Canning pepperoni slices

Why would anyone 'can' pepperoni slices when they can be stored conveniently in the refrigerator? Well, if you are serious about food preservation and are already canning most meats, this is the simplest 'meat' of all to can. Unlike the bacon bits in the previous post, you don't have to precook anything, and the end product is rather interesting.

A couple of years ago, I wondered about canning pepperoni so I could stock up and not worry about it 'going bad.' So I went to one of my frequent canning sources, Canning Granny's blog canninggranny.blogspot.com . She tries just about EVERYTHING and you should visit her blogspot and just look around sometime. She's fearless! (I just checked her site, and I'm not seeing it now, but) I'm almost sure I read how to can pepperoni on her blog.

If I explain to you how the pepperoni slices turn out after canning, you might want to try it. As tasty as it it, pepperoni has a lot of fat. Personally, I like it! But my husband is always dabbing the extra grease up with paper towels. He says when it's too heavy it upsets his stomach. Well, canning pepperoni cooks out much of the grease during processing. If you put parchment paper in the bottom of the jar (as in the previous blog about bacon bits), all that grease drains to the bottom of the jar and away from the slices. The result? The pepperoni comes out drier and and lighter. The diameter is a bit less due to shrinkage. Still tastes like pepperoni and you use it the same way. It's also tempting to just eat it like a snack right out of the jar.

So, if you'd like to try it, I use 8 ounce jars. Put parchment paper in the bottom of the jar and press it down. I put 32 slices of pepperoni in each jar (only because I counted how many it took to cover one round homemade pizza, and that was it). I fan the slices out a bit so they are not stuck together like a stack. They have to be carefully peeled apart when ready to use, and it works best if you fan them a bit. Overstuffing the jar may also cause the slices to stick together after processing.

After you wipe the rims, of course, top each jar with a simmering lid and apply bands finger-tight. Process at 10 lbs pressure for 75 minutes. Wipe jars when cool and label with date.

The jar I opened on Feb. 27, 2015 for this blog (slices shown at right) was canned April 30, 2013 and tasted just fine... oh yeah!

 

Canning bacon bits

Everybody loves bacon, and having bacon bits on hand for salads, omelets, pizzas and more is great. But those real bacon bits you buy at the grocery can be a bit pricey. If you are already pressure canning foods, canning bacon bits is easy work.


I use 8 oz. jelly jars or 4 oz. jars for bacon bits, because most folks don't use more than a few ounces of bacon bits at a time. I suppose I shouldn't even bother with the tiny jars, since we usually refrigerate and use up the rest of the bacon bits fairly quickly, if they don't become a snack, that is. Darn tasty bacon!

The bacon must be cooked. I prefer thick sliced bacon because it holds up better to pressure canning. I usually do at least a pound and sometimes more to make it worth my while to run the canner for 75 minutes. The fastest way to cook up a lot of bacon is on a tray in the oven. If you have never done it this way, here's how it's done http://foxeslovelemons.com/culinary-school-lesson-bakin-bacon/   (I use foil to line my pan instead of parchment paper.)

Take care not to cook the bacon til it's crisp! Remember, it's getting 'cooked' again when you can it, so you need only cook it until it's 'cooked' but still flexible. Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels.

When it cools, get a pair of clean scissors and cut the meat on the bacon away from the fat. This really isn't as much trouble as it sounds; I kind of enjoy it. (While you are doing this, try not to eat more of the bacon than what you have set aside to can.) When you have finished doing this, discard the fat and use your scissors to cut those strips into bits about 1/4" long or so. When you get all that done and have a nice bowl of bacon bits, get your jars ready.

No matter how well you trim meat, it is always going to produce a bit of fat when you can it. The bacon bits stay out of the fat and separate better later if you keep them up off the bottom of the jar. To accomplish that, take strips of parchment paper, wad them up a bit and stuff one in the bottom of each jar. (The paper usually winds up about a third of the way up your jar.) I mush it down into the jar with a small juice glass, or you can use anything with a flat bottom.

