The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables [Paperback]

Carol W. Costenbader (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2002

Remember how grandmother's cellar shelves were packed with jars of tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes, pickled beets and cauliflower, and pickles both sweet and dill? Learn how to save a summer day - in batches - from the classic primer, now updated and rejacketed. Use the latest inexpensive, time-saving techniques for drying, freezing, canning, and pickling. Anyone can capture the delicate flavors of fresh foods for year-round enjoyment and create a well-stocked pantry of fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, flavored vinegars, and seasonings. The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest introduces the basic technique for all preserving methods, with step-by-step illustration, informative charts and tips throughout, and more than 150 recipes for the new or experienced home preserver. Among the step-by-step tested recipes: Green Chile Salsa, Tomato Leather, Spiced Pear Butter, Eggplant Caviar, Blueberry Marmalade, Yellow Tomato Jam, Cranberry-Lime Curd, Preserved Lemons, Chicken Liver Pate, and more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Food writer Carol Costenbader has cooked and preserved homegrown fruits, herbs, and vegetables for more than 35 years. Besides The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest, her books include Storey's Well-Stocked Pantry Series: Mustards, Ketchups & Vinegars and Preserving Fruits & Vegetables. Second in command of the family vegetable garden and a volunteer cook at Christian Ministries Homeless Shelter, Carol is founder of The Health Adventure and Friends of the Health Adventure, a good health teaching facility. Carol and her family divide their time between central Florida and the mountains of North Carolina.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Lime Marmalade

A trip to England produced this recipe. Try it instead of the more familiar orange marmalade.

3 pounds (about 18) large Persian limes, peeled, zest cut into thin strips 2 inches long
9 cups water
6 pounds (13 1/2 cups) sugar

Note: My British exchange student's family advised softening citrus in a microwave for 10 seconds per fruit to make it easier to peel or juice.

1. Cut the peeled limes in half and squeeze the juice. Set the juice aside.

2. Scrape the pulp and seeds from the lime halves. Place in a cheesecloth bag.

3. Place the cheesecloth bag, zest, juice, and water in a 6-quart saucepan, then cover them and soak overnight, or for about 8 hours.

4. Bring the water mixture to a boil and cook about 2 hours, until the peels are soft.

5. Remove the cheesecloth bag.

6. Add the sugar to the pan and stir to dissolve.

7. Boil, stirring often, until a cooking thermometer reaches 220ªF.

8. Ladle into clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Cap and seal.

9. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner. Adjust for altitude, if necessary.

Sweet Pickle Relish

Colorful and delicious, this remarkable relish will delight your picnic guests.

3 quarts cucumbers, scrubbed and chopped
3 cups green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cups red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
8 cups water
4 cups ice cubes
+ cup salt
4 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 teaspoons whole allspice
4 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole cloves
6 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups sugar

1. In a 12-quart saucepan, combine the vegetables, water, ice, and salt; let stand for 4 hours. Drain and re-cover with fresh ice and water for 1 additional hour. Drain thoroughly.

2. Combine the spices in a cheesecloth bag. Place the spice bag, vinegar, and sugar in a nonreactive 4-quart saucepan and heat to boiling.

3. Pour the vinegar syrup over the vegetables and refrigerate for 24 hours.

4. Heat the mixture to boiling and ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head-space. Cap and seal.

5. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner. Adjust for altitude, if necessary.

Note: A food processor can be used to chop the vegetables in batches by pulsing the motor.

Spiced Vinegar

This recipe makes a large quantity, so plan to give some as gifts.

6 quarts cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
+ cup fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup whole allspice
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
3 tablespoons celery seeds
3 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons mace

1. Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive 10-quart saucepan.

2. Heat slowly, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour into two 1-gallon jars, dividing the spices evenly. Cover and let steep for about 3 weeks in a cool, dark place.

4. Strain through a coffee filter into six sterile quart jars. Cap, seal, and store in a cool, dark place.

Yield: 6 quarts

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Revised edition (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580174582
• ISBN-13: 978-1580174589
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #39 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Canning & Preserving

More About the Author

Food writer Carol Costenbader has cooked and preserved homegrown fruits, herbs, and vegetables for more than 35 years. Besides The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest, her books include Storey's Well-Stocked Pantry Series: Mustards, Ketchups & Vinegars and Preserving Fruits & Vegetables. Second in command of the family vegetable garden and a volunteer cook at Christian Ministries Homeless Shelter, Carol is founder of The Health Adventure and Friends of the Health Adventure, a good health teaching facility. Carol and her family divide their time between central Florida and the mountains of North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT RESOURCE, May 7, 2003

By 

Jill Kolzow (Little Chute, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables (Paperback)

Being a beginner canner, I have picked up many canning books, this is an excellent book. The book is organized well, and has great tips in each section. It offers information on all types of preserving and storing, from the canning to root cellering, it has been an extremly helpfull book. I know it is a reference I will use forever. Also includes many great recipes.I suggest this for anyone who is interested in canning.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars yummy jerky, August 31, 2004

By 

Sonja Wieck (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables (Paperback)

I love the fact that this book covers canning (pressure and water bath) drying, and root cellaring all in equal detail. I have been searching for a good jerky marinade for about 6 months now with many flops inbetween. This book delivers. I LOVE the marinade for beef jerky in it. I have also made the peach jam, very tasty. It was interesting to read about creating a root cellar, and got me thinking into how I can incorporate that method of preservation into my lifestyle. Very good book!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Preserving Food!, August 30, 2007

By 

P. Morris - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables (Paperback)

I just bought this book today, and made the tomato sauce freezer recipe with all of the tomatoes from my garden. Let me tell you, the tomato sauce is so delicious, it could pass for a yummy tomato soup. There are other many delicious-sounding recipes in this book that I am eager to try, and I know I will definitely get my money's worth from it.

I love that the author is just as concerned as I am with what goes into her food. Too many commercially canned foods are loaded with tons of sodium, high fructose corn syrup, and other unpronouncable ingredients. If you are health-conscious and want to serve your family only the best, high-quality preserved food, this book is for you.

Also, I do not agree with the author in not doubling the recipes. Some of the recipes are so small, and there is no way I will not double them to save time. I have made very large batches of jams and jellies for years without any problems, and cannot understand why the author would state not to do so. I also don't agree with the author in not changing the ratio of sugar in the jams and jellies recipes. Most recipes for jams and jellies contain way too much sugar, and I have had no problems halving the sugars in my jams and jellies as long as I have enough fruit pectin added to compensate. If you don't mind tons of sugar in your jams and jellies, then this shouldn't be a concern.

Overall, this book is excellent, and is one of the best canning and preserving sources I have read. I believe beginners as well as advanced canners would find this book very helpful, if not, at least the delicious recipes will be a great addition!