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Homemade Vanilla Extract

by 11 Comments

The secret to exceptionally good baking is homemade vanilla extract. The best part of making it from scratch is that the flavors just get better over time! Make this recipe three to six months before your holiday baking for the best homemade treats this year.

A split open vanilla bean, exposing the tiny beans inside.

I remember as a child when I first learned how to cook, to taste straight cocoa and to be so shocked at how awful it was, but then in baking, it was wonderful!

The same goes for vanilla extract. The beans in the alcohol at first taste awful. But steeped three to six months will be amazing!

This homemade vanilla extract is amazing in my homemade double chocolate zucchini muffins, grandma's chocolate mayo cake, and my blueberry zucchini muffins.

Is it Worth Making Your Own Vanilla Extract?

Yes! Once you learn just how easy it is to make your own vanilla extract, it'll be one more item you cross off your grocery store list!

How Long Does it Take to Make Vanilla Extract?

Vanilla extract will take three to six months. You can begin using it after three months, but the flavors will just continue to intensify and get better with time.

If you're making this for gifts, I recommend giving yourself a minimum of three months. Then you might want to tell the gift receiver that the flavor will just keep getting better!

A woman holding a bottle of organic vodka.

Do You Have to Use Alcohol to Make Vanilla Extract?

I'm often asked if you have to use alcohol to make homemade vanilla extract. When making homemade tinctures, depending on the item you're steeping, you can use alcohol, vinegar or vegetable glycerine.

I haven't tried vinegar or glycerine with homemade extracts because whenever I'm using an extract, it's with a product I'll be baking or cooking, so the alcohol will be cooked out.

If alcohol concerns you, I have read about people substituting equal parts glycerine in place of alcohol.

Varieties of Alcohols

The alcohol is used to extract the flavor of the vanilla beans. Don't worry though, the alcohol will cook out when heated.

Organic vodka is an excellent choice and will be a flavorless addition to your vanilla extract. You can also use rum. Rum will give it a darker color.

Because vodka can be made from heavily sprayed crops, I only choose organic vodka for my homemade tinctures and extracts.

Gluten/Wheat Sensitivities

If you have dietary restrictions, you'll want to choose gluten and wheat-free vodka. There are some certified gluten-free vodka brands, so just be sure yours is labeled.

A woman placing a vanilla bean into a tall jar.

How Many Times Can You Use Vanilla Beans for Extract?

You can use your vanilla beans multiple times to make homemade vanilla extract. Ideally, when adding more alcohol to your beans, you would also add a few new fresh vanilla beans.

Your nose will tell you when your vanilla is losing its potency.

Varieties of Vanilla Beans

There are many varieties of vanilla beans to choose from, and each will give your homemade vanilla extract a slightly different profile. For my recipe, I'm using Tahitian vanilla beans.

  • Tahitian Vanilla Beans – will have a floral and fruity undertone.
  • Madagascar Vanilla Beans – will have a creamier feature.
  • Mexican Vanilla Beans – will have a bold and robust flavor.
A woman holding a bag of vanilla beans from Azure Standard.

Where to Buy Organic Vanilla Beans

Azure Standard is a sponsor of this video, but I've been buying my vanilla beans from them for a few years now. They have the best prices I can find, and I know I'll be getting great quality.

Right now, Azure has a promotion going for first time customers. If you purchase a minimum of $50, you can use my code “MKN10” and receive 10%% off your entire Azure Standard order.

Vanilla beans floating in the homemade vanilla extract.

Ingredients and Supplies Needed

  • Vanilla Beans – Fresh vanilla beans will be plump and not faded or cracked. Older vanilla beans might look brittle and they won't bend easily. If you see a white substance on the outside of the beans, this is ok. It is usually crystalized sugar.
  • Alcohol – Vodka or rum
  • Glass Bottle or Jar – I like to use the glass swing top bottles with chalk labels. They make great gifts! But a regular Mason jar will work as well.
A knife cutting through a vanilla bean on a wooden cutting board.
A split open vanilla bean, exposing the tiny beans inside.

Two Ways to Extract Vanilla

Traditional Way

You will want to start with five to six vanilla beans or 1/2 ounces and add 8 ounces of alcohol.

1. Start by leaving the top of the bean intact, and split the bean down the center with a knife.

2. Open it up so you can see the black vanilla beans (it will look like coffee grounds). Leave each bean connected at the top so you can easily pull it out of the jar when done.

Pro Tip: You can scrape out the insides of each bean and put it in the jar, then put the whole bean into the jar.

A woman pouring vodka into a bottle for homemade vanilla extract.

3. Fill the bottle with alcohol and shake, shake, shake! The shaking is what agitates out all the little vanilla beans which will infuse the alcohol.

The nice thing about swing top bottles is that they seal well making them easy to shake without the chance of leakage.

4. If any of the beans float to the top, fill the bottle with a bit more alcohol.

Woman's hands cutting vanilla beans on a wooden cutting board.

Alternative Method

This method works well if you're working with older, more brittle beans that are hard to cut open.

1. Cut beans in half or chop them into smaller sections. If the beans are skinnier or drier, they may be harder to split open, so do a rough chop.

2. Add beans to a jar and top with alcohol. Secure the lid and shake, shake, shake! The shaking is what agitates out all the little vanilla beans which will infuse the alcohol.

You can keep topping off the jars and do an always-renewing bottle of extract.

A woman pouring vodka into a bottle for homemade vanilla extract.

How to Store Vanilla Extract

While the extract is infusing, store the jars in an incredibly dark place, with no sunlight and at room temperature.

In the beginning, stages, remember to shake once in a while (about once a week).

For more homemade extracts, check out the posts below and my new book, Everything Worth Preserving!

More Posts You May Enjoy

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Melissa Norris
Learn to make amazing homemade vanilla extract for all your home-baked goodies. You'll never go back to store-bought vanilla extract again.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Extraction Time 90 d
Total Time 90 d 5 mins
Course Ingredient
Cuisine American
Servings 48 servings
Calories 12 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • .5 ounces vanilla beans
  • 8 ounces vodka or rum

Instructions
 

  • Start by leaving the top of the bean intact, and split the bean down the center with a knife.
  • Open it up so you can see the black vanilla beans (it will look like coffee grounds). Leave each bean connected at the top so you can easily pull it out of the jar when done.
  • Fill the bottle with alcohol and shake, shake, shake!
  • If any of the beans float to the top, fill the bottle with a bit more alcohol.
  • Shake the bottle about once a week to help extract the flavor.

Notes

  • You can scrape out the insides of each bean and put it in the jar, then put the whole bean into the jar.
  • Alternatively, you can chop your beans into small pieces and place them in a mason jar and top with alcohol.
  • You can keep topping off the jars and do an always-renewing bottle of extract.
  • Continue shaking the bottle about once per week to help extract all the flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoonCalories: 12kcalCarbohydrates: 0.1gFat: 0.04gSodium: 0.05mgPotassium: 0.05mg
Keyword Homemade Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Extract
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Fresh Fermented Salsa Recipe

by 9 Comments

I am not canning any of my salsa this year, but don't worry! I'm still putting fresh salsa up. I'm just making this fermented salsa recipe instead! Fermenting is the only form of food preservation that actually increases the nutritional profile of your food.

