Water Bath Canning Recipes: Healthy and Delicious Meals

Have you been looking for an efficient to perform bath canning? This article will give you recipes that are both healthy and delicious! It is easy to find recipes for water bath canning, but the trick is finding recipes that taste good. In this blog post, we will provide recipes from a variety of different categories including dips and dressings, soups and stews, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and even cocktails!

What is Bath Canning?

Water bath canning is a cooking process that uses water, vinegar, and salt to preserve food. The recipes are cooked at different temperatures for varying amounts of time depending on the type of fruit or vegetable being canned. This method is considered safe because any bacteria that might be present during preparation will be destroyed by the heat treatment involved in the boiling water bath.

Spicy Hot Pepper Jelly

Ingredients:

  • 12 large peppers, jalapeno, or Serrano (seeded)
  • ½ cup chopped onion (optional)
  • ¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger root or candied ginger*  (optional)
  • Juice of two limes
  • Third to one-half box powdered pectin (no sugar needed)
  • One half cup honey
  • Seven cups granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or one minced fresh hot chili, optional

For a spicier jelly replace the green peppers with Serrano chilies and add more red pepper. If you can’t find candied ginger, you can finely grate fresh ginger and simmer it in water for 15 minutes. Then, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into another saucepan until only the grated pulp remains. Add this to your jelly mixture when you add the sugar and proceed with step four of these instructions.

Directions: Cut up peppers (seeded) and place them in a food processor or blender with chopped onion and ginger. Pulse until finely chopped, but do not puree into a smooth paste because you want some texture to remain.

In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the pepper mixture with lime juice, pectin, and honey. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Add the sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in red pepper or chili flakes if desired. Remove from heat; skim off foam with a metal spoon (do not stir). Ladle hot jelly into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in boiling water bath for five minutes. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 24 hours. Makes seven half-pints.

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 32 ounces peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes or two 14.75 ounce cans of whole tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup butter
  • Third to one-half box powdered pectin (no sugar needed)
  • Two tablespoons grated lemon rind

Directions: In a large saucepan, combine tomatoes and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat slightly for simmering at about 200 degrees F., stirring occasionally until mixture is reduced by one-half.

To make the tomato puree: Place hot cooked tomatoes in batches into a food processor or blender container, cover, and process with quick on/off turns until chopped. Transfer to a large bowl or pot as completed.

To make the tomato juice: Pour hot cooked tomatoes into a jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth suspended over a deep container and let stand about one hour; discard collected solids.  Measure five cups of tomato juice (if you have less than five, add water to make up the difference) and pour into a large saucepan. Stir in pectin, lemon rind, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down over high heat, then add sugar all at once. Return mixture to boiling; reduce heat slightly for simmering at about 200 degrees F., stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.

Continue cooking for five minutes, then fill jars with hot soup to within one-half inch of the top rim. Wipe rims clean with a dampened paper towel and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath canner for ten minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet above sea level; 15 minutes if above 1000 feet. Let stand at room temperature until cool, then refrigerate. Makes seven half-pints or three pints.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cups

Ingredients:

  • Three cups all-purpose flour 
  • One teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup butter, room temperature (one stick)
  • ¾ cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter (not natural)

Directions: In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients and stir together. Set aside. Cream softened butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until well blended, then beat in vanilla extract and egg (if you are using eggs).

Gently stir or fold dry ingredients into creamed mixture just until combined. The dough will be stiff but not crumbly; if necessary, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill slightly for easier handling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside. Roll dough into one-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet about three inches apart (mixture will spread). Bake for twelve minutes, until cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the center. Cool completely before filling.

Fill a pastry bag or sealable plastic bag with chilled jelly, such as strawberry (seedless), and pipe into each cookie cup. Makes 48 filled cups.

Apple Strawberry Jam 

Ingredients:

  • Eight cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples (about five large) 
  • One cup diced strawberries
  • Five teaspoons lemon juice 
  • Nine cups sugar plus an additional three to six tablespoons if necessary. Thoroughly stir nine cups of sugar into fruit in a very large bowl or pot; let stand fifteen minutes.

Directions: In a large bowl, combine apples and strawberries; sprinkle with lemon juice, and mix in thoroughly. Measure fruit mixture into a Dutch oven or heavy large pot, stir in sugar, and place over medium-high heat.

Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring frequently with a long-handled metal or wooden spoon. Continue cooking until jam thickens slightly (about one minute), then test for doneness using the cold plate method – when done fruit will have thickened sufficiently so that a small dab of it between your thumb and forefinger will hold its shape when cold. If necessary, stir in additional sugar to achieve this consistency.

Fill jars with jam or jelly within one-half inch of the rim. Wipe rims clean with a dampened paper towel then adjust lids tightly; process fifteen minutes in boiling water bath canner.

Makes six half-pints or three pints of jam/jelly.

New England Corn Chowder

Ingredients: 

  • One tablespoon butter or bacon fat (optional) 
  • Two cups chopped onions, about one large onion 
  • One and a half cups diced celery, about five stalks 
  • Three tablespoons all-purpose flour 
  • Five cups hot water plus two teaspoons chicken bouillon granules dissolved in the water 
  • Three cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed, if using frozen) 
  • One cup diced potatoes, about one large potato 
  • Two teaspoons salt 
  • ½ teaspoon thyme leaves or ground thyme 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper; more to taste if desired. Optional: ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Two half of the cups

Directions: Heat butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and cook until softened but not browned (about five minutes). Stir in flour; add hot water with dissolved bouillon stirring constantly. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to the low allowing mixture to simmer for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in corn and diced potatoes; season with salt, thyme leaves or ground thyme, pepper to taste (add red pepper flakes if desired). Allow soup mixture to simmer until vegetables are tender (about another ten minutes), stirring frequently. Add half & half or milk stir well then cover the Dutch oven allowing the mixture to simmer for another five minutes.

FAQ

What is the Easiest Thing to Water Bath Can?

Beef and chicken can be canned using a water bath, however, the recipes may vary. Some recipes call for adding broth or seasoning to flavor the meat before cutting and placing it into jars. Other recipes do not require this step as long as the pieces of meat are small enough to fit inside pint-sized mason jars along with an inch from the top of the jar.

Can You Boil too Long When Canning?

If the recipes are followed correctly, it is not possible to boil too long. However, overcooking fruit or vegetables can make them mushy and less appetizing for consumption.

How Safe is Watter Bath Canning?

Water bath canning recipes are safe for consumption if the recipes are followed correctly.

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