Hamburger Relish

 

 How do you like your burger? Just cheese? No cheese? Lots of fixins? Or just plain?

When you think of it, there's literally no limit to the way you could fix a burger, but for some reason, we always go back to our tried and true favorites. For me, I'm a fan of lots of cheese, ketchup, and some sweet pickle relish. Occasionally, I'll add a slice of tomato and some lettuce, but that's about it.  

 So when I saw this recipe for hamburger relish, I was all over it. I make TONS of different relishes, so this one needed to be included on my wall 'o jars. It's my version of a recipe I found on a website called Shifting Roots, and it's exactly what you want in a hamburger relish. It's kind of like adding ketchup to regular pickle relish, but it's SO much more. It's light and fresh and definitely worth the effort. Perfect for burgers ! (It's great on hot dogs too!) Especially if you like ketchup and relish. 

 Are you a burger person? if so, you need to make this! So good! 

 

4 cups finely chopped cucumbers (unpeeled)

2 cups finely chopped bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, and/or green)

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes

2 cups sugar 

3 cups white vinegar

1 tbs yellow mustard seeds

1 tbs turmeric

1 tbs cinnamon

1 tbs allspice

1 tbs ground cloves

 

 Add all ingredients to a large pot over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.  Let it continue to simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Be sure to stir from the bottom to make sure it doesn't burn. Let it cook down until you reach your desired consistency. Serve on burgers, hot dogs, or meatloaf.

 

For canning:

Always remember- hot jars, hot filling, hot water.

Fill your jars, leave a half inch head space, wipe rims, place your two piece lids, then process in a water bath for 15 minutes. 

 

Tips:

Most pickle and relish recipes start by salting your chopped vegetables and letting them sit for 8 hours or overnight. Then you rinse and drain them and continue with your recipe. This extracts a lot of excess water from the veggies making them more crisp, which is definitely what you want in a dill or sweet pickle. I decided to skip that entire step. Call me a rebel, but I just didn't see the point of it, since I would be cooking it down anyway. 

This makes a big batch, which is great for canning, but go ahead and cut this recipe in half if you don't need to as much.  

Joey's Pickled Garlic

 

 

 

    A few weeks ago, my nephew, Dan (aka Daniel Boone), sent me a picture of one of his favorite things... a jar of pickled garlic. I said "oh, I could make that for you, no sweat!" So I went to Amazon and ordered a big bag of already peeled garlic, and when it arrived I started throwing pickling ingredients into a pot. I figured, how hard can it be, right? Pickling anything is just about as easy as it gets! I asked him if he wanted it more on the sweet side or more savory? More savory won the coin toss, and this is where I landed. (I still added just a little bit of sugar, just to balance everything. )

OMG it turned out so good!

 So now, obviously, the longer you let it stay in the jars, the better it tastes. Resist the urge! It'll be a much better pay-off and you'll be glad you waited!

Oh, one other thing... This recipe filled EIGHT pint jars. If you have no need for that much pickled garlic in your life, feel free to cut the recipe down to suit your needs. Great then.

 

 

 

5 lbs peeled whole garlic cloves

4 cups apple cider vinegar

3 cups white vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbs pickling spice blend

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper corns

3 bay leaves

 

 

 

  Wash and rinse 8 pint size mason jars. Fill each jar with whole raw cloves of garlic.

In a medium pot, place all pickling ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, making sure all the sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly. Pour vinegar mixture over garlic to fill each jar. 

Place two piece lids on each jar. Store in the fridge for several weeks, or seal them using the water bath canning method to make them shelf stable.

To seal the jars: 

After pouring the warm vinegar over the garlic, use a skewer or chopstick to get out all the air bubbles, adjust the level of brine to one inch head space, then process the jars in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. Remove to a cloth lined tray or countertop until completely cooled, (several hours or overnight.) Best to leave them to marinate for a few weeks before cracking into them!

 

Btw, it should be noted that these cloves of garlic are completely raw when they go into the jars, and therefore keep their crisp texture in the brine, even after canning. If you'd like a softer texture, just make the brine as directed, then add the peeled garlic right into the pot. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to soften them. Then fill your jars and seal as directed.  Easy!

