What and how I canned in 2016
Summer 2016 was my debut in conservation. For convenience, I decided to make an online diary with photographs of what I preserved, so that I could refer to it if necessary. You might also find a couple of recipes and notes on them useful.
There will be no detailed recipes here; I took all the ideas and proportions from Povarenka.
Apricot jam with vanilla
I don’t remember the proportions, I took as many apricots as I had, sugar by eye. I did not dry the apricots after washing, I immediately smashed them in a blender and covered them with sugar to taste. Cooked until boiling, stirring constantly. After boiling, cook for 10 minutes, add a pinch of citric acid to prevent the jar from swelling. Before pouring into jars, I added a few drops of Dr. vanilla extract. Oetker. The jars have already been sterilized over steam; I boil the lids in boiling water for a few seconds.
I really respect this vanilla flavoring, I even drip it into coffee with pleasure - it has a delicate aroma, without the bitterness of vanillin. Preservation with this liquid behaves perfectly (if you can judge 2 months after preparation).
The taste of the jam is exquisite, but for me the aroma of apricot is generally the best of the best, so I am not objective. The consistency is liquid, because I can’t bring myself to boil it down properly - I want to preserve the benefits as much as possible.
Apricot in ginger syrup
The apricots, halved, were poured with a strong syrup of sugar and citric acid. I put a little fresh ginger in each jar - a 3-4 mm circle per half-liter jar. Added a couple drops of vanilla extract. I washed the jars with soda and boiled the lids. I sterilized the already filled jars in a pan of boiling water. Canned it right away.
The apricots in ginger syrup turned out very good. I can imagine how delicious homemade yogurt will be with a spoonful of this aromatic syrup. I recommend!
Canned pear in cinnamon syrup
I came across tiny pears, very fragrant but completely tasteless. I didn’t dare throw it away. I pricked them with a fork, poured sugar syrup with citric acid in a saucepan and boiled them a little until the pears darkened and released a little juice. Added vanilla and cinnamon to taste, distributed into sterilized jars and rolled up.
The pears themselves will be used to fill the pies, and I’ll make a compote from the syrup in the winter.
Pear in ginger syrup
The syrup gave off a mind-blowing aroma. I poured boiling water over the chopped pears 2 times, and poured syrup 3 and 4 times. I put the ginger in right away. I played it safe and filled it four times, since the jars are liter and cool quickly, it’s better to scald it once again.
The pears will go into pies, and we’ll be happy to drink the syrup.
Melon compote with ginger and vanilla
Impromptu. I filled it with syrup 3 times. Already opened the jar - gorgeous. But you need to take the simplest variety, like our collective farmer - it is this variety, especially if it is slightly underripe, that retains its crunch and shape. A great way to recycle aromatic but tasteless melon. Everything is added to taste, the compote is prepared quickly and without hassle.
Canned peaches in caramel syrup
Hardly the only recipe that completely disappointed. Recipe taken from Povarenok. Caramel is prepared from sugar in a frying pan, then prepared peaches are added. The fact is that the aroma and taste of peaches does not combine at all with the caramel aroma of brown sugar. The taste of sugar is separate, the peach is separate. I won’t repeat it next season.
Peach jam with vanilla
More like a thin jam than jam in the classical sense. Well, I don’t finish cooking it. But it’s very tasty, we’ll add it to ice cream.
Canned melon like pineapple
It was an extremely bad idea to use ripe, crumbly melon. The previous recipe for melon compote pleasantly surprised me with the taste of the fruit - a real canned pineapple, if you close your eyes. I decided to make the syrup stronger and sterilize it, either I left it in boiling water a little, or the melon itself was not suitable for this task - the product turned out to be “cotton candy.” However, the syrup was gorgeous, it will be like a godsend in winter. I’m not good at this, but I think that this melon syrup will make delicious alcoholic cocktails and mulled wine.
Plum jam with cocoa
My favorit. I couldn’t wait for prune season, and saved a pack of good cocoa in advance. The simplest preparation and such a stunning result! Probably, it will be even better with a chocolate bar, since it also contains cocoa butter… We cook the most ordinary plum jam, as you like, and at the end of the boil, add cocoa to taste and vanilla, I do not change the extract from Dr. Oetker. I like 2 level tablespoons per half liter of grated cooked plum. A stand-alone dessert that will enrich the taste of any bun (with butter). I like it with hot milk or coffee with cream.
Cherry plum jam
I covered the pitted cherry plum with sugar and literally crushed it with my hands, removing the peeling skin. Without the skin, the taste of the pulp is delicate, sweet and aroma. The skin produces acid. I didn’t cook it for long at all; my jam is now traditionally liquid. If necessary, I will add pectin to pies.
