Sunday, July 28, 2013

Tomato's Anyone?

Salsa
It's been a busy week around here.  I've been canning tomato's as fast as I can and am still a ways little behind.  I've put up 21 quarts of salsa and I figure that should hold us for a year.  I've also canned up some diced tomato's. I think there are 10 pints and 2 or 3 quarts.  I got 14 quarts of black-eyed peas put up as well.  Then I put up some "Rotel" tomato's.  I just diced up some onions and hot peppers to add to diced tomato's. I still want to put up at least another batch. We use a lot of Rotel type tomato's in beans, chili, soups, stews and Mexican type foods. .  I might be wrong but I think growing up in Texas you kind of HAVE to love Tex-Mex!  It's in  "raisin' ya know.

Here's a picture of my canning set up. My outdoor sink is over to the left, just out of the picture.  I still need a table to work on. It would make things a whole lot easier than setting things on the ground,but honestly? I'm happy to have what I do.  It's hands down better than the single burner I've been using since I started canning.  I think it was around 2oo9.  I'd have to ask kymber or look back on my posts to be sure though.  

Notice the tin on the side, front and back of the stove?  I was having a problem with the wind blowing the flames around and even blowing the fire out.  So Mars cut some of the old tin he  saved from the old barn and solved the wind problem for me!!  

With all the tomato's coming in I have tried to find a sort of  rhythm to getting things done. All my jars are out in the barn so I'll grab what I need and grab some dehydrator trays. and get everything washed up.  Then get the water boiling to dunk the tomato's in and another with cold cold well water to drop them in for easy peeling.  Folks always say  use ice and water to dunk them in.  I've found that our well water is plenty cold to do the job. Something I've been thinking about is just how much water it takes to get all this done.  If we were in a SHTF situation canning might become difficult if there is limited or no water.  That's one reason I really like drying foods. It might take a little water to re-hydrate them but nothing compared to the water it takes to can.

 After I get the tomato's ready to peel I set myself up with a couple of buckets.  One for the tomato skins, one for the cores ( for the chickens) and one for the finished tomato's.  Get the jars in the water bath to sterilize them and the tomato's and other ingredients in the pot to warm up. Gather up the lids and rings and the utensils I'm going to need.  After that I fill the jars  and get them in the canner. While they are processing I'll grab some dehydrator trays and lay out the tomato skins to dry and take them out to the barn.  I've put the dryer in the barn since we don't have room in the trailer for them.  Besides, they blow hot air and I sure don't need that in the house.  This picture is just one batch of tomato skins ready to be put in a jar.  So far I've filled 4 quart jars with the skins. No more buying tomato paste or sauce this year! (Hey Sandy? I told you I could find a use for those pans! lol)   I need to come up with some new ways to put up tomato's. 
Those 30 plants have lots of green tomato's about to get ripe and I don't want to waste a single one.

 The cayenne peppers are going crazy.  I actually had to pick a whole bunch of them because they were weighing down the plant. I'm guessing there was almost a pound of peppers from the two plants. This was just the first round though.  There are little peppers and blooms all over them.
 I actually had 9 trays to dry and there are tons more almost ready to pick.  This is what I ended up with. 
  As soon as I have time I'll grind these up for the kitchen.  What I need to figure out is what I'm going to do with the gazillion that are still on the plants!  Anyone have any suggestions about what I can do with some of them?  You can only use so much dried pepper and pickled peppers.  I've been thinking about maybe putting some in olive oil to make a sort of hot pepper oil.  It would sure be yummy to saute some veggies in for a "kick".  Of course this is just a theory since I've never made a pepper oil with cayenne peppers.  There's a first time for everything though! 

I almost forgot!  I also put up 9 pints of hot cucumber relish.  It really came out yummy.  A friend of mine had told me about her relish and how much they enjoyed it.  I just had to try it.  I cut up equal parts of cucumber, onion, and peppers.  She used bread and butter spices in hers but I went the other direction and made it like a hot dill relish.  It turned out really really good! 

The actual canning part of canning is easy.  But folks don't tell you it's the prep work that takes forever. Every time I see someone post what they've canned or put up I remind myself just what sort of work actually went into it.

