Small quantity preserves

Small quantity preserves

I want to make maybe 3 half pints of different kinds of preserves.
Most of the recipes I have found in the Ball book, for example, make
way too much for me.

Am I wishing for the moon or does anybody have good ideas/recipes I
can use. I want to be safe etc so I didn't want to just start halving
or quartering the ingredients to suit my needs.

Re: Small quantity preserves

<snowtrees@HIwow,net > wrote in message
news:3rjr24lqd3jffauf5d8ofg1tvq49n9sldp@4ax,com ...
>I want to make maybe 3 half pints of different kinds of preserves.
> Most of the recipes I have found in the Ball book, for example, make
> way too much for me.
>
> Am I wishing for the moon or does anybody have good ideas/recipes I
> can use. I want to be safe etc so I didn't want to just start halving
> or quartering the ingredients to suit my needs.

Many recipes can be prepared in smaller quantities, so that a recipe for jam
that makes 6 half-pints can be cut in half to make 3.

A book you might want to check out is _The Complete Book of Small-Batch
Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round" by Ellie Topp and Margaret
Howard. Your library may have it, and it's available at amazon,com (and I'm
sure many other places).

I've made a couple of recipes from the book and they were very good.

Anny

Re: Small quantity preserves

On Fri, 16 May 2008 14:01:57 -0500, "Anny Middon"
<AnnyMiddon@hotNOSPAMmail,com > wrote:


>Many recipes can be prepared in smaller quantities, so that a recipe for jam
>that makes 6 half-pints can be cut in half to make 3.
>
>A book you might want to check out is _The Complete Book of Small-Batch
>Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round" by Ellie Topp and Margaret
>Howard. Your library may have it, and it's available at amazon,com (and I'm
>sure many other places).
>
>I've made a couple of recipes from the book and they were very good.
>
>Anny
>
thanks for the book suggestion. I looked it up on amazon and it looks
like it would be great for me.

Thanks again for your help!

snow

Re: Small quantity preserves

<snowtrees@s,net > wrot

>>A book you might want to check out is _The Complete Book of Small-Batch
>>Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round" by Ellie Topp and Margaret
>>Howard. Your library may have it, and it's available at amazon,com (and
>>I'm
>>sure many other places).

I got this one too on the recommendation. I want to branch out a bit on
this but do not have the gear for larger batches. I do have a small
pressure cooker for canning, sized more for pint jars than larger ones. Not
big enough really for tomato needs but would be suitable for jelly/jam sorts
or small pickle batches.

I'm currently price checking for suitable jars.

My plans are pretty simple. A few jellies or jams for gift purposes and a
few for home use.

Re: Small quantity preserves

cshenk wrote:
> <snowtrees@s,net > wrot
>
>>> A book you might want to check out is The Complete Book of Small-Batch
>>> Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round" by Ellie Topp and Margaret
>>> Howard. Your library may have it, and it's available at amazon,com (and
>>> I'm
>>> sure many other places).
>
> I got this one too on the recommendation. I want to branch out a bit on
> this but do not have the gear for larger batches. I do have a small
> pressure cooker for canning, sized more for pint jars than larger ones. Not
> big enough really for tomato needs but would be suitable for jelly/jam sorts
> or small pickle batches.
>
> I'm currently price checking for suitable jars.
>
> My plans are pretty simple. A few jellies or jams for gift purposes and a
> few for home use.
>
>
All you really need, as Barb has already pointed out, for jams, jellies,
and pickles, is a good sized stock pot. I have the BWB kettle that I use
for multiple batches but for one off small jar batches I use an old
enamel ware stock pot, two gallon size. I did find a chromed metal rack
in my "junk" pile that fits nearly perfectly to keep jars off the bottom
of the pot.

Re: Small quantity preserves

"George Shirley" wrote

>> My plans are pretty simple. A few jellies or jams for gift purposes and
>> a few for home use.

> All you really need, as Barb has already pointed out, for jams, jellies,
> and pickles, is a good sized stock pot. I have the BWB kettle that I use
> for multiple batches but for one off small jar batches I use an old enamel
> ware stock pot, two gallon size. I did find a chromed metal rack in my
> "junk" pile that fits nearly perfectly to keep jars off the bottom of the
> pot.

Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one. Got it
ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was looking over
pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of gear I have
here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.