A woman's hands spooning fermented salsa onto a tortilla chip.

Why I love Fermenting

One of the beautiful things about fermenting is if you only have a small number of tomatoes for a few jars, say at the end of the season, you don't have to heat up the kitchen or spend a lot of time with canning them.

Fermenting gives you this wonderful array of probiotics and raw nutrients. In its raw form, it provides the added benefit of good bacteria, which is good for your health and gut. Learn more about the health benefits of fermentation here.

What I also love about this recipe is that, through fermentation, the initial bite of raw onions and garlic are minimized, making these two ingredients much more enjoyable in their raw form.

Why Salt is So Important in Fermenting

In canning, salt is optional. For fermenting, salt is necessary. Salt is what inhibits bad bacterial growth while good bacteria can multiply.

It also helps prevent mold growth.

Learn more about the basics of fermenting vegetables here.

A woman's hands spooning fermented salsa onto a tortilla chip.

How Long Will My Salsa Keep?

You can keep your salsa in cold storage – a refrigerator or a root cellar/basement if kept at 50 degrees or less. For long-term storage, the upper 30s and 40s work best.
It will last for months and even up to a year and a half in the fridge.

Kahm yeast on the surface of a ferment in a mason jar.

Watching for Mold

Most people make the mistake of throwing out perfectly good food when they see anything form on the top of their food.

While mold is terrible, Kahm Yeast is wonderful. Read this post on how to spot kahm yeast here to know the difference between the two.

Everything Worth Preserving Book Cover.

Everything Worth Preserving

Looking for more fermented recipes? Discover the nine home food preservation methods to safely store delicious food for year-round eating with all of my step-by-step tutorials, recipes, and easy-to-use charts.

Learn everything you need to know about cold storage (aka freezer), water bath/steam canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freeze-drying, root cellar, infusion, and salt/curing in the new book, Everything Worth Preserving.

Preserve food for a healthy well-stocked pantry & peace of mind, all in one resource.

In this book, you can search for any produce from A-Z and get a list of all the ways to preserve that item, plus recipes! Grab your copy (and FREE bonuses for pre-ordering) here.

Roma tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor.

Fermented Salsa Recipe

Supplies Needed to Ferment Salsa

  • Food processor – this is optional, but it sure speeds up the process.
  • Cutting board – to prep the veggies before putting them into the food processor.
  • Knife – also for prepping the veggies before putting them into the food processor.
  • Two 1 1/2 pint jars (or one pint and one quart jar) – you'll want your jars washed well in hot soapy water, then rinsed completely so no soapy residue remains as this can inhibit the fermenting process.
  • Funnel – no one likes to make a mess in the kitchen!
  • Fermenting weights – these will help keep the ferment under the liquid of the brine, preventing mold.
  • Air Lock Lids – these can be any kind of fermenting lid, whether a Pickle Pro, an airlock lid, or, if you don't have access to these, just a plastic Mason jar lid will work as well. Don't use a two-piece canning lid as the pressure of the ferment can build up and cause the jar to break.
A woman's hands holding fresh Roma tomatoes.

Ingredients Needed for this Fermented Salsa Recipe

  • Ten Roma tomatoes – any tomatoes will do, this just happens to be what we had ripe in the garden. You'll want about 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes for this recipe.
  • Onion – Red, yellow, sweet, the choice is yours!
  • Bell Pepper – I like adding bell peppers to my salsa. For this fermented salsa, it helps keep some bite to the finished product as vegetables tend to soften up during the fermentation process.
  • Jalapeno – if you like spicier, go for the whole jalapeno. I'm only adding half for this recipe. You could also leave the seeds for added heat.
  • Garlic – more garlic is always better in my opinion! Scale to your preference.
  • Cumin – This gives the salsa that classic Mexican flavor!
  • Cilantro – This is optional. I know some people don't care for the flavor of cilantro. Our family loves it, so we'll use it in this recipe.
  • Fresh or bottled lime juice – This adds a great flavor after the salsa has fermented. It's optional, but definitely recommended.
  • Redmond Red Salt – It may seem like a lot of salt for this recipe, but remember that this is a ferment, and salt is necessary for a safe fermentation.
A woman scraping salsa ingredients into a food processor.

Fermented Salsa Directions

1. Start by putting the tomatoes into the food processor and pulsing until chopped. You don't want to liquefy them.

2. Pull out any large chunks of tomato and cut them up to your desired size. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl.

A food processor chopping salsa ingredients.

3. Put the rest of the vegetables in the food processor and pulse until chopped to your desired consistency.

4. Add the rest of the chopped veggies into the bowl with the tomatoes

5. Add the cumin and mix well.

Cilantro being scraped into a bowl of salsa.

6. Some people like cilantro, and some don't, so add the cilantro if you choose.

A woman squeezing fresh lime juice into a bowl of fresh salsa.

7. Add the optional fresh or bottled lime juice and stir again.

A woman measuring salt to add to fresh salsa.

8 And finally, add Redmond Red Salt. I use this salt for everything because it has no iodine, no anti-caking agents, and no other added ingredients.

A woman adding fresh salsa to a jar with a blue funnel.

9. Use a funnel to pour salsa into jars, leaving enough room for the fermentation weight and about a half inch of headspace.

A woman's hand dropping a fermenting weight into a Mason jar of salsa.
A woman's hand pressing a fermenting weight into a Mason jar of fresh salsa.

10. Add the fermentation weights into the jars and push the solids well beneath the liquid line. Adjust by adding or removing some of the salsa to ensure you have a half inch of headspace. This will allow for space for the fermenting bubbling to take place.

Bubbling is suitable and means things are happening, but you don't want your salsa to overflow, so leaving a space at the top of the jar helps with this.

Adding a fermenting lid to a Mason jar of salsa.

11. Add your fermentation lid and let your salsa sit at room temperature for three days. If you're nervous about the liquid spilling out of the top of the jar, you can always set your jars on a plate.

Pro Tip: The warmer the room, the faster your salsa will ferment. Taste your salsa after three days and if it tastes great, move it to long-term cold storage.

You can consolidate your salsa to one jar and use plastic lids to store in the refrigerator. Still, make sure the solid is kept beneath the liquid.

More Posts You May Enjoy

A woman's hands spooning fermented salsa onto a tortilla chip.

