Sauerkraut
Five weeks today and we jarred our first batch of sauerkraut. The whole process of natural fermentation is still kind of a mystery to me but the proof is in the “kraut.” It is so good…I know my days of buying store-bought sauerkraut are over. It was really quite easy. All we did was cut up 8-10 heads of cabbage, place them in an old, clean, crock with the directed amount of salt, a plate and some jars of water on top to pack it down, and then we stored the crock at about 70F or room temperature. Two important NOTES: (1) make sure you skim off the scum everyday and (2) do not let the temperature drop too much. If the temperature drops and the room becomes too cool then the liquid disappears. Again, I am not going to think about the science behind it all; however, once we moved it into a warmer room the liquid reappeared overnight. We won’t make that mistake again…consistency is everything. I do know that I enjoyed skimming the scum off most days because I could sample the product and it got better as time went by. Once the bubbles stop forming the fermentation process is over and it is time to jar it.
We decided to do the HOT PACK method by heating the sauerkraut and its’ brine over 
med-high heat. Bernardin warns not to let it come to a boil so we didn’t…again, I am not sure why but we decided not to chance 5 weeks of skimming and something so delicious. Then into hot sterilized jars and voila you’re done. We did the hot pack method instead of raw pack because we were afraid there wasn’t going to be enough liquid but don’t worry kids…the little bit that it created during the 5 weeks was plenty.
We’ve got a second batch that is still bubbling but should be ready in another week or two. Sausages with your sauerkraut…anyone!?!
Put up Total:
- 6 x 1L wide mouth jars
Making Labels
Creating the labels to dress up your jars can be just as fun as making the product that goes 
inside. Being an artist I love coming up with different ways to mix it up and creating these little hang tags has become part of our signature. Each jar can expect something a little different and the more I experiment with writing styles, stamps, colour pens, ribbons, scissors, and that old typewriter…the more I realize there is an unlimited number of possibilities.
When labelling your jars you can use a wide variety of pre-made stickers that you can purchase at places where your jars are sold. Here in Canada you can find the Bernardin stickers at Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart, Independent Grocery Stores, and Home Hardware. Plus, you may also want to check out online stores that specialize in labels. Here is a cool site worth checking out: My Own Labels . I am going to put some of these on my Christmas List. And, my personal favorite is the hang tag. The hang tag may not be the most practical way of labeling your jars (because the tied on tags tend to come off once open and in the fridge) but I think they look great!
So let’s get you started on creating that unique hang tag for your canned preserves. You may start with a few jars, or just your christmas give aways or maybe you’ll get hooked like me and decided to do them all.
First you will need some hang tags. You can find a unliminted number of hang tags at stores like Staples, Office Depot, or your local craft store. I also keep my eyes open for sale items that will work for example Christmas tags after holiday season is over or last seasons scrap booking items. Secondly, labelling each tag will give them personal touch so be creative. Don’t be afraid to experiment with coloured permanent markers, ink stamps (I have several different ABC stamp pads in an assortment of writing styles), or anything else you like. Lastly, you can use assortment of things to tie your tags onto each jar. For example; jute (a personal favorite), string, yarn, fabric, or ribbon…all of which come in an unlimited number of colours. It’s as easy as that! And, it only takes a few extra minutes but makes each jar look as good as it tastes.
Last year, I would write the date on the back of each 
hang tag rendering the tag useless after you’re finished with the preserve. This year I am just labeling what is inside and keeping track of when each item was made on a separate paper. That way I can reuse the tags the next time I make the same thing.
Any ideas, comments, or suggestions on making tags or labelling jars is appreciated…so share with me your thoughts!
A Weekend of Repeats
On Friday I picked up our 8th bushel of tomatoes. There are still so many things that I would like to make but sometimes doing the tried, tested and true favorites prevail. I’ve repeated our favorite salsa which we call “Parrot Head Spicy Salsa” and I know some of this bushel will go to stewed tomatoes. But, I would like to try out a new chutney or two…so I will keep you posted.
Put up Total:
- 7 x 500mL wide mouth jars
I also made two more batches of crab apple & vanilla curd. MMMMmmmmGOOD! This stuff is so tasty and I had the apples….I just couldn’t resist! The second batch of curd is where I ran into a little trouble. I had one jar break in the hot water processor. It made a real mess because the eggs in the curd began to cook as it seeped into the water. I should have stopped the process, taken everything out and cleaned it up but I left it going. In the end the jars wouldn’t seal…because of the tiny loose particles were able to get between the rim and lid. Don’t worry all was not lost. I cleaned everything up and reprocessed. These few jars will be eaten first as I am not sure if the curd will be affected by the double processing. I think my problem was that the curd was not as hot as it should have been when I ladled it into the sterilized jars and I placed the jars into a full rolling boil without using the metal rack which keeps them slightly off the bottom. Basically, I made all of the mistakes. I am getting slack and over confident…that will teach me!
I should have taken a picture of the mess…but I didn’t. SORRY!
Put up Total:
- 3 x 500mL regular mason jar
- 1 x 500mL wide mouth mason jar
- 3 x 250mL regular mason jars (1 diamond)
BBQ Sauce
I continue to make bbq sauce and dream of all the delicious meats Matt will put it on. Last year we made one kind of bbq sauce for ribs (previous entry) and one sauce to use on chicken wings. Hands down we preferred the bbq sauce!
This year we’ve tackled a few more of Bernardin’s bbq sauce recipes. Now, that we’ve made 3 different kinds we have an abundance and variety of sauces to try. Plus, they will make excellent Christmas gifts for the men in your life. I’ll keep you posted as to which sauce was the best and what we used it on.
Today I made the Stampede Style sauce and the Sweet ‘n Sour sauce…right out the Bernardin Big Book. Making it takes a lot of time because it has to boil down so much and you have to watch out for the splattering which tends to hit you as you stir but in the end you will have that special dressing for all of your meats. I followed the recipe except I pureed the sauce at least once but probably twice to create a smoother finished product.
Put up Total: STAMPEDE STYLE BBQ SAUCE
- 6 x 250mL regular mason jars
Put up Total: SWEET ‘N SOUR BBQ SAUCE
- 7 x 250mL regular mason jars
- 1 x 250mL wide mouth mason jar
Rib Sauce
Last year we made this tasty BBQ sauce from the Big Bernardin Recipe Book. It became what we know today as our staple RIB SAUCE…it completes ribs.
SOMBRERO BARBECUE SAUCE:
- 20 cups chopped cored peeled tomatoes or 16 cups of tomato puree
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1.5 cups chopped seeded green bell peppers (we used red bell peppers)
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2.5 cups white vinegar
- 1.5 cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp hot pepper sauce (we used Franks Hot Sauce)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine tomatoes, celery, onions, green peppers and jalapeno peppers. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently until vegetables soften, about 30 minutes
- working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth
- Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced by half, about 45 minutes
- Meanwhile, tie peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag (we like to use a spiceball)
- Add vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, paprika, hot pepper sauce, salt and spice bag to tomato mixture. Increase heat to medium and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial barbecue sauce, about 1 hour. Discard spice bag.
- We then pureed the mixture again to make it smoother and returned it to the heat to thicken a little more.
- Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars and lids.
- Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot sauce. Wipe rim. Centre lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 35 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
Put up Total:
- 11 x 250mL (recipe yield is 10 x 250mL) and we think our sauce is quite thick
Putting Up With The Turnbulls 