Low-Salt Refrigerator Pickles

In 1986, I was living with my husband and youngest daughter in Blue Jay, Ohio, on the Indiana border.  My husband had a huge garden and lots of cucumbers.  This was one of a long list of recipes for pickles that I used.  I was still working full time and commuting an hour each way, so this one was good because it used a lot of cucumbers and made up quickly.  I could get a batch made up after supper and they could be used within 4-5 days.   This recipe is from my bible at the time – Pickles & Relishes – 150 Recipes – Apples to Zucchini.

• Servings: 3 quarts
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• 3 qts thinly sliced cucumbers
• 3 medium size onions, sliced thinly
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups cider vinegar
• ½ tsp pickling salt (optional)
• 1-1/3 tsp turmeric
• 1-1/3 tsp celery seeds
• 1-1/3 tsp mustard seeds

Layer cucumbers and onions in a jar, packing tightly.  Combine remaining ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Pour the syrup over the cucumbers and cover tightly.  Refrigerate for 4-5 days before using.

Keep these pickles refrigerated.  You can add to the mixture whenever you have more cucumbers.

Yield:  3 quarts

Fresh Blueberry Jam

Our favorite farm market (Blooms ‘n Berries in Loveland – near Cincinnati) has U-pick for blueberries this summer for the first time.  My daughter hurried down to pick about 2 quarts of the most flavorful blueberries I’ve ever tasted.  My 9-year-old granddaughter ate about a quart of berries out of hand, but I still had enough to make this beautiful dark jam.  The recipe makes 9 cups of jam and I used an assortment of pint and half-pint jars (the half-pint jars destined to be gifts to some special people).

• Servings: 9 cups
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• 4 pts. blueberries (4-1/2 cups of crushed berries)
• 2 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 2 pouches CERTO liquid pectin

Makes 9 cups of jam 

Before beginning to cook the jam, do the following:

1. Have pint and/or half-pint jars washed and sterilized.
2. Bring a boiling water canner, half-full with water, to simmer.
3. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat.
4. Measure lemon juice into small container.
5. Measure sugar into large bowl
6. Cut tops off pouches of pectin and set in a bowl.  Keep this near the stove.

Place the berries in a large bowl and crush with a potato masher.

I like to leave about half of the berries whole.

Measure 4-½ cups of the prepared berries into a large heavy-bottom pot.  Stir in lemon juice and sugar.

On high heat, stirring constantly, cook the berry mixture to a full rolling boil (bubbles completely covering the pan that do not stop bubbling when stirred).  Keeping the pot on the heat, stir in the pectin from the two pouches.

Once again, bring to a full rolling boil, cook for exactly one minute longer.  Remove from heat.  Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops.

Wipe jar rims and threads.  Cover with two-piece lids.  Screw bands tightly.

Place jars on rack in canner.  Turn up heat to medium and start timing after water begins to boil.  Process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars and place on a rack to cool.  After jars are cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger.  (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)  Let jars stand for 24 hours.  Processed, unopened jars can be stored for one year.

See this web site for good information on home canning.

Kelli’s Strawberry Jam and Watermelon Jelly

Kelli at The Domestically Impaired Guide to the Retro Kitchen Arts has some great recipes, including two that I recently tried.  Her Strawberry, Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper Jam has become our favorite and I just made a second batch.  The only changes I made to the recipe were to use dark balsamic vinegar and reduce the pepper to 1/2 teaspoon.   The balsamic vinegar gives this jam a deep, rich flavor.

Her Watermelon, Mango and Black Pepper Jelly is completely different from anything I’ve tried.  This calls for Mango Rum which I had never tasted but was able to find in my local wine shop.  Here again, I reduced the pepper to 1/2 teaspoon because I wanted to use it as a spread for toast, biscuits, etc.  In each case, I used freshly grated pepper and there is no taste of it at all – it just enhances the natural flavor of the jam and jelly.

I had to sample some of each on a toasted homemade roll for my breakfast this morning.

Simply delicious!

On Kelli’s blog, note that she has some canning recipe books for sale to use on the Kindle.  If you don’t have a Kindle (or have a Nook like I do), the book can be read on your computer.

Good Blackberry Jam

Back in the 1980s and 90s when my husband, daughter and I lived in rural Blue Jay, Ohio, on the Indiana border, we had all of the wild blackberries we could use.  I loved to pick them, thorns and all, and I loved the sharp flavor of the berries.  Now, I pick up thornless, huge, beautiful blackberries at the farmer’s market and I don’t think they have the exceptional taste of the wild ones, but they’re very good and they make a good jam – without having to fight the thorns.

This recipe is from a flyer inside a Certo Liquid Fruit Pectin package that goes back to my country-life days.

• Servings: 7 half-pints
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• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 1 pouch of Certo Liquid Fruit Pectin

Have 7 half-pint jars, lids and caps sterilized   Let lids stand in hot water until ready to use.

