Preserving Food Recipe Collection

Jams and Jellies – Pickles – Relishes – Plus lots more!

Learn how to preserve foods safely for your family with this Preserving Food Recipe Collection. Home canning is an excellent way to preserve garden produce.  Make your food supply last longer by properly canning your fruits and vegetables.

Jams and Jellies:

Basic Berry and Fruit Puree
Simple basic fruit purees capture the sweet/tart balance of the summer fruit to use in fruit drinks, ice cream, sorbets, grantias, and whatever else you might want to use them in.


Blackberry Jam

rows of mason jars full of homemade blackberry jamAfter my daughter’s had their first successful attempt at Raspberry Jam making, they decided to take on canning Blackberry Jam.  This second go round went more smoothly for them, as they got into the groove of the canning process.  Lesson learned – The more canning you do, the easier and more comfortable it gets with each fruit or vegetable you preserve.

Blackberry Jelly
Do you remember picking fresh blackberries as a kid?  Mom would then make a homemade Blackberry Pie and some homemade blackberry jelly.  So good!  I have learned from experience to wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves to prevent all those scratches when pick blackberries.

Freezer Blackberry Jam
With the bounty of fresh blackberry season, my daughters made some wonderful blackberry freezer jam after spending an afternoon picking berries.  Freezer jam is easy to make and does not require any cooking over the stove or placing the jam in a water bath for processing.
French Onion Marmalade on a plate
French Onion Marmalade – Confit D’ Oignon
This is a wonderful condiment that can be used for a variety of meats, poultry, and fish or simply as a spread for sandwiches, breads, and appetizers.  Also great as part of a cheese platter.
Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
This wonderful recipe is by Brad Bolton of San Diego, CA.  The jalapeno jelly is fantastic with cream cheese and triscuit crackers!  It looks so pretty in red and green (for Christmas presents in pretty jelly jars).

Lavender Jelly
This exotic and gorgeously pretty lavender jelly will truly delight your taste buds with pleasure.  In fact, you will absolutely LOVE the taste!  It can be served as an unusual accompaniment to meats, such as lamb or poultry.

Perada (Pear Cheese or Pear Jelly)
Long considered a delicacy in Iberian and Latin cultures, Perada is nicely paired with cheeses such as Manchego.  Perada is great served on a cheese platter.

Raspberry Jam – How To Make Homemade Raspberry Jam
It’s that time of year again – Raspberry season! What better way to preserve the flavor of raspberries than making homemade raspberry jam?  It’s called preserving summer in a jar.  My family loves this treat during the winter.

Rose Petal Jam
Enjoy this wonderful jam at your next Afternoon Tea Party.

Cucumber Pickles:

Craven County Sweet Pickles
This fantastic sweet pickle recipe was shared with me by my friend, Andra Cook of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Craven County Sweet Pickle recipes has become a very popular recipe with cooks coming to my web site.  Since I get many questions on this recipe, Andra has graciously updated  and added some comments on making these wonderful sweet pickles.

Grand Mammy’s Carolina Sharps
This recipe was shared with me by my friend, Andra Cook of Raleigh, North Carolina.  The recipe also appears in our cookbook called What’s Cooking America which was co-authored by Andra.

Sweet Pickled Banana Chile Peppers
This recipe does not require a water bath.  Make sure the jars seal properly.  If one does not seal, put it into the refrigerator.  It will still pickle within two weeks.  Use within two months.

Pickled Beets:


Refrigerator Pickled Beets

Since I, personally, don’t like to take the time to process and can vegetables, I always want to either refrigerate or freeze them.  This is a very easy and delicious way to make pickled beets.  My husband loves them!

Pickled Beets
This recipe is from my mother, Dorothy Hagerman.  My mother used to make these every year when fresh beets were in the garden.  They are a favorite of my husband.

Relishes and Preserves:

Cajun Chow Chow Relish
A sweet, hot relish of pickled chopped vegetables. There are probably as many varieties of Chow Chow as there are Southern cooks.

Candied Orange Rind
These delicious candied orange rinds will be a welcome addition to any holiday party menu, tree trimming, or even wrapped to be given as a gift.

Learn how to properly and safely can your homemade Tomato Salsa.  Preserving your own food is a very satisfying and rewarding experience.  If we can can, you can too!

Mincemeat – You can either can or freeze homemade mincemeat

Elsie’s Green Tomato Mincemeat Recipe

Great Grandma Miller’s Homemade Mincemeat

Grandma Myers’ Mincemeat Recipe

Preserved Lemons – Lemons Preserved in Salt
What are preserved lemons? A preserved lemon is a lemon that has been soaking in lemon juice and salt for a period of time. During this process, the lemon loses the bitter taste and becomes sweet.

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