Friday, August 30, 2013

Canning Okra And Tomatoes




We had beautiful weather in late July and early August with daytime temperatures in the 80's and night time temperatures in the 50's and 60's. unseasonable COOL for us. My warm weather crops languished in the fields! Nothing ripened nothing set fruit. Not the tomatoes or the okra. The sweet potatoes look like they are a month old. They will never recover. But in the last 2 weeks the mercury has soared and the temperatures have triggered ripening of both the tomatoes and the okra now has to be picked every day. 


The downside is not a drop of rain in sight. 




But Oh what a crop of tomatoes these are turning out to be! Huge pendolous tomatoes. 


Softball size paste tomatoes.



It doesn't take many of these to fill up a roaster full of tomatoes to cook down. Once peeled with boiling water and cut up they are cooked down to reduce some of the water in them and then I ran my wand shredder through them to chop up any super large pieces. Then I just let them simmer while I get my okra ready.



I have a days picking of young cowhorn okra already washed, dried and ready to be sliced.


My mandolin chopper makes short work of that then it is ready to be blanched.


Simply run it through the microwave covered for 3 minutes to precook. 


Heat jars


Hot okra in hot jars with 1/2 teaspoon of canning salt



Warm lids ready to go


Now add hot stewed tomatoes. remove air bubbles WELL with bubble tool. Leave 1 inch head space. Wipe rims and add 2 piece lids and rings. Pressure cook quarts at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes.


The left over tomatoes I just throw in jars and pressure cook with the okra/tomato combo. It will not hurt them at all to pressure cook them. That batch made 12 quarts of okra and tomatoes and 5 quarts and 2 pints tomatoes alone. 

Greatest thing in the world to make a gumbo with or if I was In Louisiana and had a good mess of shrimp make a good roux, throw in some onions and peppers and a can of this okra and tomatoes and you have a wonderful Shrimp creole. Served over a bed of white rice, some crusty french bread to dip and oh my gosh I am making myself hungry : ) 

Just another way to use that okra!

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter


21 comments:

  1. I get hungry whenever I read your posts! :)
    Have a nice weekend!

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  2. Me too! I get food & canning envy.. ;) I've never liked tomatoes & okra together as a side dish, but I do enjoy them in Cajun cooking.. Its been a long time since I've had a really good pot of Jambalaya.. I'd love some now or that Shrimp Creole you're talking about.. yum!!

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  3. That looks sooo good. Your garden is doing better than mine.

    I said it once, and will again--you need to do garden tours and give gardening 101 classes. I am getting there, but its taking me time. Most of mine is in raised beds--easier to cover when the crop dusting goes on. But, I find things out the hard way, and try it again the next year a different way. Back home, we had 3 farmers who once a year their wives would do garden tours and answer questions. We took sack lunches and paid to attend. Learned a lot

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  4. Hello,
    I'm writing you with a canning question.
    Do you have trouble with your canning lids coming undone days or weeks later after canning?
    When the lids changed a few years ago I noticed right away the new lids were thinner than the old ones; I still have many of the old lids so it was very easy to compare.
    In the past I have always bought the Kerr brand and only Ball when they were on sale. When I tried the new Kerr jelly jars with lids, for peach jelly that was to be Christmas gifts, I had several lids come unsealed days later after they had sealed tightly. When I contacted the Jarden Company they said I had done something wrong but I know this is incorrect; I have canned for years and know what I’m doing.
    I know the same company makes both brands so I am curios if you have had any trouble with your Ball lids. After getting nowhere with the Jarden Company I ended up buying reusable Tattler lids. They work well but I still need metal lids for canned foods that I give as gifts.
    I love reading your blog, it brings back memories of my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dave. They lived on a farm and raised most of their food just like you and your husband do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have not had any lids to come unsealed to speak of! I use mostly Ball and Kerr lids and I have noticed that they seem thinner but have had no problem with their performance. Is it just on jams and jellies or on everything?

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    2. I only tried the lids on my peach jelly; I always do a hot water bath for 5-minutes with all my jams and jellies. If I'm remembering correctly I canned about 3-4 dozen jars that year. So many jars came unsealed that I was afraid to use anymore of the lids. Maybe I'll give the Ball lids a try on my next canning day to see what happens :O)

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  5. What type of plastic wrap are you using in your microwave? I am afraid of heating plastic in the microwave and dripping toxins on my food.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For 3 minutes I don't really think it has enough time to get to that point. If you are uncomfortable use waxed paper or buy a bowl (pyrex etc) with a microwavable lid. Or find you one if those old blue cornflower corningware dishes with the glass lid

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  6. can this receipe be used with an electric canner and if so how long do I need to set the timer for?

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  7. can this receipe be used with an electric canner and if so how long do I need to set the timer for?

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  8. Can I add peppers and onions when I can them?

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  9. Can I add peppers and onions when I can them?

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  10. I think I am going to can my tomatoes and okra separating so the tomatoes will stay in chunks. Yours sure does look good!

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  11. How much tomatoes and how much okra

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  12. Yes just defrost it first. Never put anything cold or frozen in hot jars as they will crack big time.

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  14. Can you water bath this? Thank you. :)

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Feel free to challenge me, disagree with me, or tell me I’m completely nuts in the comments section of each blog entry, but I reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason whatsoever (abusive, profane, rude, or anonymous comments) – so keep it polite, please. Also I am not a free advertisement board if you want to push a product on my comments I will delete you fast !!!

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