Since one chili plant can produce hundreds of peppers, when harvest rolls around, most growers have too many to use and need to preserve them. An excellent preservation method, is smoking them. The jalapeno and Hungarian yellow wax peppers work best for smoking because they are thick walled. You can smoke the thin walled varieties; they just will not retain as strong a smoke flavor. … [Read more...]
Canning or Freezing – Which One is Better?
May 17, 2011 By
There is a renewed interest in food preservation, perhaps due to the fact that it saves money, makes it easier to eat healthier, or both. Regardless of the reason, most people will agree that nothing tastes better in the winter than vegetables picked and preserved at the height of freshness. Food preservation by canning or freezing makes it possible to enjoy summer's bounty year around. Which food preservation method you choose may be due to a variety of factors. Each method has its pros … [Read more...]
Making Perfect Beef Jerky
May 11, 2011 By
Beef jerky is a tasty treat that is very easy to make at home - it is also low in fat and inexpensive. This is a great alternative for a healthier snack for children too. To make beef jerky, either a dehydrator or oven will be needed for beginners. These two methods are very simple. A simple food dehydrator may be purchased at a discount or department store for less than $100; more high-tech models will usually cost more. For those who wish to skip this investment, the oven is the best … [Read more...]
Its In the Can: Canning Green Beans
May 10, 2011 By
The very first step toward canning green beans is to obtain a proper book on canning. While this article will offer some helpful hints and general procedures, it is not meant to replace the detailed instructions necessary for safe and effective canning. … [Read more...]
Food Dehydrator: The Do’s and Don’ts
May 4, 2011 By
When using a food dehydrator there are many things that a person must do, as well as many things that you should avoid doing. For starters, you do need to slice the food so that it allows for even drying in the dehydrator. Many people make the mistake of making slices too thick, thus the food does not get dehydrated completely which means that after being preserved the food still rots. The best recommendation is to slice the food so that it is ½ inch or ¼ inch thick. Your specific … [Read more...]
