100% a novice who simply did some reading at the beginning. The only caution I want to give is that it does take time (primarily hands off) for it to cook. I would say make sure you have three hours to be around the house, but truly you can be doing other things while it cooks. Just be present. If you do want more information, read your canner’s directions or check out the NCHP. 

Ready to create some pressure canned venison stew? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients (per quart jar) 

4 cups cubed venison stew meat, raw

Seasoning (see below)

We keep a seasoning mixture on hand of 1 part pepper, 1 part dried minced garlic, 1 part dried minced onion, and 1-2 parts kosher salt. I use this on everything from chicken to venison to roasted vegetables. It’s fantastic and versatile. When I am canning meat, I season every 2 ½ pounds of meat with about 1-2 tablespoons seasoning mix. This is to our taste. 

Tools of the Trade

Normally, I put this at the end of a post, but with a pressure canner, I feel as though I should put it at the beginning. I love using my weighted pressure canner. It doesn’t stress me out and I can create so many great things with it. I also think a canning funnel is a must here. 

Before you start this process, make sure you read the general directions to your own pressure canner. They may differ from what I am sharing, and you should always follow those directions first. Also, if you are a beginner canner or even advanced, it is always a great idea to check out the National Center for Home Preservation Site for more information! 

Your Steps to Pressure Canned Venison Stew

Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid of the canner. Set aside. 

Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture mentioned above (2 tablespoons per 2 ½ pounds of meat). Using a canning funnel, stuff jars with 4 cups of raw meat each, leaving 1 inch of headspace. 

Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight. 

Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar). 

Time to Can that Pressure Canned Seasoned Venison!

Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft. 

Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator-this takes about 45 minutes). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars. 

Again, we like to create pulled venison with ours by heating it with some BBQ sauce. It will shred as you stir, getting the perfect texture. Add some coleslaw and rolls and you are set! 

Season the meat.
Fill the Jars.
Ready to can!
Perfection.

Pressure Canned Seasoned Venison

Fill your shelves with a pressure canned seasoned venison for quick meals throughout the year. Full of flavor and easy to create!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Canning
Servings 5 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 20 cups cubed venison stew meat (about 10 pounds)
  • ¼-½ cup seasoning mixture of minced garlic, minced onion, salt, and pepper see directions for additional information

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid the canner. Set aside.
  • Create the seasoning mixture: 1 part pepper, 1 part dried minced garlic, 1 part dried minced onion, and 1-2 parts kosher salt (or canning salt).
  • Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture.
  • Stuff jars with raw seasoned meat, leaving 1 inch of head space.
  • Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight.
  • Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar).
  • Process quart jars for 90 minutes at 10 pounds. If your altitude is greater than 1000 feet, use 15 pounds. Follow the directions of your pressure canner or see the more detailed directions in the notes.

Notes

Pint jars can also be used. You will need two cups of meat per pint jar (four cups per quart jar). Pint jars process for 75 minutes. 
We keep the seasoning mixture on hand for all sorts of cooking: proteins, vegetables, potatoes, you name it. That’s what the directions give you “parts.” so you can mix up as much as you want! 
Detailed Directions
Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft.
Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars.
Keyword pressure canning, soup and stews, stew, venison, venison stew
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other venison recipes?

Check some of these out!

Jess4 Comments

Pressure Canned Venison Stew

I can not begin to explain how excited I am to share this recipe. It’s two years in the making, and I am almost shaking in anticipation and am simply giddy. I was ready to share it last year; then the Mr. was skunked in the deer hunting category and we never put any pressure canned venison stew on our shelves. Tear. 

This year, he was determined to fill our freezer and got out early and often for the bow season. The hard work paid off and he came home with a seven pointer near the end of September. We fully process our deer at home. Even though I am not a hunter myself, I grew up grinding, weighing, and wrapping venison for the freezer. My husband has been a hunter from the moment he could be. In fact, the very first meal he cooked for me in the college dorms was a pheasant he shot the weekend before (his parents knew there must be a girl in the picture when he called to get the recipe!). 

