The Canning Kitchen (19 page)

Cherries are cherished when in season, and this incredible grilling sauce absolutely does them justice. Light the grill and slather this fun and fruity sauce on slow-cooked ribs or chicken skewers, or toss with pulled pork for the best meal on a bun you’ve ever had.

MAKES FIVE 500 ML (2 CUP) JARS

5 lb (2.25 kg) tomatoes

3½ lb (1.6 kg) Bing cherries or any other sweet cherry variety

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 cups (750 mL) diced yellow onion

2 cups (500 mL) cider vinegar

3 cups (750 mL) brown sugar

1 cup (250 mL) white vinegar

2 tbsp (30 mL) chili powder

2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin

2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon

1½ tsp (7 mL) salt

Using a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge the tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water. (You may prefer to do this in batches.) Slip off and discard the skins. Chop the tomatoes into chunks, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot.

Rinse the cherries under cool running water. Discard the stems and remove the pits. Add the cherries to the pot, along with the garlic, onion and cider vinegar.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Purée the works using an immersion blender (or in a standard blender, working in batches). Stir in the brown sugar, white vinegar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt. Bring back up to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for another 90 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Ladle into 5 clean 500 mL (2 cup) jars, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Cherries love to be chilly. Keep them in the fridge for longer freshness and wash just before using. Handling juicy sweet cherries can mean red-stained hands. Try rubbing your hands with a wedge of fresh lemon to remove cherry stains, or wear disposable kitchen gloves.

C
HIPOTLE
A
PPLE
B
ARBECUE
S
AUCE

Add sweet and smoky heat to grilled meats with this barbecue sauce made with sweet apples and plump tomatoes. Try it as a marinade for chicken or pork, then brush on some more during grilling. Chipotle fans will take one bite and go to sweet grilling heaven.

MAKES SIX 500 ML (2 CUP) JARS

4 lb (1.8 kg) tomatoes

4 lb (1.8 kg) apples

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup (250 mL) diced yellow onion

2 cups (500 mL) cider vinegar

2½ cups (625 mL) brown sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) chipotle chili powder

½ tsp (2 mL) salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) nutmeg

With a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge the tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water. (You may prefer to do this in batches.) Slip off and discard the tomato skins. Chop the tomatoes into quarters, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot.

Peel and core the apples. Chop the apples into large chunks, adding them to the pot.

Stir in the garlic, onion and vinegar. Bring to a bubble over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Purée with an immersion blender (or a standard blender, working in batches). Stir in the brown sugar, chili powder, salt and nutmeg. Bring back up to a bubble and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, until thickened and darker. Remove from the heat.

Ladle into 6 clean 500 mL (2 cup) jars, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Apples make beautiful barbecue sauces because of their natural juicy sweetness. Choose a saucing variety such as McIntosh, Golden Delicious or Gala that will go soft and smooth when cooked.

S
MOKY
P
EACH
B
ARBECUE
S
AUCE

Sweet and sunny peaches are right at home in this fabulous grilling sauce seasoned with flavourful smoked paprika. Standing at the stove stirring barbecue sauce takes time and patience. But, like anything with traditional barbecue, the results are always worth it. Try this smoky sauce with pork tenderloin or succulent chicken drumsticks.

MAKES FIVE 500 ML (2 CUP) JARS

4 lb (1.8 kg) ripe peaches

4 lb (1.8 kg) tomatoes

3 cups (750 mL) cider vinegar

1½ cups (375 mL) diced yellow onion

1½ cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) smoked paprika

1½ tsp (7 mL) salt

1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric

½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

Using a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of each peach and tomato. Submerge the peaches and tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer immediately with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water. (You may prefer to do this in batches.) Slip off and discard the skins. Chop the tomatoes into quarters, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Coarsely chop the peaches, adding them to the tomatoes and discarding the pits as you go.

Stir in the vinegar and onions. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Purée using an immersion blender (or a standard blender, working in batches). Stir in the sugar, smoked paprika, salt, turmeric and cinnamon. Return to a simmer over medium heat, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken for 50 to 55 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.

Ladle into 5 clean 500 mL (2 cup) jars, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Smoked paprika adds deep, smoky flavour to the sauce without added heat. Peaches peel easier when ripe and juicy. Allow firm peaches to sit at room temperature for a few days until tender when pressed.

H
ERB AND
G
ARLIC
T
OMATO
S
AUCE

Jars of homemade tomato sauce are one of the handiest staples in any kitchen. This recipe leaves the tomatoes slightly chunky, resulting in a rustic and versatile sauce. Use in pasta dishes, with meatballs or poured over cabbage rolls, or mix with some stock and a splash of cream for a quick and delicious creamy tomato soup.

MAKES FIVE 500 ML (2 CUP) JARS

10 lb (4.5 kg) tomatoes (ideally a plum variety such as Roma

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp (15 mL) dried basil

1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano

1 tsp (5 mL) dried rosemary

1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme

2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) salt

⅔
cup (150 mL) cider vinegar

With a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge the tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer immediately with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water. (You may prefer to do this in batches.) Slip off and discard the skins. Cut out and discard the firm white stem end. Gently squeeze out and discard most of the juice through the hole. Crush the squeezed tomatoes with a masher in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.

Stir in the garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sugar and salt. Bring to a bubble over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and then more frequently as time progresses.

Leave the sauce chunky, or if a smooth consistency is desired, run the sauce through a blender in batches or use an immersion blender right in the pot.

Line up 5 clean 500 mL (2 cup) jars. Pour 2 tbsp (30 mL) of cider vinegar into each jar. Ladle the sauce into the jars, leaving a ¼-inch (5 mm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 35 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Tomatoes need a little added acid to make their pH safe for water bath canning. Cider vinegar is delicious in tomato sauces, canned or not. However, if you prefer, instead of vinegar you could use 1 tbsp (15 mL) bottled lemon juice in each jar.

Z
ESTY
P
IZZA
S
AUCE

Great pizza starts with the best homemade pizza sauce. Make a batch of this vibrant tomato and garlic sauce with dried herbs, then enjoy tasty homemade pizza for months to come. One jar is enough to make two medium pizzas or four kid-size pizzas.

MAKES TEN 250 ML (1 CUP) JARS

8 lb (3.5 kg) tomatoes

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp (45 mL) dried oregano

2 tbsp (30 mL) dried basil

1 tbsp (15 mL) salt

1 tsp (5 mL) dried chili flakes

½ tsp (2 mL) black pepper

1 cup (250 mL) cider vinegar

Using a sharp knife, score an X in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge them in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer immediately with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water. (You may prefer to do this in batches.) Slip off and discard the skins. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot.