Howcast

How to Preserve Lemons

Howcast — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:01:39 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Pour salt into jar Pour the kosher salt into the bottom of the jar.
Step 2: Cut lemon up Cut one end off of the lemon. Then make a vertical cut down the center, from the cut end to the bottom of the lemon. Do not cut through the middle of the lemon, or else it will separate. Repeat 3 more times.
TIP: Your lemon will be segmented, but still attached at one end.
Step 3: Spoon salt on lemon Spoon more salt all over the lemon, including between each segment.
TIP: Any lemon will work for preserving, but the delicate flavor of Meyer lemons makes them perfect for this process.
Step 4: Stuff lemon into jar Stuff the lemon into the jar. Repeat the process, filling the jar with lemons.
Step 5: Top off with juice Top off the jar with lemon juice and then seal the jar. Shake it up and store it in your refrigerator.
Step 6: Let sit before using Turn the jar over every few days to distribute the salt. Allow the lemons at least three weeks to cure before serving.
Step 7: Serve Remove a lemon, rinse off the salt, and serve it with Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes or as a yummy addition to pesto. Be creative with your culinary adventures and be prepared for friends to ask your secret.
FACT: The lemon is believed to have originated in China or India, where it has been grown for about 2,500 years.

You Will Need

1/2 c. kosher salt
8-10 lemons
Juice of one lemon
Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes
Equipment:
Sterilized quart-size glass jar
Meyer lemons (optional)

How to Can Tomatoes

Howcast — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:31:43 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Boil and chill tomatoes; remove skins and cores Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, until the skin starts to split. Then transfer them to cold water, slip off the skins, remove the cores, and halve them.
Step 2: Add lemon juice, salt, and tomatoes to jar Add lemon juice and salt to the bottom of the jar. Then fill the jar with tomatoes until the jar is three-fourths full.
TIP: Lemon juice is used as a preservative. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the jar if you want to mask the sour flavor from the lemon juice.
Step 3: Cover with boiling water or tomato juice; add lid Cover the tomatoes with boiling water, leaving ½-inch to the top of the jar. Then put the lid on the jar and secure it with the screw band until the lid is snug, but not too tight.
Step 4: Heat water in canner to 140 degrees; add jar Fill the canner halfway with water and preheat the water to 140 degrees. Then put the jar in the canner and add more water to the canner until the water level is 1 to 2 inches above the top of the jar.
Step 5: Bring to a gentle boil and cover Bring the water to a gentle boil and cover. Allow the tomatoes to process for 45 minutes.
TIP: Adjust processing time if you are at a high altitude. Add 5 minutes if you are at elevations over 1,000 feet.
Step 6: Remove jar and seal Remove the jar from the canner. Check the lid to make sure that they are properly sealed, and reprocess the jar if the lid is not properly sealed.
TIP: Test a flat, metal jar lid by pressing down on the center of the lid. A properly sealed lid won’t move.
Step 7: Wash, dry, label, and store jar Wash, dry, and label the jar, and store it in a cool, dry place. When properly stored, canned tomatoes should last for up to a year.
FACT: A tomato is botanically a fruit, but an 1893 Supreme Court decision ruled that they were to be considered vegetables, allowing for a higher tax to be placed on imported tomatoes.

You Will Need

3 lbs. tomatoes
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
A sterilized one-quart canning jar and sterilized lid
A water-bath canner
Labels
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
A pressure canner (optional)

How to Can Green Beans

Howcast — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:01:42 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wash and trim beans Wash the beans and cut off the ends. Leave them whole or snap them into 1-inch pieces.
Step 2: Add beans to a jar Add the beans to the sterilized quart-sized jar. Fill the jar until the beans are 1 inch from the top and then add the canning salt.
TIP: Omit the salt if you are watching your sodium intake.
Step 3: Add boiling water Pour boiling water into the jar, leaving 1 inch of head space. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel, place the lid on the jar, and secure it with the screw band.
Step 4: Transfer jar to a pressure canner Place the jar in a pressure canner that has been prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Set the pressure at 11 PSI for a dial gauge and 10 PSI for a weighted gauge.
TIP: Adjust the pressure if you are at a high altitude. Add 5 extra pounds of pressure if you are at an elevation over 1,000 feet.
Step 5: Process for 25 minutes Process your beans in the pressure canner for 25 minutes. Then carefully remove the jar and allow it to cool.
TIP: Never use a water-bath canner to can beans. Green beans are a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner to ensure that all bacteria are killed.
Step 6: Check the seal on the lid Check the seal on the jar lid. Test flat, metal jar lids by pressing down on the center of the lid — a properly sealed lid won’t move.
Step 7: Wash, dry, label, and store jars Wash, dry, and label the jars, and store them in a cool, dry place. When properly stored, your canned beans will be good for up to five years.
FACT: Green beans fall into a category often known as common beans. Scientists believe that these beans were first domesticated in Peru before 6000 B.C.E.