Crush blackberries lightly with a potato masher.

Pour berries into a large 6 or 8-cup pot.

Measure the sugar into a large bowl.   Be careful to measure level cups of sugar.

Cut open the top of the pectin pouch and have it standing in a cup near the stove.

Mix the sugar with the crushed berries and place on high heat, stirring constantly.  Continue to stir until the mixture comes to a full, rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down).

When mixture is at a full, rolling boil, add the liquid pectin and continue to stir for exactly one minute.  Remove pan from heat and skim off any foam from the surface.

Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/8 inch head space.

Wipe off edges of jars and apply lids and caps.

Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Begin timing when water has returned to a boil after inserting the jars.  Remove jars to a rack to cool.  Press on lids to be sure they have sealed.

See this web site for good information on home canning.

Yield:  7 cups (half-pint jars)

Jam may take up to two days to set properly.  Refrigerate any open jars.

Spicy Plum Preserves

I wanted to add to my small stash of jam/preserves that I have set aside for the winter and saw some beautiful purple plums at the farmer’s market that I thought would do the trick.

• Servings: 4 half-pint jars
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• 4 cups unpeeled, diced purple plums (6 to 8 medium plums)
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 box powdered Sure Jell pectin
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a large, heavy kettle, combine the prepared plums and water.  Cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While plums are simmering, measure out the sugar into a container (a 4-cup measure is handy because the sugar can be easily poured) and have the pectin ready to use.

After plums have simmered for 5 minutes, stir the pectin into the fruit mixture.  Continue to cook over medium heat for 1-1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the sugar all at once, raise heat to high and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil (one that can’t be stirred down).  Boil for 1-1/2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes, then skim off any foam that remains.  Stir in the cinnamon and immediately ladle into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  For small batches, I like to use an asparagus steamer.

Remove jars to a rack to cool.  A jar-lifter is essential for this.

From this batch, I got four half-pint jars and one small sample jar of preserves that I won’t process and will have on tomorrow’s breakfast toast.

Let cool completely and label.

Here’s a good website with information on canning and preserving.

My Favorite Corn Relish

We’ve had a sensational corn season here in southwest Ohio.  Every week, I drive to my favorite farm market, Blooms and Berries in Loveland, Ohio, and pick up some great bi-color sweet corn.  Many times this summer, my daughter and I have had a supper of corn-on-the-cob, a big tossed salad and some kind of cobbler or Brown Betty made with fresh fruit – now, that says summertime!

Whenever I had an ear of cooked corn left over, I cut it from the cob and put it in a bag in the freezer.  Finally, today I had enough to make my favorite corn relish.  When I was a child in the 1930s-40s, the items I loved the most on the dinner tables of my grandmothers and my great-aunt were the pickles and relishes, and corn relish was my favorite.  This recipe from a book called FANCY PANTRY comes the closest to what I remember from those long-ago days.

CORN RELISH

• Servings: Makes 3 cups of relish
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• 3-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels*
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1 Tblsp. pickling salt
• 1 Tblsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. mustard seed
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 3/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1/8 tsp. ground hot red pepper
• 1-1/4 cups cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water

*You can substitute thawed frozen corn (drained) or well drained canned corn if fresh isn’t available.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the corn, onions, red and green pepper and celery.

Add the brown sugar, pickling salt, mustard, mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, hot red pepper, vinegar and water.  Stir everything together and place pot on medium-high heat.

Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Lower heat and simmer mixture partly covered until it has thickened slightly – about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle relish into hot sterilized jars, seal, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, counting the time after the water has started to boil again after inserting the jars. I like to use an asparagus steamer for processing just a jar or two.

This batch makes about 3 cups of relish.  I filled a one-pint jar and processed it.  A half-pint jar was filled and not processed, but will be refrigerated.  In either case, allow the relish to cure for two weeks before using.  The refrigerated version should be used within two weeks after the curing time.

The pint jar will be stored away for Thanksgiving when I like to have on the table a sampling of pickles and relishes that I’ve made that year.   Here are some other pickles and relishes I’ve made this summer that I plan to have on my Thanksgiving table this year:

• Watermelon Pickles
• Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles
• Harvest Relish
• Fresh Corn Zucchini Relish
• Dill Spears
• Sweet and Sour Pickle Sticks
• Zucchini Relish

This is a good website with information on canning.

Missouri Peach Preserves

My son and his family live in a suburb of St. Louis.  A Christmas gift they sent me one year was a copy of their church’s cookbook which contained a recipe for peach preserves.  This is my adaptation which I named Missouri Peach Preserves in honor of its city of origin.

• Servings: 3 half-pint jars
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• 4 cups fresh peaches *
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

*I used 6 medium size freestone peaches

Measure sugar into a bowl and lemon juice into a cup and have on the stove, ready to use.