But I digress and now I have to backtrack. About 8 years ago, we purchased a pressure canner to safely pressure can the excess of green beans I was growing. Once I had a pressure canner, it was only a matter of time before I canned meat. I was in a canning group on facebook that inspired me to give it a try. The act of canning meat didn’t scare me. Maybe it’s the fact that I never heard any of those “pressure canner horror stories.” I just dove right in, read canning manuals, and made it happen. 

Opening the Jar

Then it came to actually opening a jar of pressure canned venison stew for dinner and to say I was nervous is an understatement. I cautiously opened it, smelled it, and very hesitantly heated it up. And oh my gosh, I was hooked at the very first bite. The meat is SO tender, the vegetables perfectly cooked. The convenience of it all is perhaps my favorite part. We are in the season of busy week nights with our kids and having homemade venison stew that can go from jar to table in under 10 minutes is incredible. If I am feeling fancy, I do a roux and slowly add the broth first. Short on time? I pour in some frozen peas for extra color and heat it up. 

Bottom line? I am beyond excited to share how I prepare this great stew with all of you. I promise there is no reason to be afraid of a pressure canner. Truly, I was 100% a novice who simply did some reading at the beginning. The only caution I want to give is that it does take time (primarily hands off) for it to cook. I would say make sure you have three hours to be around the house, but truly you can be doing other things while it cooks. Just be present.

Ready to create some pressure canned venison stew? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients for Pressure Canned Venison Stew (per quart jar) 

  • 1 cup cubed venison stew meat, raw
  • ½ cup each: diced potatoes, celery, carrots and onions, cut large (I do just over ½ cup each)
  • 3 ladles or so of beef broth

Seasoning (see below)

We keep a seasoning mixture on hand of 1 part pepper, 1 part dried minced garlic, 1 part dried minced onion, and 1-2 parts kosher salt. I use this on everything from chicken to venison to roasted vegetables. It’s fantastic and versatile. When I am canning meat, I season every 2 ½ pounds of meat with about 1-2 tablespoons seasoning mix. This is to our taste. 

Tools of the Trade

Normally, I put this at the end of a post, but with a pressure canner, I feel as though I should put it at the beginning. I love using my weighted pressure canner. It doesn’t stress me out and I can create so many great things with it. I also think a canning funnel is a must here. 

Before you start this process, make sure you read the general directions to your own pressure canner. They may differ from what I am sharing, and you should always follow those directions first. Also, if you are a beginner canner or even advanced, it is always a great idea to check out the National Center for Home Preservation Site for more information! 

Your Steps to Pressure Canned Venison Stew

Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid of the canner. Set aside. 

Heat beef broth just to boiling, and then reduce to a simmer. You can be heating this while you fill the jars. It will be ladeled over the meat and vegetables. 

Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture mentioned above (2 tablespoons per 2 ½ pounds of meat). Using a canning funnel, stuff jars with 1 cup of raw meat each. Add potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery. You may need to shake the jars a little to get things to fit all the way. Make sure you have 1 inch of headspace. 

Ladle simmering beef broth over the meat and vegetables, filling the jars to about ¾-⅘ of the way full. The meat itself will create its own broth as it cooks. I have found that if you over fill the jars with broth, siphoning occurs. ¾-⅘  of the way seems to be a perfect amount.

Canning Time!

Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight. 

Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar). 

Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft. 

Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars. 

We like to enjoy our stew with some frozen peas and fresh sourdough bread. Not a sourdough baker? Click here to learn more! 

Let me reiterate, this is what works for my pressure canner. I HIGHLY recommend reading and then rereading your own pressure canner directions. They aren’t hard to use, but you also don’t want to dedicate this time and effort to have something not work out.

Prepped and ready!
Seasoned meat!
Fill the jars!
All filled!
Get the broth on.
Get the canner ready!

Pressure Canned Venison Stew

Fill your shelves with a pressure canned venison stew full of potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery. Delicious and simple, you'll be using this recipe for years
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Canning
Servings 7 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 7 cups cubed venison stew meat
  • 4 cups chopped onion
  • 4 cups diced carrot
  • 4 cups diced potato
  • 4 cups chopped celery
  • ¼ cup seasoning
  • 10-12 cups beef broth

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preparing your canner and jars. Wash and sterilize quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Check the seal and center vent of your lid the canner. Set aside.
  • Heat beef broth just to boiling, and then reduce to a simmer.
  • Season prepared meat with seasoning mixture. Fill jars with 1 cup of seasoned meat and 1/2 cup each of celery, carrots, onions, and potatoes.
  • Ladle simmering beef broth over the meat and vegetables, filling the jars to about ¾-⅘ of the way full.
  • Wipe rims with a damp cloth, center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip tight.
  • Place jars on the rack of a prepared pressure canner (mine needs 3 quarts of hot water plus a splash of vinegar).
  • Process quart jars for 90 minutes at 10 pounds. If your altitude is greater than 1000 feet, use 15 pounds. Follow the directions of your pressure canner or see the more detailed directions in the notes.

Notes

Place the lid on the canner and heat to high heat. Once a steady stream of steam can be seen/felt, vent for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed to have a steady but not crazy stream of steam. After 10 minutes, put the weighted gauge on the vent. You will want 10 pounds if your altitude is under 1000 ft; 15 pounds if you are over 1000 ft.
Once the weight starts to jiggle (indicating it has reached the appropriate pressure), begin timing. You will need to process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, turn off and remove the canner from heat. Allow the pressure to drop on the canner all the way (read specific canner instructions for the indicator). Remove weight and allow to cool an additional 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands. Cool 12 hours, then check their seals, label, and store jars.
Keyword pressure canning, soup and stews, stew, venison, venison stew
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for some sourdough to pair it with? Or perhaps other venison inspiration? Check out the links below!

Jess22 Comments

Homemade Applesauce: Slow Cooker Style

Growing up, I don’t remember either of my parents making homemade applesauce. That isn’t to say they didn’t do it, but I certainly have no memory of it. It wasn’t until I was almost entirely through college that I even realized canning and preserving food was something commonplace. I didn’t start my own journey with homegrown and preserved food until late into my twenties, after my son was born. 

After we purchased our home in 2009, we immediately set to work to plant a garden and get trees started for our own mini orchard. At that point, I still had no idea where my future in home preservation was headed. My in-laws are avid canners and freezers of food they produce in their garden. I don’t know if it was a push by my husband or a curiosity of mine, but I became interested. Slowly, I started by canning pickles and jams. Then tomato sauce. Then my in-laws brought me bushels of apples from their own orchard (ours are JUST starting to produce enough to preserve them. For now, we eat ours and preserve gifted apples). I became interested in making homemade applesauce. Then apple jelly and apple pie filling. 

Now, I’ve learned that preserving homemade applesauce doesn’t have to look like canning it (although I like to do a little of both). It can look like freezing it, which is a little less daunting for many. And while I love a low simmer on the stove, a slow cooker does the trick and takes the pressure off of worrying if it’s going to burn. Big win, right? 

So if you’re ready, I am excited to share my homemade applesauce recipe for freezing. 

Your Ingredients for HOmemade AppleSauce

  • 8-9 pounds of apples (between 27-36 apples)
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks (optional) 
  • 1 cup of water 

Note: I never add sugar. Apples are sweet enough on their own that I don’t think you need it. If you want to add sugar, I recommend starting low, say, ½ cup. You can add it later, but you can’t unsweeten applesauce after you add it. 

Directions for Slow cooker Applesauce

Gather a bowl and a 7-8 quart slow cooker. Peel, core, and slice your apples. Place the scraps in the bowl for Apple Scrap Jelly (yes, you didn’t know you were also making jelly, but here you are, getting ready to!). Set aside (or compost them if you must.) 

Place the sliced apples in the slow cooker. Add cinnamon sticks and water. Set on high for 3-4 hours. Every 30 minutes or so, stir and mash a bit with a potato masher or pastry cutter to break down the apples. Cook until apples are soft. 

Remove the cinnamon sticks. Now, you have a decision to make: chunky or smooth? 

Chunky Applesauce? Continue to mash with the potato masher until you like the texture. 

Smooth Applesauce? Hit it with an immersion blender until you get the texture you love. 

Allow to cool for approximately an hour. Ladle cooled applesauce into freezer safe containers (I love these container from Arrow). Label and store in the freezer. My mom likes to ladle her applesauce into freezer bags. She likes that they lay flat in the freezer. You do you. (Yes, I know I started by saying my mom didn’t preserve food. She does now. Maybe I inspired her?) 

This recipe should result in about 6 pints of applesauce. 

Fresh, beautiful apples
Cooked down and mashed.
Blended with that immersion blender!
Freezer bags work great!
But so do containers…
Or sometimes you just have to eat it right away!

Tools of the Trade

In my post, I talk about my immersion blender (a favorite tool of mine!), my Arrow freezer containers (a go to for apples, portioned leftovers, apple pie filling, and so much more!), and I love my Crock pot. I mean, you can’t go wrong!

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Apple season equals time for homemade applesauce! Get out the slow cooker and some freezer safe containers and get set to create!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Preserving
Servings 6 pints

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 8-9 pounds of apples between 27-36 apples
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks optional
  • 1 cup of water

Instructions
 

  • Peel, core, and slice your apples. Place in the slow cooker.
  • Add cinnamon sticks and water. Set on high for 3-4 hours.
  • Every 30 minutes or so, stir and mash a bit with a potato masher or pastry cutter to break down the apples. Cook until apples are soft.
  • Remove the cinnamon sticks.
  • If you prefer chunky applesauce, continue to mash with the potato masher until preferred texture. If you prefer smooth applesauce, blend with an immersion blender.
  • Allow to cool for approximately an hour. Ladle cooled applesauce into freezer safe containers. Label and freeze.

Notes

I never add sugar. Apples are sweet enough on their own that I don’t think you need it. If you want to add sugar, I recommend starting low, say, ½ cup. You can add it later, but you can’t unsweeten applesauce after you add it.
Keyword apple and cinnamon, apples, applesauce, freezer meals, preserving
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Canning and preserving from my garden is my jam all summer long. I love the color, the flavor, the dirt under my nails and ALLL the mason jars. Seriously, there isn’t much better than a line of mason jars that are full of the garden’s bounty. I remember when I first started planting our garden, my theory was, “Plant all the plants. The worst thing that happens is that some of the food goes to the chickens, our friends, or the compost pile.” But I love to fill our shelves and freezer with food we grew, so it rarely goes to waste. One of my favorite things to preserve is garden fresh tomato sauce. 

After trying a few different recipes, I developed this lower yield recipe (15 pounds really is a lower yield! Check out any Ball Canning Book to see!). I hear you saying, “But Jess! I don’t have 15 pounds of tomatoes ready at any time and I don’t go to the farmer’s market!”. I’ve got your back with a great solution: The freezer.

The Hack

I rarely have enough tomatoes ripe at one time for 15 pounds. If you are like me, let me share the trick that was an immediate love for me: When you have a large amount of ripe tomatoes on the counter, stem, wash, and dry them. From here, place the tomatoes in a freezer safe container or bag. I like to label them with their weight ahead of time. When you are ready for canning, simply take the bags out a day or two ahead of time to thaw (or you can place them in the sink with warm water to speed up the process). 

This method is awesome for two reasons: 

  1. You can use your own tomatoes, even if you don’t have a ton of plants. They won’t rot on your counter waiting. 
  2. When the tomatoes thaw, the skins come right off. I like to can my sauce with the skin (so many of the nutrients are there!), but it is nice to get rid of a few of them. 

Regardless of how you come by your tomatoes (friends, farmer’s market, your own dirt), let’s get going with some great garden fresh tomato sauce! Oh, and if you plan on canning it and are new to it, check out the National Center for Home Preservation Site for more information! 

Your Ingredients For Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

  • 15 pounds of tomatoes, cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 2 cups onions
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pepper 
  • 1 tablespoon canning salt 

Your Steps to Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Cooking

Begin by heating olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent and soft, about ten minutes, stirring often. 

In a large kettle, combine onion mixture, chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer over medium heat, stirring often. 