Tips:

If you're not familiar with water bath canning, it's easy to learn. Just watch a few youtube videos. You'll be canning like a pro in no time. 

Feel free to adjust the flavors. If you want it sweeter, add up to another cup of sugar. If it's a little on the sweet side, just cut the sugar back to a half cup. I do think it needs at least a little bit of sugar, otherwise it'll be like drinking straight vinegar,

If you want more heat, add a hot pepper to each jar, or add some more crushed red pepper flakes. 

Don't like apple cider vinegar? Use any kind you like! Just be sure that it's 5% acidity if you plan to do the water bath canning. 

Oh wait! I forgot to mention one other thing!

It doesn't happen all the time, but it's very possible that your garlic might turn blue when you pickle it. Yes seriously. Blue garlic. Like, BRIGHT BLUE. It's a thing! Who knew? But fear not! This is perfectly natural and perfectly edible!

It's caused by an enzyme in the garlic that reacts with any kind of acid. You might have experienced this in your regular cooking when you add lemon juice to your garlic. Crazy, huh? True story.

 

 

 

 

Joey's Garlic Pickled Brussels Sprouts

 

This recipe is kind of a side step from my usual mid-October posts. Usually, I would post something pumpkin or apple or Halloween-ish, but today, I thought I’d do some canning.
People often refer to summertime as “canning season” because that’s when you have your fresh produce, etc, but I like canning throughout the entire year, not just during the summer.
 So today, I decided to pickle some Brussels sprouts. WHAT??? yes, it’s true. When making pickles, you don’t HAVE to always use cucumbers. I’ve pickled peppers, onions, asparagus, even radishes! Pickle whatever you like!! And the best part is that you can change up your pickling brine to suit your fancy! If I’m doing sliced cucumbers or radishes, I like a nice sweet bread and butter pickle. But if I’m doing spears, or asparagus, or in this case, sprouts, I like a nice tangy garlicky dill.
So if you’re a fan of pickles, try pickling something other than cucumbers next time. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised! Have fun!


3-4 lbs Brussels sprouts
7 large cloves garlic
4 cups white vinegar
3 cups water
2 tbs yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp celery seed
1 tbs mixed peppercorns
2 tbs dill weed
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs salt
pinch red pepper flakes


Combine brine ingredients in a medium sauce pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, trim the root ends of the sprouts, then slice them in half through the root. (if you slice it through the equator, the leaves will fall apart!). Also slice your garlic cloves in half. If you’re not going to can them, let the brine cool slightly so that it’s not boiling hot. Place the sprouts and garlic cloves in large glass container, then pour brine over. Let cool completely, then store in the fridge.
For canning, wash and heat your pint sized jars. (this made 7 pint jars for me). Fill your jars with sprouts, and two pieces of garlic each. Pour your hot brine over them until full, leaving an inch head space. Use a plastic knife to debubble, wipe your rims, then center your lids and place your rings finger tight. Waterbath or steam can them for 10 minutes, turn off heat and let them sit in canner for an extra 5 minutes, then move them to a towel lined counter to cool completely.
For best flavor, let them sit for a few weeks before cracking into them.

Tips:
Ok, yes, I know, I know. A few weeks is a long time to wait, but I promise it’ll be worth the wait! I was thinking of serving these at Thanksgiving, so that’s why I’m making them now!
Switch up the brine however you like. Do you have a favorite pickle recipe, use it!
Want it to be more garlicky? Add more garlic! Want it to be spicier? Add more pepper flakes. It’s whatever you like!
Most pickle brines call for equal parts water and vinegar, but I like a stronger hit of sour, so I always go a little extra on the vinegar side.
Wanna add some fresh herbs? Go for it. I think I may use fresh dill next time. Want it to be sweeter? You can literally add up to 2 cups of sugar to this recipe. Don’t have any of these spices? Just add a couple tablespoons of purchased pickling spice and call it a day. It will all work.

