Makes about 1/2 lb (about 10 servings) Drying beef was once a necessity for preserving meat. Today, dried beef is enjoyed as a delicious snack food. This smoked version is very simple to make, but it also works well to dehydrate the beef in a low-temperature oven or in a […]
Makes 4 pints Ingredients 4 lb pounds Concord grapes 1/2 cup water 7 cups sugar 1/4 cup (1 packet) liquid pectin Directions In a large pot, crush the grapes with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. […]
Whether it’s for long-term storage, sweet treats, or prep for a long hike, drying foods is a great way of not just preserving food by extending its shelf life, but also reducing their size and weight for efficient storage or carrying. There are multiple techniques for drying and dehydrating foods. […]
Makes 4 servings The traditional confit cooking method for duck is a method of preservation. The duck is cured, cooked very slowly in its own fat, and then stored, covered with that fat. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 months, so prepare more than you need. Keeping […]
Making jam can feel like an overwhelming project, mostly because of the labor-intensive canning process. But making jam doesn’t requirecanning and can actually be a really quick way to preserve fruits at their peak season! Depending on where you live, you are either knee-deep in strawberries or waiting expectantly for […]
Freezing is one of the easiest and most flexible preserving methods – when you’re ready to eat something, you simply thaw it and finish it – and then you can replace the space it took up in your freezer with a new item. It is also one of the most […]
Makes 4 pints Pickle Mixture Canning Process Chef’s Notes: To prepare jars for canning, read over your recipe to determine what size and how many jars are needed. Be sure each jar has a lid and the circular band that holds the lid in place, and that they fit properly. […]
Makes 2 quarts Easy recipe alert! Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making pickles, because these are seriously simple, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll make them over and over and over until the end of summer. You can reuse the pickling for your next few batches, but […]
Our new feature, Home School, will highlight the methods and techniques that we use in the kitchen everyday. Whether you’re new to daily cooking or just need to freshen up on some of your skills, we’ll focus on the basics to help you deal with limited ingredients and limited time! […]
In the culinary world, lemons are valuable. We use them in savory and baking recipes, we mix them into cocktails, we use them for colorful garnishes, we clean with them. They are, simply said, sort of perfect. And while the fresh-off-the-tree lemon truly is a gift just as it is, we’re […]
Planting and tending a garden can be hard work, and even if you do everything right, the results aren’t always perfect. You can grow the world’s most beautiful tomatoes one year, and the next, all that grow are empty vines. Nature is a powerful force! But if there is one […]
Both roasting and smoking tomatoes helps to concentrate flavors for rich, sweet tomato flavor. Use these tomatoes as a garnish on pizza, blended into soups, or served alongside eggs and bacon for breakfast.