Re: Small quantity preserves

cshenk wrote:
> "George Shirley" wrote
>
>>> My plans are pretty simple. A few jellies or jams for gift purposes and
>>> a few for home use.
>
>> All you really need, as Barb has already pointed out, for jams, jellies,
>> and pickles, is a good sized stock pot. I have the BWB kettle that I use
>> for multiple batches but for one off small jar batches I use an old enamel
>> ware stock pot, two gallon size. I did find a chromed metal rack in my
>> "junk" pile that fits nearly perfectly to keep jars off the bottom of the
>> pot.
>
> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one. Got it
> ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was looking over
> pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of gear I have
> here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.
>
>
Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist ties,
make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH

Re: Small quantity preserves

"George Shirley" wrote

>> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one. Got
>> it ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was looking
>> over pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of gear I
>> have here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.

> Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist ties,
> make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH

Thanks! Nice tip <g>. My Blue Ball Book arrived and am looking over
recipes. I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust the
seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
Meantime the pot itself makes a nice BWB pot.

Now I'm poking about pickle recipes since it looks like we will have a
bumper crop of cucumbers. I *may* invest in a real pressure canner vice my
smaller model, especially if i cant find the seals for the older unit
anymore.

Re: Small quantity preserves

cshenk wrote:

> I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust the
> seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.

Actually, a weak seal is safe, so far as pressure is concerned - it will
just leak a bit, and you won't get up to pressure. If the pressure
regulator (weight, relief valve, whatever) works and there's little or
no steam coming from around the rim, it's fine.

Dave

Re: Small quantity preserves

"Dave Bell" wrote
> cshenk wrote:
>
>> I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust the seal
>> although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
>
> Actually, a weak seal is safe, so far as pressure is concerned - it will
> just leak a bit, and you won't get up to pressure. If the pressure
> regulator (weight, relief valve, whatever) works and there's little or no
> steam coming from around the rim, it's fine.

Mabye Dave and thanks but I'm Navy trained. Steam leaks scare me <g>. I
know a mere 10PSI isnt much to worry about but ...

Re: Small quantity preserves

cshenk wrote:
> "Dave Bell" wrote
>> cshenk wrote:
>>
>>> I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust the seal
>>> although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
>> Actually, a weak seal is safe, so far as pressure is concerned - it will
>> just leak a bit, and you won't get up to pressure. If the pressure
>> regulator (weight, relief valve, whatever) works and there's little or no
>> steam coming from around the rim, it's fine.
>
> Mabye Dave and thanks but I'm Navy trained. Steam leaks scare me <g>. I
> know a mere 10PSI isnt much to worry about but ...

Yeah, big difference from Live Steam! 10PSI = 239F

Re: Small quantity preserves

cshenk wrote:
> "George Shirley" wrote
>
>>> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one. Got
>>> it ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was looking
>>> over pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of gear I
>>> have here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.
>
>> Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist ties,
>> make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH
>
> Thanks! Nice tip <g>. My Blue Ball Book arrived and am looking over
> recipes. I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust the
> seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
> Meantime the pot itself makes a nice BWB pot.
Rubber seals for many pressure canners are available on the internet.
You can do a google search using the canner name and model number. I
found that my Sears canner, somewhat over forty years old, uses Presto
gaskets.
>
> Now I'm poking about pickle recipes since it looks like we will have a
> bumper crop of cucumbers. I *may* invest in a real pressure canner vice my
> smaller model, especially if i cant find the seals for the older unit
> anymore.
>
>
there's some good 'uns out there. Google pressure canners on this Usenet
group and you can probably find what you want. sometimes us old folks
pass on to the great preserving kitchen in the sky and our kids sell our
cooking apparatus or donate it to the local charity store. It's amazing
the stuff you can find poking around in those places.

