Q and A: Sourdough starter, canning family recipe, and canning enchilada sauce

Sourdough starter

I have been trying to make sour dough starter for months now and every time it stays in the fridge for more than a week is gets a very dark liquid on the top. It doesn’t smell, just black liquid. Is this normal? Should I throw out the dough and start over? I have drained the liquid off and more comes on top. I even changed flour and it still does it. Could it be the water I’m using? Or the yeast? I use unchlorinated water. I hope you can give me an insight to why this is happening as I do so love making my own bread and sour dough is my all time fav.

Melissa
Annapolis, Maryland

Remember to feed and at least stir up your sourdough starter every few days to keep it alive and active. I’d suggest starting over and using/feeding your starter more often and see if that doesn’t get you going. Usually the black liquid on top of a sourdough starter indicates that it is starting to break down from disuse. — Jackie

Canning family recipe

I am submitting this family recipe for suggestion on how best to can it. It came from my Grandparents Drive-In. It was used on Foot Longs. The recipe is quite large and does freeze well but we would like to have it canned so we can give it as gifts. We have tried it in the past but it comes out over cooked. We pressure canned it for 75 minutes because of the burger in it.
How would you modify this so it does not have a burnt/over cooked flavor?

1 Gallon chopped onions
3 large cans of tomato juice
1/2 cup dried mustard
1/2 cup chili powder
1 3/4 cup corn starch
2 lbs. ground burger (browned)
1 quart ketchup
3 1/2 cups sugar
salt to taste

Cook all except corn starch until half done. Mix corn starch with water and thicken mixture.

Dan Hoopes
Chubuck, Idaho

This is one that probably won’t can up nicely. You’re right; in order to safely process it, you do need to process it for 75 minutes at 10 pounds (or more if you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, which I think you do). and with the corn starch and gallon of chopped onions, it really can’t be processed in a water bath canner, even without the hamburger. I’d suggest giving another home-canned gift and using your frozen chili dog topping for home use. — Jackie

Canning enchilada sauce

I would like to can some green enchilada sauce but can find no recipe for such. Using tomatillos, onion, green peppers, cilantro and chicken broth, and spices; can this be water bathed, and for how long?

Nancy Morrison
Pocatello, Idaho

Sorry, but you’ll have to pressure can this, as it contains chicken broth. I would process it at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes (pints) and 45 minutes for quarts for safe processing. If you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, consult your canning book for directions on increasing your pressure to suit your altitude, if necessary. — Jackie