Mom's Pickled Beets

   Have you ever had pickled beets? It seems to me that people either love 'em or hate 'em. When I was a little boy, my Mom used to make them all the time and they were always a HUGE family favorite. Very often she would just buy cans of beets and then slice and pickle them. She'd do a big bowl, keep them chilled in the fridge, and then we'd have them as a side dish for whatever we were having for dinner that night. And the fun part was always that the beet juice on my plate would turn my mashed potatoes red. LOL
 Now, I don't use canned beets, only because using fresh beets just takes it a step further and makes them that much better. When I told my sisters that I was making them, everyone gave lots of MMMMM responses. Honestly, I could sit and eat a whole jar in one go! (My brother Denny said the same thing!) I think the one thing that made my Mom's recipe better than the others is that she used to add finely sliced onions. Not a lot, but just enough to add another dimension to the flavor. And they were SHAVED so thinly that they would practically disappear in the brine. I think that's the key, tbh. So here they are... basically my version of my Mom's pickled beets. They're sweet and sour and fabulous. I made jars and jars of them, but you can cut the recipe in half, and just keep them in the fridge, if you like. Honestly, one of my very favorite things in the entire world, and they'll always remind me of Mom. :)



10 lbs fresh beets
3 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/2 large Vidalia onion, finely shaved into thin slices
Salt and pepper to taste



First, wash the beets under running water to remove any dirt or grit. Place beets in a large pot, then fill with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil the beets until a fork can be easily inserted into each beet. Be patient, this could take quite a while, especially if the beets are quite large. Be sure to test EACH BEET. The smaller ones will be finished first, and the larger ones will take much longer. As you remove the beets from the pot, place them on a sheet tray to cool. Once they are cool enough for you to handle, peel and slice each one. The peels should slip off easily just by rubbing them with your fingers. You may want to wear food grade latex gloves just so your fingers don't turn red. When all the beets are peeled and sliced, add the remaining ingredients to a large pot. You can use just plain water, but I like to use some of the now red water that we just used to boil the beets. Bring the brine up to heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the beets and bring it up to a simmer. That's all there is to it.
If you plan to seal them in jars: use the water bath method, and process your pint jars for 30 minutes. When you remove them from the bath, let them sit undisturbed for at least 24 hours.


Tip:
Serve them chilled with your roast beef or chicken dinner, or add them to salads.
Side note, the other thing my Mom used to do, instead of pickling them, was just to boil them like potatoes, and then serve them warm with lots of butter and salt and pepper. She once told me that this was how HER mom used to make them, and she called them Hot Buttered Beets. FABULOUS. 

Joey's Pickled Red Onions

   Ever since I learned how to preserve things in jars, I've had a sort of bucket list of things I'd like to make. Slowly but surely, I'm working my way through that list, ticking each box, and then moving on to the next one. One of the main criteria for landing on that list is that it needs to be something that you wouldn't normally see at the grocery store. Like, for instance, my pineapple basil jam. Not exactly your standard fare, would you say? Or how about raspberry rhubarb jam? As delicious as it was unexpected! I've even done pickled peaches and pickled water melon rind. Who knew? Not everything has been met with the greatest response, but in all honestly, I've loved every single one of my projects. I think the pickled pineapples were pretty high up on that list! And also the candied jalapenos. Fabulous! But I digress..
 So that brings me to my latest project. Pickled red onions! Have you ever tried them? They're great on sandwiches, burgers, salads, and according to my nephew, Gregger (who requested them), they're especially great on fish tacos! My first thought was that I wanted the sharp onion flavor to mellow out a bit, and I wanted them to be a little bit sweet to go with the sour.
 Once again, true to form, I found many recipes online, but none was exactly what I had pictured in my head. So I started with a pretty basic recipe, and then didn't follow it. LOL I mean, yes, I used the same ingredients, but I changed literally every single amount to suit my own taste. How does one do this, you may ask? Well, you TASTE it! I always like a stronger hit of vinegar when I'm making pickles, and I like a hit of sweetness too. So, right away I changed the vinegar to water ratio. And then I added more sugar, tasting as I went, until I found exactly the right blend of sweet, sour, sharp, and pungent. FABULOUS! Then after I figured out what was going into it, I let the onions hang out for a while in the brine, just to relax in their briny hot tub for a while. The result was literally EXACTLY what I wanted. The jars are beautifully pink, the onions were more mellow and smooth, and the flavor was spot on. Now that I've made them, I think I may have to add them to the yearly rotation along with canning my Jersey Tomatoes, and making bread and butter pickles. They're just absolutely delish! This one's for you, Gregger!