Fermented Salsa Recipe

Melissa Norris
Learn how to make fermented salsa to enjoy your fresh garden tomatoes for months to come. Within a few days, you'll be enjoying this delicious salsa recipe.
4.84 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Fermenting Time 3 d
Total Time 3 d 15 mins
Course Appetizer, Condiment, side, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings
Calories 23 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes quartered
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 bell pepper quartered
  • 1/2 jalapeno sliced
  • 7 cloves garlic peeled
  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon lime juice fresh or bottled
  • 1 Tablespoon Redmond Real Salt

Instructions
 

  • Start by putting the tomatoes into the food processor and pulsing until chopped. You don't want to liquefy them.
  • Pour tomatoes into a bowl.
  • Pull out any large chunks and cut them up to your desired size.
  • Put the rest of the vegetables in the food processor and pulse until chopped to desired size.
  • Mix them with the tomatoes in the bowl.
  • Add the cumin and mix well.
  • Add cilantro, if using, and mix well.
  • Use salt and mix well.
  • Use a funnel to pour salsa into jars.
  • Add fermenting weights into the jars to push the solids well beneath the liquid line, and make sure you keep about 1/2 inch free at the top.
  • Add airlock lids (if using) and allow to sit at room temperature for three days.

Notes

  • Let salsa sit for three days, then give it a taste test to see if it's to your desired flavor. Continue to ferment until it's to your liking, transfer to cold storage.
  • You can keep your salsa in cold storage – a refrigerator or a root cellar/basement if kept at 50 degrees or less. For long-term storage, the upper 30s and 40s work best.
    It will last for months and even up to a year and a half in the fridge.
  • Be sure check out my blog post on kahm yeast to make sure you know what to watch for.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 23kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 703mgPotassium: 206mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 953IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword Fermented Salsa, Fermented Salsa Recipe, Salsa
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Bread And Butter Pickles Recipe – No Canning Required

by 32 Comments

Bread and butter pickles are hard to beat! This is the best refrigerator bread and butter pickles recipe that has just enough sugar (but not too much) to lend a sweet tang. 

Bread and butter pickles sitting on the counter in a jar.

These bread and butter pickles are easy enough for a beginner to make with no canning required! Make these so you can delight your family and guests with a tasty treat early in the season as soon as your first cucumbers are ready to harvest.

Why I Love To Make Bread And Butter Pickles

I have a few different variations of pickles I like to make. Like these fermented pickles or, for something totally different, my great-grandma's mustard pickles (I also happen to love my pickled asparagus recipe, in which you could sub cucumbers for the asparagus!).

Once our garden begins to produce a harvest I love having recipes that are quick and easy to use up those first few ingredients.

When those first vegetables are ripening, they can come on kind of slowly. Sometimes it’s a fine line between too many to eat for dinner and too few to start canning. The same is true for the tailend of the growing season.

That's where this refrigerator bread and butter pickles recipe comes in! You can make any size jar of pickles and don't have to worry about canning them or having enough to do a large batch.

Additionally, they will come out crunchy because there is no processing time. A perfect combination!

If you struggle keeping those canned pickles crunchy, head on over to my post on seven tips for crunchy pickles to learn what I do to get them just the way I like them.

How Did These Pickles Get Their Name?

The answers to this question are pretty diverse. Cucumbers are an easily grown vegetable and were likely easy to grow even during hard times.

When times are tough, people get creative. It’s possible they were eaten as a complete meal by taking two pieces of bread, slathering them with butter, and adding sweet, tangy pickles.

Another legend is that during the Great Depression, pickles were used to barter for staples such as bread and butter. Wherever the name originated, it stuck, and we have delicious bread and butter pickles today!

Cucumbers piled on a cutting board with a knife next to them.

What Kind Of Cucumbers Are Best?

It’s best to use cucumbers intended for pickling. These are thin-skinned and shorter in length. To ensure crunchy pickles, cucumbers should be used within 24 hours of being harvested.

If you want to make this recipe but don’t have them planted in your garden, I recommend finding them at a farmer’s market or produce stand.

The wax on grocery store cucumbers prevents the pickling juices from soaking into the pickles. If store-bought waxed cucumbers are your only option, be sure to peel the skin off.

A hand holding up a jar of bread and butter pickles.

What Is Different About Bread And Butter Pickles?

Dill pickles are the most commonly known pickles. The main difference between dill pickles and bread and butter pickles is the addition of sugar and turmeric in bread and butter pickles. 

They both call for vinegar and similar seasonings with dill pickles using dill weed while bread and butter pickles use sugar.

Sliced pickles in a white bowl with a fork on a striped table cloth.

Are They The Same As Sweet Pickles?

Bread and butter pickles are a type of sweet pickle because they have sugar in the recipe. However, there are many different recipes for sweet pickles with flavor variations. So although bread and butter pickles can be considered sweet pickles, not all sweet pickles are bread and butter pickles.

Empty jars with lids stacked on a counter.

Supplies Needed

  • Mason Jars and Lids – The wide mouth size works well for stuffing jars, but regular mouth work as well. Sterilize jars for the amount of pickles you are making. Pro Tip: After sterilizing, allow the hot jars to cool before packing with the sliced cucumbers. This will help keep them crisp.
  • Knife – Used for cutting off the ends of the cucumbers. The blossom end contains enzymes that can soften the pickles.
  • Mandolin (optional) – A mandolin works well for cutting uniform shapes, but I prefer to use a knife for thicker slices.
  • Large Bowl – This is used to place the vegetables in after you cut them while waiting on the pickle brine to heat through.
  • Stainless Steel Pan – While I love using cast iron in my kitchen, iron, zinc, brass and copper may react with the acid of the vinegar in this recipe. Stainless steel, anodized aluminum, or heatproof glass are best for pickling recipes.
  • Canning Funnel and Ladle – The canning funnel makes it easier to pour the pickling juice into the jar and the ladle allows you to add the brine in a controlled manner.
Cucumbers with the ends cut off ready to make pickles.

Ingredients Needed

  • Pickling Cucumbers – Pickling cucumbers work best for this recipe, but you can use any sliced cucumbers. That's what makes this recipe so great for using up extra garden produce before it goes bad. Trim and slice the cucumbers with a knife or mandolin. For thick-skinned cucumbers, you may want to peel them first.
  • Onion – Yellow, red, or any onion you have from the garden will work. Slice or dice the onion into small pieces.
  • Bell Peppers – Any color combo of peppers you have on hand will work, you can even add some jalapenos if you want a sweet and spicy pickle. 
  • White Vinegar – Vinegar that is below 5% acidity is not acidic enough to kill off microorganisms, preserve the pickles, and prevent spoilage. While I love to make apple cider vinegar at home, I am not certain of the acidity and choose store-bought white vinegar just to be safe. 
  • Sugar – You can reduce this amount if you want, but I think the sugar is what makes them so good!
  • Mustard Seed – That classic sign of a bread and butter pickle. Did you know that mustard seeds are a source of protein? 
  • Celery Seed – An interesting fact about these tiny seeds is that they have minerals that support bone health. It’s amazing the benefits our seasonings have!
  • Turmeric – Turmeric is what gives bread and butter pickles that slight yellow color. It's become very popular over the last few years for its many health benefits such as improving heart health with its anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Whole Cloves – You can use ground cloves as a substitute if you don’t have whole cloves on hand.
Adding mustard seed into a pot of pickle brine.
Adding turmeric to the pickle brine.
Stirring the brine for bread and butter pickles.
Pouring pickle brine over cucumbers.

