- Author: Darrell Fluman
- Editor: L. Watts
As your gardens come into full production, some of you may be wanting to buy a Pressure Canner to preserve those items that cannot be safely processed in a Water Bath Canner
Please join the UCCE San Bernardino County Master Food Preservers for a head start on doing it safely. Upcoming classes are posted here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Bernardino-County-Master-Food-Preserver-Program/151357558269364
In my Internet travels I ran across a website that sells canning supplies and has assembled the most complete comparison chart for currently available Pressure Canners.
You can save the chart by pulling down the edit tab, choose SELECT ALL, pull down the FILE tab, choose SAVE AS, change the SAVE AS TYPE line to save as a text file press SAVE. Done.
This chart includes capacities for 4 oz., 12 oz., 24 oz., Half Gallons as well the usual suspects, wide mouth and regular pints and quarts. The number of layers needed is also shown, as are canner dimensions.
The dimensions can be important if you have cabinets over your stove top as the taller as larger capacity canners may not fit. Don't forget to allow room to maneuver the top and lock down screws if your canner is so equipped.
I have not done business with this company, so I cannot provide any recommendation. They do have an extensive selection of canners, tools, supplies, and parts.
Red Hill General Store
http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/Pressure-Canner-Comparison-Chart.htm
I hope some of you find this useful. This information is hard to find even from the manufacturers websites.
Darrell Fluman
MFP, UCCE San Bernardino County
https://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Bernardino-County-Master-Food-Preserver-Program/151357558269364
- Author: L. Watts
Betty Botter bought some butter,
"But, " she said, "This butter's bitter.
"If I buy a bit of better butter, it will make my bitter butter better!"
So Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter and made her bitter butter better.
Anyone remember this tongue twister? Anyone. . . Any one?
Well, that Betty could have avoided the bitter butter and made a batch of MUCH better butter if she had only purchased some heavy cream and made her own, un-bitter butter.
How do I know this? I just made a pound of absolutely delicious butter all by my lonesome last week. What does butter making have to do with food preservation? Lots, because if you use fermented cream to make butter, you make it slightly more acidic, which helps to preserve it in the fridge and it improves the flavor!
Butter from the store can vary in taste, from salty and heavy to sweet and light, from simple milk flavors to rather complex, deep buttery flavors. Sad to say though, most butter I have experienced from a grocery store is just plain old butter--and sometimes it is hap-hazardly made, too salty or greasy. I have tasted "European" or "fermented" butters (butters make with fermented, "ripened" cream) and love the flavors, but I can only get these in my local stores by paying a premium price, if I can find it at all. The most common example of fermented in my area is Plugra, which I like and can find, sometimes, at not-too-outrageous price.
Now I have been thinking about making butter for quite some time. I researched the internet, saved recipes, read instructions. Finally I got inspired and decided to make butter. The best yield for butter was supposed to be from heavy whipping cream, so off I went to find some. Sadly, brand after brand of heavy whipping contained cream (like duh!) AND a thickener/stabilizer of some sort, like carageenan or some sort of gum. What?
Finally I found organic heavy whipping cream at Trader Joe's: ingredients--nothing but cream. I had found my cream for my butter. It soon resided in my fridge, two pints of it. It continued to reside in my fridge, because I kept forgetting to make butter. Cultured buttermilk was purchased to use to make my cream ferment--and I still kept forgetting the butter making.
After using some of the buttermilk, I finally remembered to set my cream in a bowl in the evening, add some buttermilk, cover it and let it ripen. I followed the recipe at the link below and oh my goodness, gloriosky and pass the -- BREAD!! I made delicious, fresh, tasty butter from that ripened cream.
The procedure is so easy, you must give it a try at least once. The hardest thing about making this recipe was washing the butter, and then squeezing all the excess clean water out of the butter. These actions will give you some real arm fatigue, for sure, but every effort and minute I spent was well worth it. It has a depth of flavor that makes me just want to eat it all in slabs on good bread. (This reminds me, I MUST freeze what butter is left; I have eaten waaaaaay too much on bread alone this past week!)
Make a bit of better butter and FORGET that store-bought "bitter" butter!
