Food Preservation
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Perfectly Pickled Eggs
Newsflash: Pickled Eggs are actually delicious, as well as being a high protein and low carbohydrate snack! I know that the term “pickled egg” makes people think of the scary, room temperature, gross, glowing-neon yellow eggs floating in a jar on a gas station countertop (that have been there for who knows how long?!). BUT these are a whole different story! The results are a tangy (think vinegar), salty, flavorful snack that can also be a contribution to other dishes. I like to add them to salads, atop homemade Ramen, and as a fun addition to cheese boards.
I also make an adorable “mini” version with Quail Eggs: https://itsasavagelife.com/pickled-quail-eggs/
Pickled eggs are perishable and need to be kept refrigerated, but they only get better with time as the brine sinks deeper into the egg. We usually have emptied the jar in a few weeks but oddly enough they are said to be perfectly safe if stored in an airtight container below 40F for a few months! (I don’t suggest it though!)
Let’s get to it!
You will need:
- 1 clean and sterilized 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar
- 18 Hard boiled and Peeled Eggs
- 2 cups White Vinegar
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (aka ACV)
- 1/2 cup Boiling Hot Water
- 1/4 cup Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce- whichever you have)
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- Various spices of your choice: Pickling Spice, Bay Leaves, Peppercorns, Dried Red Chili Flakes, Dried Rosemary, Dehydrated citrus slices, Celery Seeds, Dehdrated Onion, Dill Weed, Garlic Cloves, the list goes on…
Place peeled hard boiled Eggs in clean 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar. There should be a little headspace left near the top of the jar. Add salt, pepper and your choice of spices. You really can’t go wrong with any variety of savory and fragrant herbs. Then pour in Vinegars, Aminos (or Soy Sauce) and boiling Water until eggs are covered. Tightly place the lid and gently shake to mix the spices into the brine. Some air bubbles may release causing the brine level to drop, if this happens you can add more hot water until eggs are covered. You may also place a glass fermentation weight in the jar to keep eggs submerged deep in the brine but it is not necessary if you don’t own one.
Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator. Allow to “pickle” for at least 10-14 days and then enjoy!
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Savory Wholegrain Mustard
Mustard is hands down my favorite condiment! The tangier the better for me! This recipe has the perfect vinegar tang, herbs, and a savory depth contributed by beer. I prefer wholegrain mustard since I like the unique texture. This recipe can easily be turned into a smoother texture with the help of a immersion blender. This recipe is for a multi-jar batch to be canned or simply placed in the Fridge.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 Cup whole Yellow Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 Cup whole Brown Mustard Seeds
- 1 Cup Beer (a light lager or ale… nothing too “hoppy” or else the mustard can become bitter)
- 1 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Sage
- 1 Teaspoon dried Dill Weed
- 1 Teaspoon Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 cup Honey
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 1 hour. Then place mixture into a large saucepan and cook on Medium-High heat. Simmer for 30 minutes and be sure to stir every so often during the cooking process.
Next remove from heat. If you are going to use the immersion blender, do so CAREFULLY! Place immersion blender in the mixture and slowly blend to desired thickness.
If canning the mustard: While mixture is still hot pour into sterilized jars, place lids/rings, and water bath for 10 minutes. Gently remove with jar tongs and let sit on a towel lined counter where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours. After 24 hours tests the lids, and if sealed place in cupboard. If not sealed, place in the fridge. *Please be familiar with canning basics and educate yourself on canning food safety before attempting to can for the first time. It is a skill that requires certain steps for safety.
If refrigerating the mustard: Pour mixture into sterilized jars. Place lids/rings and then allow to cool before placing in refrigerator.
Whether you can it or refrigerate it, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting about 4 weeks for it to be perfect! The longer it sits, the more complex the flavors become. All good things take time, and this is no difference!
I tend to keep a jar in the fridge at all times, and use it in many ways. It is fantastic slathered on sandwiches and burgers. Also as a addition to salad dressings and marinades. I tend to use it as a sauce for meat, and to dip just about anything in (my favorite being soft pretzels)!
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Canned Grapefruit
It doesn’t typically get very cold where we live, but last week we had a storm that brought snow and freezing temperatures. My friend has citrus trees that were laden with beautiful fruit. The day before the storm we stripped the trees of their bounty before it all would be ruined. We picked over 100 grapefruit alone! Which lead us to think… what do we do now? We can only drink so much Grapefruit juice! I have always LOVED eating Grapefruit since childhood, so we started canning the golden segments to eat at any time of year.
*This is a simple recipe and does not go into depth on required steps needed for canning safety. I will eventually create a “basics to canning” post to help beginners. In the meantime please do some research to ensure you understand water bath canning and that you have the appropriate tools and knowledge to process food safely.
Be sure to have your jars sanitizing and staying hot. I run them in my dishwasher on a sanitizing rinse as I am preparing the ingredients for canning. Then I remove them as I use them so they stay hot.
Begin by rinsing all grapefruit. Then remove membranes, white pith and seeds. Leaving just the flesh of the fruit. Set aside in a large bowl.
Next, prepare an extra light syrup by mixing 1 1/4 cups of sugar to 5 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. (This will make about 6 cups of syrup, you may need more or less depending on how much fruit you have, but it is handy to have extra in the fridge for recipes or to sweeten drinks). Stir to dissolve sugar. Once syrup is ready, leave on Medium heat and keep hot until use. I prefer an extra light syrup so it won’t overpower the grapefruit with sweetness. I am not a fan of overly “syrupy-sugary sweet” canned fruits, I prefer the natural taste and sugar to shine through.
Place segments into clean/sterile/hot jars. Leave at least 1″ of headspace as they do tend to float to the top during the canning process. Using a canning funnel slowly ladle hot syrup over the fruit in to the jars. (Be smart and use pot holders to protect your hands from burns.) Still leave about 1″ of headspace. Be sure to remove any air bubbles that may be present. Then take a clean damp towel, wipe the edge of the jar mouth so that the lids have a clean surface to adhere to. This will help prevent “false seals”. Immediately place a lid evenly onto jar. Screw on rings “finger tightness”, and place into boiling hot water bath canner.
Once the canner is at capacity (mine only fits 4 Quarts at a time), cover with lid and maintain a boil for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove each jar using jar tongs and place on a towel lined countertop where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours.
The next day you must test your seals. Remove the rings, and try to pry off the lid with your fingers. If it does not budge, you have a tight seal and it can be safely stored. If the lid budges or opens, it must be placed in the fridge and used within a week as it is not safe to keep at room temperature.
These jars of grapefruit are so beautiful on the shelf and will be a refreshing treat at anytime no matter the season. I plan on using them in desserts, fruit salad, cocktails, atop of yogurt, as well as eating them straight from the jar! Enjoy!
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Freezer Applesauce
Homemade Applesauce is SO simple to make. It tastes much better than any kind you can purchase at the store and requires minimal ingredients. I make a large batch and then store in jars inside the freezer. Once defrosted it tastes just as fresh as when it was just made. It is fantastic by itself, on vanilla ice cream or my favorite is as a condiment for fried pork chops or pork schnitzel!
I was recently blessed with a gift of Granny Smith Apples from my cousin’s tree. Granny Smith Apples are my favorite for making applesauce, they cook up very well (without losing too much texture) and add a teeny bit of tartness.
Ingredients:
It doesn’t get better than home grown apples! - Apples (5 pounds)
- Lemon Juice
- Sugar
- Your choice of spices: Cinnamon, ground ginger, etc
You will also need to have clean/sanitized Quart jars and lids. Since these are going in the freezer, the plastic lids for Mason Jars are perfect.
First, wash all apples. Then, peel and remove core. These were home-grown apples, so naturally they had more unfavorable “spots” to be removed than you would find in store bought apples. As you cut the apples, place the pieces into a large bowl full of cold water that contains 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Once all the pieces are cut, drain off the water and place them into a large stockpot. (I use a very large enamel stockpot) Be sure that it is deep enough so that you can easily stir the sauce without spilling.
This stock pot is a life saver! One of my most used cook ware items! Set on Medium Heat and stir often throughout the cooking process. Be sure to scrape the bottom often with a spatula or flat wooden spoon to prevent scorching. Here is where you can allow it to cook as long or as little as you’d like. I prefer a little bit of “chunks” but many members of my family prefer a smooth texture. *If a smooth texture is preferred you can always use an immersion blender once it has cooled.
*Obviously do not use an immersion blender inside of an enameled stockpot! It would be disastrous!
Once it is cooked to your liking, remove from heat and mix in ground cinnamon and sugar to taste. I tend to add less sugar than most people would, and I add in ground ginger as I prefer a tart applesauce rather than super sweet. Ground cloves and ground Nutmeg are also great choice for “spicing” up your sauce! Honey or Pure Maple Syrup can also be used as a sweetener alternative to sugar.
Once completely cooled, place into jars with generous “headspace” as it will expand inside the jar when frozen. Place into freezer without the lids. Apply lids only when applesauce is COMPLETLY frozen, or else the expansion once frozen can cause your jar to break. Believe me, I have broken many jars by being too impatient and placing the lids before they were frozen. So I typically wait until the next day to apply my lids just to be safe. This recipe makes approximately 6 Quarts.
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Plum Preserves
Plum preserves are a perfect way to capture the sweet taste of summer!
I use it as a spread for bread, ice cream or yogurt topping, and as an addition to my Kombucha!
How beautiful are these?! My recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled!) if you are blessed with an abundance of plums.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of fresh plums
- 1 pound of organic cane sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
Of course, the first step is to wash and pit all the plums. I prefer to keep the skin on since most of it cooks up, and what is left just adds to the texture and density of the preserves.
Place plums into a large heavy bottomed stainless steel or enamel coated pot, then mix in sugar and lemon juice. I use a large enamel coated stockpot so that I don’t have to worry about it bubbling over and making a mess.
Cook on Medium-High heat stirring often until plums are cooked down and you have reached the desired thickness. It will have turned a BEAUTIFL Red/Purple color by this time. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well when stirring to prevent sticking and burning.
Pour into clean/sanitized jelly jars using a jar funnel. Be sure to wipe the rim of the jar clean with a damp towel before you apply lids to ensure a good seal. Apply rings tightly and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Carefully remove jars and place on a clean kitchen towel on the counter to “rest” for a day. Be sure to check the seal on your jars a day later to ensure they all sealed correctly. Place any unsealed jars in the fridge and use within a week (I HIGHLY recommend pouring over vanilla ice cream!).