Canned preparation for borscht
I twisted the tomatoes and peppers in a meat grinder, in a ratio of 2 to 1. I boiled the twist, added chopped herbs, basil, and cloves. I added a little vinegar to be on the safe side and generously salted it. I rolled it into jars washed with soda, without sterilization.
The first batch is already a month and a half old, the lids are retracted, everything should stand nicely. I make portions according to the size of the pan - 4.5 liters at a time, in liter jars. Always with different proportions, different greens.
I turn the jars over and wrap them, since I don’t sterilize them first and fill them with boiling stock. I don’t add beets, there are plenty of them even in winter, but there are no tomatoes or peppers. The dressing for borscht is excellent. The same pan of borscht requires about 0.5 liters of dressing, more is possible if you don’t mind.
Adjika with plums
I didn’t really like it. Too aromatic, confectionery plum competes with the taste of other products in adjika. You can eat it, but the plum constantly reminds you of itself. I had a slightly greenish cherry plum. Now I have no desire to cook apple adjika, so I’ll leave it for next year.
Adjika with onions
A very good option. If you are preparing classic adjika without onions, try one serving with it. I added cloves, but you can’t feel it. I always add ground paprika to the “red” preparations, take them by weight and it turns out not very expensive. The taste is incredibly enriched.
Canned fried eggplants
Very labor intensive recipe and mediocre taste. Sterilized the filled jars. Fried eggplants are laid in layers, layered with tomato sauce with sautéed carrots, onions, and garlic. A few hours for 4-5 jars, I store it in the refrigerator just in case. I do not recommend wasting time on this option.
Zucchini in Italian
One of the simplest and most delicious recipes. Look for the original on Povarenka. I’ll add on my own that I generously seasoned it with fresh dill and rosemary, white pepper, and oregano. The cost of zucchini is excellent, the taste can even be called exquisite, for a festive table.
Zucchini stripes, with cucumber flavor
By cucumber flavor I mean the identical marinade used for pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. A lot of fuss with them, it’s better to preserve them in circles. You need to be on guard with carrots - they won’t warm up well and will start to ferment; one jar let me down. I filled it only 3 times, preferably 4 or sterilize the filled jars.
Zucchini in Korean
It differs from Italian zucchini in the presence of vegetable oil and the proportions of the marinade are slightly different.
Zucchini Tatar song
Not much different from Korean and Italian, you add pasta and ground paprika, which makes a “song” out of the most mediocre dish. I heated the oil in a frying pan and added paprika and tomato paste; I didn’t fry it, of course, I just allowed the aroma of the pepper to fully develop. Added the mixture to the pan with the zucchini. The recipe is delicious.
Fried canned zucchini
Same comment as about eggplants above. A lot of fuss, sterilization, separate preparation of all vegetables. Not worth it.
Lecho
It’s a classic, but I make it with garlic, onion half rings and always a lot of paprika, heated in vegetable oil.
Korean cucumbers or fingers
A good way to dispose of overgrowns, tasty, but sterilization is annoying. If you have large basins for this, then there is no problem, but I can’t put more than 4 half-liter jars in a pan, it turns out to be labor-intensive. In winter it will be very tasty with potatoes. Look for proportions on the Kitchen Cook called Ulet or Fingers.
Tomato halves
I’m very pleased with this recipe. I only have liter jars; only a few tomatoes can fit in, and this method of stacking solves the problem. A special way of cutting the fruit prevents it from leaking; a recipe was found on the same site. Overall, the marinade is classic.
Charlotte Salad
Delicious, like most canned vegetable salads. From myself: ground paprika, heated in oil. You try it once and that’s it, you can’t go anywhere without paprika.
Sauteed eggplant
The best of the best, because it contains paprika, garlic, and vegetables are fried separately. While the blue ones are being fried (if possible, I don’t remove the skin, all the anthocyanins are there and I like the slight bitterness from the skin), other vegetables are successively cut and also fried in the vacated frying pan. Everything worked out quickly on a two-burner stove; frying is not that labor-intensive.
Everything is clouded only by sterilization, but most likely a well-stewed sauté will not swell even without boiling in boiling water, only we like vegetables slightly “al dente”, so we sterilized this season.
Jam with strawberries and oranges
This jam was not included in the shot, as it rather turned out to be syrup - the strawberries were very watery this year. But the taste is pleasant, citrusy.
Blackcurrant jelly and rose syrup without a photo, nothing to brag about. You won’t surprise anyone with cucumbers either, so that’s probably it for this season!
