I just made a silly purchase.
It's big & black & metal & round & sits on the stove & I could prolly bathe one of my children in it.
I bought a canner.
I have NEVER canned in my life.
But I keep seeing these yummy apple & pumpkin butters on pinterest & I think they would make lovely gifts. And I've always wanted to make jams & maybe preserve fruits.
But now I'm regretting my purchase & plan on returning it. First of all, it takes up half the space in my pots & pans cupboard. (Move over fryin' pans! Big Bertha's comin' through...) Secondly, & more practically, I didn't read the label: not recommended for glass top stoves. (And guess who has a glass top stove?) Thirdly, when I open the lid, it's dark & cavernous inside & I can hear my echo. And, fourthly, did I mention it's big enough to bathe a small child in?!?!
I mean, is this just standard size?
I'm totally scared of that thing.
I need to be patient & hold out for THIS next time I go to town. (Or just order it online maybe??) Isn't that neato though?! It's for those just beginning to learn canning. The starter kit comes with a polypropylene rack with separate, fitted lifter that works in your OWN pot, if it's at least 7 1/2" tall & 9 1/2" in diameter. (It also comes with three 1-pint jars & an instruction/recipe booklet.)
And 12 bucks? Totally LOVING it.
In lieu of waiting for the canning kit, I DID make some pumpkin butter. It is delicious. (It currently sits in the fridge in plastic containers.) The girls aren't really a fan of it, though they did try some on a half slice of toast. It's a crockpot recipe I gathered on my "Tasty Eats" pinterest board, found HERE. I will be making some again very soon using real pumpkin this time. I'm acting like it's not big deal, but I'm terrified. The only time I slice pumpkins is for silly face-makin'. I've never actually cooked with a REAL one. Canned pumpkin & I have had a very good relationship. Why ruin a good thing?
I must give it a go though. I'm feeling adventurous.
And then I will seal those jars of pumpkin-y goodness in a hot water bath & spread pumpkin cheer to all I meet. Ok, so maybe just a few people will get a jar.
Now, to return this small tub I duped myself into buying...
♥
Here in Oz we don't can anything,although I have recently read about it on the net,the thought of canning butter and meat has me both fascinated and scared.Interested in how you go if you decide to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteYou've totally got this! Canning is sooo much fun! It makes me feel like a proper vintage woman! I like to go gathering wild foods like berries and apples and plums. In the summer we've got elderflowers too to make cordial. MMmmmMm. You are gonna have sooo much fun! There are chutneys and jams and fruit curds....oh yum!
ReplyDeletei have that little green canner kit. Got it on clearance last year. And I love it. To me it was much less scary than that big huge canner....so far I have only made apple butter... ;)
ReplyDeleteI grew up Mennonite and spent every summer canning masses of food. The big canners are a bit scary, and you only need them when you are canning things like green beans or fruit. If you are making jam, you don't need a canner at all, just heat the jars, boil the lids, pour the jam in, tightly close the jars, and wait for them to seal on their own. SUPER easy. Also, if you have a large enough pot, you don't need the large canner or kit. You can put a towel in the bottom of your pot to keep the jars from breaking as long as the jar tops are covered with water. I would recommend starting with jam, tomato sauce or salsa, something that goes into the jars already cooked. Have fun!!
ReplyDeleteChristy! Those tips are amazing! Thank you so much!!!! I can't wait to return that oversized pot!
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