Instant Pot Molasses Apple Butter

January 26, 2023 Sarah

Using your Instant Pot to make apple butter is game changing. No baby sitting it for hours, no stirring, and it is done in a short time. You can water bath can it right away, and enjoy it for a long time.

I prepped this in an 8 quart Instant Pot. A 6 quart is not big enough, in case you are wondering. It needs room, or the hot sauce can bubble up into the steam vent.

This time around I used molasses added with the sugar, and the flavor is so good. Far better than using brown sugar as I have done in the past.

Instant Pot Molasses Apple Butter

Ingredients:

6 pounds apples
½ cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp fine sea salt

Directions:

Wash, dry off and peel, then quarter and core apples, and then chop up.

Add the apples and water to the Instant Pot. Put on cover and seal according to directions. Set “manual” (or “pressure cook”) for 8 minutes.

Once done, let pressure release naturally for 20 to 30 minutes. If your Instant Pot has the “keep warm” setting on, hit “cancel” to turn off.

Place a clean kitchen towel over the steam valve and hit release to let any leftover steam out (the pot must release naturally or the applesauce will bubble up into the valve).

Take off the lid, turn onto “saute”.

Using a potato masher, mash up the apple butter. Add in the sugar, molasses, and spices, stir in.

Let cook down for a few minutes, until it is bubbling and mounds on a spoon. Stir often while doing this to avoid scorching.

To water bath can:

Add 5 pint mason jars to a canning pot, fill jars with water, then the pot about half full. Bring to a boil while apple butter is in the steam release period.

Place the lids and rings into a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer.

When apple butter is ready, drain jars and place on a clean kitchen towel.

Sterilize a ladle, canning funnel and air bubble remover in the boiling water.

Fill with hot apple butter, leaving a ¼” headspace.

Run the bubble popper in each jar.

Wipe the rims with a new damp paper towel.

Place a drained lid on each jar, then finger tighten the rings.

Place the jars into the kettle, lower the rack in. Make sure the jars are covered with water.

Bring to a boil, process for 10 minutes.

Remove the jars, let cool on a towel covered rack.

Remove rings, check that each lid is flat and sealed.

Mark contents on lid, use within a year. If any do not seal, refrigerate and use up within a week or so.

Makes about 5 pints.

~Sarah

Canning Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

November 19, 2022 Sarah

In fall we put up cranberry sauce, when the cranberries start coming in to the stores and are fresh, but also affordable. It only takes a few minutes more time to can it versus just making a large batch, and have it ready for the Holidays, and for spreading on sandwiches all year long. This year I took my trusted recipe I use and converted it to sugar-free, to help me stay on my eating/fitness goals. It’s easy to forget that cranberry sauce is actually very sweet, even though it has a tart taste. It’s jam frankly – and you can eat a LOT of sugar if you like it.

With this recipe, it tastes exactly the same but no sugar to mess with your body….and then you can save your cheats for the pie, amiright?

It makes a little less than my full sugar version, but that is an OK tradeoff (sugar once melted, in jams, keeps it size).

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

4 cups water
4 cups granulated sucralose (Splenda or store brand)
Pinch fine sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 pounds fresh cranberries (2 2/3 12-ounce bags)

Directions:

Place 6 8-ounce jars in a canning pot, fill jars with water, and cover about halfway up the pot. Bring to a boil covered. Add the lids and rings to a small saucepan, fill with water and bring to a simmer.

In a stainless steel stockpot add the water, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes uncovered.

Rinse the cranberries well, shake off the water. If you see any questionable berries, toss them.

Add in the cranberries, cover the pot and return to a boil, cook for 15 minutes, stirring periodically uncovered. You want the sauce to be bubbling, so about medium-high works best. Lower if you feel it’s boiling too hard.

Drain the jars, place on a clean kitchen towel.

Sterilize a canning funnel and a ladle, stir the sauce again and ladle hot sauce into the jars, leaving a ¼” headspace, use a bubble wand to remove any air bubbles.

Wipe the jar rims with a new paper towel, dampened with hot water.

Place a new canning lid on each jar, screw on bands until finger tip tight.

Place jars into canning rack, lower into the water, place cover on. Bring back to a boil, process for 15 minutes for small jars, starting timing once water boils. The jars should be covered with water.

Remove jars, place on a cooling rack covered with a kitchen towel. Let cool, listening for the pings of the lids. Once cool, check the lids by pressing gently in the middle. If any spring back, put in refrigerator and use within a week.

Made about 6 8-ounce jars

Store in a cool, dry area for up to a year.

