Weekend Canning...

I found some really great deals I couldn't pass up, so I did a little canning this weekend. It began when my nephew, Dan posted on Facebook about a sale on butter at our local grocery store. Usually $4.29 a pound, the sale price was $2.39 a pound, so I ran to town and bought a case (30 pounds). My plan is to freeze some and to can some. Yes. You can preserve butter in jars. 

As I was entering the store, the first department is produce, and I saw a digital coupon sale on pineapple. As it's my favorite fruit, I immediately downloaded the coupon into my phone. The lowest price I'd seen for a single, fresh pineapple recently was $2.89 each. With the coupon, I could purchase up to five pineapples for $.88 each! I grabbed five beauties and then headed to the dairy section for the butter. Overall, I save $70 on my purchase.

It's cool enough these days that I can safely keep the butter in a large cooler out in the garage for now. The pineapple were more perishable, so they were the most important to put up first. 

I cut up all the pineapples and put the pieces into my large Kilner pot. I added spring water and brought the golden chunks to a boil. Jars were already prepared and lids were in the water getting hot. Pineapple is water bath canned, so my canner was already heated and ready for the jars.

Once the pineapple boiled, I turned it down to simmer ten minutes, and then I packed the jars. I ended up with ten pints of pineapple, and a bonus five pints of pineapple juice! 

I also purchased English beef roasts when the store had them on sale late last week. I bought about eight pounds for $25 and change. Once I'd trimmed off the silver skin and fat (to be rendered into tallow along with the other trimmed beef fat I've had in the freezer), I ended up with close to seven pounds of meat to preserve.

I put up three pints seasoned with the last of my Betts Seasoning. Sadly, during covid the company that manufactured this seasoning closed its doors. I've been unable to locate more of since, and it's really a favorite. If any of my Florida friends know where to find more (or get it and mail it to me), I'm happy to pay for it.

There were an additional four pints seasoned with a recipe from my pressure canning cookbook. While the pineapple is sweet and acidic enough to water bath, the beef has to be pressure canned to be safely preserved. Each jar of meat contains two servings, and I added onion and garlic, too. That costs less than $4 a jar, making it well worth the effort.

In the photos I've shared, all the jars were fresh from their canners, without labels. After dinner, everything was cool enough to remove the rings, clean the lids, and label the jars. Once the jars sat out a bit longer, I could put everything into the pantry...always a satisfying task.

Later this month, I'll be canning more hickory syrup, the butter, and more meat. I have frozen turkey and chicken that I can preserve in jars. It's much more convenient when choosing a meal for the evening, rather than having to wait for things to thaw. I also still have fourteen one-gallon bags of frozen tomatoes to be canned into pizza sauce, homemade Rotel, and stewed tomatoes. I'll roll out of April with a completely filled pantry!

As it's already a new month, I have book work to do, along with finishing the ladybugs, and a new project for my shop. I also have the mockingbird, plus there's a wedding on April 20th, and I'm going to embroider a monogram to frame for the bride and groom. I guess I'd better make up my schedule so I can keep on track. 

Handsome is doing much better, and I know that your prayers had a lot to do with it. Added to mine, he's healing well and almost ready to resume his regular activities. He's taking it easy, as he has a rehearsal tonight for an upcoming concert. I'll just be making sure he doesn't overdo it. I can be a real thorn in his side if I have to, and that's no April Fools!