TroubleT's Adventures in Canning 2012!

[TroubleT]

Awesome! So what are the differences between jam and jelly and preserves?

Jelly is made from fruit juice and the clearer the end product, the better. It also has a firm set almost to the point of Jello.

Jam has fruit juice and pulp so it's has a different mouth feel.

Preserves have even more pulp than jam like a small dice in size.

Marmalade is usually a jam that has had citrus added to it usually in the form of zest.

It took me a while to get that all sorted out when I first started down this canning path. LOL!

ecopp- Yes, we now love the pressure cooker! I foresee it getting a lot of use. I'm trying to convince my husband to do a batch or two of soup starter like my granma used to fix. She would can a tomato based soup with veggies. Whenever she had left over pot roast, she would grab a can of the soup starter and POOF! dinner was done.

[smallhold]

Do you have the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving? Recommended by the USDA and great recipes.
Canning rules!
Sunflower Smiles, as long as you use a pressure canner, not a pressure cooker, you are safe following the guidelines with beans even.

[jillybeans]

Awesome job, TroubleT!

I'm an avid canner!  I loooove canning!  My favorite thing to can is syrups, though.  Mmmm!  Strawberry and cherry!  They are actually super easy to make, too!  I've never done green beans!  I'm definitely gonna have to try that!  I've done asparagus spears, as well as some other veggies.  And loads of applesauce!

[redheadedblonde]

I love canning!  I've only done the water bath method (and have stuck to jelly/jam/relishes - high acid stuff).  I'm so glad that you're loving the pressure canner--I'm wanting to jump on that train!  Everything you've made looks so yummy.

[TroubleT]

Smallhold, I do have that book.

I may have used the word cooker instead of canner but I am referring to the canner. The words were interchangeable when I was growing up.

[smallhold]

Fantastic, you'll have so much fun canning. Even meat, fish and sauces are within reach now.
I sometimes go to the market at closing time. Stallholders will often sell a crate of veggies or fruit for next to nothing.
Doing well TroubleT

[dreadlocklove]

They look awesome!  Apple butter will be an upcoming canning project for me.

[TroubleT]

I highly recommend the crock pot version. Super easy and your house smells divine while it simmers.

[Mustardseedbeads]

Those jars are so pretty! There is just something comforting about looking at a sparkling row of preserves on the shelf.

[TroubleT]

Those jars are so pretty! There is just something comforting about looking at a sparkling row of preserves on the shelf.

How very true Mustardseedbeads! The only thing that might be better is watching is smear on a hot buttered biscuit.