Notes:

I have not tried the recipe with other sugar substitutes. I was hesitant to use the monkfruit blends as I didn’t want the snowflake texture it gets when cooking. I also needed to know it would gel properly. Using stevia that isn’t 1:1 would be far more complicated as well, it would make far, far less. But if you try it and it works, let me know!

Odd side note? Cranberries are Keto friendly. Splenda isn’t considered a “Keto sweetener” but meh, while I follow Keto overall, I am not glued to it.

~Sarah

Homesteading · Recipes

Water Bath Canning Crushed Tomatoes

September 7, 2022 Sarah

When the end of summer hits hard, and all you see are piles of tomatoes staring back…a quick recipe to process them can be very useful, so you don’t waste tomatoes. Especially this year as the droughts are leading to tomato shortages and rising prices. If all you do is process them into crushed tomatoes, you can do SO much with them later. You can make pasta sauce, salsa and so much more when you want to – in the dull-drums of winter.

I tend to grow smaller types of tomatoes on our homestead, rather than large ones. Why? In the Pacific Northwest, especially far north in the islands, we just don’t have the heat or time to grow massive hand sized ones. So I process my tomatoes often using many cherry sized ones. I don’t peel, nor do I seed my tomatoes. We are used to it, and like eating the whole product. If you were using large, commercial grown tomatoes, the peels often are tough. But home grown ones that are smaller, often have tender skins. I myself? I don’t mind the broken skins and seeds. And frankly, it cuts my work time down to a quarter of what it used to be like, when I would seed to tomatoes. (And you cannot seed cherry tomatoes like that!)

Less waste as well. Waste not, want not, am I right?

Are you new to water bath canning? This recipe is a solid one, borrowed from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Using proven recipes to can with is the safest thing you can do as you learn.

This is the canning tool kit I use. For pint jars I use a 7 pint jar water bath canning pot with rack, like this one. It’s a buy once, use forever pot. I have had mine for nearly 20 years.

Do not use an electric food processor to chop up your tomatoes. You will get them too fine, and often turn into a frothy pink goo of tomato liquid. Either do with a knife or use a manual food processor/chopper. You will still have tomatoes, just chopped up. I’ve had one for years, and love mine. I can chop up 8 pounds tomatoes in just a couple minutes, using my arms for power.

Crushed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

8 pounds ripe tomatoes, washed and air dried
Bottled lemon juice
Fine sea salt or canning salt

Directions:

Place 8 clean pint mason jars in a water bath canning kettle Full jars with water, and half way up the canner. Place the rings and new lids in a saucepan, cover with water.

Bring the canning kettle to a boil. Bring the lids/rings to a simmer.

Meanwhile, trim the tomatoes as needed (cores, and any blemishes). Chop roughly and place in a large stainless steel stockpot. (Or use a manual food chopper)

Bring to a boil, then let fast simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Remove the mason jars, pouring the water back in the pot.

Place on a clean kitchen towel.

Sterilize your tools in the canner quickly.

Using a ladle and a funnel, pack the tomatoes into the jars, leaving space at the top.

Add to each pint jar 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt.

Stir well with a bubble popper or chopstick. Ladle in more tomatoes till jars have ½” headspace.

Wipe rims of jars with a damp (new) paper towel.

Drain the rings and lids, place a lid on each jar, then a ring, and screw on finger tight.

Place jars back in the canner, lower in.

Return to a boil, process pint jars for 35 minutes. Turn off burner, let sit for 5 minutes.

Remove jars and let sit on a clean dry kitchen towel till they cool completely.

Check that the seals are down and tight (that they “pinged” and sealed).

Store with the rings off, a cool, dry and out of the sun.

Makes about 7 pints.

Use up within a year for best taste.

Notes:

If using sea salt, only use commercial sea salt. The artisanal sea salts are great for finishing foods, but not canning.

Only use bottled lemon juice, as it has controlled acidity. Fresh lemons can vary. Modern tomatoes are far sweeter than 50 years ago, so you need controlled acid to preserve them.

~Sarah

Preserving · Recipes

Chocolate Strawberry Spread/Sauce

September 20, 2021 Sarah

My inspiration for this chocolate strawberry sauce was for a chocolate raspberry sauce I saw on Fresh Preserving’s website. It contained a lot of sugar – over 6 cups of it. And while I love raspberries, my body reminds me seeds are not my friend. So I got thinking, and adapted the concept to using Pomona’s Pectin, where I could use a lot less sweetener. I used our honey for the batch, but I include how to use sugar as well. And you’ll only need 2 cups sugar….so bonus there.

Chill the sauce before serving, it is phenomenal over ice cream.