Pro tip

As the sauce is cooking down, you will have a lot of liquid that you are simmering off. You can cut your cook time significantly by bailing out this liquid using a colander and measuring cup. Push the colander down onto the tomatoes, forcing the liquid up. Then use the measuring cup to ladle it out. You can simply dump it or save it as a light tomato juice. I ladle it into mason jars and save it in the fridge for my husband. 

After the tomatoes have begun to break down (about 30-60 minutes later), puree them. I like to use my stick blender to do this. It means less dishes to clean! Alternatively, you can transfer it to a food mill to puree. Once totally in sauce form, continue to cook down until the volume of the sauce has reduced to about one-half the original amount. 

Canning

While the tomatoes are cooking down, you can begin to prepare your canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the sauce in the freezer, that’s totally okay. You can transfer it to freezer safe containers or bags and freeze once cool.)

Wash and sanitize pint or quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water. 

Once the sauce and canner are ready, you can begin to fill the jars. To be sure there is enough acid to have self stable jars, you must add citric acid or bottled lemon juice. 

  • Add ¼ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice to pint jars. 
  • Add ½ teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to quart jars. 

Finish it up!

Ladle the hot tomato sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 35 minutes or quart jars 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Then remove jars from the canner, placing them on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self-stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator and enjoy over the next week or so. 

  • Onions and garlic. Perhaps the best smell?
  • I adore all the color!
  • Slowly cooking down.
  • Getting so much closer!
  • Bailing it out is such a hack!
  • Blended and cooked down!
  • Get the jars ready!
  • Almost there!
  • Delicious!

Looking to preserve more of your garden? Check out my canning and preserving page by clicking the button!

Canning and Preserving

Tools of the Trade

I use my immersion blender ALL the time. It’s so easy to clean!

You can totally can without these tools, but why would you?

I love my Granite Ware waterbath canner.

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Basil, oregano, and garlic flavor this great tomato sauce
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Processing Time 40 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Canning
Servings 3 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 15 pounds of tomatoes cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups onions
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup fresh basil chopped
  • ½ cup fresh oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canning salt

Instructions
 

  • Begin by heating olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent and soft, about ten minutes, stirring often.
  • In a large kettle, combine onion mixture, chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
  • After the tomatoes have begun to break down (about 30-60 minutes later), puree them. A stick blender or food mill works well. Once totally in sauce form, continue to cook down until the volume of the sauce has reduced to about one-half the original amount.
  • While the tomatoes are cooking down, you can begin to prepare your canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the sauce in the freezer, that’s totally okay. You can transfer it to freezer safe containers or bags and freeze once cool.)
  • Wash and sanitize pint or quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • Once the sauce and canner are ready, you can begin to fill the jars. To be sure there is enough acid to have self stable jars, you must add citric acid or bottled lemon juice.
  • Add ¼ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice to pint jars. Add ½ teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to quart jars.
  • Ladle the hot tomato sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
  • Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high.
  • Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 35 minutes or quart jars 40 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Then remove jars from the canner, placing them on the counter.

Notes

As the sauce is cooking down, you will have a lot of liquid that you are simmering off. You can cut your cook time significantly by bailing out this liquid using a colander and measuring cup. Push the colander down onto the tomatoes, forcing the liquid up. Then use the measuring cup to ladle it out. You can simply dump it or save it as a light tomato juice.
Keyword Canning, from the garden, preserving, tomato sauce, tomatoes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Wild Grape Jelly

I am so excited to share my wild grape jelly with all of you! It’s just three simple ingredients that you likely have and didn’t even know! But before I get there, I want to share a habit I have that led to this fun recipe! 

About five years ago, the Mr. and I started a routine of grabbing a cup of coffee and walking around our orchard on top of the hill on our land. We did it right before I left for work, saying good morning to our trees and plants. That little walkabout gradually turned into a ½ mile walk, which grew to 2 miles, and is now generally a 2.5-4 mile walk every morning. It’s so special and a pivotal part of our marriage; we make big plans, fight, discuss our children, our dreams, everything. 