Many thanks to The Kitchn! at: http://www.thekitchn.com/
How to Make Butter and Cultured Butter
Ingredients
1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream, preferably organic and not ultra-pasturized
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (optional)(DO NOT use this if you wish "plain" style "sweet" butter; "sweet" means unfermented butter--L. Watts)
Scant 1/4 teaspoon of salt (optional) (and this amount is enough, though a little more would be ok--L. Watts)
2 or 3 cups of ice water, for washing the butter
Equipment
--Optional culturing equipment:
Bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Clean kitchen cloth
--To make the butter:
Sturdy sieve
Cheesecloth or clean napkin
Bowl for catching buttermilk
Stand mixer, hand mixer, food processor, or canning jar (or other covered container)
Plastic wrap or kitchen cloth
Spatula or wooden spoon
Clean containers for butter and buttermilk
Waxed paper or parchment paper (optional)
Culture the cream (optional): The day before you would like to make your butter, pour the cream into a bowl (I like to use the bowl of my stand mixer) and add the yogurt. Whisk briefly to combine and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set in a slightly warm place (about 70°F - 75°F) to culture. Check after 8 to 12 hours. The cream is ready when it has thickened slightly and is a little foamy. It will smell slightly sour and tangy. This can possibly take an additional 12 to 24 (see Recipe Notes). Once it has cultured, place it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to chill. → If you did not culture your butter, let it warm on the counter for about an hour (to about 60°F) before churning.
Prepare the sieve and mixer: Place a sturdy sieve over a bowl and line with a few layers of cheesecloth or a clean napkin. You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, a food processor, or a canning jar to churn your cream. (See Recipe Notes below if you want use a canning jar.)
Prepare the cream and mixer for churning: Place the cream in the bowl of your mixer or processor. Cover the top with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel to prevent splattering.
Churn the cream: Turn on the mixer to medium-high. The cream will first whip into peaks (at around 2 minutes) and then become grainy (around 3 minutes). Keep whipping until the solid mass (butter) and liquid (buttermilk) are separated (about 5 minutes total). The mixture will splatter heavily in the final stages of churning, so be sure the plastic wrap is secure. The process may take a little longer, up to 8 to 10 minutes, although it usually takes me less than 5 minutes.
Strain off the buttermilk: Pour the buttermilk through the cheesecloth and strainer, holding the butter solid back. Allow the buttermilk to strain through, then plop in the butter. Gather the cloth around the butter and press it hard with your fist. Do this several times to get as much buttermilk out of the butter as possible. Pour the buttermilk into a container, label and refrigerate.
Wash the butter: Rinse out the bowl used for buttermilk. Remove the butter from the cloth and place it in the bowl. Add 1/2 cup of ice water to the bowl, and using a spatula, press the butter into the ice water. It will quickly become cloudy with buttermilk. Pour off the cloudy water, add another 1/2 cup of ice water to the bowl, and keep pressing. Repeat until the water is clear. This may take up to 6 washings. The butter will firm up towards the end, so you may find it easier to use your hands.
Salt the butter (optional): Sprinkle the salt over the butter and knead in. Again, your hands may be the best tool here.
Store the butter. Pack the butter into a jar with a cover, or roll it into a log using waxed paper or parchment paper. The butter will keep in the refrigerator for about three weeks or can be frozen for several months.
Recipe Notes
Notes on culturing: Many factors will influence how long the cream takes to culture: ambient room temperature, how your cream was processed and pasteurized, how your yogurt was processed and pasteurized, etc. If the cream cultures too quickly and you're not ready to make the butter yet, simply put it into the refrigerator until you are ready. Just be sure you remove it about an hour before churning so that it can warm up a bit. Cultured cream will be thickened and slightly foamy, and it will have a somewhat tangy, almost yogurt-like smell. Trust your senses! If you feel it is too strong and has gone bad, just throw it away. But remember that the yogurt is introducing beneficial cultures that help prevent spoilage, so the likelihood of this happening is small.
Unplugged butter: You can skip the electric mixer/processor and simply shake your cream in a covered canning jar or well-sealed container until it forms into the butter mass. This can take a while, up to 20 minutes or more, so be prepared for a work-out or solicit some help.
Recipe can easily be doubled.