How To Make Bread And Butter Pickles

  1. Wash in hot soapy water a quart-size mason jar and lid. Wide mouth jars work best when stuffing them for pickles, but the regular mouth will work as well.
  2. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, and spices. Bring the pickle brine to a boil at medium-high heat and boil for 3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, rinse the peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Cut off the blossom end of the cucumber (it contains enzymes that can soften pickles) and slice evenly. Cut up all the rest of your vegetables and place them in a large bowl.
  4. Layer the vegetables in the clean mason jar –  thinly sliced cucumbers, peppers, and onions. Push down lightly to pack vegetables down and get a few more in. Allow 1/2″ headspace at the top of the jar. Place the jar on a towel folded in thirds.
  5. Using a canning funnel or a ladle, pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. You may have a slight amount left over depending on how tightly you packed your jar.
  6. Wipe the rim and apply the lid.
  7. Allow to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator.

Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.

Everything Worth Preserving

Discover the 9 home food preservation methods to safely store delicious food for year-round eating with all of my step-by-step tutorials, recipes, and easy-to-use charts. Learn everything you need to know about cold storage (aka freezer), water bath/steam canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freeze-drying, root cellar, infusion, and salt/curing in the new book, Everything Worth Preserving.

Preserve food for a healthy well-stocked pantry & peace of mind, all in one resource.

In this book, you can search for any produce from A-Z and get a list of all the ways to preserve that item, plus recipes! Grab your copy (and FREE bonuses for pre-ordering) here.

A jar of bread and butter pickles sitting next to a bowl of pickling cucumbers.

More Posts You Might Enjoy

A hand holding up a jar of bread and butter pickles.

Bread & Butter Pickles (Refrigerator Pickles)

Melissa Norris
The best refrigerator bread and butter pickles recipe has just enough sugar to lend a sweet tang. Easy enough for a beginner to make with no canning required!
4.41 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Brine Time 14 d
Total Time 14 d 20 mins
Course Appetizer, Condiment, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 1 quart jar
Calories 592 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups pickling cucumbers trimmed and sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion sliced
  • 1/2 cup peppers sliced
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Sterilize quart-size mason jars and lids. Wide mouth jars work best when stuffing them for pickles, but the regular mouth will work as well.
  • In a stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. Bring the pickle brine to a boil at medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, rinse the peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Cut off the blossom end of the cucumber and slice evenly. Cut up all the rest of your vegetables and place them in a large bowl.
  • Layer the vegetables in the clean mason jar –  thinly sliced cucumbers, peppers, and onions. Push down lightly to pack vegetables down and get a few more in. Allow 1/2″ headspace at the top of the jar. Place the jar on a towel folded in thirds.
  • Using a canning funnel or a ladle, pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. You may have a slight amount left over depending on how tightly you packed your jar.
  • Wipe the rim and apply the lid.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator.
  • Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.

Notes

  • Nutrition facts are calculated for an entire jar of pickles, minus the vinegar and spices.
  • Pickles should marinate for two weeks and be used within three months. Confession: I always taste-test mine after two days and usually end up eating them all well before the two-week mark! But know the flavor will intensify over time.
  • Be sure to cut the blossom end off the cucumbers, it contains an enzyme that softens pickles (and no one likes mushy pickles!).

Nutrition

Calories: 592kcalCarbohydrates: 149gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 612mgFiber: 4gSugar: 142gVitamin A: 469IUVitamin C: 74mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Bread and Butter Pickles, Refrigerator Pickles
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Gardening in September (Garden Tasks by Month)

by 5 Comments

This month it's gardening in September! This is my monthly gardening feature where I show you everything I'm doing in the garden month-by-month!

A woman standing in the arch of a bean tunnel.

If you've been following along in this gardening by month series, you'll know that 2022 has been one of the strangest growing seasons.

We started off the summer with extremely cold temperatures with very wet and rainy weather. This gave my garden such a slow start I wasn't sure I'd even get a harvest of my warmer climate-loving crops.

But in late July, a flip was switched, and things heated up to where we were having extremely hot and dry temperatures that finally kicked things into gear.

By September, most of the garden is on autopilot, so this video is more of a garden tour than gardening tasks, but it's always inspiring to see what others are doing in their gardens. I hope you enjoy it.

Be sure to also join me for the Traditional Skills Summit, September 12-15th, 2022 where I'll be joining 11 other homesteaders sharing our years of cumulative homesteading knowledge. I'll be sharing ways to extend the growing season both in the spring and fall.

A woman's hands holding a bean pod hanging on a trelis.

Tasks for the Garden in September

Everything Worth Preserving Book Cover.

Everything Worth Preserving

As I mentioned preserving zucchini, you may be curious about how to preserve the rest of the crops you have coming in from the garden.

I'm so excited about my new book, Everything Worth Preserving, where I discuss, crop by crop, all the ways to safely preserve them at home, including recipes.

This is THE preserving book I always wished I could find but never could. It includes an A-Z list of every fruit and vegetable, all the safe methods of preservation, and recipes for preserving them.

You can pre-order your copy of Everything Worth Preserving right here and grab some bonuses as a thank you from me for pre-ordering my book.

Drone footage of a woman pruning apple trees in an orchard.

Gardening Tasks by Month

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How to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home 

by 17 Comments

Learning how to dry fresh herbs at home is easy, and there's no replacement or substitute for doing it yourself. Learn the best methods for drying herbs at home in this post!

dried herbs in Mason jar on counter

Growing an herb garden is an excellent place for a beginner gardener to start, and making your spice blends at home is a frugal way to save on your grocery bill.

Why I Love Growing and Cooking With Herbs

When drying your own herbs, you know that they haven't been sitting on the shelf at the grocery store for years, and your food will taste much better because you are using ingredients from your garden. 

Cooking with fresh herbs is incredible. I love adding fresh basil before serving my homemade tomato soup, and dill to this Ukrainian Borscht recipe, or having rosemary, thyme, and sage on hand to make marinated cheese balls. 

The depth of flavor is so much more than the dried version. However, if you live in a climate that has cooler winters, then not all of your garden herbs are available year-round. 

So like any true Pioneer, we're preserving our herbs for use during the winter. When cooking with dried herbs, I put the herbs in at the end of the cooking time to maximize the flavor.

If you're looking for more of a fresh herb flavor, try preserving herbs in salt following this homemade celery salt recipe or this recipe for preserving fresh basil.

A pot of basil on a deck.

When to Harvest Herbs

It's crucial to know how to prune and harvest herbs correctly because you want to get the most flavor out of your herbs.

As an herb grows, it has the most intense flavor in the leaves just before it flowers. If you aren't ready to harvest, it's best to clip off the flower buds to keep the plant from putting its energy into the flowers.