5 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 tbs mixed peppercorns
8 bay leaves
6 lbs red onions


Place all ingredients except onions in a large pot over high heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low simmer. Meanwhile, peel and THINLY slice all the onions. You can use a sharp knife, but I used a mandoline. You can also use a food processor. You do you! (Side note, I usually don't use a processor when I'm slicing something for canning because I like the control of cutting exactly how I want them.) After all the onions are sliced, add them to the pot, and turn the heat off. Let the onions sit in the hot brine for a good 15 -20 minutes. They will soften and the brine will turn that lovely coveted pink hue.
 If you're not canning, place the onions in jars, let stand until room temperature, then store in the fridge. They'll last pretty much indefinitely, but I promise you they'll be gone before then!
 If you're canning, wash and sterilize 8 pint-size jars. Fill each jar with onions, then add brine to fill, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Insert a chopstick or plastic utensil down inside of the jar to release any air bubbles, then adjust head space if needed. Wipe rims clean, apply two-piece lids, then process your jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove to a cloth lined tray. Let sit, undisturbed for at least 24 hours.




Tips:

Definitely taste as you go when you're making the brine. Not sure how sweet you like it? Just add a little sugar at a time. Not sure how sour you want it? Start out with the water, then add the vinegar a little at a time until it's as strong as you want. This is just a basic recipe, but feel free to add anything else you like. Garlic, fresh dill, crushed red pepper flakes, you could even just use store bought pickling spice. It will all work. Customize the flavor profile to fit YOU!

UPDATE:

I've discovered that, as they sit in the jars, they can get quite mellow over time, and can become rather sweet. Maybe even just tad too sweet for some. I think I may cut back the sugar and add a little more vinegar next time, just to keep that awesome punch of sour that I love!

Joey's Pickled Peaches

   Have you ever had a pickled peach? Did you even know that you could pickle a peach? Actually, you can pickle just about anything, but even so, who knew that pickled peaches were such a big thing?
 I must confess that they're not the most common thing in my neck of the woods. If fact, as I was searching recipes and asking for feedback, most of my friends and family had never even heard of them let alone tasted them. Quite honestly, the idea of a pickled peach didn't really go over too well with everyone I asked. (Frankly, it sounded pretty good to me!) And then I read one recipe that said "In the South, it just isn't Thanksgiving without a cut glass bowl of pickled peaches on the table." I thought "well, that settles it. Clearly it's a THING, so I need to try it."
  Of course that brought me to my next question: Which recipe??  I found MANY recipes that were very similar. Vinegar, sugar, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Hmm.. I'm not so sure that's the way I want to go. Earlier this summer when I made pickled watermelon rind, I used cinnamon sticks, and the rind came out tasting very little like watermelon, and very much more like apple pie. I mean, I guess it makes sense.... You have a surplus crop of peaches or watermelons, you preserve them with warm Autumn spices, and then you enjoy them for the rest of the year through Fall and Winter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but that's not what I wanted this time. I wanted something more like a PICKLE than a spiced peach, know what I mean?
  So then I found a recipe that used regular pickling spice, which is a blend of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, and allspice, among other things. Hmm... maybe that could work? I also saw a youtube video where they added shallots and cardamom to the brine. This basically showed me that you can really go any way you want with it and it'll still work. So I thought, ok lets think.. what exactly do I WANT? Well, I want them to have a strong hit of sour to go with the sweet, I don't want them to taste like apple pie, and I do like the idea of adding some kind of spice. And that's how I landed on this recipe. I decided to go with cider vinegar. Why? Because I like it! And I also upped the vinegar to sugar ratio for that stronger hit of sour I was after. I went with the regular pickling spice because that seemed to be a departure from apple pie, but then still added a cinnamon stick, just to get the best of both worlds. It turned out great!!
 So now that you know about pickled peaches, you should give them a try! Go out and buy some deliciously juicy ripe peaches while they're still in season, and then preserve them to enjoy throughout the year. Come to think of it, I think I've just discovered this year's Christmas gift! oooo now there's a great idea!!



