Pickling radishes

Believe it or not, I couldn’t find in your canning book a recipe for pickling radishes. Do you have any suggestions?
 
Jon Gallo

All I do when I can radishes is to slice or dice in large dices then place in ice water. Meanwhile I just mix sugar and vinegar to taste then bring to a boil. When it has simmered a few minutes, pour over drained radishes in a jar, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace then place a hot, previously simmered lid on, screw the ring down firmly tight. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. — Jackie

Strawberry rhubarb jam

I finally got a hold of some rhubarb so I went to make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam. I noticed in your canning book that you have a recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam on page 75, and you process it for 15 minutes. But on page 73 there’s a recipe for Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam, same ingredients, only the processing time is 10 minutes. Any difference in the recipes I’m not noticing?

D. McIlwain
Lowman, New York

Oops, I think this recipe got put in twice — just the title was switched around. Either 10 or 15 minutes will work with jam when you’re water bath canning — Jackie

Bacon

I bought a large box of bacon, mostly because of the name and we do use a lot of bacon. Or did before my husbands heart surgery. There is a lot of fat on this bacon. Some very good pieces but lots of fat. Any suggestions?

Nancy Foster
Dallas City, Illinois

Well, you can slow fry the bacon, then drain off the fat as it accumulates. Or you could can it and leave off the fat when you heat it to use. And, of course, use less bacon. Boy is that hard! I missed you at the Des Moines show! — Jackie

5 COMMENTS

  2. Bake your bacon! Put it on a cooling rack that sits inside a jelly-roll pan or other large pan with sides – don’t let the strips touch. Some people just cook it on a sheet lined with foil, but I like using a rack. You can sprinkle it with pepper, or make “pork candy” buy sprinkling with brown sugar then with red pepper flakes. Yum! Put it in a cold oven, turn the heat to 400, then check it at 15 minutes, maybe less if the bacon is thin. It’s easier to control the fat, as it is drained instantly and you can always trim it again after baking.

    This is a great way to make bacon for a crowd or to make it ahead; cook a bit less than you really like, then finish cooking later when you need it.

  3. I missed me there also. Looked forward to it as it is closer then the MRE but things did not work out.

  5. Hi Jackie,

    I picked up your canning book at the MREA in Custer and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Thank you so much for all your hints, tips and recipes. I’ve been both water bath and pressure canning for years and am always on the look out for new ideas and recipes. Your book fit the bill. Oh, imagine my delight when I was thumbing thru and noticed that my question about venison was published in your book. I was tickled pink!!!!

    Michele

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