# My wife is now officially a "canner"



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

My wife is from a larger city and grew up in a very wealthy home; gardening, canning and prepping were not part of her upbringing. Neither were guns, preparedness, camping, hunting, fishing, etc., etc., etc. So when I started talking to her about it last year I expected her to resist, perhaps even question my sanity. Not so. She embraced it. While my focus was on prepping, her focus was on feeding children healthier natural foods. Either way it is win-win for all of us. But then she decided that I could focus on canning meat and making jerky, sausage, etc. and that garden would be hers. I did not resist. She started this year with a small raised bed garden. Tomatoes mostly but a few onions and green peppers as well. She worked the garden and did a lot of reading and research on canning. She purchased her supplies and got everything ready. Today she made a batch of stewed tomatoes with onions, green pepper, garlic and seasonings. In the end she only produced about 10 jars worth but could not have been happier. She was so proud of her new found ability that all she could talk about was how next weekend she was going to make and can spaghetti sauce and the weekend after she was going to make salsa. I think I have created a monster. Right now she is on the phone with a woman from the farmer's market haggling over a crate of raspberries so she can try her hand at preserves. 

I love it when a plan comes together.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Congrats.


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## Moby76065 (Jul 31, 2012)

MANNNNN.....my wife makes me do all the prepping!

Then eats my "bottled meat" when she doesn't want to cook!

Lucky dog! LOL


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

BRAVO!!! :congrat: Mrs. Sentry18! Sounds like she is going to soar the heights :congrat:


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## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

Yay!! It's so addictive. My husband loves it except when I run out of "normal" stuff to can so I start getting, umm, experimental and creative  Just wait till she starts raiding the fridge/freezer because she needs something, anything to get her canning fix lol.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

That's the way to do it, get 'em started on the small things and before you know it their running the woods in brain tanned buck skins. Congrats


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

The upside is some at home sustainability and good healthy food, the downside is that we have a lot of jars, lids, tools and big metal pots taking up space in our kitchen. She wants to make and can spaghetti sauce next weekend but I think we are going to have to install a couple more large cabinets instead. We have two cabinets in our kitchen that are about 22" wide 26" deep and 80" tall. We put them in last fall just for canned goods (as in metal cans you buy from the grocery store), my homemade MRE supplies (including my vacuum sealer) and her baking supplies. But there is actually room for two more cabinets to fill in the space. I will lose my mini-fridge (dedicated to heavenly nectar that is Coke Zero) but the space would be much better utilized with "canning cabinets".


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## Tacitus (Dec 30, 2012)

Moby76065 said:


> MANNNNN.....my wife makes me do all the prepping!


Me too! Lucky dog indeed!


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

We started off as something to do and to make pickles which I couldn't justify purchasing while laid off... now it's an obsession with hundreds and hundreds of jars!


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Sentry18 said:


> The upside is some at home sustainability and good healthy food, the downside is that we have a lot of jars, lids, tools and big metal pots taking up space in our kitchen. She wants to make and can spaghetti sauce next weekend but I think we are going to have to install a couple more large cabinets instead. We have two cabinets in our kitchen that are about 22" wide 26" deep and 80" tall. We put them in last fall just for canned goods (as in metal cans you buy from the grocery store), my homemade MRE supplies (including my vacuum sealer) and her baking supplies. But there is actually room for two more cabinets to fill in the space. I will lose my mini-fridge (dedicated to heavenly nectar that is Coke Zero) but the space would be much better utilized with "canning cabinets".


It wont be enough room. We have 2 kitchens, and it's not enough room. We are just addicted to getting more and more big pots and pressure canners.

Congrats to Mrs Sentry! Nothing better than to hear that first jar "pop" and seal itself. My daughter in law just did her first canning on her own last week. She was very excited.


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## Seasoned-prepper (Aug 27, 2013)

*Congrats*

Congrats,
Its True canning is addictive ! My Hubby had to make me shelves more than once . It makes you feel good knowing you can save money and provide healthy food choices for your family!


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Sentry18 said:


> But then she decided that I could focus on canning meat and making jerky, sausage, etc. and that garden would be hers.
> I love it when a plan comes together.


if you haven't tried this yet for jerky I strongly encourage you to give it a shot! I made the candied jalapeno's... which I've freaking LOST!!!! somewhere in the house because preps go into various nooks and crannies... :dunno:

but the left over syrup from making this recipe was an </insert angel choir>*AWESOME*</shush angels> marinade for beef jerky. I even got another 5 lb. roast beef the other day because I still have 1.5 pints of syrup I canned, but the entire holiday weekend got away from me  it might end up in the crockpot for lunches and I'll buy yet another roast for the jerky later this week.