5 lbs peaches
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp pickling spice blend
1/2 tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick



First prep your peaches:
If your peaches are ripe, cut a small X on the bottom of each peach, then carefully drop them into rapidly boiling water for a minute or two. Then plunge them into ice water. The peels should easily slip off. If your peaches are not quite so ripe, just use a peeler.  Cut your peaches into halves or quarters, depending on the size.

Make the brine:
Add all remaining ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for about 10 minutes. Add prepped peaches to the pot. Let them cook for about 5-10 minutes, until they are just barely tender.

Fill and process:
Spoon peaches into hot sterile quart-size jars and ladle enough of the hot brine until you reach about 1/2 inch from the rim. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal with lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. Remove from pot to a towel-lined kitchen counter or tray. Allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving them to insure a proper seal. Properly sealed jars will last for easily a year. If you don't plan to seal your jars in a water bath, they will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

 Serve them on sandwiches, with ham, chicken, pork, turkey, anything you want! They're also fabulous poured over vanilla ice cream. Yes, really!



Tips:
I like to wait at least a week or two after filling the jars before opening them. The longer the peaches are in the brine, the more they'll absorb that delicious sweet and sour flavor.
I didn't want the peaches to be over cooked, so I only poached them in the brine for about 5-10 minutes instead of 20 minutes or even longer, as with some recipes. I figured the jars have to process for 20 minutes in the boiling water anyway, so that would cook them further. I also used peaches that were not over ripe.
I literally quintupled the recipe and pickled 25 lbs of peaches. But I still only threw one cinnamon stick in the pot. Feel free to add more, though, if that suits your fancy.
This recipe is also... dare I say it... LIFE CHANGING when you do it with pineapple. Like, seriously, if you like fresh pineapple as much as I do, you MUST try pickling it. You won't even believe how delicious a pineapple can be.

Cinnamon Watermelon Rind Pickles

   OK, I have a question for you. What kind of eater are you? Are you an adventurous eater? In other words, do you purposely order something from a menu specifically because you've previously never tried it? Or are you a "stick to the plan , never stray from the path, stay with the tried and true" kind of eater? If you know me, you already know that I fall squarely into the former category, not that there's anything wrong with the latter. Some people know what they like, and that's fine, but I'm always one for trying new foods, especially when it comes to canning!
 I had heard of pickling watermelon rind, but I had never tasted it, and it has been on my to-do list ever since I learned how to preserve things in jars. And now I've finally gotten around to making it! So here we go.
 Where does one even find a pickled watermelon rind recipe? In my many google searches, I discovered that this is clearly a big Southern thing, and it's also very frugal since you are using up just about the entire melon. I discovered that many famous chefs and cooking personalities have their own versions of it, so it was kind of hard trying to decide which direction to go. I looked at Martha Stewart's recipe, Paula Deen's, Alton Brown's, and several others. I also immediately noticed that many recipes for pickling any kind of fruit often have warm spices in them. I found recipes with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and so forth. I guess that makes perfect sense that you would preserve your melon rinds and fruits during the summer, and then eat them in the Autumn and Winter months. So I needed to decide how spicy I wanted to go. For my first time pickling fruit, I thought "lets just keep it simple" (that's often the best rule in cooking). I decided to go with this recipe is from Ball Canning, or as I like to call them "the canning people." Side note, I ALWAYS use their line of mason jars and canning materials, and I have more than one of their canning cookbooks. As far as I'm concerned, they are simply the Canning Authorities.
 But anyway, lets talk about the TASTE! I mean, that what everyone is wondering, correct? I absolutely love them and could eat them right out of the jar, especially when they're chilled. In fact I'm already trying to find ways to use them in other recipes. My niece Attie's reaction was "interesting." (Still not exactly sure how she felt about them.) My nephew, Gregger, immediately said that it tastes like apple pie. Well, yes, you do get a hit of cinnamon at the first bite, and the texture is very similar to apples baked in a pie, but the vinegar syrup will quickly tell you that this is definitely not an apple pie. And my sister, Cathy, was too polite to say that they weren't exactly her favorite thing. But hey, I get it! Not every food is for every person! Like my Mom always said "You don't have to like it, you just have to try it." So I'm thrilled that Cathy was good enough to give it a try.
 So that brings me back to my original question: What kind of eater are you? If you're looking for a new something to try, this might be the recipe for you! It was DEFINITELY worth the effort for me, and I will absolutely be making them again. And yes, I bought the watermelon specifically so I could pickle the rind. (You knew I was gonna say that, right??) Let me know if you give them a try. I'm curious to know what you think!