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- Author: L. Watts
Prepare for the Fair is proudly presented by the San Bernardino County Master Food Preservers:
What: Prepare for the Fair--learn about entering fair competitions.
When: Wednesday Feb. 10. (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Where: County Demonstration Kitchen in the San Bernardino County General Services Building at 777 E. Rialto Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0730.
Just think about it: Have you visited a fair, looked at the Jams and Jellies and wondered how to enter? Do you want to compete with a pickle or relish but don't know what it takes to be a contender? Baked a great bread, and you want it to show?
You can find help at Prepare for the Fair, coming up this Saturday and next Wednesday. Two dates give double the opportunity (Please see above). Information about fair competitions in canned goods AND baked goods will be covered. Learn where to enter, how to enter, how to compete.
Prepare for the Fair can help explain entering and answer your questions about fair competitions. Entering the fair need not by a mystery any more.
We will go over categories of preserver foods and baked goods, differences between jams and jellies, marmalade and conserves, compare/contrast yeast breads and quick breads, talk about head space, cleanliness, rings, recipe selection for canned and baked goods, USDA process requirements, fair requirements, choosing recipes and other things.
Learn how it is done--and who knows, maybe this year you might just win!
Hope to see you there!
- Author: L. Watts
The hands-on Bread Class was a great success. Attending were great bunch of people from the public and a whole lotta MFPs. AND there was plenty of dough to go around. Lest you think that we were paying people to attend, let me set you straight: dough in this instance means actual bread dough, and it was pretty nice, if I do say so myself.
The recipe that was used for the class is a big one and will make about 3 dozen dinner rolls or 24 good-sized cinnamon rolls. It is easy to make and if allowed to rest in the fridge overnight (or at least 8-10 hours), it is a dream to work with.
I decided to post a half version for all of those of you who don't really need 24 cinnamon rolls or 3 dozen dinner rolls. You may want 2 dozen cinnamon rolls, but do you really need them? I know I want them but I don't need them!
These are great fresh from the oven on any special occasion.
So here we go:
1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees, warm to the fingertips for sure)
1 cup warm whole milk
1/4 cup butter, softened (salted is just fine)
4 cups flour (about)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm mashed potatoes (you may use instant potatoes mixed with warm water to the consistency of fresh mashed potatoes, use leftover re-warmed mashed potatoes from dinner, or cook some potatoes up, mash them finely, let cool til tepid and use them)
1 egg, beaten slightly
1 tsp salt
Filling:
6 tablespoons (3/4 of a stick or so) butter, very soft or melted
1 tablespoon fresh ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins (optional)
Soften yeast in warm water. Let stand 10 minutes.
In large heavy duty mixer, (or in large bowl, if by hand) pour warm milk over soft butter. Stir in 3-1/2 cups flour, sugar, mashed potatoes, eggs, salt, and dissolved yeast. Mix at low speed, or stir heartily by hand. Add remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough, and mix well for five minutes or knead in the bowl for several minutes.. The dough will be dough-like but wet; it should not be liquid and pour like a batter. Leave in mixer bowl, covered with plastic wrap, overnight or about 8 hours.
In a separate bowl, place the 1 cup raisins (if you are using them), barely top with hot water, cover and let soak in the fridge overnight also.
The next morning, drain the raisins well (if you are using them) and set aside. Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Then, remove dough from fridge and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it out into a very large rectangle and cover with the softened/melted butter and the cinnamon brown sugar mixture; sprinkle raisins atop sugar, if using. Roll up tightly from the narrower end, making sure to seal well the ending edge and tips of each end of the roll. Use a sharp knife to slice into 12 equal slices and place on a well-greased cookie sheet or into whatever other well greased pans you wish. Let rise until double, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls until golden, between 25-30 minutes, rotating pan(s) halfway through the baking time. If the rolls are browning too fast, decrease heat to 350º.
If making Dinner Rolls, divide rolls into 18 equal portions, shape into balls and place on a well-greased, rimmed cookie pan and let rise as for the cinnamon rolls. Bake the same at the cinnamon rolls.
For Rich Dinner Rolls:
Cut the sugar by half (use 1/4 cup sugar); omit the rolling out and filling with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. If you wish rolls for dinner, you may make the dough in the early morning. Or (better) make it the night before. It sails through the extended fridge rise beautifully.