The best time of day to harvest herbs is in the early morning. Herbs have the highest concentration of oils in their leaves at this time of day. You want to gather right after the dew has dried but before the sun begins to heat the air and plant.

Basil is the exception to this rule and can be picked later in the morning.

Fresh celery leaves in a colandar.

How to Harvest Herbs

The part of an herb used for cooking is generally the leafy part. I find it best to use scissors and cut off the entire stem to prevent the leaves' oils from rubbing off on your skin. Minimally handling the plant allows oil to retain more in the leaves when needed.

Lightly rinse the herbs to remove any dust or other unseen debris. I'm sure you practice organic gardening at home, so we don't have to worry about any chemicals or pesticides.

Place herbs on paper towels to absorb the excess water and dry completely.

Bundles of fresh herbs laying on a wooden table.

Drying Methods Used to Dry Herbs

There are several ways to dry herbs. The two ways I prefer are the hanging method and using a dehydrator.

  • Dehydrator – This is the method I use most because of our damp weather in the Pacific Northwest. After a ton of research, I purchased my Nesco Square Dehydrator due to its design to hold more food per tray than the circle varieties, and I liked the price point. I've had my Nesco for more than five years and love it. We've dehydrated fruit leather, jerky, candied apples, and herbs. I've run it for two days straight without any problems, and it's extremely quiet. You can also purchase mesh tray liners here.
  • Hanging Method – This method (also known as air drying) requires no special equipment, and anyone can do it. 
  • Freezing – Freezing is an option that some people find retains more flavor. You can add frozen herbs directly to your food when cooking, which works best in foods such as meats and vegetables.
  • Oven Dry – I don't recommend drying fresh herbs in the oven, as most ovens' lowest setting isn't low enough to allow the herbs to dry without burning to a crisp.
Bundles of fresh herbs tied with twine and hanging upside down to dry.

How to Dry Fresh Herbs – Hanging Method

Tying the stems together in this method is critical. Moisture content reduces as the herbs dry, and they shrink together. Another vital part to remember is to hang them upside down. Gravity pulls the essential oil into the leaves, which is the part we want to keep.

Supplies Needed

  • Fresh Herbs – Make sure your herbs are freshly cut with no spots or bruising on the leaves.
  • Twine, String, or Rubber Band – You'll need something to secure the stalks together.
  • Dry Location – A dry location out of direct sunlight with plenty of airflow is necessary for the best drying environment. Pro-Tip: If you don't have a place away from sunlight, use a paper bag to cover the herbs as they dry. Paper bags will also protect the herbs from dust that may settle onto them as they hang to dry. Simply create a hole in the bottom of the bag for the stems to poke through and hang the bag around the herbs.
  • Hook or Nail – This is needed to secure the upside-down bunch of herbs. 

Instructions

  1. Tie the ends of four or five stalks together.
  2. Hang the bunches upside down in a warm, dry area, out of direct sunlight.
  3. Allow herbs to dry until the leaves crumble at your touch.
  4. Remove the leaves from the stems, keeping them as whole as possible (this allows for more flavor when it comes time to use them).
  5. Store the dried leaves in an air-tight container (you know how I love a good Mason jar!).
  6. Label contents of the container.

Note: Moisture content and climate will be factors, and it could take weeks to months for herbs to dry. Just be patient and use the paper bag trick if you're concerned about dust or debris.

Raspberry leaves on a dehydrator tray.

How to Dry Fresh Herbs – Dehydrator Method

Supplies Needed

  • Fresh Herbs – Make sure the herbs are fresh with no spots or bruising on the leaves.
  • Food Dehydrator – Any dehydrator should work. If you have a Nesco like mine, try these Nesco screens. Herbs shrink as they dry, and these screens keep them from falling through the cracks.

Instructions

  1. Place herbs in a single layer on the food dehydrator tray or drying rack, ensuring they aren't touching.
  2. Herbs dry best at 95° F. If you live in an area with high humidity, you may need to increase the temperature slightly, but try to stay as low as possible to maintain as many nutrients as possible.
  3. Dehydrating times for herbs will vary depending on the size of the leaves and the moisture content. Some herbs will dry in 12 to 24 hours, and others may take several days.
  4. Herbs are dry when they crumble at your touch.
  5. Store the dried leaves in an airtight container.
  6. Label contents of the container.

Pro-Tip: Herbs don't transfer flavors when drying, so you can dry them together. I have dehydrated four trays at once with chocolate mint, spearmint, oregano, basil, and thyme.

How to Tell When Herbs Are Dehydrated

Take a leaf between your thumb and pointer finger to test if the herbs are dry. It should crunch and crumble when pressed.

If you're unsure whether herbs are dry, you can take them out of the dehydrator and place them immediately into a ziptop baggie. Seal the bag and watch for any condensation to form on the inside of the bag. If you see any moisture, they're not dry yet.

The smaller the item, the faster it will degrade and lose its flavor. Leave the leaf in its largest form for storage and grind it up before use.

Dried herbs in a mason jar.

How to Store Dried Herbs

After the drying process, it's time to get them packaged in containers and stored on the shelf. It's best to keep dried herbs in a dark, cool, dry place to retain the most flavor and extend the shelf life.

Store herbs in an air-tight container. I prefer glass jars as plastic containers seem to affect the flavor of the herbs over time.

Mason or Weck jars work well for herbs. Make sure to label the contents of each container.

How to Use Dried Herbs

Here are my favorite herb blends to make (including FREE printable labels for the jars!).

Have you dried herbs at home? Share your experiences below! Especially if you have any favorite herb blends to share.

A woman pointing to a basil plant where it's starting to flower.

More Posts About Herbs and Their Uses

Kahm Yeast (What, Why & Does it Ruin a Ferment)

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What is kahm yeast, why does it form on ferments, is it safe, and how can we avoid it? When making homemade ferments, it's important to maintain safe practices, especially when it's something our family will be consuming.

Kahm yeast on the surface of a ferment in a mason jar.

It's important to know when our food is safe to eat and when it's not, especially regarding home food preservation.

When it comes to fermenting, sometimes it's hard to tell. Be sure to check out my ultimate guide to fermentation for my best tips and tricks and this post on fermentation health benefits.

People will often think their ferment has gone bad when it's actually salvageable. If you've ever made a batch of fermented pickles and gotten a white skim across the surface, you may have been tempted to toss the whole jar out.

The good news is, this was likely kahm yeast, and not mold! Continue reading to learn more.

What Is Kahm Yeast?

Kahm yeast forms on many ferments once the sugar is used up and the pH drops due to lactic acid production.

Though this yeast is not a mold, it can sometimes look like it. The main difference between kahm yeast and mold is that mold will look fuzzy, while kahm yeast is white and matte and tends to cover the entire surface of a ferment.

Kahm yeast on the surface of a ferment in a mason jar.

