Planting a garden with my family is something I look forward to every spring/summer. We plant onions, carrots, peas, green and yellow beans, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes in our garden. We have fruit trees and bushes in a small orchard outback. Our family loves to graze on the fruits of our labours when hanging out outside. There is nothing more delicious than garden fresh vegetables and fruit. I blanch and freeze bags and bags of produce. I make muffins with the Saskatoon berries and other fruits. We base our meals around what we picked fresh from the garden and pair it with wild game meat each day. I make zucchini pie using an awesome recipe from The Kitchen Frau. I could go on and on; ultimately the possibilities of what to do with your bounty are endless. However, one thing that I learned from my aunt was how to pickle. I so enjoyed spending days upon days with her canning and preserving.
At first, pickling may seem daunting but I assure it is NOT! So, invite a few friends over and have a pickling party!
1. Wash the mason jars, lids and rings. Make sure you rinse them well and allow them to dry. If you use the dishwasher make sure that your jars, lids and rings are the ONLY thing in it. I usually have more jars prepared than I need, just in case.
2. Wash and dry your vegetables of choice. Carrots need to be peeled, beans need to be trimmed. Cut them down to size if necessary.
3. In each jar, place your desired flavourings. I usually put a sprig of dill and clove of garlic in each of my jars. If you fancy yourself an extreme bean, perfect for a Ceasar try adding red pepper flakes to the jars.
4. Pack the jar tightly with your vegetables, but don’t smash them. Make sure to leave about a ½ inch space from the rim.
Recipe…
8 cups of water
3 ¼ cups of vinegar (7% pickling type)
8 tbsp of kosher salt
6 bay leaves
12 whole black peppercorns-Bring to a boil in a large pot
Directions…
-Fill your jars that have been washed, flavoured and packed one to the top.
-Gently tap the jars against the counter to remove any air bubbles and add more liquid if needed.
-Place the lids on and screw the rings on tightly.
-Wrap your jars in a cocoon of towels/blankets on the counter; this will keep them warm and help them to seal.
-Next day, check the jars to see if the seals have locked. Once locked, label them with the date and store in your larder to enjoy throughout the year.