You Will Need

2 lbs. green beans
1 tsp. canning salt
Quart-sized canning jar with lid
Paper towels
Pressure canner
Labels

How to Can Peppers

Howcast — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:45:55 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wash and cut peppers Wash the peppers and cut large ones into quarters, leaving small peppers whole.
TIP: Wear plastic gloves if you are handling hot peppers.
Step 2: Remove cores and seeds Remove stems, cores, and seeds from the peppers. Then cut two to four small slits into each pepper.
Step 3: Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Place your peppers on a baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the skins start to blister.
Step 4: Allow to cool; peel each pepper Remove the peppers from the oven, cover them with a damp cloth, and allow them to cool. When they can be handled, peel the skin from each pepper and flatten any whole peppers.
Step 5: Add salt, peppers, and water to a jar Add the canning salt to a jar, fill the jar loosely with peppers, and cover them with boiling water. Leave 1 inch between the water and the top of the jar. Then cover the jar with a lid and secure the lid with a screw band.
TIP: Omit the salt if you are watching your sodium intake.
Step 6: Process for 35 minutes in a pressure canner Place the jar in a pressure canner prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Process for 35 minutes at 10 PSI for a weighted canner and 11 PSI for a dial gauge.
Step 7: Remove jar, cool, and check the seal of the lid Remove the jar from the canner and allow it to cool. Check the seal by pressing down on the center of the lid. A properly sealed lid won’t move.
TIP: Reprocess the batch of peppers if the lid isn’t properly sealed. Start with a new jar and lid, and return the jar to the pressure canner.
Step 8: Wash, dry, label, and store jar Wash, dry, and label the jar, and store it in a cool, dry place. When properly stored, canned peppers should last for up to a year.
FACT: The Scoville scale is a measurement of how hot a pepper is. The method of testing and the scale were developed in 1912 by Wilbur L. Scoville, a pharmacist.

You Will Need

1 lb. peppers
u00bd tsp. canning salt
Baking sheet
Damp cloth
Sterilized
pint-sized canning jar with a sterilized lid
Pressure canner
Labels
Plastic gloves (optional)

How to Pickle Vegetables

Howcast — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:03:53 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the vegetables, add them to the ovenproof pot with one-half inch of water, cover, and roast them until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 2: Check canning jars for cracks and chips, then sterilize them, along with their lids, according to your canner’s directions. After they’re sterilized, fill them with hot water to keep them warm.
Step 3: When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, trim the ends, peel off any skin, and cut them into slices about one-quarter inch thick.
Step 4: Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, allspice, and mustard seeds in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
TIP: Vary the spices according to the vegetable and your personal taste.
Step 5: Fill each jar with the vegetables, shallots, and one bay leaf, and then add the hot pickling liquid, leaving a quarter inch of space at the top. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth.
Step 6: Attach the lids and screw bands, place the jars in your canner, add enough water to cover the jars by two inches, bring to boil, and lower the heat to a gentle boil for 10 minutes.
TIP: If the water level falls to the top of the jars, add more boiling water.
Step 7: Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
: Look for signs of spoilage, which include a bulging lid, leakage, a hissing sound when the lid is opened, mold on the food or under the lid, bubbles, a bad smell, or vegetables that looks dark, slimy, or mushy. If you see any of these signs, toss it.
Step 8: Enjoy your pickled produce with hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, or just by itself!
FACT: Shakespeare introduced the phrase “in a pickle” into the English language in 1611 with his play, The Tempest.

You Will Need

3-4 lbs. beets
cucumbers
carrots
asparagus
bell peppers
or green bean
A large
oven-safe
lidded pot
Four one-pint canning jars
A boiling-water canner
A large saucepan
2 1/4 c. distilled vinegar with at least 5% acetic acid sometimes labeled
2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. mustard seeds
Five shallots
peeled and chopped
Four bay leaves
A clean
damp cloth

How to Can Fruits

Howcast — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:33:03 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wash your canning jars, along with their lids and screw bands, in very hot, soapy water. Rinse well and let them air dry. Check for cracks and chips before using.
TIP: Only use jars made specifically for canning.
Step 2: Sterilize the jars and lids according to your boiling-water canner instructions. Leave them submerged in the hot water until they’re ready to be filled.
Step 3: Prepare the fruit. Different fruits require different kinds of preparation for canning, so consult The National Center for Home Food Preservation web site for specifics.
Step 4: Fill the jars with fruit, leaving a quarter-inch at the top. Eliminate air bubbles by poking through the contents with a chopstick or wooden skewer. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth.
Step 5: Place the lids onto the jars’ rim and twist on the screw bands until tight.
Step 6: Put the jars into the canner, taking care to keep them upright. Add enough water to cover them by an inch or two, and bring to a boil. Boiling times will depend on what you’re canning. When they’re done, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes.
TIP: If the water level hits the top of the jars during boiling, add more boiling water.
Step 7: Remove jars carefully with a jar lifter or stainless-steel tongs, so the contents don’t shift, and let them cool on a towel for 24 hours. Don’t attempt to retighten the jars. When cool, make sure they’re correctly sealed by looking for a slight indentation in the lid. Refrigerate any that are not sealed properly and eat within two weeks.
: Look for signs of spoilage, which include a bulging lid, leakage, a hissing sound when the lid is opened, mold, bubbles, a bad smell, or fruit that looks discolored, slimy, or mushy. If you see any of these signs, toss it.
Step 8: Enjoy the fruits of your labor all winter ¬– literally! When properly sealed, canned fruit will last in a cool, dark place up to a year.
FACT: In the summer of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson urged women to can more fruits and vegetables to help the war effort.

You Will Need

Canning jars
lids
and screw bands
A boiling-water canner
Fruit
A chopstick or wooden skewer
A clean
damp cloth
A jar lifter or stainless-steel tongs
Extra boiling water
A towel