Our walks have added a lot of value to our lives beyond helping our marriage be the best it can be. I have learned a crazy amount about the plants and animals we see along the way. I can identify at least ten different plants that can be foraged from the side of the road, including the wild grape. (You should hear our conversations…here’s just a bit of it: 

Me: What’s that plant? 

Mr: It’s ‘fill in the blank.’ 

Me: I think you can eat that! 

Mr: Just because you can eat it doesn’t mean you need to. Or sometimes, “I love you honey.” 

Anywho, the Mr. doesn’t discourage the wild grapes. He just reminds me that if I want to make wild grape jelly, I need to get to them before the birds do. Many of the wild grape vines don’t seem to produce fruit, but you know I am always on the lookout. The moment I find some, I go in for the harvest. The grapes that grow here are perfectly tart; think blueberries that have been harvested just a hair too early. And that makes them delicious and the perfect candidate for wild grape jelly. 

And great news! This recipe is VERY flexible in terms of quantity. Whatever you harvest is what you can work with. (Be sure you are finding wild grapes and not a poisonous look alike. Wild grapes will have heart shaped leaves with serrated edges. While I am not from Missouri, there Department of Conservation has a great website on identifying animals and plants in the field.)

Your Ingredients For Wild Grape Jelly

  • wild grapes, rinsed and removed from the stem 
  • sugar (½ cup for every cup of juice after straining)
  • lemon juice (½ tablespoon for every cup of juice after straining)

Begin Boiling 

Place the rinsed and stemmed grapes in a kettle. You can add a few tablespoons of water here to help prevent sticking. Heat over medium-high heat, using a potato masher or wooden fermentation tapper to break them down. A large spoon would also work, but I love my tapper and I don’t even ferment food yet. 

Once the grapes have come to a boil and sufficiently broken down, remove from heat. From here, you have a few options: 

  • Strain through a few layers of cheese cloth, collecting the liquid in a liquid measuring cup. 
  • Rest a small holed strainer over a bowl and use the tapper once more to force as much liquid and pulp through the strainer, being mindful to have holes smaller than the seeds of the grape. (This is the option I go with)

If you haven’t already, pour the grape juice into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add. 

Place the juice in a large kettle. For every cup of liquid, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

While the jelly is boiling, begin to prepare your water bath canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the jelly in the fridge after it hits the gelling point, that’s 100% okay. You don’t need to process it. However, if you want it self-stable, you should process in a waterbath canner.)

Canning Time!

Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water. 

Once the wild grape jelly has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼  inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

PS…To be especially awesome, have some fresh baked bread on hand to spread the left over wild grape jelly in the kettle on a slice. Enjoy while the rest of the jelly is in the water bath. I promise, you’ll thank me.

  • First, harvest from the field.
  • Then smash them up!
  • Get that beautiful juice and pulp.
  • Check that color!
  • Boil, boil away to get to the boiling point.
  • I just love a cutting board picture!
  • Finally, perfection!

Tools of the Trade

A simple water bath canner is great!

I use so many of these little tools every time I can, especially the funnel and the jar tongs.

I don’t even ferment, but this tapper works great for all sorts of kitchen needs!

Wild Grape Jelly

Foraged wild grapes from the woods come together with some sugar and lemon juice to create a tart and delicious wild grape jelly!
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup grape juice per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 cup sugar per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice per 1/2 pint jar

Instructions
 

  • Place the rinsed and stemmed grapes in a kettle. You can add a few tablespoons of water here to help prevent sticking. Heat over medium-high heat, using a potato masher or wooden fermentation tapper to break them down.
  • Once the grapes have come to a boil and have sufficiently broken down, either strain through a cheese cloth into a liquid measuring cup or run through a mesh strainer using the tapper or a spoon to force as much liquid and pulp through.
  • Pour grape juice into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add.
  • Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • Place the juice in a large kettle. For every cup of liquid, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jelly has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword Foraging, Grape Jelly, Jellies and Jams, Waterbath Canning, Wild Grapes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess16 Comments

Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Every year, I get so excited to plant tomato plants. Even in our first years with a garden, we couldn’t keep up with our tomato love. I vividly remember my darling son as a toddler eating every single cherry or grape tomato we grew. They didn’t even make it out of the garden! Now, I get all those beautiful drops of red, orange, and yellow and turn them into roasted and preserved tomatoes. 