I also have a FoodSaver brand vacuum sealer and my model has a "marinade" setting. I basted all of the cut up strips in the syrup, and then put them through the marinade process twice, because I didnt realize I was dorking it up the first time, I didnt know it was suppose to have a cool down timer before it started another infusing vacuum seal... because reading manuals is for suckers!!!! 

Here's the recipe, and my apologies for not being able to give credit where it's due, I'm pretty sure this is a direct rip from our site here... and having used the syrup on jerky I can swear an oath that it is incredible, there's no "heat" that you would associate with jalapenos, just lots and lots of tangy flavor!

No joke, I'm going to start canning this syrup just for meat prep recipes.

here's the post:

This is the recipe I use, there are a lot of other versions out there. I also can banana peppers in this syrup.

* 3 pounds Firm, Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Washed
* 2 cups Cider Vinegar
* 6 cups White Granulated Sugar
* one half teaspoon Turmeric
* one half teaspoon Celery Seed
* 3 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
* 1 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
makes 2 pints
Preparation Instructions
Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.
Slice the peppers into uniform 1/ 4 inch rounds. Set aside.
In a large pot , bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and
cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and
simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean,
sterile canning jars to within 1/ 4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot
with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking
chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air.
Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean paper towel dampened with white vinegar and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
I F YOU DO NOT WANT TO CAN THESE TO THE POINT OF SHELF STABLE, YOU CAN SIMPLY
PUT THE JARS I N YOUR REFRIGERATOR AND STORE THEM THERE.

Note: I f you have left over syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half -pint or
pint jars, too. I t 's wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, in short , don't toss it out !
TO CAN, place jars in a canner and cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full
rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, SET THE TIMER FOR 10 MINUTES FOR HALFPINTS OR 15 MINUTES FOR PINTS. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the
jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe
them with a clean, damp washcloth, then label.
Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating. We never can
resist that long. 
__________________
In my world the SHTF years ago. I scrape it off and grow Vegies


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> I will lose my mini-fridge (dedicated to heavenly nectar that is Coke Zero) but the space would be much better utilized with "canning cabinets".


RIP coke zero haven.

Sentry, that is super awesome that Mrs. Sentry is all in with you! Wish my DH would get in to prepping with me. One day, I guess.  What spaghetti sauce recipe are yinz using?


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## MsSage (Mar 3, 2012)

Awesome....I still get all excited when jars pop..but I am weird LOL Before you know it she will be doing all kinds of canning ...even making you go sunflower hunting to get the petals for jelly.
You can always find another spot for the fridge BUT warning it will get filled with things that need to be canned


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

Sentry just move your mini fridge to your man cave/prep paradise...it's a win win!


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

The problem with putting the mini-fridge in the man cave is having to defeat multiple layers of security every time I want a Coke!

Here's a visual so you can see what I mean.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

Sentry that is awesome! And I thought the man cave was simply a room...lol


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

MsSage said:


> Awesome....I still get all excited when jars pop..but I am weird LOL


Thank the Lord that I am not the only one who gets excited over the jar popping!


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> The problem with putting the mini-fridge in the man cave is having to defeat multiple layers of security every time I want a Coke!
> 
> Here's a visual so you can see what I mean.


I'm not calling you fat, but you can always use the exercise.  :lolsmash: All the walking would be worth the delicious, amazing coke zero.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Walking is for people who shop in malls. Fetching cans of ice cold Coke Zero is a job best left to young children eager to please their father. Maybe I should put it in the play room!

On a side note I get plenty of exercise violating people's civil rights and with my jack booted thuggery. It's exhausting.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> Walking is for people who shop in malls. Fetching cans of ice cold Coke Zero is a job best left to young children eager to please their father.


Genius.


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Coke Zero is sounding pretty awesome. I'm gonna have to try one.

Alas, it sounds like a diet drink with one of the aspartame or somesuch in it, which I just cant stand the taste or burning of my throat from it.

But I'll try to remember to buy one tomorrow and try it just because you guys are lovin it


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Tell Mrs Sentry she just got a big round of applause from my whole family.


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## Tank_Girl (Dec 26, 2011)

I like Coke Zero so much more than Diet Coke because it doesn't have the horrible aftertaste.

Tastes just like normal Coke to me. 
Mind you we have the sugar cane version here in Australia and not that crappy corn syrup garbage.


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