Podcast

In today’s episode, we wanted to tell you about canning courses that you can take to take your canning to the next level. Anna and I both teach video canning courses from our websites and at the end, we will share a special coupon code for the courses just for our podcast listeners. 

Anna hosts her courses on www.smarthomecanning.com

Anna teaches a Basics Canning Course which includes water bath canning (fruit, tomatoes, etc) and dehydrating. She also teaches an Advanced course which covers pressure canning (!) and garden and pantry planning. These are very thorough video courses that will take your canning to the next level. 

 At www.startcanning.com I have a free canning basics course that you can take to get the very basics down or to refresh what you might have known long ago but what I am most excited to share is my Steam Canning Course. It is a video course that shows you exactly how to use a steam canner, how to know if a steam canner is right for you, and how to maximize its time saving power. This is a video course, so I’ll walk you through the whole process of making a batch of jam using a steam canner. You’ll be able to use what you learn to preserve any water bath canning recipe 20+ minutes faster than traditional water bath canning. This isn’t an ideal course if you live above 5000+ feet elevation as you’ll be limited on the number of recipes you can preserve because of process time limits but it is especially ideal if you’re living alternatively (tiny space or solar power, etc) or are just wanting to can faster. Steam canning is ideal for canning with Weck jars (check out episode 22 for all about beautiful Weck jars) too. In the course you’ll get the Steam Canning for Beginners ebook as well (you can purchase that separately here if you’re not ready for a video course just yet). Definitely check out my Steam Canning Video course for canning the fastest way!

Use code: POD25 to get 25% off any course or ebook at www.startcanning.com and at www.smarthomecanning.com 

With video courses you have forever access which means you can go back and re-watch as many times as you like. 

Other courses we recommend: Local cooperative extension classes- web and in person – are affordable and taught by master preservers. They usually have a hands on component so you can learn during the class. We strongly recommend these courses as well.

Don’t fall for a YouTube or social media video that has the disclaimer, “my kitchen, my rules” which is a sure signal that the methods demonstrated aren’t tested. Tested canning ensures safe and high quality (not mush!) food that you can feel confident preserving and your recipients will be glad to receive (rather than secretly dump). Seek our master preservers or folks who have taken some cooperative extension courses, or at least who follow trusted books (like the ones in our canning books episode!) such as the Ball Blue Book of Preserving and the So Easy to Preserve book. 

In this episode we are excited to share our experience with the fashionable and functional Weck jars. We both canned with them and in this episode you’ll get our best tips for canning for success with them, and why you’d choose to invest in these jars. 

Weck jars are a German brand jar that has a two piece, reusable, glass and rubber lid. They are advantageous for several reasons because they are completely plastic free. The underside of a standard Ball-style canning lid has a white material that is marketed as BPA free but is not plain glass. The Weck jar lid is simply glass. For those who are especially interested in going plastic free, this makes the Weck an ideal canning jar. They use metal clips to secure the glass lid and separate flange to the jar. When water bath or steam canning, 2 clips is sufficient while pressure canning requires 3 clips arranged in a triangle around the lid. 

Weck jars are a bit more expensive than standard Ball-style canning jars, and they come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and jar openings. This can be an advantage but also could be overwhelming for a beginner, potentially. They are sized using the metric system which can be challenging for Americans but that’s an easy enough shift to get used to, I think. 

Both of us loved using the Weck jars and plan to use them in the future. Not only are they beautiful, it wasn’t difficult to get used to the different lid system. When using a traditional water bath canning method, a silicone oven mitt (both protective and grippy) would be the best way to lift the hot, food-filled jar into the water. If you use a steam canner (check out this episode for more about super fast steam canning!) it is easy to lift the warm jars onto the steam canner rack and eliminates the need for a jar lifter. 

Overall, our review is overwhelmingly favorable. We loved using the Weck jars and know you will too! 

In today’s episode we are diving into the process Anna went through to be licensed to sell her amazing jams in person at farmer’s markets, craft fairs, etc. While your state may have a different path, this episode is valuable for anyone interested in exploring how to become legal in selling their canned goods. Listen to learn how you can too, the ins and outs, and all about Anna’s experience! 

In today’s episode we give you all the good ideas for canning for charcuterie and appetizers. Anna is a whiz at canning hot (and hotter!) pepper jellies and she gives great flavor combination suggestions in this episode.

We mention an awesome site for board inspiration, Ain’t too Proud to Meg. Check her out for amazing board ideas!

One tip from this episode is to can in small jars so the preserve is portable and easy to take to the location of the gathering.

Some of the recipe combinations for hot pepper jellies include: jalapeño jelly, cranberry jalapeño, apricot habanero, pineapple habanero, peach jalapeño, blackberry basil, apricot, strawberry rose, strawberry coconut, and more.

Get the dried pepper powder online here: The Sonoran Spice Company

A few pickles I love for charcuterie boards are the carrot pickles and the pickled pearl onions.

On today’s episode we have expert fermentationist and homesteader Stephanie Thurow, author of several books on fermenting as our guest. She blogs at Minnesota From Scratch, and you can buy her books here. 

Fermentation is in some ways the art counterpoint to the science of canning. Fermentation is “done” on X day, rather than Y minute in canning. Fermentation uses the wild bacteria in the air on on veggies to make them easier to digest, to save money, and to recall fermented foods of yesteryear. It extends the life of fruits and veggies far beyond their natural shelf life. Fermentation uses simple tools and is an easy practice to begin today! 

Listen to the episode for step by step directions for how to get started making sauerkraut, common mistakes to avoid, and more!