Anyway, fill your jars with bacon bits, leaving about 1/2 inch head space. Top each with a simmering lid, apply the ring finger-tight, and process at 10 lbs pressure for 75 minutes. Yes, the jars are half the size of pint jars, but I don't know if you can cut the time by 15 minutes for half-pint jars (something to research, for sure). 

As you can see, the finished product is darker than it started out. That's ok - so is the stuff from the store. It's not soggy but it's not 'crispy'... I like the way it turns out... it sort of crumbles when you chew it. Now wipe your jars, date them and put them in your pantry. They need no refrigeration until you open a jar and use part of the product. The jar in my hand is one I opened for this demonstration on Feb. 27, 2015 and it was canned in Dec. 2013. We ate some and I thought it had a bit of 'smoky' flavor, but given most bacon is smoked and canning seems to amplify flavors, that's to be expected. For you serious canners, I hope this post inspires you to try this for yourselves.

Story: Debbie the Chicken

I want to tell you a story about a chicken named Debbie and a funny thing she did.

Last April, we got chickens. We thought it would be great to have farm-fresh eggs each day, and I thought it would be great fun to have chickens to pet and cuddle.

The Henhouse Hilton

A friend sold us her chicken house and chicken yard, and the deal came with two Americana chickens named Nosey and Rosie. As if the move from a shady, quiet wooded backyard to a sunny, hot location behind our barn wasn't stressful enough, we added to their dismay by getting six pullets from another friend and putting them all together. We knew it would be awhile before the new chickens started laying eggs, so we made every attempt to feed them well and keep them comfortable in the meantime.

I soon learned that chickens do not like to be petted, and they REALLY do not like to be cuddled. They are fickle animals, and Rosie and Nosey were so

traumatized by their new environment, they would not lay eggs. They ran from us and sulked in

Rosie

the corner when penned up with the 'new kids.' But as time went on, they got used to each other and somewhat to us.

By August they were all laying eggs and two of the new chickens, which were Golden Comets, were friendlier than the others. One was especially beautiful, with a white collar of feathers around her neck and fluffy white tail feathers. When I would speak gently to her and approach her slowly, she would 'squat' and let me pet her.

Golden Comets

Soon I was picking her up and, though she wasn't comfortable with it, she would tolerate it. When people would come to visit, I would pick her up and let them pet her. My friend Debbie, from around the corner, thought the chickens were great and especially liked the 'friendly' chicken. So when I decided to name the bird, I called her 'Debbie,' after my sweet, lovely friend.

We would let the chickens free range and they were very good about staying in the yard, though they wandered into the bordering cornfields sometimes. But when dusk came, they always came in to the pen and then the hen house, and we would close things up for the night. An electric fence along the fence kept predators away.

After awhile, Debbie the Chicken got to know her name. When I would call her, she would stop and look around, and sometimes she would come to me. A treat in my hand usually helped coax her, and she would let me pick her up. I really liked that chicken.

The funny thing she did was, one afternoon the chickens were strolling on the far side of the pond. Now, our pond has a 'leak' (I'm not kidding) and there was a strip across the middle that was dry. Just for fun, I called out, "Debbie! Hi Debbie! Come let me pet you!" She stopped dead in her tracks and looked across the pond at me. Oh! I had her attention! So I squatted down and patted my hands together and said, "Come on Debbie! Come on!"

Low and behold, no one was more surprised than me when she came trotting down the bank, across the pond and up and over to me! She squatted obediently and let me pet and stroke her, and I told her what an incredible chicken she was. My husband was stunned. Then she went on her way.

Then, in the fall, other wild animals figured out we had chickens and came to 'visit.' One Saturday, while my husband was gone (naturally), I heard a big noisy fuss from the backyard and looked out the kitchen window. A coyote was chasing the chickens!!! "Hey!" I yelled out the window, "get away from those chickens!"

The stunned coyote looked and me in the window and froze. I went running out the door and into the backyard hollering like a mad woman. No varmint was going to harm my chickens! The

coyote panicked and ran back into the cornfield. Unfortunately, some of the frightened chickens did, too, and it took awhile to find them all. I called my husband and he came home, and we searched. We found them all but Nosey and Rosie who, hours later, clucked and called from the cornfield to the west. We followed their calls and guided them home.