Kahm Yeast vs. Mold

You may be wondering what the difference is between mold and kahm yeast. Mold is a white fuzzy fungus that grows in round patches around the surface or sides of the jar.

Regarding home food preservation, I live by the motto, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

So if you're unsure whether you're dealing with yeast or mold, it's always best to toss it and start again.

A woman using a spoon to remove kahm yeast from the surface of a ferment in a Mason jar.

Is It Dangerous?

No, kahm yeast is harmless. Though most people don't enjoy the taste of it, it won't hurt you even if you consume it.

Does Kahm Yeast Ruin a Ferment?

No, it does not ruin a ferment; however, it can change the flavor. The flavor may be off-putting to some, but it's completely harmless and will not ruin a ferment.

Kahm yeast on the surface of a ferment in a mason jar.

Should I Remove It?

I like to remove kahm yeast as soon as I notice it forming because it can alter the flavor of the ferment.

Some people don't care for the change in flavor after the yeast has formed.

A woman using a spoon to remove kahm yeast from the surface of a ferment in a Mason jar.

How to Get Rid of Kahm Yeast

If you notice this yeast growing on a ferment, take a clean spoon and skim it off. You can sometimes remove it all in one scoop; other times, you may have to dip back in with your spoon to remove it all.

Once it grows in a ferment, it will likely continue to grow back, even when removed.

As soon as you notice it forming on your ferment, it's ideal to consume that ferment quickly for the best flavor.

Mason jar filled with pickles sitting on a towel on a table. Text overlay says, "Old Fashioned Salt Water Brine Fermented Pickles."

How to Prevent Kahm Yeast in Ferments

Here are some tips to help prevent this yeast from growing in your ferments.

  • The first is to use at least a 2% salt brine ratio.
  • That you're using clean and sterilized vessels.
  • Keeping the ferment in a cooler location during the initial fermentation (ideally 68° F or below).
  • Using an airlock lid system instead of just a two-piece canning lid.
  • Use clean utensils when dipping into the jar to eat the ferment.
Measuring cups filled with yogurt, sauerkraut and fermented pickle slices.

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How to Make Celery Salt (Preserve Celery)

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Learn how to make celery salt with fresh celery to enjoy the fresh taste of herbs all year long. You can use this as a substitute for salt and add amazing celery flavor to your recipes.

Fresh celery salt on a spoon.

When the garden harvest gets out of control (let's be honest, come August, this just happens!), it's easy to let some produce go to waste.

Instead of losing this food, preserve it quickly! Making homemade celery salt is the perfect way to use garden produce that would otherwise wither away.

Why I Love This Recipe

Making celery salt keeps that nice bright flavor of the fresh herb. Unlike dehydrated herbs (learn how to dehydrate your herbs here), herb salts taste like fresh herbs straight out of the garden.

I use this method of preserving herbs with many of my fresh garden herbs.

What Ratio of Celery to Salt

The ratio of celery to salt we're using in this recipe is four parts celery to one part salt (4:1).

You can make a celery salt that is more salt-heavy with a slight celery flavor (which would be a 1:4 ratio of celery to salt), but for this recipe, we want the celery to be the star.

Celery salt in a half-pint mason jar.

How to Store Celery Salt

Because we're using a larger ratio of herbs to salt, this does need to be stored in the refrigerator, it is not shelf stable.

How Long Will Celery Salt Last?

When stored correctly, celery salt will last from 6 months to a year. If you see signs of mold or any off smells, throw it out.

One time, a jar of basil salt got tucked away in the back of my refrigerator and found a year later. It was still perfectly good to use and tasted as fresh as the day I picked the basil from the garden.

Celery leaves being cut with scissors in the garden.

Ingredients Needed

You only need two ingredients to make homemade celery salt: celery leaves and salt!

  • Celery leaves – Fresh-cut celery leaves from the garden are great, but store-bought celery leaves will work as well.
  • Salt – I like to use Redmond Real Salt (which I buy in bulk). Use coupon code “Pioneering” for 15% off at checkout.
Fresh celery leaves in a colandar.
A woman chopping fresh celery leaves.
A woman pressing celery leaves into a measuring cup.
Fresh celery and salt in a food processor.

How to Make Celery Salt

  1. Using garden sheers, snip off celery leaves and place them into a large colander.
  2. Rinse celery leaves under cold water and dry them off using tea towels or paper towels until completely dry.
  3. Roughly chop celery leaves.
  4. Pack leaves into a measuring cup and press down for an accurate measurement.
  5. Place celery leaves and salt into the food processor in a 4:1 ratio (four parts celery leaves to one part salt).
  6. Turn the food processor on and blend until everything is combined.
  7. Remove any large pieces (or continue blending until evenly chopped).
  8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Celery seed in a wooden bowl.

Can You Turn Celery Seed into Celery Salt?

You can use celery seed to make celery salt, just like you can use dried herbs to make herb salts. However, the flavor will not be as bright as this fresh homemade celery salt.

To make celery salt with celery seed, simply grind up the celery seed and mix one part celery seed with two parts salt.

This celery salt will be shelf stable, and you can store it in an airtight jar in your pantry.

fresh herbs in box

Can I Use This Method With Other Herbs?

Yes! This method can be used with other fresh herbs. I have a recipe for homemade basil salt here, but get creative!

What fresh herbs do you wish you could enjoy in the wintertime when those herbs are no longer growing in your garden? Turn them into salt!

More Posts You May Enjoy

Fresh celery salt on a spoon.

How to Make Celery Salt

Melissa Norris
Learn how to make celery salt with fresh celery to enjoy the fresh taste of herbs all year long. You can use this as a substitute for salt and add amazing celery flavor to your recipes.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 30 servings
Calories 1 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup celery leaves roughly chopped
  • 1/8 cup salt

Instructions
 

  • Start with fresh, washed and dried herbs.
  • Roughly chop celery leaves.
  • Pack leaves into a measuring cup and press down for an accurate measurement.
  • Place celery leaves and salt into the food processor.
  • Turn the food processor on until everything is well blended and incorporated.
  • Remove any large pieces or continue blending until evenly chopped.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Store celery salt in the refrigerator (this recipe is not shelf stable).
  • Celery salt will last for up to a year when stored in the refrigerator.
  • You can use this recipe for any fresh herbs, just use the ratio of 4:1 (four parts herbs to one part salt).

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoonCalories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 0.1gProtein: 0.03gFat: 0.01gSaturated Fat: 0.002gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.003gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.001gSodium: 475mgPotassium: 10mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.01mg
Keyword Celery Salt, Herb Salt
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

No Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

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Learn how to make strawberry jam with no added sugar and still get a beautiful gel and set.

Three jars of jam in a steam canner.

One of the problems with making strawberry jam at home is almost all of the recipes you see use a huge amount of sugar in order to get it to set.

In fact, some recipes have more sugar than they have berries.

Why I Love This Recipe

Homemade jam is a staple on our pantry shelves. But I don't love that so many recipes call for equal (or more) parts of sugar to fruit. When I make jam I want to taste the fruit, not the overly sweet taste of sugar.

