Preserving Summer Produce: Resources + A Few Canning Recipes

September 10, 2017

In my last post, I discussed a few ways you can continue gardening into the autumn. Today, I’m sharing some tips on preserving all of those sweet and savory and maybe even spicy end-of-summer harvests.

There’s nothing quite like popping open a jar of garden-tomato salsa, crunchy pickled veggies, or simple fruit jam, or sprinkling a pinch of garden herbs atop your hearty soups and stews, in the middle of winter, to take you back to warm summer days. While you can buy these items at the grocery anytime, there’s something extra special about preparing them yourself – knowing exactly where the produce came from and what ingredients have been added.

So, whether you’re currently pulling the last of your cucumbers and tomatoes from the vine, or stocking up on peaches and strawberries while they’re at their lowest price of the year at the grocery, here are some ways you can make that summertime goodness last.

Canning + Fermenting

Canning, while perhaps the most popular way to preserve garden produce, is brand new to me. I only attempted my first few batches of canning goods this summer. I was long scared off by the thought of how tedious the whole process sounded – cleaning and sanitizing the jars and lids, keeping them at a certain temperature, ensuring they sealed correctly – but having finally given it a go, I can’t believe how simple it really is. That being said, I’ve only practiced water bath canning so far. Pressure canning is something I feel much more comfortable giving a go now!

A few useful guides:

Drying

Late summer is the perfect time to start harvesting garden herbs for drying, and there are several ways to go about it. I prefer to air-dry herbs, but there are several other methods of drying them – including in the oven, dehydrator, and microwave.

Additionally, pretty much any fruit or vegetable can be dried for storing and eating later. Veggies will typically dry to a crisp, chip-like texture, while fruits become a bit leathery and chewy.

A few useful guides:

Freezing

When done properly, freezing fruits, vegetables, and even herbs is a great way to save them for later. I love stocking up on cheap, seasonal fruits throughout the summer and freezing them for smoothies later. Doing this with veggies and herbs makes throwing together a winter soup or stew easy peasy.

Here’s a great article that breaks down both freezing and drying summer produce, based on the crop.

A few useful guides:

Storing

Some garden produce doesn’t have to be preserved using the methods above in order to last awhile before use. Squash, root vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots, and so on, and melon, when stored properly, can last weeks and sometimes months before going bad. Though, they all have their likes and dislikes as to how they prefer to be stored, so it’s important to look into this before simply tossing them in the cupboard.

A few useful guides:

Whew! Needless to say, there are plenty of ways to preserve summer produce so that you can enjoy it any time of year. What are your favorite ways to go about it?

I thought I’d end this post with a few incredibly simple canning recipes that I’ve tested this summer, all of which have yielded great results and are perfect for those just learning to can.

Fresh Garden Salsa

I followed this recipe exactly, adding in two small jalapeño peppers and their seeds, since we prefer our salsa a bit spicier. | Recipe via allrecipes.

Dill Pickles

I took the easy way out on this one and bought a pre-made packet mix, as it was my first go at canning anything. I used Mrs. Wages dill pickle mix and instructions, but if you’re looking for a homemade version, this one looks simple enough.

Strawberry + Peach Jam

One of my favorite weekend breakfasts to enjoy in the fall and winter months is a warm piece of toast, or an english muffin, topped with a little butter or cream cheese and a healthy serving of fruit jam. It’s always boggled me a bit, how many ingredients can be listed on the side of a jam jar, so I wanted something simple. Both of the recipes I tried only require fruit, lemon juice, and sugar, omitting the pectin and other add-ins you’ll find in so many store-bought varieties. | Strawberry Jam Recipe via Sweet & Savory by Shinee and Peach Jam Recipe via Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

I’d love to hear how you go about storing and saving your summer garden produce. What options am I missing? What are your favorite recipes? Happy preserving, friends!

xo, Aly

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