16 cups sliced peeled watermelon rind* (about 2 medium)

1 cup Kosher salt (or pickling salt) 

8 cups cool water, divided

6 cups granulate sugar 

4 cups white vinegar

3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

4-5 16oz (pint) glass preserving jars with lids and bands.

To prepare watermelon rind, remove dark green peel from watermelon rind and discard. Cut rind into 2- x 1-inch slices.

  Layer watermelon rind and salt in a large crock, glass or stainless steel bowl. Add 4 cups of the cool water. Place a large clean inverted plate on top of the rind and weigh down with two or three quart jars filled with water and capped. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

 Transfer rind to a colander placed over a sink. Drain and rinse in cool running water. Drain and rinse again. Drain thoroughly. Add rind and remaining 4 cups cool water to a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently until rind is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Combine sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon stick halves in a clean large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes, until cinnamon has infused the liquid. Add drained rind and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, until watermelon is translucent. Discard cinnamon sticks. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside. Pack hot rind into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid into jar to cover rind leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Tips:
 If you'd like to learn how to preserve things in jars, this is a good place to start: https://www.freshpreserving.com/
I followed this recipe exactly to the letter, but decided not to discard the cinnamon sticks. I LOVE the cinnamon flavor of the pickles and figured it might look nice to have a cinnamon stick in each jar, so I went with it!

 Not a fan of cinnamon? Or maybe you don't like sweet pickles at all? Just use a regular dill pickle brine instead!

 It may seem tedious to salt the rinds overnight, but I see this step in many pickle recipes. I believe it helps to pull some of the extra water out of the pickles which is better for the final product when you're canning. I have no idea where I read that, but I'm sticking by it. If you'd rather not do the salting and the canning, there are lots of other recipes out there where you can just keep the pickles in the fridge. There are lots of different spice variations too, so make whichever one sounds good to you!
Now I need to decide what fruit to pickle next... hmmm... I'm thinking maybe peaches?!?!

Candied Jalapeños aka Cowboy Candy

  Even though I'm not really a spicy food kinda guy, lately I've been kind of in the mood to push my own flavor boundaries and turn up the heat just a bit. In my neverending search for new and fun things to preserve in jars, I discovered these little gems of sweet-hotness that are absolutely amazing and delicious on EVERYTHING. I mean, yes, you can serve them on crackers with a schmear of cream cheese, but seriously, they're great on sandwiches, salads, you name it. They're sweet and syrupy, the spice is definitely there, and the pepper flavor is just as present. And the addition of the cayenne pepper gives it a slow burn that I just love in a sweet heat. I found the recipe on a blog called Foodie with Family, and I followed it EXACTLY to the letter. I know. I know. It's crazy that I didn't tweak it somewhere along the lines which is my usual MO, but for me, hot peppers are kind of uncharted territory, so I stuck with the plan and didn't stray from the path. I'm pretty thrilled with how they turned out! And I happened to find a few RED ones, so I added a slice or two to each jar for a little pop of color. I'm thinking this the current front runner for holiday gift giving this year.
They're just that good! Boom.