My beautiful Debbie was safe, and all was well, though we watched for the coyote.

Then chickens started disappearing one by one. We would find feathers but no chickens or predator tracks. Was it the coyote? One night all the chickens did not put themselves in - one was missing. We were down to 7 chickens now. We could not find the missing chicken in the dark, so we would have to search in the morning.

At daylight, my husband came in and said a chicken was missing, it was Debbie, and there were feathers on the east side of the barn. "Are you sure it was Debbie?" I asked. Yes, he was sure. The other chickens did not have the white collar.

I was sad. My Debbie was gone and an unknown varmint had snatched her up. I broke the news to my friend, and she felt bad, too. The remaining six chickens did not want to leave the pen. So we kept them in for a long time.

Then, in December, my friend Debbie stopped by with 'presents' for the chickens: feed and straw and treats. While we stood outside and talked, there was a big noisy ruckus behind the barn. We ran to the back and what did we see? A young red-tailed hawk, killing a chicken! We started yelling to scare him off but he would not leave. I dragged the dead chicken under a vehicle sitting by the pen, and ran back to the house to put on a coat. When I came back, the hawk was dive-bombing my friend Debbie! He wanted his prey he'd worked so hard to earn. 

I called my husband (again, away at the time) and he came home. Now we knew why we found no tracks around the chicken feathers that remained after a kill. I was amazed a bird half the size of the chickens was killing them. The chickens have been penned up ever since.

We are down to five chickens now, and only three are laying. Rosie and Nosey have decided they put in their time at their previous home, so they are 'retired.' They eat and complain and sleep. When warmer weather comes, we will get more chickens from a hatchery and watch for the hawk, who was back the other day killing sparrows at the big feeder.

I told hubby to please ask the hatchery for 'friendly chickens who like to be cuddled."

He told me not to hold my breath on that one. I guess there was only one Debbie.

Food Hacks: Dinner in 25 minutes!

That title doesn't sound too remarkable if you're talking about frozen corn dogs and applesauce for supper. But we're talking about a real meal at home of roast beef, real mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. 

Many of us have to come home and make dinner after a full day at work, and we're tired. But we're hungry, too, and so is everyone else. Half the key to having a tasty dinner in minimum time is planning ahead, even if it's only one day ahead.

This morning, as I was preparing to head out the door for work, I said to my retired, care-free* husband, "Oh! I didn't plan dinner for tonight!" So I took out a 16 oz. carton of mashed potatoes from the freezer and set it on the stove top to thaw, then said, "Choose a meat you would like to go with it. Chicken, pork, beef or ham." He went to the pantry and chose a pint jar of last year's canned roast beef.

When I got home, the potatoes were thawed and I:
 - put them (uncovered) in a small baking dish, mashed them down a bit with a fork, set the convection oven to 375 degrees and put them in. 
- opened the jar of roast beef and emptied it into a 2 quart saucepan and set it at a low-med heat and covered the pan.
- opened a can of kernel corn and put it in a small pan on the stove to heat and
- and I made 2 cups of gravy in a small saucepan

Let me take this opportunity to tell you about how I make gravy. Our mother made gravy from pan drippings with flour in a skillet and it was tasty. No matter how I try, I can't make decent gravy that way. Mine is tasteless. 

So... I make it using a Beef Base from GFS (pictured at left). It's a thick paste that I use as roux in canning (an idea I got from my canning buddy and hairdresser Betty) and it makes a heavenly tasty gravy! It's available in chicken as well, which I also use.

Anyway, I use 2 1/2 tsp of Beef Base to 2 cups of water and 5 tablespoons of flour. Even though this amount of beef and potatoes makes a two-person meal, I make plenty of gravy because I just love the stuff and use any leftover gravy to take to work for lunch. I dip bread in it, or shred bread and pour the gravy over it.

You don't have to use an oven to heat up the mashed potatoes, you could use your microwave. Even though the potatoes look mushy when they are cold, the hotter the get, the firmer they get and I take them out often and whip them with a single beater wand from an old hand mixer (or you could use a whisk) and it really works well. When the potatoes are as hot and thick as I want them to be, they are done.

Everything was ready in 25 minutes and I had a very happy husband. You don't have to have home-canned meat and make-ahead frozen mashed potatoes
(as noted in the previous blog) to accomplish this. You can slow cook the beef all day in a crock

pot or roast it the night before to heat up for the following evening. You can cheat and buy those high-sodium but oh-so-delicious Bob Evans mashed potatoes, then open up a jar of gravy and a can of corn. It all comes out the same, but the key is to plan ahead. That takes some time and a bit of effort the day before, and is a subject for a future blog on meal planning.

Story: For all you 'preppers' out there wondering if canned goods are still edible past their 'best by' dates, the can of corn we used tonight was dated September of 2010, and no one has died yet. (I walked over to the sofa and gave the husband a poke... he's still breathing.) He has told me a story (more than once) of a time in 1965 during his Navy days when they were out at sea for 39 days and took on a crew of 250 men whose ship ran aground. The extra men caused a fresh food shortage and the mess hall resorted to serving hamburgers canned in Chicago in 1939! My old sailor says they were were like squashed meatballs and 'edible' and nobody got sick, in spite of the 'funky' taste and appearance. Canning methods are better today, so if they could eat 26-year-old canned 'hamburgers and not become ill, our 4-yr-old can of corn is more than fine.**

* Hubby really is retired but far from carefree, since everyone knows he's retired and can fix just about anything.
** Always check any can for bulging, punctures and seepage and discard these. Also discard if contents don't smell as they should.

Food hacks: Overripe bananas

Ooops I did it again... didn't use the bananas fast enough and now look... not real pretty, but I 
sure hate to throw them out - seems like such a waste. I didn't have time to bake banana bread

today, and I suspected the fruit inside was still intact, since the bananas didn't feel mushy. So I peeled them and voila! they were still okay.

When this happens to you and you have too many to use up quickly, remember that you can freeze bananas. I prefer to peel them first because I don't like the way they peel once they start to thaw.

So, I peeled the bananas. I could have left them whole, but I decided to halve them and use some of them for the grandkids to dip into Magic Shell, and the rest to use for baking or pudding when I need them. Peel them carefully: the fruit is softer, remember, and too much pressure makes them break. 
I inserted popsicle sticks into some, put them all into the freezer for about two hours, then removed them out for 'repackaging.'

They weren't frozen solid but handled better than when they were room temperature. I put a couple in each baggie, removed as much air as I could with a

straw, then put all the baggies of bananas in a gallon size ziploc bag. You could also vacuum seal them in a larger bag if you like. They are in the freezer and I will remove them as I need them, and they won't go to waste now. 

Bananas don't keep forever in the freezer, so be sure to use them inside of 4 months or so. The next time I freeze some, I think I will try dipping them in 7up, apple juice or lemon juice and water, to slow down any discoloration.

One advantage of freezing bananas you plan to use for baking is when they thaw, they soften a LOT and are easy to stir into batter. The bananas halves are also handy for having a bit of fruit with your breakfast or slicing (while still firm) into cereal.

Food hacks: Make ahead mashed potatoes

For those who have to work a full time job and come home to make dinner too, any tips and tricks that make the task easier and quicker are welcome! I have several favorites, and one is so simple I just have to share it.

I love mashed potatoes, but the work involved with preparing them used to deter me from making them on a week night. If I did, I used instant potato flakes and 'doctored' them up well enough to nearly pass for fresh. Now I don't have to do that anymore...

I didn't like the idea of making them up ahead of time and freezing them because they have a high water content and I didn't like how they looked after they thawed. Mushy. Separated, Unappealing. Then one day at work, I was heating a frozen dinner and looking at 'those' potatoes. After following the directions on the package, they were no longer mushy or unappealing. They tasted fine! What was the trick?

The trick was, the more they were heated, the more moisture evaporated and the firmer the potatoes became. So I got an idea... why not take a 5 or 10 lb bag of potatoes, peel and cook them all, whip them up the way we like them, then freeze them in meal-size quantities?