Chocolate Strawberry Spread/Sauce

Ingredients:

2 pounds strawberries
¼ bottled lemon juice
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp Pomona’s Pectin
2 tsp calcium water*
1 cup honey (or 2 cups granulated sugar)

Directions:

Add 6 half pint (8 ounce) mason canning jars into a water bath canner. Fill jars with water and the pot about halfway up. Bring to a boil.

Add the bands and new lids to a small saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a simmer, turn off.

Meanwhile, wash berries well in a water/vinegar bath, drain and then cut off the tops of the strawberries and quarter into a large bowl. Mash up and measure 4 cups out. You won’t need all the berries most likely, but you will need at least 1.5 pounds.

Measure the honey into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into the honey. Set aside. (If using sugar, measure into a bowl and stir dry pectin into it.)

In a large non reactive pot (such as stainless steel), add the strawberries, lemon juice, cocoa powder and calcium water. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

Add pectin-honey (or sugar) mix, stirring vigorously for 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin.

Return to a full boil, stirring often. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.

Drain canning jars back into the pot, place on a clean kitchen towel. Sterilize ladle and funnel in the hot water.

Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean with a new damp paper towel. Place a drained lid on each jar, screw band on finger tight.

Place filled jars in canning pot, lower rack in. Make sure the jars are covered with water. Bring to a boil, and maintain boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level).

Remove jars from water. Let jars cool on a clean kitchen towel. Remove bands and wash, check seals on jars; lids should be sucked down.

Consume within 1 year, once opened eat within 3 weeks and keep in refrigerator after opening. Stir well upon opening.

Notes:

You can use whatever size mason jars you have on hand. Makes about 6 cups. If using sugar, consider adding in a 7th mason jar just in case.

*Calcium water is made from the second packet in the Pomona’s box. It is mixed with water, 1 packet to ½ cup water, I make it in a small mason jar. The leftover water can be stored in the refrigerator for months for further projects.

~Sarah

Preserving · Recipes

Canning No Peeling Pasta Sauce

September 6, 2021 Sarah

It’s first week of September and I am picking tomatoes daily to process. With salsa prepped for the winter, it was time to move onto pasta sauce. I hate peeling tomatoes. It involves spending more time in the kitchen, and more time sweating. This is how to use all the tomatoes you grow: white, yellow, orange, red and the yellow-green ones. You can use any size, from cherry to the big ones. Because we grow our tomatoes, the peels on them tend to be thin. Unlike when you buy 20 pound boxes of commercially grown tomatoes that have thick skins. The peels in our tomatoes disappear into the sauce as it cooks.

Is this sauce different than what is expected in commercial jars of pasta sauce? Yes. It is. It is thinner for one. It will remind you of salsa in how it pours. No tomato paste. No thickeners. It is tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and and herbs. It is the last days of summer preserved for the cold long nights of December. Toss it with hot pasta (a quart jar covers one pound pasta), and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Use it as a base for a hearty vegetable beef soup. Taste in winter summer captured.

No Peeling Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

12 pounds tomatoes
6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1½ tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbsp dried garlic
1½ tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried onion
1½ tsp dried oregano
Sugar to taste (Used 1 Tbsp)

Directions:

Wash and air dry the tomatoes. Remove the stems, and for larger tomatoes, slice off the top part, and chop into smaller wedges. If the tomato has a noticeable core, remove and toss. Remove any blemishes on the peel if needed.

Finely chop or run the tomatoes through a food processor gently to break up. We use a manual food processor which doesn’t destroy the produce.

Add the tomatoes to a large non-reactive stock pot (stainless steel or enamel) along with the remaining ingredients (wait till cooked to add sugar if needed). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often.

Taste the sauce, and if needed add in a tiny bit of sugar.

Meanwhile add mason jars to canner. Fill jars with water and about half way up the canner. Bring to a boil.

Add the rings and lids to a small sauce pan, cover with water, bring to a simmer over medium.

Pull out the jars, draining back into the canner. Place on a clean kitchen towel. Dip your funnel, air bubble popper and ladle into the hot water.

Fill each jar, leaving a ½” headspace. Run bubble popper through jar, add more sauce if needed. Wipe down the rims with a damp paper towel. Place lids and rings on, finger tightening on.

Place into the canner. Jars should be covered with at least an inch of water, if not add in the water from the ring pot. Bring to a boil, let process for 40 minutes.

Take out, let cool on a clean kitchen towel.

Remove rings, note date on lid.

Use within a year for best results. If any lids do not seal, place in refrigerator, use up within a few days.

Makes 4 quart jars (depends on how much you cook it down and how juicy your tomatoes are). If you use pint jars, you will get about 8 jars. Process for 35 minutes.

As always, if you ever go to use a canned item and the lid is not sealed anymore, or bulging, discard it immediately!

~Sarah