3 pounds fresh firm, jalapeno peppers, washed 
2 cups cider vinegar 
6 cups white granulated sugar 
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
1/2 teaspoon celery seed 
3 teaspoons granulated garlic 
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper




 Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers, and discard. Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside. In a large pot, bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile, hot canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes, (which means a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred away). Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
Place jars in a canner, cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth.  For best flavor, allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating.


Tips:
-This recipe makes quite a bit of syrup compared to the amount of jalapenos. The original recipe suggested canning the extra syrup in jars because it's so yummy brushed on meats or anything you grill, but even after doing that, there was still quite a bit. So I just used it to make a batch of candied Habaneros! If you plan to double the recipe, (and you definitely should!) don't double the syrup ingredients. You'll have plenty!
-Instead of using a food processor or mandoline, I chose to slice the peppers by hand. Yes, that's a little tedious, but I wanted to make sure they were all perfect little rings that were the perfect thickness. The food processor and mandoline weren't helping me to that end. You don't want the slices to be too thin, otherwise they'll just turn to mush. Oh, and definitely wear gloves and take care not to touch your eyes or any other part of your body. Oof.
-If you're not interested in preserving them in sealed jars, just follow the recipe up until you fill up your jars, then just keep them in the fridge. They'll keep up to 3 months.

Pickled Eggs and Beets

 Ok this is one of those recipes I've always heard of, but never really considered trying. But lately it seems that I keep hearing about pickled eggs. I saw them on The Kitchen, and even heard someone mention them in a tv show I was watching. When I was growing up, my Mom always made pickled beets (which I've always LOVED), but she never did them with eggs. Then my brother, Chris, mentioned them so I figured Ok, ok, apparently the Universe is telling me I should make them, so let's give 'em a go.
 OMG they're so good!! Yes yes, I know pickled eggs are considered "pub food" because apparently they go really well with beer, but I like them just as is. Also, they turn such a pretty color that they they're the perfect thing as a party appetizer. And they get darker and darker the longer you let them pickle. I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of a little bit obsessed with them now. Who knew they'd be so tasty???? Making pickled eggs is definitely an old-timey sort of thing to make, but I definitely think it needs to make a comeback. Who's with me??



2 15oz cans whole (can also use sliced) beets, including liquid
12 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled 
1 cup sugar
1 cup cider vinegar


Drain beets, reserving the liquid. Place beets and eggs in a 2-qt. glass jar. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, vinegar, and reserved beet liquid to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly. Pour over beets and eggs; cool completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 5 or 6 hours before serving. To Hard Boil the eggs:Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit in the water for 15 minutes. Remove egg from saucepan and place in a large bowl of ice water.  Or you can just purchase eggs that are already hard boiled!

Tips: 

Some recipes call for the addition of water. I don't like to dilute the vinegar. I'd rather have a stronger pickling solution, but you do you! I like to let them pickle for at least 24 hours, but you can get away with just 5 or 6. They will last at least a week, probably up to 2 weeks in the fridge. (Honestly, they will will probably be gone long before then anyway!)For a little extra flavor, add a little thinly shaved slices of onion to the jar. You could also add a little pinch of cinnamon, ground cloves, or pickling spice.For a festive and pretty appetizer use your pickled eggs to make deviled eggs and top each one with some chopped chives. Yum!

