This year, at C & C's Kitchen, we made tart applesauce using apples collected from the excess yield of Grant Farm's orchard (thank you to the abundance provided by Andy Grant and Grant Farms!), as well as ginger/garlic/rosemary pickled carrots from our raised beds.
Both are pretty easy to make. Take a look at some pictures, and keep reading below for the how-to:
THE APPLESAUCE:
~Fresh Apples
~Cinnamon and Sea Salt to taste
~Water to simmer in as needed
~2 large pots
~mason jars (number of which depending upon quantity of apples to can) and lids
~Canning tongs
Peel and chop apples into medium chunks, and add to pot on medium to low heat, with about an inch of water covering the bottom. Add cinnamon and sea salt to taste. Keep adding water (so that the bottom doesn't burn) and stirring occasionally until a chunky-soft sauce has formed and apples are cooked thoroughly.
In a separate large pot, fill 3/4 full with water (enough to cover pint size mason jars), and bring to a boil. reduce to scalding hot / low-boil/simmer. Heat empty clean mason jars in water until scalding. At this point, when everything is scalding hot (the jars, the applesauce, and water), and very clean, you'll want to work quickly to get the jars filled, sealed, and put back into the boiling water without giving them a chance to cool down. So, pull the jars out of the hot water using the tongs, and fill (using a funnel and scoop works well to keep the sides of the jars clean) with applesauce, leaving about a half inch between the top of the applesauce and the top of the jar. Keep the edges of the jar clean so that it seals well. Immediately screw the lids on tight! Put back in the barely boiling water for a minimum of 20 - 25 minutes, using the tongs. After 20 - 25 minutes, remove from the boiling water and set to cool on a towel or hot pad. When you hear the lids seal or "pop," it means they've sealed properly for preserving. They should sound "tight" when you tap on the lids with your finger. Sometimes it takes a couple hours of cooling for the "sealing pop" to take place with all the jars.
THE CARROTS:
~ Carrots and canning jars and lids to proportion
~Garlic cloves, peeled and whole
~rosemary sprigs
~sage sprigs
~parsley sprigs
~ginger slices (fresh)
~peppercorns
~whole cardamon
~White vinegar
~Water
~salt
~Sugar
~Apple cider vinegar
Cut the carrots into quartered long slices as to fit upright in the mason jars without sticking up, and leaving an inch of room at the top. Peel and divide the garlic bulbs into individual cloves, slice the ginger, and separate the herbs into single sprigs to prepare
To make the Brine:
Add equal parts of white vinegar and water together, with a few splashes of apple cider vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher pickling salt per 4 cups of liquid total (2 cups water/ 2 cups vinegar). Add 1/4 -1/2 cup sugar per 4 cups liquid (depending how sweet you'd like it to off-set the tart-ness.
Bring to a boil until salt and sugar is dissolved. Reduce to a scalding simmer.
To Pickle the Carrots:
As with the applesauce, have everything piping hot and clean (except the carrots and "jar-fillings" do not need to be hot to begin with; they will be raw when added to the jars.)
remove the jars from the scalding clean water, and fill with: one clove garlic, one ginger slice, one sprig each of sage, rosemary, and parsley, and a sprinkle of peppercorns and cardamon. Then stuff each jar full with carrots, vertically. Pour the hot brine over the carrots, completely covering all the contents, and immediately screw the hot lids onto the jars. Using the canning tongs, place the hot full jars back in the almost-boiling water and simmer / boil for 10 - 20 minutes. Remove from water and let cool until you hear the sealing "pop" come from all the jars, and they feel sealed with a tap of the finger.
Store in the pantry and pop open on a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, for a much needed garden treat!
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