I started with my low-sugar strawberry jam recipe (that doesn't require pectin) and liked that so much I also made a low-sugar cherry jam, a low-sugar blackberry jam, a low-sugar spicy peach jam, a low-sugar apple pie jam, and a low-sugar blueberry jam.

Though all those recipes are amazing, there are times in my life when I'm trying to avoid as many added sugars as possible. That's why I love this recipe so much! The incredible fresh strawberry flavors shine, while there's still just enough sweetness to please that sweet jam craving.

This post is sponsored by Azure Standard (a company I've used for years and am very excited about partnering with).

Is There Jam With No Added Sugar?

Certainly, if you've looked at the grocery store, you've found jars of fruit spread with no added sugar. If you turn the jar around and look at the nutrition facts, you will see sugar in the jam, but that's simply because fruit contains sugar.

If you're looking for a truly zero fruit spread, you'll be hard-pressed to find it, but that doesn't mean our fruit jam at home needs extra sugar!

A basket full of strawberries.

Can I Can Strawberries Without Sugar?

Jam recipes that use traditional pectin will require sugar to get a set (aka not runny syrup). However, I love using Pomona's Pectin (the only pectin I'll buy) because it uses calcium water and pectin to get a set which means you can make your jam without added sugars.

With Pomona's Pectin, you can also use alternatives to sugar, such as honey. (See ingredients list below for links on where to find Pomona's Pectin.)

Supplies Needed for Strawberry Jam

  • Strawberries – Homegrown is great; the second best is locally grown and handpicked the day you make your jam. But truly, you can't go wrong even with store-bought strawberries.
  • Blender, Food Processor or Potato Masher – This is to mash the berries just a bit, so they're more of a jam consistency.
  • Pomona's Pectin – This is the only approved pectin I will use in my kitchen that doesn't require sugar for the jam to set. Find Pomona's Pectin in bulk through Azure Standard (<– use that link and enter code “MKN10” for a discount on your entire order for first-time customers – a minimum of a $50 order required).
  • Sweetener – Yes, I know this is a no-sugar strawberry jam. You can omit all sweeteners if you'd like, but I prefer my strawberry jam just a bit sweeter than the fruit allows on its own. Stevia is approved for canning jams and jellies. You can find an organic brand at Azure Standard (see above link).
  • Water Bath or Steam Canner – We'll be processing this jam into jars so it's shelf stable. Before starting your recipe, get your water bath canner or steam canner heating up.
  • Jars and Lids – Wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse well before you start this recipe. I like having mine ready and waiting on a folded kitchen towel next to my stove. You can choose pint jars or smaller ones for this recipe.
  • Bubble Remover/Headspace Tool – You'll need to fill jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, so having a tool to remove any bubbles and measure the headspace is helpful. Here's a great canning tool bundle.
Three jars of strawberry jam hot out of the canner.

How to Make No Sugar Strawberry Jam

The very best strawberry jam is made from local strawberries grown in season. The process is simple. Prep, measure, mix, cook, and can.

Washed, hulled and halved strawberries in a measuring bowl.

Prep Strawberries

You'll want to wash, hull and halve your strawberries.

Pro Tip: If 1/4-1/3 of your strawberries are slightly under-ripe, you'll get a better set on your jam. This is because the under-ripe fruit has slightly higher levels of natural pectin.

Next, mash or blend the berries just a bit. I like my jam chunkier, so I only blend each batch for a few seconds at a time, pausing to stir the berries so they're evenly blended. This step is completely preferential, so you do what you like best.

A woman holding a blender with blended strawberries.

Measure

After your strawberries are blended up to your liking, this is when you'll measure your final amount.

This step is important. You don't want to measure your halved strawberries before blended because you'll use the wrong amount of pectin and risk your jam not setting properly.

For this recipe, I'm using six cups of mashed strawberries.

Get the mashed strawberries heating over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove.

A woman holding a jar of calcium water next to a box of Pomona's Pectin.

Pectin + Calcium Water

When you're using Pomona's Pectin, there are two packets that you must use. One packet is the pectin, which you'll add to your sweetener (if using), and the other is calcium that you mix with water and then add to the mashed strawberries.

The beauty of calcium water is that you can mix it up and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight jar, and it will last your entire canning season. If the powder separates from the water, give your jar a good shake before measuring.

For this recipe, I need one Tablespoon of powdered pectin and one Tablespoon of calcium water.

Using Stevia Concentrate

Add measured fruit, lemon juice, and calcium water to the pan and stir.

Boil 3/4 cup water or juice to a boil. Add pectin powder to a blender, vent the lid, and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the powder is fully dissolved.

When fruit is at a boil, add pectin water/juice and stevia to taste. Stir and return to a full boil.

Add Stevia to taste, too much can sometimes taste bitter so add in increments when you.

Pro Tip: It's normal to see some foam appear on the top of your strawberries as they're coming to a boil. No need to skim this off.

Strawberry jam cooking in a yellow pot on the stove.

Cook

Continue stirring the jam, keeping it at a low boil, for one to two minutes. Don't stop stirring as you risk your jam scorching on the bottom.

Ladling hot strawberry jam into jars.

Hot Pack Jars

Using a funnel and a ladle, fill your canning jars with the hot jam, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Wipe the rim with a dampened towel to remove any berries and/or juice, place the two-part canning lid on and tighten until fingertip tight (as tight as you can get it with just your fingertips).

Pro Tip: Keep a red kitchen towel on hand for wiping the rim. Otherwise, you may stain your towels.

Four jars of finished strawberry jam on a kitchen counter.

Can

The last step is the canning. You can use either a water bath canner or a steam canner (I love my steam canner!).

The processing time is ten minutes for all jars (pint-size or smaller).

For steam canners:

  1. Steam can for ten minutes.
  2. Once ten minutes have passed, turn off the heat and leave the lid on for five minutes.
  3. Remove the lid and wait another five minutes before removing the jars.
  4. Place hot jars on a kitchen towel-lined counter in a non-drafty area for 24 hours.
  5. After 24 hours, remove the bands, wipe the jars, label the jars and store. (Learn how to properly store jars for long-term storage here.)

For water bath canners:

  1. Can for ten minutes.
  2. Once ten minutes have passed, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Wait for five minutes before removing the jars.
  3. Place hot jars on a kitchen towel-lined counter in a non-drafty area for 24 hours.
  4. After 24 hours, remove the bands, wipe the jars, label the jars and store. (Learn how to properly store jars for long-term storage here.)
A box of 100 ForJars canning lids.

My Favorite Canning Lids

Because canning lids were very hard to come by for a couple of years, I've found a couple of alternatives that I love. Both Denali Canning Lids and For Jars. I have canned with both these brands, and each had a 100% success rate with their seals.

For Jars offers bulk buys of lids if that interests you, otherwise both brands offer the standard-sized boxes.