Now, it’s a joke between my husband and I that I will always plant too many cherry and grape tomato plants. Why buy one if you can buy four? And you have to have a few varieties, right? And so, we have an abundance of bit size tomatoes. One year, an acquaintance suggested roasting them, and I have never looked back! 

This is such a simple and flavorful way to preserve tomatoes. All you need is an oven, a baking sheet, some parchment paper, and your favorite tomato spices. Let’s get to creating some roasted and preserved tomatoes. 

Per pound of tomatoes, you will need: 

½ tablespoon olive oil 

¼ teaspoon each of: salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, or any other spice you love with tomatoes

Your Steps to Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice each tomato in half. Lay cut side UP on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic, etc on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until just beginning to caramelize. Allow to cool. 

From here, you can totally just snack on them. If you want to preserve for later, stick the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Transfer to a freezer safe container and use within a year. So quick, easy, and a great way to preserve your harvest!

Slice them up!
Drizzle with oil and season it up!
Roast them!
Freeze them!

Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Too many grape and cherry tomatoes? Like to preserve the flavor of summer for the winter months? Create these roasted and preserved tomatoes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 5 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes any variety
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Wash and dry the tomatoes.
  • Slice each tomato in half. Lay cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic, etc on top.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, until just beginning to caramelize. Allow to cool.
  • To preserve, place the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours.
  • Transfer to a freezer safe container and use within a year.
Keyword cherry tomatoes, freezing, preserving, side dish, tomatoes, Vegan, vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other preserving recipes?

Check out my canning and preserving page! Or maybe one of the recipes below will speak to you!

JessLeave a comment

Gooseberry Jam

My journey to gooseberry jam has been an interesting one with more than one road traveled. The beginning of the story starts at the farmer’s market. Initially, I had tried a berry and loved it. I left, forgetting what it was that I had tried, and decided it was gooseberries and had to plant some. 

Well, they grew fruit and they were not the fruit I remembered from the farmer’s market trip. But I still enjoyed them. Around the same time, I became fascinated by foraging and the idea of finding the edibles of the woods. And would you know it, wild gooseberries became on my radar. Friends, they are everywhere! I find them in our woods, on the side of the road, and in so many state parks. If you are a midwesterner like myself, check your woods. I bet you have some too! Here’s a great link to get an idea of what you’re looking for. I became enamored with the berries in my yard and all around me. I wanted to share them with everyone!

Currently, I have four bushes (some red, some green) that I tend to. And boy, do they produce. We snack on them, but I have also taken to canning these sweet-tart berries into three ingredient jam. It can’t get much better than that, can it? (See what I did there? I am punny!) Ready? Let’s get gooseberry jam creating!

Your Ingredients for Gooseberry Jam

Per ½ pint jar (jelly jar), you will need: 

  • 1 cup of gooseberries, cleaned
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice 

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, clean 1 cup of gooseberries for every ½ pint jar of jam you intend on canning. To clean, you need to remove both the stem and the flower portion of the berry. See the picture below. 

The Gooseberry Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow, kettle, smash the gooseberries with a potato masher. Then, for every cup of berries, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

The Canning

Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf. 

Cleaning, the most tedious part!
Time to measure and prep!
Smash those babies!
Cooking down. So pretty!
Almost there!
Jammy goodness!

Gooseberry Jam

Three little ingredients (lemon juice, sugar, and gooseberries) combine to make this wonderful sweet-tart jam.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup gooseberries cleaned, per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 cup sugar per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice per 1/2 pint jar

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, clean and measure gooseberries by cutting off the stem and tail on each berry. You will need 1 cup of berries per 1/2 pint of jam you want to create.
  • Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash gooseberries with a potato masher. For every cup of berries, stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword gooseberries, gooseberry, gooseberry jam, Jam, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other berry inspiration?

Check out any of the recipes below!

JessLeave a comment