Have you been looking for some new and creative ways to save? Here’s a great idea from Jennifer on how you can learn a new skill and slash your grocery budget!
In these crazy times with inflation going though the roof, having an easy way to cut expenses where possible is a good tool to have in the playbook. My hubby drives for our income. I can’t control gas prices, which have more than doubled. What i can control is our grocery bill. Enter canning. Canning is something I have done for several years. I originally started because we have soups and stews that we like that make a lot and contain diced potatoes, which do not freeze well. So when we made those, leftovers got canned instead of going to waste when we got sick of the leftovers. Then I started canning my homemade chicken stock. I have made my own chicken stock for probably 15 years. Prior to discovering canning, I would freeze it in quart sized freezer bags in 2 cup increments. Now I just make my stock, chill it, skim the fat, reheat to boiling, ladle into quart jars, and process. My beautiful stock (both chicken and turkey, which can be used interchangeably) has a happy home on the top shelf of my pantry until I am ready to cook with it. Beans are a staple item for a lot of people. They are good for you, provide entertainment for those like me who are easily entertained by their kids (they have farting contests), and are generally cheap. It doesn’t get any cheaper than dry beans. Unless you are cooking them for hours or in the Instant Pot, dry beans just aren’t super convenient. Enter canned beans. Unfortunately for us, manufacturers know this as well and charge for them accordingly. Now I beat them at their own game.
I use this 23 quart Presto pressure canner. They now even have a model suitable for induction cooktops! This bad boy is a powerhouse. I can process 20 pint jars or 7 quart jars at once. For small batch canning like leftovers of soups or stews, I use the brand new Instant Pot Pro Plus. This thing is amazing. It even syncs to the app on my phone so i get a push notification every step of the way. I could write a book on how awesome this thing is with the app. It cans up to 4 pints at once, which is perfect for leftovers.
When I can beans, I don’t play around. The big canner gets fired up. 20 pints of convenience at a fraction of the cost. I have black beans down to just under a quarter per can. Pinto, great northern, black eyed peas, chili beans, etc. are all fairly comparable. You’ll need the obvious jars to get started. I get mine at Walmart.
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Ball Regular Mouth 16oz Pint Mason Jars with Lids & Bands, 12 Count
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Ball Regular Mouth 8oz Half Pint Quilted Mason Jars with Lids & Bands, 12 Count
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Ball Regular Mouth 4oz Quilted Pint Mason Jars, 12 Count
Pint and quart are the main sizes that I use, but the smaller jars do have great applications. Half pint jars are perfect for applesauce, jams, and jellies. The cute little 4 ounce jars are great for curds, which are a great topping for yogurt, ice cream, oats, etc. (Lemon, Lime, and Orange are on my to do as soon as my back is being cooperative again list.). You could also do applesauce in the 4 oz. jars if you want little ones to have individual servings quickly available. Be careful when you shop for jars. Stores will sell you the same jars for a whole lot more from the craft section. My Walmart stores have them for under $10/dozen. That may vary by location though. My point is to not let yourself get hosed. Jars and the rings are reusable. Lids can be if they aren’t processed (meaning you put something in the jar but didn’t can it. I do this a lot with soups that are going into the fridge and body scrubs. You can also reuse lids that have been processed for this as well.). You’ll also need some basic tools. This Norpro Canning Essentials Boxed Set has everything covered.
Now let’s get down to business with some beans! You’ll want to start by running your jars through the dishwasher, or just give them a quick rinse if you are reusing your jars. Then you want to line them up on the counter so you can fill them. I use a canning funnel to make it easier. Add half a cup of dry beans for quart jars, one cup for quart jars. Add whatever seasonings you like. I only have chili beans done this way right now, but next run will include refried beans that just need a quick purée to be ready to eat. (Having the chili beans ready to eat also solves the chili with beans or without. I can make said chili I without beans for those who are purists and those who aren’t can easily add them to their bowl. It also makes my taco soup easy since it calls for 3 cans of chili beans.)
Once you have your jars the way you want them, fill with boiling water to 1 inch headspace. (This is generally up to the point where the jar narrows at the top. I learned to eyeball it after measuring more times than I can count.) Put your lids and rings on finger tight and into the canner they go! Process for 75 minutes (pints) or 90 minutes (quarts) at the proper pressure for your elevation, which will be between 10 and 15 PSI. Once the canner starts putting out steam, let it vent for 10 minutes then put the pressure doodad on the vent. This is when it builds up pressure. Once you get to the desired pressure, reduce the heat on the stove to maintain it. This will take a bit at first, but you’ll quickly learn where you need to lower it to on your stove so you don’t have to babysit it. This is also when you start your timer. Once your timer goes off, just turn off the heat. Let the pressure drop on its own. (This is a great thing to do before bed.) Once the pressure has fully released, open the lid. Let the jars sit in the open canner for at least 10 minutes. I usually go a lot longer here. After the 10 minute adjustment period, you can carefully take them out and set them on a clean towel on your countertop or table. You want to leave them alone for close to 24 hours to seal. (Usually it is much quicker though.) Once your jars are sealed, they are ready for labeling and storage! I hope this has been helpful to get you started in food preservation!
Happy canning!
Jen
This has been a guest post by Jennifer Johnston, a mother of SIX, who is cheap when she has to be so that she can have nice things when she wants them 🙂