Bread & Butter Pickles

 A little over a year ago, I decided that I wanted to learn the process of canning and preserving. I always loved the idea of making my own jams and jellies, and since I live in the Garden State, I have lots of fabulous produce readily available for my home canning endeavors.
 When I first mentioned this to my fabulous, gorgeous, talented, youthful, vibrant, funny, caring and all-around wonderful sister, Cathy, she was immediately on board with the whole idea, and we began to make a mental list of things we wanted to preserve. We knew we'd want to do peaches and also tomatoes during the summertime (since you just can't beat Jersey peaches and tomatoes!) but the very FIRST thing on our to-do list was to make PICKLES!
We decided to make a day of it (now referred to as Pickle Day) and we made two kinds of pickles, Garlic Dill, and Bread & Butter. The garlic pickles were pretty good, but the bread & butter pickles were just out of this world! The first Pickle Day was sort of a trial run, just to see how things would go. We immediately decided that we needed to do bigger jars and more of them! So now after a few Pickle Days, we have it down to a pretty good system. We do 50 lbs of cucumbers which comes to about 28-30 quarts of pickles! Cool, huh?? What can I say? More is more, right??? I know it seems like a crazy amount, but we figure if we're gonna do it, then lets DO it! Plus, it's really nice to have those jars of pickles on hand when you need a last minute homemade something to give as a gift.
 If you've never had Bread & Butter pickles, you're just not living your best life. They're sweet and tangy and they go fabulously with a sandwich and chips. My nephew, Gregger, loves them with tuna, and I have to say I agree. They're pretty awesome with chicken salad as well.
 Btw, if you're wondering why they're called Bread & Butter pickles instead of just sweet and sour pickles, I've read a couple articles stating that they were very popular served on buttered bread as a sandwich during the Great Depression. Backyard gardens often produced more cucumbers than any family could eat in one season, so they pickled them. Bread, butter, & cucumber sandwiches are a hold over from our country's English heritage, so using the sweet pickles instead of fresh cucumbers was just another variation.
 So there you go. I'm not sure if this is true, but it sounds good, so I'll go with it. I heard another origin story about someone who grew hundreds of pounds of cucumbers and then pickled and sold them, earning him his daily "bread and butter." I guess either of those stories could be true. Who knows? Anyway, if you've never made home made pickles, you should give it a try. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and they really are one of life's simple pleasures! I just made some and I'm already looking forward to our next Pickle Day! Enjoy!



10 lbs pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 cups apple cider vinegar
5 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
Pickle Crisp (optional)

 
 In a large container or several large bowls, mix together cucumbers, onions, red bell peppers, garlic and salt. Allow to stand approximately 3 hours.
In a large pot, mix the cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, whole cloves and turmeric. Bring to a boil.
Drain liquid from the cucumber mixture. Stir the mixture into the boiling vinegar mixture. Remove from heat shortly before the combined mixtures return to boil. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to a month or preserve in jars.

For preserving:
Ladle the pickles and pickling liquid into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch below each jar's neck. If using Pickle Crisp, add 1/4 tsp to quart jars and 1/8 tsp to pint jars. Wipe rims of jars with a clean, damp cloth; cover tightly with sterilized lids and screw tops. Using tongs or a jar clamp, transfer jars to a rack in a large canning pot or a large, deep pot filled with hot water, being sure to keep jars upright at all times. (Jars should be spaced 1 inch apart, and should not touch sides of pot.) Cover with water by 1 inch. Cover pot, and bring to a boil. Process pint jars in boiling water for 10 minutes and quart jars for 15 minutes. Remove from pot and place on a tray or kitchen counter lined with a thick towel. Let cool completely. Press down on each lid. If lid pops back, it's not sealed; refrigerate unsealed jars immediately, and use within 1 month. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Tips:
If you'd like to make the pickles, but don't know how to do the canning, just make a smaller batch and then keep them in the fridge until you're ready to eat them.
Be sure to salt them and let them sit for a good few hours. It's really amazing how much water will drain from the cucumbers. That's definitely key!
I like to use red bell peppers instead of green, just because it makes the jars look so much prettier, but feel free to use whichever color you like.
I used a mandoline slicer to make nice even krinkle cuts, but cut them however you like. Spears would be awesome as well!
Pickle Crisp is just an additive to make the pickles stay more crisp (I guess you probably worked that out on your own) but it's completely optional.
Instead of chopping the garlic, I just threw a peeled clove of garlic into each jar just before filling them. You'll use much more garlic than the recipe directs, but I'm not seeing this as a bad thing!