So I did. I drained the cooked potatoes well, added salt, butter and sour cream (optional, of course), and put them to the mixer. When they tasted they way we like them, I separated the now (lukewarm) mashed potatoes into plastic containers I saved from sour cream, cottage cheese and whipped toppings. I packed them nearly to the top (to avoid freezer crystals), laid a bit of wax paper over the potatoes, and put the lids on. I labeled the tops with the date I made the potatoes and put them in the freezer.

Here's the trick: frozen mashed potatoes take a long time to thaw. If I know I am having them for dinner the next evening, I will set them out in the morning before I leave for work. They will not thaw in the refrigerator: they are like a block of ice. I have not tried thawing them in the microwave, but that would probably work.

Anyway, once they are thawed, I heat them in an oven safe bowl in the oven (a microwave would work, too). I pull them out to stir them every 5 minutes or so and, sure enough, the hotter they get, the thicker they get. (I have found using a single beater or meat fork to stir them works well.) Taste them, because if they need more butter or salt or a bit of milk, this is the time to add it. When they are the consistency you want, they are ready to eat!

It's wonderful to have real mashed potatoes without the hassle of peeling and boiling on a weeknight. For two of us, we find a 16 oz. tub is enough. I suppose you could use all small tubs and just get multiples out when you need a larger quantity for a meal.

When you are preparing an entire 5 or 10 pound bag of potatoes, you will need to do them in more than one batch. This is really a task better suited for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I have made the mistake of filling the bowl too full (trying to get it done faster) and ended up with a bigger mess than it was worth. Now I just process the potatoes in manageable amounts and take them time do it right.

My advantage: I have a husband who actually almost enjoys peeling potatoes! No, he isn't from Pluto. He told me he didn't mind it in KP with the Navy years ago, and finds it kind of relaxing. He's also a much faster 'peeler' than I am, and it's great to have the help. No, he cannot come peel potatoes for you and no, he does not have a brother.

Another mashed potato idea: It seems we have a tendency to boil and mash the potatoes last when we are serving a big meal. My mother always did it that way and everyone I know does it that way. BUT... we can prepare those mashed potatoes as much as an hour ahead and keep them warm in a buttered crock pot OR a warm oven! It's SO much less hassle than leaving them until last - plus, using a crock pot, you can transport them to a pot luck dinner.

Hope this helps and feel free to offer any tips you have on mashed potatoes.

Winter is the perfect season for bottling meats

Canning season is never over for dedicated preservers!

Winter is here: the fruit trees are dormant, and tomatoes, jams and squash sit in quart jars on the shelf. Canning season is over until June when the strawberries are ripe, and unused jars are packed away in boxes until the next harvest.

That is, unless you’re like myself and many other preservers who use the winter season to catch up on canning we couldn’t get done during the summer! The colder months are a perfect time to pressure can foods, because the heat produced by the canner warms up the house as well as helps empty the freezer. I use the time from autumn to April to can meats, since there isn’t much outdoor work to do until Spring.

The half steer, hog or chickens you bought at butchering time in the fall can be processed at your leisure during the cold months. Maybe you took advantage of a great sale on ham or turkey
 at Thanksgiving or Christmas (the PERFECT time to buy those meats in bulk!). From freezer to cutting board to canner, you can bottle your meats at your convenience and gradually free up freezer space for the warmer months ahead.

I can just about everything, not only because we desire to be less dependent on electricity for food preservation, but it also makes for quicker prep for evening meals for the working woman. Meat comes out of the jars fork-tender and fully cooked. Just heat and serve, or use in casseroles, burritos, chili, and many other dishes. One of the great advantages to preserving your own meats at home is having control over what goes into that canning jar along with the meat you have trimmed to your liking. Salt, flavorings, or spices can be added - or not. You know where your meat came from if you bought it from a local producer or butcher. You can preserve it in quantities you use (half, whole pints or quarts). The options are many and the results are rewarding.

For those of us with limited freezer space, it’s a great way to make room for other foods not suitable for canning such as bread, popsicles, pizzas, etc. If unexpected guests show up at the door, meals go together quickly. It’s easy to keep inventory of what you have (and what you need).