Quickie Frosting/glaze for Cinnamon Rolls:
Take a stick of very soft butter and mix into it about a cup of powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. When the rolls come out of the oven, spread quickly and evenly on top to melt in. If you just want "sweet buttered" rolls, let the rolls cool completely before spreading the frosting on top.
- Author: Darrell Fluman
- Editor: L. Watts
Thanksgiving Holiday isn't that far away in terms of planning for the feast.
I have a long time tradition of smoking a turkey for the holiday and although most of my extended family are not big "smoked meat" fans, there are enough of us to make it worth the extra effort. My favorite part is the Smoked Turkey Noodle Soup to follow. The apple sweet/apple smoky flavor is heaven in a bowl.
On Monday before make a tea of the apple cider and dry spices, simmer for 5 minutes, leave to steep, covered, for 1 hour and chill. This is used for the marinade.
I marinate the holiday bird in a brine of cold apple cider, sugar, salt, dry oregano, and dry basil starting mid-day Tuesday in a 5 gallon bucket in the 'fridge.
Early Thursday (read 4 a.m.) the bird gets rinsed and is set to dry while the smoker gets going.
I prefer to smoke poultry over straight apple wood, but it seems to get harder to find the shredded 100% apple wood every year. Sometimes if I don't start searching early enough I settle for a mix of alder and apple. Really, there is only a subtle difference with the mix and 100% alder is fine for poultry. 3 to 4 hours of cold smoke raises the bird's temperature to 90-95of and leaves the skin a beautiful mahogany color.
The cavity is stuffed loosely with 2 parts apples to 1 part onions, 1 part celery. Apples in 16ths (apple wedged into eighths and cut them in half), onions in the same 16ths and separate most layers.
Stand the bird on end and pour the pieces in. Don't pack them in. Two big apples and one big onion is good for a medium bird. Any extra goes in the roasting pan.
Slip some fresh oregano sprigs under the skin.
Take a double layer of aluminum foil and make a preformed cover for the breast. Leave some extra along the side to tuck under the drumstick. You may need this near the of cooking to prevent the breast from over browning.
Roast with 1/2 gallon apple cider, extra apples, extra onions, carrot chunks and other root veggies as you prefer in the pan, i.e., turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, golden beets, and small potatoes. No red beets. Plenty of veggies because you want some to go in the stock and some to serve.
Roast breast side down until the last hour. Flip the bird over and cook to 165of in the thigh meat. You can baste with the pan juices or not. I find little difference to justify the extra effort.
A remote thermometer is a great investment as it gives you the temp. without having to open the door which lets the heat out and makes the cooking that much longer. Your oven can drop 50o or more each time you open the door and it takes at least 20 minutes to reach the set temp. again.
Check to make sure the breast isn't getting too brown. Use your pre-made cover if needed.
When done [remove from the oven,cover the bird with foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Resist the urge to begin cutting or you will end up with a pan full of juice and a bone dry bird.
IS IT SOUP YET ?
Remove remaining meat from the carcass. Refrigerate.
Take the bird carcass, skin and everything else except any leftover potatoes in the pan and cover with cold water. Bring up to a slow simmer and cook for
1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovered. Do not boil. This creates lots of small particles of protein that make your stock cloudy.
Allow to cool to a safe temperature and strain through a metal colander to separate out the big pieces then strain out the small stuff through cheesecloth or a flour sack towel. Do not squeeze out the towel. Discard everything you strained out.
You have cooked out all that nature has to offer.
Taste the stock. If you feel it is weak, simmer it to reduce the volume.
You may pressure can the clear stock @ 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts, adjusting time for altitude. See the NCHFP.org website http://nchfp.uga.edu/ for details.
For soup you need the vegetables of your choice. Onions, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes come to mind. Cook to almost tender.
You need precooked al dente egg noodles. I like extra wide. If you cook the noodles in the stock the volume will be reduced by the absorption of the noodles. Your choice.
I think it is easier to control the texture of the noodles if I cook them separate and add them in at the last minute. I don't like overcooked noodles.
Add the meat. Season to taste. Enjoy.