Q and A: ripe squash, pectin alternatives, and liquid or no liquid in hot-packed meats

Ripe squash

This year I grew Hopi grey squash for the first time. I noticed that the little curly que by the stem dries up, but the stem that the curly que is on takes longer to dry. I waited until all of it dried up and then picked it a week or so later. I then read you are to wait until winter squash is so hard that you can’t get your fingernail through. I can get my fingernail through my squash. So you think I waited long enough? It had even started to have kind of an pink or orangy glow to one side. I wiped it off and dated the paper towel it is sitting on so that I can let it cure for a month or so to eat it. I am anxious to try it. Will the seeds be ripe enough to save for next year? If my family likes it, I would like to plant even more next year. Could you give me a few recipes to use this beautiful squash? Could I use it in a pumpkin bread recipe? Thank you so much for telling us about this wonderful variety. Also have you seen the pictures of “Glass Gem Corn”? It was saved by a Cherokee man. I have never in my life seen anything so beautiful. The kernels are iridescent.

Barbara Froehlich
Bakersfield, California

A ripe Hopi Pale Grey squash turns a dusty bluish-gray. I leave mine on the vine until a heavy frost is predicted or the vine dies back. Yours may or may not be completely ripe but it probably will be mature enough to store, eat, and save seeds from. The seeds should be hard and very plump. I’m totally sure you’ll love this squash. I give seeds to lots of folks and all of them have given it rave reviews! You can use this squash like any other. We most frequently cut it in large pieces with the skin left on, smear the flesh with butter, and sprinkle brown sugar liberally on it and bake it. Or we stuff a large piece of squash with browned ground sausage or hamburger mixed with vegetables or rice and tomato sauce. I make my pumpkin pies and all of my baked goodies from this squash instead of pumpkin. It’s fruitier and sweeter.

No, I haven’t seen Glass Gem corn. Who carries it? I’d like to try some seeds in our garden. I’m always looking for Heirloom, especially Native American varieties. — Jackie

Pectin alternatives

I use pectin to make jam. It is becoming so expensive now. I have priced it at 3 to 4 dollars a box. What can you use in place of it? I have heard that you can use apple juice to help make jam thicken. If this is true,how much would you use in a recipe?

Mary Thomas
Ferndale, Washington

I use bulk pectin that I buy online cheaply ($4.57 a pound) at Kauffman Fruit Farm or you can call them at (717) 768-7112. You can also get Pamona’s Universal Pectin quite reasonably online or in some health food stores. This works well, too, and is a lot cheaper than buying Sure Jel at a lot of local stores. While apple juice does help jam thicken, it is not dependable and you have to cook your spread down for a longer time than when you use pectin. — Jackie

Liquid or no liquid in hot-packed meats

I had read on one of your posts and just wanted to make sure it’s safe. If I can sausage patties/hamburger patties partial cooked and placed in pint jars that I don’t need any extra liquid other than few tb. of water and some fat. Should the liquid come half way up jar or does it matter?

My mother did it the old way (cooking sausage first placing in jars with fat and seal and turn jars upside down until they sealed. This was the best sausage I ever ate. Of course today we have pressure canners to be safe. I prefer not adding liquid to cooked meat in canning jars as I feel it takes away meat flavor. So how much fat/water for pint jars?

Why does the county extension always say to add liquid to jars for more even cooking? How soon after meat jars are sealed would it be ok to turn jars upside down? I feel the fat at top of jars helps for better seal.

Brenda

I can my sausage patties with no liquid. BUT don’t turn your jars upside down. It was the old way, but instead of making the jars seal better, it actually has the opposite effect, especially when there’s grease involved. Grease can ooze between the lid and jar rim causing the seal to fail.

Experts now are recommending adding liquid to make absolutely sure that the center of a more dense food heats thoroughly and sufficiently during processing. I add liquid to most of my meats for tenderness and juiciness as most meats tend to be dry when canned without liquid (broth). But pre-browned hamburger crumbles and sausage patties can up fine without it. — Jackie