Re: Small quantity preserves


"George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth,net > wrote in message
news:Uwk_j.16934$hv2.3177@bignews5.bellsouth,net ...
> cshenk wrote:
> > "George Shirley" wrote
> >
> >>> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one.
Got
> >>> it ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was
looking
> >>> over pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of
gear I
> >>> have here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.
> >
> >> Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist
ties,
> >> make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH
> >
> > Thanks! Nice tip <g>. My Blue Ball Book arrived and am looking over
> > recipes. I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust
the
> > seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
> > Meantime the pot itself makes a nice BWB pot.
> Rubber seals for many pressure canners are available on the internet.
> You can do a google search using the canner name and model number. I
> found that my Sears canner, somewhat over forty years old, uses Presto
> gaskets.
> >
> > Now I'm poking about pickle recipes since it looks like we will have a
> > bumper crop of cucumbers. I *may* invest in a real pressure canner vice
my
> > smaller model, especially if i cant find the seals for the older unit
> > anymore.
> >
> >
> there's some good 'uns out there. Google pressure canners on this Usenet
> group and you can probably find what you want. sometimes us old folks
> pass on to the great preserving kitchen in the sky and our kids sell our
> cooking apparatus or donate it to the local charity store. It's amazing
> the stuff you can find poking around in those places.

Both my pressure canners came from Goodwill, they are 50 year old Presto
models. (at least 50 years old) Besides the expense of it, I LIKE the fact
that they are thick, heavy, cast aluminum, not the thinwall aluminum stuff
that is
sold today. The aluminum used today is, of course, really an alloy that
is stronger than the aluminum alloy used 50 years ago, so the new
canners are actually stronger, but I think it's tremendously cool that the
canner I'm using has been producing food for longer than my lifetime.

However, one thing you got to be aware of is the pressure canners with
guages. Many of the old ones have guages (mine do) I have seen weighted
ones at the resale stores but I don't trust them because often at a resale
store, parts get shoplifted or lost, and there's no way to know for sure if
the weight on the canner is the correct one. Canner makers seemed to
use a lot more creative solutions for weights years ago. Also, with the
older weighted guage canner, if the weight is a 10 and your at high
altitude, and you need a 15 weight, and your likely not going to find one
for that canner, as the manufacturer will have long since discontinued it.
(I am not sure exactly why the extension services and canner makers
tell you to use heavier weights at high altitude, as the steam pressure
is going against gravity, not atmospheric pressure, but they do)

Usually, the weighted guage type canners were designed as a screw
in. So if you find one that is a super good deal, but missing the weight,
you can go to a hardware store and buy a canner guage then unscrew
the stem the weight was on and screw in the canner guage.

Anyway, if you get
one with a guage, you MUST have it tested. The local extension service
here will test them for free. Hardware stores that sell canner guages also
will test them. On my old 21 quart canner the guage reads HIGH by 3 psi,
I sure hope the former owner didn't die of botulism poisoning. On my 16
quart one, the guage reads high by 1 psi. Also, with guages, they are
affected by altitude, the higher you are, the higher the guage will read.
So, a guage that is high by, for example, 3 psi at sea level, will be off by
6 psi at 4000 feet elevation. Your local county extension service will
have the info you need for local adjustments. Also, remember even
BRAND NEW canner guages can be off by 1 psi. When I had mine
tested the county extension agent told me that the hardware store down
the street happened to get in a batch of guages that all were off by 1 psi.
When the extension agent called the guage manufacturer to complain
she was told that they regarded 1 psi difference as an acceptable margin
of error. Needless to say she was really pissed about that.

One last thing about older canners, they usually lack an interlock that
prevents the lid from being opened when the canner is under pressure.
You see, these were products manufactured back in the days that
manufacturers actually assumed that the users had a modicum of
intelligence. I know, it's incredible to believe, isn't it? Anyway,
before you start canning with an older canner, make sure you know
how to tell when the lid is completely closed.