For easy peeling of peaches, immerse peaches in a pan of simmering water for about 30 seconds, drain, and peel will slide off easily.  Remove pits, slice peaches and place in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Over medium heat, cook peaches, stirring occasionally, until they start to bubble.

Add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Bring mixture to a full boil and then cook at medium heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  Peaches should be soft but not gummy and syrup should be starting to thicken.  Stir in almond extract.

Pour into a crock or heavy bowl (not metal) and let stand overnight.

The next morning, reheat the preserves to boiling.  Remove from heat and immediately pour into sterilized canning jars**.

Seal with lids/caps and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes, counting after the water has started to boil again.  For a small number of jars, I like to use an asparagus steamer for processing.

Carefully remove the processed jars to a wire rack to cool.

From this batch, I got three half-pint jars and a half-cup bowl which was not processed and will be sampled first.

Note:  After sampling, I can report that the preserves turned out very well.  The consistency for spreading on hot toast or biscuits is just right straight from the refrigerator.

**Click here for a good website on canning and preserving food.

Harvest Relish (One Quart)

Exactly 14 years ago today, September 7, 1995, I made this relish for the first time, making a big batch so I could use up some more of the tomatoes and cucumbers my husband was continually hauling into the house from the garden in a big oversized wicker basket.  We had to leave our big garden behind over 8 years ago when my husband was very ill with Alzheimer’s and he passed away 5 years ago.  So, today on the anniversary of the first try at this recipe, I made a quart of this relish for myself and for my daughter when she visits.  We especially like it served alongside grilled pork tenderloin.  The recipe is from the book, The Forgotten Art of Making Old Fashioned Pickles.

HARVEST RELISH

• Servings: One Quart
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• 2 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded and ground
• 2 cups tomato, peeled and chopped (prefer Roma)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1-1/2 tsp. Chinese mustard
• 1-1/4 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Place cucumber, tomato and onion in a large pot.  Add sugar and vinegar, stir to blend and cook until vegetables are tender – 20-25 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, flour and turmeric.  Stir into the cooked vegetable mixture, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes until mixture has thickened.

Add salt and pepper, mixing well.  Pour into sterilized jars, cap and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes (for pint and half-pint jars).

Yield:  One quart (2 pints) 

Fresh Corn-Zucchini (Squash) Relish

Over twenty years ago when my husband and I lived in rural Ohio on the Indiana border with a huge vegetable garden, I tried a lot of recipes to deal with the surplus produce.  In 1985, I found this recipe for Fresh Corn Zucchini (or Yellow Summer Squash) Relish in a cookbook called, “Seasoned with Sunshine”.  I made it on July 21 and the next week entered it in our Hamilton County Fair (Cincinnati).  It won a blue ribbon and became a family favorite.

Since I’m by myself now in a small bungalow with no garden, I pick up produce at the farmer’s market and make one quart of the relish.

• Servings: 1 quart (2 pints)
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• 2 cups fresh corn, cut from cob
• 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. pickling salt
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 cups zucchini or yellow summer squash, unpeeled, sliced 1/4″ thick (cut larger diameter slices in half)

In a large pot, combine all ingredients EXCEPT ZUCCHINI/YELLOW SQUASH.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add zucchini/squash slices and simmer uncovered on low heat for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Spoon relish into sterilized jars – one quart or two pint jars.  Relish can be kept in the refrigerator for use within a month or so, or processed in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes for longer storage. 

I could refrigerate the two pint jars for my own use, or even more fun, keep one jar and make up the second one for a neighbor.  It’s easy to dress up the giveaway jar with a circle of fabric placed between the jar cap and lid.  Yes, I think I like that idea best.  Now, which of my neighbors would enjoy some relish today?

Freezer Tarragon Pickles

Back in 1987 when my husband, daughter and I lived in a rural area called Blue Jay on the Ohio/Indiana border, I tried out numerous recipes to use up all of the produce that came from our large garden.  I had a lot to work with and a family to feed, so I preserved a lot of stuff.  Now, my daughter is married, my husband passed away four years ago and I like to make just a jar or two of my favorites from 20+ years ago.  This is a good refrigerator or freezer pickle recipe I make when I have some fresh tarragon and can find pickling cucumbers at the farmer’s market.

• Servings: 2 pints
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• 4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tblsp. pickling salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 Tblsp. fresh tarragon
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, onions and salt.  Let stand for 3 hours.

Rinse vegetables under cold tap water and drain well.

Combine the granulated sugar, white wine vinegar, white vinegar, celery seed, tarragon and pepper and add the drained vegetables.  Mix well and pack into two one-pint containers.

I keep one jar in the refrigerator to cure for one week before eating, and place the other jar in the freezer for a summer treat during the winter.  When removing from the freezer, allow to defrost in the refrigerator for 8 hours before serving.

Yield:  Two pints 

These pickles are light, crisp and refreshing.