I have coupon codes for both of these, so be sure to use these links and enter the coupon code to get your discount.

Book cover for Everything Worth Preserving

Everything Worth Preserving

Discover the 9 home food preservation methods to safely store delicious food for year-round eating with all of my step-by-step tutorials, recipes, and easy-to-use charts. Learn everything you need to know about cold storage (aka freezer), water bath/steam canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freeze-drying, root cellar, infusion, and salt/curing in the new book, Everything Worth Preserving.

Preserve food for a healthy well-stocked pantry & peace of mind, all in one resource.

In this book, you can search for any produce from A-Z and get a list of all the ways to preserve that item, plus recipes! Grab your copy (and FREE bonuses for pre-ordering) here.

Three jars of jam in a steam canner.

No Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

Melissa Norris
Learn how to make delicious homemade strawberry jam with no added sugar and still get a beautiful gel and set.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 2 mins
Canning Time 10 mins
Total Time 32 mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 64 servings
Calories 5 kcal

Equipment

  • Steam Canner or Water Bath Canner
  • Canning Jars & Lids
  • Large Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups strawberries mashed
  • 1 Tablespoon calcium water see Pomona's Pectin box for instructions
  • Stevia concentrate optional
  • 1 Tablespoon powdered pectin Pomona's brand
  • 3/4 cup water or fruit juice

Instructions
 

  • Wash, hull and halve your strawberries.
  • Prepare jars by washing them in hot water, and get water bath or steam canner heating up.
  • Place strawberries into a blender (food processor, or mash by hand) and lightly mash to your preferred thickness.
  • Once berries are mashed, measure how much you have (this will determine how much pectin and calcium water you need). My total was six cups.
  • Place the mashed strawberries in a pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
  • Add calcium water to the pot of mashed strawberries.
  • Boil 3/4 cup water or juice to a boil. Add pectin powder and just off the boil water/juice to a blender, vent the lid, and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the powder is fully dissolved.
  • When fruit is at a boil, add pectin water/juice and stevia to taste. Stir and return to a full boil.
    Add Stevia to taste, too much can sometimes taste bitter so add in increments when you.
  • Continue stirring to avoid scorching, and cook for one to two minutes.
  • Using a funnel, ladle hot jam into jars, filling to a 1/4 inch headspace. Use bubble remover to remove any bubbles and recheck headspace and top off, if needed.
  • Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp towel, add the two-part canning lid and tighten to fingertip tight (as tight as you can get them using your fingertips only).
  • Process jars for 10 minutes.
  • For steam canners: Leave the lid on for five minutes, remove lid and wait an additional five minutes before removing jars to a towel-lined counter.
    For water bath canners: Remove the lid and wait five minutes before removing jars to a towel-lined counter.
  • Wait 24 hours before removing bands, wiping jars, labeling and storing.

Notes

  • This recipe is for pint canning jars or smaller. 
  • Follow the instructions for your canner (water bath or steam canner) as the instructions vary slightly.
  • Using sweeteners is optional. My family prefers a slightly sweet strawberry jam.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TablespoonsCalories: 5kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.04gSaturated Fat: 0.002gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword No Sugar Strawberry Jam, Strawberry Jam, strawberry jam recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Gardening in August (Garden Tasks by Month)

by 1 Comment

Come along and garden with me with my monthly gardening feature where I take you into my garden and show you everything I'm doing month-by-month! Here's everything I'm doing in August.

A woman holding a camera standing in her garden.

After a long, cold, and rainy spring and summer, the garden is finally producing here in the Pacific Northwest. Though it seems most crops are about 3-4 weeks behind schedule, I'm pleased that we'll at least be getting some harvest this year!

A woman holding a camera standing in her garden.

Tasks for the Garden in August

In “normal” years, many of these tasks would be done in July, but because we're finally getting the warm temps some of my crops love, they're getting done now.

  • This is your last chance to plant a fall garden. Learn more about what crops grow well in a fall garden here.
  • Grab my book The Family Garden Plan, for your fall garden roadmap!
  • If you have issues with powdery mildew on any of your crops, growing vertically and pruning for adequate airflow may help. Here are some vertical growing strategies I use in my garden. The best part about growing vertically is that it expands your garden without expanding the footprint.
  • Prune out excess leaves on your summer and winter squash plants, so more energy is going into ripening the fruit for the final weeks of the growing season.
  • Keep your herbs (like basil) from going to seed by pinching off the blossoms. You can see exactly how I do this in the video above or in this post on doubling your herb harvest. (Be sure to turn those pinched-off basil blossoms into basil salt.)
  • If you see that your beans aren't setting fruit but only producing a lot of flowers, don't pull them! Once the temperatures cool back off, those flowers will turn to fruit.
  • Likewise, don't pull up your broccoli heads if they start to flower. Once the temperature cools down, they will send out side shoots, and you'll get a second harvest off of your established plants.
  • Learn how to seed save so you can harvest seeds from your garden this year for next year. And this post on how to store your seeds properly.
  • Grab my tutorial on preserving green beans here.
  • It's almost time to harvest the carrots. But it's also about time to harvest the carrot seeds from the carrots I left in the ground from last year's garden. Learn how to harvest carrot seeds here.
  • Check your tomatoes for blossom end rot and signs of early blight.
  • Once 50% of your onion tops have fallen over, that's your sign to harvest your onions. Everything in my garden seems to be 3-4 weeks behind due to the colder, wetter temps this year, so my onions aren't ready to harvest. Learn how to harvest onions here and how to cure onions properly here.
  • If you haven't yet, identify your strawberry plants that are nearing the end of their fruit-bearing years, as well as make sure the runners (if growing strawberries in a garden bed) are getting rooted into the soil. If you're growing strawberries in a container, as I do in my Greenstalk Vertical Garden (use code “PIONEERING” for $10 off your order), then you may want to procure more plants or harvest those runners. (Learn more about planting and growing strawberries here.)
  • Continue pruning your tomato plants. At this point, in the Pacific Northwest, any new suckers growing on the plant won't have enough time before our first frost to set fruit and ripen. So we want to prune those off, so all the energy in the plant goes to ripening the existing fruit.
  • If you live in the Pacific Northwest (or if it's right for your climate), now is when you'll want to do the summer pruning of your fruit trees. Read this post for more information on pruning fruit trees in summer.
  • If you want more seasonal recipe ideas, check out my Harvest to Table Recipe Guide, where I share seasonal recipes in a monthly, downloadable resource.
Everything Worth Preserving Book Cover.

That wraps it up for my gardening tasks in August. I didn't cover all the preserving I've been starting, but one thing I will mention is my newest book called Everything Worth Preserving.

This is THE preserving book I always wished I could find but never could. It includes an A-Z list of every fruit and vegetable, all the safe methods of preservation, and recipes for preserving them.

You can pre-order your copy of Everything Worth Preserving right here and grab some bonuses as a thank you from me for pre-ordering my book.

Drone footage of a woman pruning apple trees in an orchard.

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