Ted

Re: Small quantity preserves

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> "George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth,net > wrote in message
> news:Uwk j.16934$hv2.3177@bignews5.bellsouth,net ...
>> cshenk wrote:
>>> "George Shirley" wrote
>>>
>>>>> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one.
> Got
>>>>> it ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was
> looking
>>>>> over pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of
> gear I
>>>>> have here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.
>>>> Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist
> ties,
>>>> make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH
>>> Thanks! Nice tip <g>. My Blue Ball Book arrived and am looking over
>>> recipes. I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust
> the
>>> seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
>>> Meantime the pot itself makes a nice BWB pot.
>> Rubber seals for many pressure canners are available on the internet.
>> You can do a google search using the canner name and model number. I
>> found that my Sears canner, somewhat over forty years old, uses Presto
>> gaskets.
>>> Now I'm poking about pickle recipes since it looks like we will have a
>>> bumper crop of cucumbers. I *may* invest in a real pressure canner vice
> my
>>> smaller model, especially if i cant find the seals for the older unit
>>> anymore.
>>>
>>>
>> there's some good 'uns out there. Google pressure canners on this Usenet
>> group and you can probably find what you want. sometimes us old folks
>> pass on to the great preserving kitchen in the sky and our kids sell our
>> cooking apparatus or donate it to the local charity store. It's amazing
>> the stuff you can find poking around in those places.
>
> Both my pressure canners came from Goodwill, they are 50 year old Presto
> models. (at least 50 years old) Besides the expense of it, I LIKE the fact
> that they are thick, heavy, cast aluminum, not the thinwall aluminum stuff
> that is
> sold today. The aluminum used today is, of course, really an alloy that
> is stronger than the aluminum alloy used 50 years ago, so the new
> canners are actually stronger, but I think it's tremendously cool that the
> canner I'm using has been producing food for longer than my lifetime.
>
> However, one thing you got to be aware of is the pressure canners with
> guages. Many of the old ones have guages (mine do) I have seen weighted
> ones at the resale stores but I don't trust them because often at a resale
> store, parts get shoplifted or lost, and there's no way to know for sure if
> the weight on the canner is the correct one. Canner makers seemed to
> use a lot more creative solutions for weights years ago. Also, with the
> older weighted guage canner, if the weight is a 10 and your at high
> altitude, and you need a 15 weight, and your likely not going to find one
> for that canner, as the manufacturer will have long since discontinued it.
> (I am not sure exactly why the extension services and canner makers
> tell you to use heavier weights at high altitude, as the steam pressure
> is going against gravity, not atmospheric pressure, but they do)
>
> Usually, the weighted guage type canners were designed as a screw
> in. So if you find one that is a super good deal, but missing the weight,
> you can go to a hardware store and buy a canner guage then unscrew
> the stem the weight was on and screw in the canner guage.
>
> Anyway, if you get
> one with a guage, you MUST have it tested. The local extension service
> here will test them for free. Hardware stores that sell canner guages also
> will test them. On my old 21 quart canner the guage reads HIGH by 3 psi,
> I sure hope the former owner didn't die of botulism poisoning. On my 16
> quart one, the guage reads high by 1 psi. Also, with guages, they are
> affected by altitude, the higher you are, the higher the guage will read.
> So, a guage that is high by, for example, 3 psi at sea level, will be off by
> 6 psi at 4000 feet elevation. Your local county extension service will
> have the info you need for local adjustments. Also, remember even
> BRAND NEW canner guages can be off by 1 psi. When I had mine
> tested the county extension agent told me that the hardware store down
> the street happened to get in a batch of guages that all were off by 1 psi.
> When the extension agent called the guage manufacturer to complain
> she was told that they regarded 1 psi difference as an acceptable margin
> of error. Needless to say she was really pissed about that.
>
> One last thing about older canners, they usually lack an interlock that
> prevents the lid from being opened when the canner is under pressure.
> You see, these were products manufactured back in the days that
> manufacturers actually assumed that the users had a modicum of
> intelligence. I know, it's incredible to believe, isn't it? Anyway,
> before you start canning with an older canner, make sure you know
> how to tell when the lid is completely closed.
>
> Ted
>
>
Very good advice Ted, particularly for such a young fellow. <LOL>

George, chuckling about someone being younger than fifty yo.

Re: Small quantity preserves

On Mon, 26 May 2008 01:17:20 -0700, "Ted Mittelstaedt"
<tedm@toybox.placo,com > wrote:

>
>"George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth,net > wrote in message
>news:Uwk j.16934$hv2.3177@bignews5.bellsouth,net ...
>> cshenk wrote:
>> > "George Shirley" wrote
>> >
>> >>> Yes, but I happen to have a pressure canner too, just a small one.
>Got
>> >>> it ages ago at a yard sale. I dont have a rack for it, but was
>looking
>> >>> over pictures of them and see how to make some simple sorts out of
>gear I
>> >>> have here handy. Mostly my small projects have been BWB sorts.
>> >
>> >> Easiest way to make a rack is to tie jar rings together with twist
>ties,
>> >> make it big enough to cover the bottom of your canner. HTH
>> >
>> > Thanks! Nice tip <g>. My Blue Ball Book arrived and am looking over
>> > recipes. I won't use the pressure canner any time soon. I don't trust
>the
>> > seal although it 'looks ok to the eye'. Just too old to be safe I bet.
>> > Meantime the pot itself makes a nice BWB pot.
>> Rubber seals for many pressure canners are available on the internet.
>> You can do a google search using the canner name and model number. I
>> found that my Sears canner, somewhat over forty years old, uses Presto
>> gaskets.
>> >
>> > Now I'm poking about pickle recipes since it looks like we will have a
>> > bumper crop of cucumbers. I *may* invest in a real pressure canner vice
>my
>> > smaller model, especially if i cant find the seals for the older unit
>> > anymore.
>> >
>> >
>> there's some good 'uns out there. Google pressure canners on this Usenet
>> group and you can probably find what you want. sometimes us old folks
>> pass on to the great preserving kitchen in the sky and our kids sell our
>> cooking apparatus or donate it to the local charity store. It's amazing
>> the stuff you can find poking around in those places.
>
>Both my pressure canners came from Goodwill, they are 50 year old Presto
>models. (at least 50 years old) Besides the expense of it, I LIKE the fact
>that they are thick, heavy, cast aluminum, not the thinwall aluminum stuff
>that is
>sold today. The aluminum used today is, of course, really an alloy that
>is stronger than the aluminum alloy used 50 years ago, so the new
>canners are actually stronger, but I think it's tremendously cool that the
>canner I'm using has been producing food for longer than my lifetime.
>
>However, one thing you got to be aware of is the pressure canners with
>guages. Many of the old ones have guages (mine do) I have seen weighted
>ones at the resale stores but I don't trust them because often at a resale
>store, parts get shoplifted or lost, and there's no way to know for sure if
>the weight on the canner is the correct one. Canner makers seemed to
>use a lot more creative solutions for weights years ago. Also, with the
>older weighted guage canner, if the weight is a 10 and your at high
>altitude, and you need a 15 weight, and your likely not going to find one
>for that canner, as the manufacturer will have long since discontinued it.
>(I am not sure exactly why the extension services and canner makers
>tell you to use heavier weights at high altitude, as the steam pressure
>is going against gravity, not atmospheric pressure, but they do)
>
>Usually, the weighted guage type canners were designed as a screw
>in. So if you find one that is a super good deal, but missing the weight,
>you can go to a hardware store and buy a canner guage then unscrew
>the stem the weight was on and screw in the canner guage.
>
>Anyway, if you get
>one with a guage, you MUST have it tested. The local extension service
>here will test them for free. Hardware stores that sell canner guages also
>will test them. On my old 21 quart canner the guage reads HIGH by 3 psi,
>I sure hope the former owner didn't die of botulism poisoning. On my 16
>quart one, the guage reads high by 1 psi. Also, with guages, they are
>affected by altitude, the higher you are, the higher the guage will read.
>So, a guage that is high by, for example, 3 psi at sea level, will be off by
>6 psi at 4000 feet elevation.

I have never seen instructions to have your gauge calibrated for
altitude. The BBB does have instructions for the proper pressure for
different altitudes. For example, if the recipe calls for 11 psi at
sea level, you would need to reach 15 psi at 10,000 feet for the
internal temperature to reach 240°F.






>Your local county extension service will
>have the info you need for local adjustments. Also, remember even
>BRAND NEW canner guages can be off by 1 psi. When I had mine
>tested the county extension agent told me that the hardware store down
>the street happened to get in a batch of guages that all were off by 1 psi.
>When the extension agent called the guage manufacturer to complain
>she was told that they regarded 1 psi difference as an acceptable margin
>of error. Needless to say she was really pissed about that.
>
>One last thing about older canners, they usually lack an interlock that
>prevents the lid from being opened when the canner is under pressure.
>You see, these were products manufactured back in the days that
>manufacturers actually assumed that the users had a modicum of
>intelligence. I know, it's incredible to believe, isn't it? Anyway,
>before you start canning with an older canner, make sure you know
>how to tell when the lid is completely closed.
>
>Ted
>
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)