Preserving stuff

[fw707]

Seems like it's not been mentioned much here, but do y'all do much canning and preserving stuff??
Here is a bushel of apples that'll keep for a long time as apple butter. The only difference is the lids and rings we used today.

I coulda sulfered 'em, but I didn't have a barrel. :grin:

 

[Brasilikilt]

I've been wanting to make jerky forever, but have put that idea on the back burner.
I've only had commercially made apple butter, but the home made stuff sounds delicious.
Sulphuring apples..what does that do to them exactly?

 

[renovato]

Fw, that's a good looking batch of apple butter alright! Making me drool! I love that stuff. Been a heap many moons since I had any homemade though. We had apple trees as a kid. I miss them. I grew up in a canning household and as I got older, I got into dehydrating foods too.

Brasilikilt, jerky is simple to make. You can use your oven on the lowest setting, maybe with the oven door slightly open, to dry it out. Nothing fancy needed and SO much better than the commercial stuff.

 

[fw707]

I've only had commercially made apple butter, but the home made stuff sounds delicious.
Sulphuring apples..what does that do to them exactly?

Yep, we make it by my dear ole Granny's recipe, and it is absolutely delicious. :winking:
I've never had any commercially produced apple butter that even came close to the kind we make. I'm gonna try to type up the recipe and save it so it won't be lost after all my folks kick the bucket, so if you want it just send me a pm and I'll send it to you.
Sulphuring apples is a detailed process that uses smoldering sulphur in a tin cup in a barrel. You layer the apple slices and burn a cup of sulphur for every layer. I've never done it myself, but I've had some detailed instructions from the old timers.
My Grandma used to do it, but without her around to help me out I don't think I'd try it now.

 

[boar]

It tells how in the Fox Fire Books. Dilly

 

[Brasilikilt]

The sulphuring of apples is probably a lot better than it sounds, just makes me think of a rotten egg smell to be honest with ya......

I know jerky is simple to make in the oven, I just love that smoke taste so I figured I would get some hardwood chips and smoke the jerky which is a little more involved

 

[Gary]

I don't use sulphur in preserving any fruits or jerking any meats. Just let 'em dry like they did in the old days. Unlike the old days though, I keep them in the oven (with pilot light only) and that way I don't have to worry about flies landing on them.

 

[renovato]

Ahh, gotcha. I kinda cheat on the smoke. I give them a short time in the smoker for flavor, then dry in the oven.

 

[shmrck1]

Gary,
I still make my jerky in one of those
Ron Propel food De-hydraters.Bought it at a yard sale for $3 and has worked flawlessly ever since.
snake-eyes :hmm: