CanningIf you’ve ever been intrigued by the idea of canning and preserving, but thought it was something only for the days of horse-drawn wagons, think again. The centuries-old practice of canning fruits and vegetables is also a 21st Century eco-friendly way of providing fresh foods for your family year-round, without the worry of having unknown preservatives or ingredients in your foods. Whether you have a small home garden, are a fan of weekend farmers’ markets or picked a load of orchard fruits, the DIY world of canning is a fun and delicious way of cooking to keep shelves stocked with homemade goodness.

At Florida Crystals our sugar cane products are grown and harvested with the same care you would take when preparing food for your family. Florida Crystals® Organic and Natural sugars are made with 100% sun-sweetened sugar cane using sustainable agriculture practices; perfect not only for adding a sweet taste, but also as a preservative when canning and preserving. Follow these simple guidelines and recipes to get started in your canning adventures.

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Canning ................................................................................................................................ 1

Getting Started ............................................................................................................... 3

Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 4

Tomato Relish ................................................................................................................... 5

Easy Pear Sauce ............................................................................................................... 6

Sweet Pickles ..................................................................................................................... 7

Peach Jam ............................................................................................................................ 8

Strawberry Balsamic Sauce ....................................................................................... 9

Jar Labels .............................................................................................................................. 10

Table of Contents-

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Getting Started-

Equipment: n Glass canning jars, lids and rings.

n A large pot that will hold enough water to go 1- to 2-inches over the jars that are being canned.

n A metal rack that fits into the bottom of the pot. A round cake cooling rack will work well, a rubber trivet or even a clean dishcloth.

n A good pair of tongs for lifting jars, lids and rings from the hot water bath. Preferably tongs with rubber covering at the ends.' n Ladle and wide-mouthed funnel for filling jars.

n Clean cloth for wiping jar rims before sealing with the lid and ring; this will ensure a proper seal.

A hot water bath in canning is the process of vacuum-sealing canning jars that have already been sterilized, filled with the food item and sealed with the proper lid. By submerging the jars in water and then boiling according to the recipe, jars will be completely vacuum-sealed allowing for long-term preserving.

HOT WATER BATH CANNING AND STERILIZING

Procedures-Procedure:Sterilizing jars:Begin by washing and sterilizing all of your equipment: jars, lids, rings, tongs and funnel. Everything should be washed in hot, soapy water, rinsing well. In a large pot, cover equipment with water and boil on low-medium heat for 15 minutes. If the recipe calls for hot jars, leave jars in the hot water, turning down heat to a low simmer until ready to fill. Remove jars using sterilized tongs and allow jars to dry before filling.

Filling jars:Prepare your recipe, then fill the sterilized jars using the funnel and ladle. Wipe the jar rims clean to ensure a proper seal. Put the lid and ring onto the jar and tighten. The recipe will dictate how much, if any, space is left at the top of the jar for expansion during vacuum sealing.

Hot water bath:Using tongs, place the jars into the hot water bath, being sure that the jars do not touch one another, and are fully submerged. Cover the pot with the lid, heat water to a slow boil for about 10-15 minutes.

Cooling jars:When ready to be removed, pull each jar out of the hot water bath with the tongs. [Caution: Wear gloves to protect yourself from boiling water.] Place the jars on a towel on a flat surface where they will not be moved for approx. 24 hours. You will hear a popping sound from the jars as they begin to vacuum seal. That is a sound that you want to hear! If a jar does not seal, you will know by pressing down on the lid, if the lid springs back. That jar must be stored in the refrigerator and used within 2 weeks.

Labeling:This is where you get to be creative by decorating and labeling your jars with its contents. Add the canning date so you can keep track of how long you have before you need to use it. Covering jars with pretty fabrics will keep dust off jar lids when storing for a while, but they also add a special touch if you plan on giving your canned jars as gifts. Don’t forget to print and use our jar labels at the back of this ebook!

HOT WATER BATH CANNING AND STERILIZING

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Tomato Relish

Tip Use this scoring/boiling method to easily remove skin from any soft-skinned fruit or vegetable. 5

Equipment:4 sterilized (8 oz.) glass canning jars, lids and rings

Ingredients:10 medium ripe tomatoes1 medium clove of garlic, peeled and diced1 small sweet Vidalia onion, finely chopped1 teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes1 teaspoon paprika1/2 cup Florida Crystals® Demerara Sugar1/3 cup liquid pectin

Directions:Score each tomato with an X on the bottom. Drop tomatoes into a large pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a ladle, transfer tomatoes from boiling water into a large bowl of ice water. Remove tomatoes from the water into a separate bowl; allow to cool 1-2 minutes. When you can handle tomatoes with your hands, gently rub the skins off of the tomatoes. Cut into wedges and remove the seeds.

Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, salt, red pepper flakes and paprika to a large pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; bring to a boil. Add sugar and pectin, then bring back to a boil; cook additional 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove pot from heat.

SHORT-TERM STORAGEFill warm sterilized jars with tomato relish to the top of the jar. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Store jars in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

LONG-TERM STORAGE

Fill warm sterilized jars with tomato relish, leaving a 1/4-inch space at the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Proceed with hot water bath process, leaving jars to boil on low for 10-15 minutes before removing. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dry storage place.

EasyPear Sauce

Tip Jars can also be stored in the freezer. Put cooled jars into the freezer for up to 6 months. When defrosting, place jar on a plate in the refrigerator the night before, or on the counter at room temperature. Use within 1 week or keep remaining sauce in refrigerator. 6

Equipment:4 sterilized (8 oz.) glass canning jars, lids and rings

Ingredients:6 large pears2 teaspoons lemon juice1/2 - 3/4 cup Florida Crystals® Natural Sugar (depending on how sweet the pears are, use less sugar if pears are ripe)2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:Peel and core pears; cut into chunks. To a large pot on top of the stove, add pears, lemon juice, sugar and ginger. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the pears are soft.

Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until it is smooth. (You may need to transfer the pear mixture to a large mixing bowl to avoid damaging a non-stick pot.) A food processor can be used if an immersion blender is not available; cool mixture slightly before processing.

Add cinnamon to puréed mixture; mix well.

SHORT-TERM STORAGEFill sterilized jars with pear sauce to the top of the jar. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Store jars in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

LONG-TERM STORAGEFill sterilized jars with pear sauce, leaving a 1/4-inch space at the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Proceed with hot water bath process, leaving jars to boil on low for 10-15 minutes before removing. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dry storage place.

Sweet Pickles

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Equipment:4 sterilized (8 oz.) glass canning jars, lids and rings

Ingredients:2 pounds Kirby cucumbers¼ cup sea salt1 cup filtered or bottled water1 cup cider vinegar1/2 cup Florida Crystals® Organic Granulated Sugar 2 teaspoons juniper berries2 teaspoons whole peppercorns, white or black

Directions:Rinse and wipe off cucumbers. Slice thinly using a knife or a mandolin. Discard ends. Place cucumber slices into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan, mix together water, vinegar, sugar, juniper berries and peppercorns. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Remove from heat after simmering 1 minute. Allow mixture to cool before pouring into jars.

Evenly distribute cucumber slices into sterilized jars.

SHORT-TERM STORAGEPour cooled liquid into each jar over pickles. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Refrigerate overnight before eating. Store jars in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

LONG-TERM STORAGEWhen adding liquid, leaving a 1/4-inch space at the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Proceed with hot water bath process, leaving jars to boil on low for 10-15 minutes before removing. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dry storage place.

Peach Jam

Tip When peeling peaches, blanch in boiling water on the stovetop for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the ripeness of the peaches. The riper the peach, the shorter the length of time needed in the boiling water. Immediately submerge into a bowl of ice water. After 1 minute in the ice water, remove and dry off. The peel should come off effortlessly. 8

Equipment:Large pot with coverPotato masher4 sterilized (8 oz.) glass canning jars, lids and rings Ingredients:2 pounds ripe peaches1/2 cup apple juice2 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon orange extract1 tablespoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1 1/2 cups Florida Crystals® Demerara Sugar4 tablespoons instant pectinDirections:Peel peaches, cut into chunks; remove and discard pits.Into a large pot, add peaches, apple juice and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat, checking and stirring until peaches are soft. Add extracts and spices, mixing well; bring to a boil. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add pectin, stirring very well during this addition. Turn off heat. Purée peach mixture with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a food processor to purée.

SHORT-TERM STORAGESpoon peach purée into sterilized jars to the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Let purée cool on counter 45 minutes before storing. Store jars in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

LONG-TERM STORAGEFill sterilized jars with pear sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch space at the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. To freeze: Let purée cool before storing. Purée can be kept frozen for up to 6 months. To defrost, set jar on a dish in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature. Use as soon as defrosted, refrigerate unused jam for up to 2 weeks. For shelf storage: Follow steps above, leaving 1/4-inch space at the top of jars. Proceed with hot water bath process, leaving jars to boil on low for 10-15 minutes before removing. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dry storage place.

Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

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Equipment:4 sterilized (8 oz.) canning jars with lids and ringsSterilized funnel Ingredients:3 pounds strawberries3/4 cup Florida Crystals® Organic Granulated Sugar3 teaspoons instant pectin1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar (add more according to personal preference of tartness)1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:Wash and hull strawberries. Place strawberries into a microwave-safe bowl; cover and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Using a fork, mash strawberries until a desired texture is achieved. Being careful not to mash too much creating too much liquid. In a separate bowl, add sugar and pectin to vinegar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add to berry mash and stir.

Cook on high for another 3-5 minutes, or until berries come to a boil. Stir in cinnamon.

Using a sterilized funnel, pour berry mixture into prepared hot canning jars. [Caution: do not add hot berry mixture into cold jars, or jars will crack.]

SHORT-TERM STORAGEFill sterilized jars with strawberry sauce to the top of the jar. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Store jars in refrigerator for up to 2 week.

LONG-TERM STORAGEFill sterilized jars with strawberry sauce, leave a 1/4-inch space at the top. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids and rings. Proceed with hot water bath process, leaving jars to boil on low for 10-15 minutes before removing. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dry storage place.

Print this page for pretty labels to use on your canning jars. Be sure to labelwith contents and the date of packing to keep track of your canned goods.

Jar Labels

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