Leaving rings on jars in storage
Our family butchered a 500+ pound hog this past weekend, and we were able to render 30+ quarts of lard. We poured the hot lard directly from the press into the jars, and they all sealed. Now I am wondering if I need to leave the rings on in storage. I normally don’t keep my rings on my jars in storage, but I don’t want to do anything to ruin this wonderful lard.
Lisa Smith
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
I take my rings off then wash the sealed, cool jars in hot, soapy water to remove any grease. Then I dry my rings and air dry the jars. When dry, I do put the rings back on but don’t tighten them much at all. This is just to keep lids in place, should one get bumped as they really aren’t “canned” even though they are sealed. Isn’t that lard great? I NEVER use shortening anymore after learning more about it. — Jackie
Canning pinto beans
I saw this information posted on another blog and wondered what your thoughts might be on it. The discussion was about canning dried beans.
“I LOVE home canned pinto beans! … I sort & wash them. 1/2 c. beans per pint or 1 c. beans per quart. Put them in hot jars, top off with boiling water to 1″ head space. I add 1/4 t. salt per pint, 1/2 t. per quart. Get the air bubbles out, wipe the rim of the jar, lid & ring on and in the pressure canner. 11# pressure for 75 minutes for pints, and 90 mins for quarts. I don’t soak them, I don’t cook them. Don’t need to, the pressure canner does that. You should save yourself some electricity and give it a try.”
It WOULD save time and effort, and maybe prevent mushiness. Thanks for any input.
Donna Herlihy
Wentworth, New Hampshire
I have friends who use this method but it isn’t a “recommended” canning method, although I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. The method I use is to pour rinsed, picked through beans into a big kettle. Cover with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Cover and let sit covered for 2 hours. Heat back up to boiling. Then ladle beans out into hot jars, just more than half full. Cover with hot cooking liquid and leave 1″ of headspace. If you don’t have enough cooking liquid, use boiling water. Process for 65 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts. I find this works well and doesn’t take much effort at all. — Jackie.
Growing tomatoes in low light
My garden-loving parents have moved into a senior-living apartment complex and have a north-facing balcony on the 11th floor. Dad desperately wants to grow tomatoes. Do you know of any varieties that might do well under low-light conditions? Will he need to hand-pollinate them?
Carol Elkins
Pueblo, Colorado
Tell your dad not to despair. I’ve grown several tomatoes on north-facing sides of the buildings and had them do okay. They do tend to lean out, looking for the sun. But they will grow and give him tomatoes. Usually, the shorter season tomatoes will do best on the north side, where it tends to be cooler. No, he won’t have to hand-pollinate them. Tomatoes are chiefly self-pollinating, having both male and female parts in each flower, so they don’t need help to set fruit. — Jackie
Thanks, Jackie. Yes, lard is a wonderful homestead fat. It makes the best pie crusts, biscuits, and tortillas. I’m happy to have it in my pantry again.
I also can my dried beans according to the recipe above. I just put the washed, dry beans right into the jars. I’ve never had a problem. It’s so nice to have beans ready and waiting for whenever I want to make chili or burritos.
Carol, I’ve grown tomatoes in shade and part shade and had the same experience Jackie mentions. The shorter season varieties can be planted earlier than regular tomatoes. You may have to look for a while to find plants – at least where I live they aren’t often sold (but should be because spring is long and cold) and I have to grow my own, which your Dad can do with a 2 foot long grow light and seed starting supplies. There are also tomatoes for containers. Short season tomatoes are not gigantic, they are what people call salad tomatoes. Some varieties I’ve grown in shade or part shade that produced well are Stupice, Siletz, Oregon Spring, Glacier, Siberian. I don’t care for Early Girl but know many people who like it and have at least one pot each year. Some of the newer cherry and grape tomatoes are early – Suncherry is one. Some other ideas: does Pueblo have a community garden where he could rent a plot? Can he put a grow light on his balcony for supplemental light? Some balconies have an outside plug. He can make board and block shelves at least 6 ft high, just be sure he starts the shelves away from the wall at the bottom and gradually angles them toward the wall so they don’t tip over. Then he can grow hardy quick crops like lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and green beans. The Tom Thumb type buttercrunch lettuces are quick maturing and salad bowl size for individual servings. Can your parents ask to move to a different unit that is south facing, or is it too late?
Thanks for all the bean info. I have some 16 bean mix that has been hanging around for a while so I’m going to try it. I have lots of home canned bean soup already and want to have some jars of plain beans all done up to use in recipes. Donna
We have canned beans exactly as described for years! They come out great, and the plus is the FLAVOR. Home canned beans have so much more flavor than store bought ones. Also, we can several different types of beans: kidney, black beans, red beans, garbanzo, etc. One difference is this. We have found that 2/3 cup per pint is about right. Big beans like limas get a ‘heaping’ measure. Little beans like red beans or navy soup beans get a ‘scant’ measure. Dry beans swell quickly, so we measure out the dry beans into a pan to wash, then measure them back into the jars for canning. It is amazing how much they will swell just in the washing time. Go fast! Last point: After processing and when the jars are still hot, but not scalding hot, we find it helpful to re-mix the beans by shaking or tipping the jar back and forth several times. If this is not done, the canned beans tend to pack at the bottom of the jar and are not as nicely mixed for use. Go for it! Canning beans is my ‘brain jello’ therapy. It is so simple to do, so quick, and so good.
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