When it became time to make pickles , with tomato's not too far off I pulled out my large canning kettle my mama had given me, put water in it and set it on the stove. In no time at all I noticed the top of the stove covered in water, lifting up the canner I spotted the pin drop hole leaking water everywhere.
Fine, I already had my cukes all cut up and jars all ready to go so what was I to do? ( Wasn't sure I trusted the canner anyhow with a little rust that had been forming in it!)
Well I have only been doing small batch canning anyways so I got out my trusty one and only 2 quart stainless steel pan and put some water in that. After I had my pickles packed in jars I put them in the pan and covered it well with aluminum foil. ( The lid won't fit with jars placed in it)
This worked fine enough to where I did not feel compelled to rush out and spend money I did not have on a new canning kettle. I can place 3 quart jars in it at a time or 4 pint jars which is about what I tend to process at any one time anyways.
This did create a problem with tomato's however as I could not peel them and cook them in my 2 quart pan I needed hot water in and keeping everything hot is imperative! Also I can not use the pan to heat my jars in.
So I pour hot water into a kitchen sink for the jars to stay in until ready for use.
I peel all my tomato's in the afternoon and place them in my slow cooker which I put in my fridge until the evening hours which I then plug in and put on low to cook all night. I do this with either just regular tomato's or a batch of salsa for winter storage.
The next day when ever I am ready I get my jars in the sink with hot water and bring the 2 inches of water in my 2 quart pan to gentle boiling, pack the jars and process for the 10 to 15 minutes depending on what I am processing.
It has been working beautifully and working with what I have already on hand!
Fine, I already had my cukes all cut up and jars all ready to go so what was I to do? ( Wasn't sure I trusted the canner anyhow with a little rust that had been forming in it!)
Well I have only been doing small batch canning anyways so I got out my trusty one and only 2 quart stainless steel pan and put some water in that. After I had my pickles packed in jars I put them in the pan and covered it well with aluminum foil. ( The lid won't fit with jars placed in it)
This worked fine enough to where I did not feel compelled to rush out and spend money I did not have on a new canning kettle. I can place 3 quart jars in it at a time or 4 pint jars which is about what I tend to process at any one time anyways.
This did create a problem with tomato's however as I could not peel them and cook them in my 2 quart pan I needed hot water in and keeping everything hot is imperative! Also I can not use the pan to heat my jars in.
So I pour hot water into a kitchen sink for the jars to stay in until ready for use.
I peel all my tomato's in the afternoon and place them in my slow cooker which I put in my fridge until the evening hours which I then plug in and put on low to cook all night. I do this with either just regular tomato's or a batch of salsa for winter storage.
The next day when ever I am ready I get my jars in the sink with hot water and bring the 2 inches of water in my 2 quart pan to gentle boiling, pack the jars and process for the 10 to 15 minutes depending on what I am processing.
It has been working beautifully and working with what I have already on hand!
Just wanted to say -- how very resourceful of you!
ReplyDeleteI'm beat from pickling and canning today.
Thankyou Lili! Yeah I am really beat too! It has been a long summer and I am looking forward to the more relaxed winter months!
DeleteHad a similar issue. My husband has a cheap cheap stainless steel stock pot with a clear lid we got from Big Lots for $12. Plenty tall enough for quart jars (5-6) on top of a canning ring bottom insert and inches of water. I think it is a 22 quart stock pot. After finding that worked and didn't overhang my stove top burner as much as a larger canner I'm sold.
ReplyDelete