My coworker cans chili and soups during the colder months. Winter is also a great time to make jams and jellies with fruit hastily canned or frozen in summer months ‘just to get it done.’ Canning isn’t much fun when the kitchen is already 85 degrees and bushels of peaches or apples are ready NOW. Whatever I can put off canning for a cooler day, I do.

A good sale on potatoes or white mushrooms can make for a nice afternoon of winter canning. The same goes for bacon or pepperoni… yes, you CAN pressure can these items. It’s great to have bacon bits or pepperoni slices on hand for salads or pizzas or omelets. Did the hunter in your family bag a deer this winter? Venison cans well and can be used in place of beef. Actually, it tastes a lot like beef after it’s been processed this way, and it’s very lean.

I buy used canning jars during the warm months from yard, 
moving and garage sales. Some of them are in a fairly grungy condition when I get them but, for me, the bargain is worth the work to clean them up. I must have a dozen boxes waiting for me to get to, and winter is a good time to get it done. If taken in small quantities once a week, they will eventually all get washed and be ready when you need them for your next project. Be sure to check each jar for chips or cracks around the rim. Damaged jars can be used for storing non-edible items.

If you can fruits and vegetables but have not canned meat, consider this: the canned meat sold at the grocery story is processed the same way, but with a lot more salt, coloring and other additives. Bottling your own meat allows you to store it in the quantities you need for your family and gives you control over what goes into it. It’s ready when you are and keeps for years.
If you are interested in learning to pressure can meats, there are canning classes held by food canneries and some county extension offices. The internet is also a great source of canning information, techniques, and method.

Warm up that canner and you’ll warm up the kitchen and stock your shelves!

This article also appeared in the February issue of Rural Life, in Ohio.

Why have food storage?

It used to be a lot easier to live week to week, paycheck to paycheck, when employment was more of a sure thing for most folks. Money was still usually tight, but we always knew payday was coming, and it was so easy to run to the store for whatever would tide us over. The economy would slump but it always rallied again.

Times, they are a changin'. The unemployment rate is higher than what's being reported by the mainstream media, jobs lost in the mini-crash of 2008 are not coming back, and the U.S. has acquired incredible (and growing) debt that can never be repaid. As the price of food continues to rise due to crop losses (droughts, floods) and inflation, it just makes sense to buy in bulk and be prepared for leaner times.

This is the video that got me started on canning meat, vacuum sealing food, and addresses cooking under less than favorable conditions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLuIApyNPc

It's worth the time to watch this seminar filmed in 2005. Wendy Dewitt has been teaching food preservation for more than 20 years and knows her stuff.

A lot of folks want to build an 'expanded pantry' but don't know where to start - or think they don't have enough money to do it. How you build your food supply depends on what you use and eat on a regular basis.

It starts with a few extra cans of vegetables or pasta or meat each payday. Start with the basics. Bath tissue, dish soap, shampoo, rice, spaghetti, canned fruits, sauces, and so on. Items and foods that are part of your daily life. Wherever you store food should be free of pests, dampness and temperatures above 70 degrees. No place to store extras? When my mother lived in a small 'senior' apartment, she stored groceries and non-perishables in all sorts of places... under furniture, behind furniture, over cabinets, in closets... it was amazing what we found when we had to move her out!

Don't be intimidated by posts with pantries that look like this...

The person who built this beautifully stocked pantry didn't do it in one week, or month, and probably not even a year. They started just like everyone else... with a few extra items purchased one payday. They added to it a bit at a time. 

An important factor in building up a pantry with food storage is to rotate your items - buy what you will use. Otherwise, you'll end up tossing items when they get too old to even give away to others. That's a waste of your hard earned money.

You can get some great ideas by perusing You Tube to see what others are doing and and how they are storing what they amass. Remember, keeping a pantry used to be standard procedure with our grandparents and those before them. They were prepared for disasters, hard economic times and lapses in employment. Because they grew and canned a lot of their food to save money, they had to work a lot harder to keep that pantry stocked.

Food prices are going up, and chances are they won't go back down. Take advantage of sales and bulk food purchases to build up your pantry. Get started now while food is still available and affordable. Things can change very quickly, even in the U.S.