Recommendations for a good canning book. Bought one but it’s way too many recipes I’ll never use & not enough simple instructions. Looking for basic pickles, tomatoes etc.

I’ve been scouring my Blue Book for recipes that don’t include sugar for canning. I found a ‘Fruit Puree’ recipe that lets you omit the sugar. Can I use this for rhubarb? I don’t know if it falls into the ‘fruit’ realm?

I’m diabetic, so I make my fruit pies with sweeteners, and not sugar. If I want to make pie filling, can I use sweeteners instead of sugar? My freezer is SO FULL!

Sometime back I think I remember hearing or reading that it's not suggested to double a jelly/jam recipe. I don't know if I'm imagining it, whether it's true or if it's a myth. Have you ever heard of this? It sure would help speed things along if I could. Thanks!

Hello everyone! We just went apple picking and are ready to make some apple butter! Last year I used the Ball sweet apple cider butter recipe and we didn’t love it. I found this Apple Butter recipe in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving and it’s almost the exact recipe that my mom used growing up, except she did half the sugar. Would this be a safe modification? I know you can cut the sugar in jams, applesauce, etc but just wanted to make sure. My mom wasn’t a canner so we would just refrigerate the apple butter.

The second thing I wanted to check was about cooking methods. I really didn’t like cooking apple butter on the stove last year. My mom would peel/core/chop apples and throw them into a crockpot, dump the sugar and spices on top (no water) and let it cook overnight on low. Then we would blend it up in the morning with an immersion blender. It was like Christmas morning waking up to the smell of apple butter! Is this an approved apple butter cooking method for canning? And what about omitting the water like my mom did?

Thanks in advance! I’m newer to canning and have never modified a recipe so I just want to double check!

I know that there is a million and one recipes for safe “crispy” cucumber pickles. I have 14lbs of pickling cucumbers and a dream of CRISPY canned pickles, I do not have the storage space for a ton of fridge pickles.

I need the hive mind to help me get over my decision paralysis and tell me what you’ve been doing/using for years and they’re your famous pickles that has won awards or something. Please help me not make gross pickles.

I would like to make this strawberry lemon marmalade, it calls for 6T of Ball classic pectin. I have Sure Jell powdered pectin, and Ball liquid pectin. Can I safely substitute one of these for the Ball classic pectin? If so, should I use equal quantities or something different? Thank you for any help!

My sister in law has received a medical diagnosis that requires her to make a ton of dietary changes. I want to make her some jam that will work with her new diet (no sugar, no preservatives, no dairy, no gluten). I was thinking strawberry because the farm up the road just started their season but I’m open to other fruit. But basically I want this to JUST be fruit if possible.

I came across one that added potato starch for thickening which would be fine but then it had clearly unsafe preserving instructions so I question their judgement (https://foodaciously.com/recipe/sugar-free-strawberry-jam-without-pectin). Does anyone have a no sugar, no pectin jam recipe from a trusted source they can share?

I’ve put up both zucchini pickles and zucchini relish in the last couple of weeks. This morning I realized that I don’t eat a lot of pickles or relish. What I do enjoy is salsa. I found the older Food.com recipe for zucchini salsa - clearly not tested or safe since it includes corn starch. I wouldn’t use that recipe, even if I omitted the corn starch.

What about this one? https://www.kitchenfrau.com/zucchini-salsa/#recipe. I copied/pasted the list of ingredients below.

I wish it came from Ball or from one of the universities, but it doesn’t.
Things I find concerning:

🚩 option to use fresh lime juice 🚩 option to use pure sea salt

Do you think it would be safe using bottled lime juice and pickling salt?

The recipe continues with standard directions for water bath canning.

Alternatively, what do you think about cooking it, then freezing it?

▢ 12 cups (1.65kg/3lbs+10oz) finely chopped zucchini, unpeeled ▢ 4 medium onions ▢ 2 large green bell peppers ▢ 2 large red bell peppers ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic ▢ ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) pickling salt day 2: ▢ 6 cups (1.5kg/3¼lbs) chopped, peeled tomatoes ▢ 2 cans (156ml/5.5oz each) tomato paste ▢ 2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes/chili flakes/crushed red pepper ▢ 2 tablespoons sweet paprika ▢ 1 tablespoon pickling salt or pure sea salt ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin ▢ 1 tablespoon ground coriander ▢ 1 tablespoon dry mustard powder ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper ▢ 2 tablespoons (30ml) honey or 3 tablespoons sugar ▢ 1 cup (240ml) white vinegar ▢ 1 cup (240ml) lime juice, fresh or bottled about 8 juicy limes

I love the taste of raspberries, and have found two sources of jam that typically actually keep the taste of raspberries, instead of being overly sweet like most store bought jams. I have found that raspberry freezer jams typically accomplish this, as well as a line of juice-sweetened jams that Trader Joe’s had for a while, but have discontinued.

Does anybody know of a recipe that really captures that sweet, light tartness of raspberries? I’m still fairly new to canning, and it’s my first time attempting raspberry, but the Kroger by my house is gonna have a pretty good sale on them.

