Canning pesto and garlic

I would like to try and can pesto, I know you can buy it in the store in a jar, is it possible to can it? Also, I am drying garlic for garlic powder, is it possible to can chopped garlic? This is another item that can be purchased.

Robin Novotny
Ironton, Minnesota

Sorry, but I can’t find ANY information on canning pesto, but I have canned chopped garlic. Again, as there is no “expert” advice, this must be regarded as “experimental” canning (i.e. can at your own risk). As garlic is an allium, I can’t see why garlic can’t be canned just like onion, so that’s what I do. I chop my fresh garlic, then place in a kettle just covered with water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pack hot into half pint jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Add ½ tsp. salt. Cover with boiling water to within ½-inch of the top of the jar. Process at 10 pounds pressure for 25 minutes in a pressure canner. If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult your canning book for directions on increasing your pressure to suit your altitude. — Jackie

Storing cabbage

I have been growing heirloom plants for years and have had a problem with some of my bi’s. (biennials) Last year the bugs got my spring cabbage so I planted some in the fall, they didn’t come to full term by winter so I thought I would just leave them in and see what happens. Well, all winter I would go in the back garden to turn my compost and the small plants were trying to live, in the spring I broke off the dead leaves and fertilized them and have the biggest most beautiful cabbage.

My problem is that I have nowhere to store them in the heat of summer and all through the winter( I think they would rot that long in storage), you are supposed to store them upside down in straw in a cool place over winter replant in spring and cut an x in the top to help the seed shoot come up. I want to try to put one in the fridge for a few weeks upside down and fool the plant to sent up seed this year. Even the master gardeners around here don’t know if it will work and are waiting with bated breath to see if it does. Any suggestions? No one has heard of doing it before but I am sure someone has tried.

Damian Kline
Summit, Arkansas

You’ll just have to try it and see what happens! Sometimes you have to be the pioneer! Please let us know what happens. I do know that many plants can be “fooled” into producing seed the first year by cold storage. — Jackie

Fig preserves

What is the easiest, best tasting way to can whole fig preserves? What is the shelf life, when properly done and with a good seal?

Robert McAlister
Fairhope, Alabama

Here’s a good recipe for fig preserves. Once canned, they will remain good nearly forever!

2 qts. figs
2 qts. boiling water
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 qt. water
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced with seeds removed

Pour boiling water over figs and let stand 15 minutes. Drain. Rinse in cold water. Mix sugar and 1 qt. water, along with lemon slices in large kettle. Boil 10 minutes. Remove and discard lemon slices. Put figs into boiling syrup, a few at a time. Cook over medium heat until figs are transparent. Remove figs and place in shallow pan. Repeat. Then boil syrup until thick and pour over figs. Let stand overnight. Reheat figs and syrup to boiling and remove from heat. Pack into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult your canning book for directions on increasing your processing time to suit your altitude, if necessary. — Jackie

4 COMMENTS

  2. Allen, here is the part you are questioning and what I get out of it:

    “Put figs into boiling syrup, a few at a time. Cook over medium heat until figs are transparent. Remove figs and place in shallow pan. Repeat.”

    What I get is the “a few at a time” means that you won’t be doing them all at once so repeat till they are all finished. Hope this helps and if I have it wrong maybe someone else can help us both. lol

  3. In the Fig preserve directions you say “Repeat”. Repeat what? If the figs have been removed and placed in a shallow pan, there shouldn’t be any more to put into the pan. I don’t mean to cause problems, I just don’t understand what should be fairy simple directions.

  4. Due to an abundance of basil one year, I made up a large batch of pesto and froze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen I transfered it to a freezer bag for handy access. We had great pesto for years:) and a lot less expensive than the store-bought.

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