 So anyway....that's what I've been up to this week. I'm sure there are some things I'm missing but I've been working all day every day to get things put up. I'm trying not to get behind.  So far so good but....

I'm tired.

15 comments:

  1. Love your outdoor canning kitchen! We put peppers in vinegar to sprinkle on our greens.

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    1. Thanks DFW. You know I keep forgetting about hot vinegar. I'm going to have to put a post-it note on my puter because I've got bottles out in the barn I was saving just for that reason! Thanks for reminding me!

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  2. The actual canning part of canning is easy. But folks don't tell you it's the prep work that takes forever. Every time I see someone post what they've canned or put up I remind myself just what sort of work actually went into it.

    Ain't that the truth...

    That is a nice set up you got there.

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    1. Spoken by a true canning warrior.Been there done that have you? heheheehee

      Thanks. This has been the easiest year yet to get things canned. That dang stove makes a HUGE difference. I'll have to show you the sink. You would appreciate the ingenuity I think.

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  3. Our tomatoes are way behind your tomatoes--I'm still waiting for the first flush. The weather's been so weird, I think I'll be waiting a while longer.

    A suggestion for those peppers; if you have someone who like hot things, cut some up and put them in some nice vodka to steep. They can drink it straight, or add it to mixed drinks. I have a brother who tells me nothing is too hot for him, but habanero pepper vodka knocked him over.

    Just a suggestion!

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    1. It really has been a weird year for weather.
      I really like the hot vodka idea. I happen to know someone who already "dabbles" in flavored vodkas. I'm betting I'll be his best friend after making this! LOL

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  4. Seeing your set up makes me feel like such a poser, Sci-fi. I have canned 2 batches of stewed rhubarb and a double batch of strawberry jam, and felt pretty good about myself. Look at YOU go! This is serious food preps. WOW! Dehydrating leaves more nutrition in the food, but I'm a real sucker for those rows of gleaming, glass jars. :-)

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    1. Awww Sue, you are no poser! As for the set up, let me be honest. My mom bought the stove for me last summer. It just makes things so much easier.
      Girl, I've been moving as fast as my decrepit body will go here lately. (which isn't very fast!) I'm kind of treating it like a regular job and working my butt off till quitting time. And you are so right about the jars. They really are a thing of beauty!

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  5. Can I come live with you for a month as an unpaid apprentice so I can learn at the knee of the master? heehee

    Wow it all looks and sounds so good. Very inspiring.

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    1. Come on down ya smart ass! lolllll I could sure use another hand for a week or so. You could even sit under a tree in the shade with a glass of ice tea and just chat with me. I know it would make the time go by faster! I'm sure we'd probably be laughing more than talking though!

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  6. I set up an outside canning station (smaller) since I have a glass topped range. Keeps the kitchen much cooler...

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    1. Isn't canning outside the only way to go? Girl, it just gets wayyy to hot to can in the house this time of year. I've even cooked a couple of meals out there because I wanted some fried chicken and mashed potato's. Both of which take way to long to cook indoors this time of year.

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  7. Sci,

    I knew you would find a way to use those pans. No reason to toss them out at all. You've been extremely busy, putting away all kinds of salsa, tomatoes, rotel, and peppers. Thank God for outside stoves and the barn for processing the vegetables. Heating up the house this time of year if not a good thing at all. I canned some homemade beef broth this week, and the house was too hot. I was too lazy to pull out the camping stove, and look for something to help cut the breeze around the burners.
    Bulldog Man and I drooled when we seen your big pot of salsa. I have 3 jars left from last year. I need to get moving on processing some more salsa. My tomatoes are all still green in the garden.
    Give Mars a hug for us, try to stay cool while canning.
    I'll give you a call this next week :-)

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  8. Sci,

    It's me again, this evening I came across this blog that maybe of interest to you regarding tomatoes and how she stores them in oil on a shelf.
    http://www.anoregoncottage.com/how-to-dry-and-store-tomatoes-in-olive-oil-the-video/

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  9. Hi, I've noticed you peel your tomatoes as do a lot of people. Is there a reason for this as we never do?

    Regards

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