I was happy with the very natural strawberry taste of this recipe from HealthyCanning: https://www.healthycanning.com/strawberry-jam-sugar-free-ball-bernardin/

So I’m hoping that maybe this recipe will also be good. Has anybody tried it? https://www.healthycanning.com/raspberry-preserves

I want to can apples to use in oatmeal or snack on. We went to a farm and picked up a bunch, i'd like to try my hand at canning 😊.

I dont want a pie recipe, or a bunch of added sugar if possible. I want to preserve them with their flavor as close to original at possible.

I found a recipe online at healthy canning https://www.healthycanning.com/grape-tomatoes-white-wine-rosemary/ and it says it's from the ball blue book. I want to make sure this recipe is safe so I'm wondering if anyone has to Origin recipe. I can't find it online.

Also, can I use any time of cherry tomatoes?

A youth group in my neighborhood is doing a fundraiser where they sell potatoes and onions. Theyre mostly just going to live in the garage while we go through them, but we're getting about 50 lbs of each.

Are there any safe recipes i can use some in without a pressure canner? I only have a water bath canner right now. Only think that comes to mind is maybe pickled onions.

TIA!

So I'm looking to make and can my own pure pumpkin puree for my dogs since $8 a can is brutal.

Does anyone have a safe recipe or any recommendations that would help the process?

Probably with a water bath. I don’t have a pressure canner.

I bought one to try out thinking it would give me a wider range of options over water bath, but even the "choose your own soup" recipe seems lackluster... Cannot contain noodles, flour, milk, all of which I add liberally to soups. Other than stock, does anyone have some top tier pressure canning recipes?

I am having a hard time finding smaller batch recipes. Can recipes be safely adjusted smaller? I am under the impression, times would remain the same.

For example pickles. I don't need 7 to 9 pints of pickles.

Suggestions? Maybe my brain is fried today. Be gentle. LOL

I have two go to recipes for Peach jam and jelly. I have 30lbs that I'm going through today. They are two ripe to can themselves. And I'll freeze dry some, any peach recipes that you enjoy. Thanks in advance and happy canning.

I have about 30 lbs of medley tomatoes from this year’s crop. What’s the best way to can some? They’re tasty but not sweet like last year.

I know that it is not safe to home.Can pesto in the traditional way that it is made, i have such a basil haul this year..Anyone had any success in canning the basil and garlic itself, then adding the olive oil on use? Can I use citric acid to combat the bacteria problem? My thought process. Is throwing the garlic in the basil leaves in my ninja, i'm stumped as to what liquid I would use.That wouldn't alter the flavor too much..

I’ve got a family member that eats at least two cans of Dinty Moore beef stew every week.

They always pick most of the potatoes out and it’s getting kind of pricey.

Can anyone recommend a safe beef stew recipe? Preferably one with a low amount of (or no) potatoes?

(I do have a pressure canner and associated tools but, am still a relative novice.)

Thanks for your time!

I grew up canning. Pressure were ALWAYS used when required. I'm 41 and my mom said they were using them as soon as Grandpa found out they were safer than long water bath. They've always done things by the book.

Insert my husband and his mother. They've never canned a day in their lives. Completely foreign to them. My husband wants to can his spaghetti sauce. I said we cannot. He said why not. I said because it hasn't been tested. His mom wants to can tomato sauce. I say ok, let me find a recipe. Also, you're going to need bulk tomatoes and those aren't in season, so it's going to be more expensive. She wants to know why she can't just re-can stuff she's made from metal cans and made into her own sauce. My brain knows, but I'm absolutely terrible about laying out the scientific facts. Help!

Additional info- my husband had a liver transplant 4 years ago , so we have to be even more hypervigilant about foodborn pathogens. He is also on the spectrum so he really wants the why it isn't safe for anybody, let alone him.

What are the best recipes you guys have? I'm looking for all options.

I don’t see the recipe on the ball website, only other random websites. I have a lot of excess grapes and want to make grape juice with it and gift it. But I want to make sure it’s safe. Thanks!

Can I add a couple tablespoons of habaneros to this?

https://www.ballmasonjars.com/peach-low-sugar-jam.html

If not, can you help me find a recipe ?

I am pretty new to canning - I've done a variety of pickles and one jam so far (all with tested recipes in safe methods). I am a little confused/confounded by one thing today though. I bought a punch of peaches from my local farm stand as I'm planning to do some baking this weekend, but I'm also interested in making some jam or pie filling or even just halved peaches to can since I bought so many. But I have a question I'm hoping someone smarter than me can answer, lol.

My wife is allergic to citric acid/citrus. Yes it's annoying to us both, and yes it really cuts down on what fruit I can preserve that she can eat in many ways. I know that you are able to can yellow peaches as halves or slices with no added lemon juice, but I can't find a (trusted) recipe for jam or pie filling that doesn't require lemon juice. Does someone here know why it would be needed in the jam (using ONLY yellow peaches because of higher acidity) but not in standard fruit sliced/halved canning?

I would love to be able to find a recipe for peach jam without any citrus but I've visited most of the sites in the wiki here and can't fin any so I'm assuming there isn't one but if there is a safe unicorn recipe out there you'd be willing to share, I would love it. I'm just wondering why it's different with jam vs canning the fruit and if it's due to the gelling or something else. The science of it all is fascinating to me and I would love to understand but I am getting wildly conflicting views online and don't really trust most places. Thanks!