Lemons aren’t something I have on hand at all times, which is why dehydrated lemon zest is a staple in my kitchen! Lemon peels dehydrate beautifully, and I love using the zest to add a hint of lemon to my favorite glaze recipe, cakes, and even homemade vinaigrettes!
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What Equipment Do I Need?
To dehydrate lemon zest, it’s helpful if you have a zester, a dehydrator, and silicone dehydrator sheets that fit in your dehydrator or parchment paper cut to size. If you don’t have a zester, you can use a food processor after dehydrating to break up the peels and turn them into zest!
Recipe Video
Instructions
Ingredients
Instructions
Using your zester, zest lemons.
If you don’t have a zester, the peels off of lemons and cut into small strips.
Using a silicone dehydrator sheet or a piece of parchment paper cut to size, cover a dehydrator tray.
Add the lemon zest to the covered dehydrator tray and spread the zest evenly.
Ensure no clumps of zest are sticking together.
Dehydrate at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours.
Remove the tray from the dehydrator and check to see if the zest has dehydrated and ensure there are no clumps.
If the zest isn’t fully dehydrated, dehydrate at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 more hours.
If the lemon zest is thoroughly dehydrated, store the zest in a covered, glass container in a cool, dark location for up to a year.
Lemonade concentrate is one of my favorite things to can! It comes together quickly and is convenient to have on your shelf when the heat of summer hits!
How Can I Use Lemonade Concentrate?
Simply add 1 part lemonade concentrate to 2-3 parts water, adjusting to your personal taste, for a delicious lemonade! For a sangria mocktail, add the concentrate to fruit juice and fruit.
You can also use it in cocktails, like margaritas, to make water kefir drinks, or even as the acid in a homemade dressing or marinade!
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What Do I Need To Make Lemonade Concentrate?
To make this lemonade concentrate you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands! If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!
Measure lemon juice to determine how much sugar or honey to add.
You can add one part sugar to one part lemon juice or two parts honey to one part lemonade. You can safely reduce the amount of sweetener if preferred. I prefer .5-part sugar to 1 part lemon juice.
Add lemon juice and sweetener to a pan.
Heat to a rolling boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Canning Instructions
Fill clean, warm half-pint-sized jars with lemonade concentrate, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
Clean jar rim off to ensure no lemonade concentrate is on it.
Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
Put in water bath canner.
Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone.
Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
This is a delicious and unique preserve to make with pears! It “pears” (pun intended) perfectly with pork and chicken as a savory marinade or sauce!
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What Do I Need To Make Pear-Roasted Garlic Preserves?
To make this pear butter you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands! If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!
I modified the original recipe, but, if you’re following the original, then you will also need pectin.
This pear honey marmalade is sweet, delicious, and great in yogurt, on toast, or right off the spoon! You only need 3 ingredients to make this wonderful preserve–pears, crushed pineapple, and sugar!
When we were planning what to preserve with fresh pears this season, my grandpa, who is 94 years old, requested “pear honey,” like his grandma used to make. After asking him a series of questions–what color was it, did it have pieces of fruit in it, what consistency did it have–I finally found a safe canning recipe that fit the description!
This is my variation on the original recipe, which requires less prep for the same delicious product!
What Do I Need To Make Pear Honey Marmalade?
To make this pear butter you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands! If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!
Pear season is upon us, and this pear butter is a delicious treat! It’s cinnamon-y with a hint of orange and oh-so-delicious! If you have a steam juicer, this is a great way to use up the leftover pear pulp.
Another reason I love using the leftover pear pulp from the steam juicer is because most of the juice has been extracted. That means you don’t have to wait for hours for the pear butter to reduce!
Using Pulp From the Steam Juicer
If you have ever used a steam juicer, then you know that, after the juice is extracted from the fruit, you’re left with a ton of pulp! Most people recommend throwing it out, but, if you’re like me, then throwing out that pulp isn’t an option. That’s why I decided to make pear butter with it!
The concern with using leftover pulp from steam juicing is that there won’t be much flavor left. So, instead of letting my steam juicer run until there was absolutely no juice left in my pears, I took it off of the heat once the juice production started slowing down.
For another way to use leftover fruit pulp, check out my fruit leather recipe here!
Can I Change the Spices?
You may add up to 3 teaspoons of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves, or you can leave the spices out altogether!
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What Do I Need to Can Pear Butter?
To make this pear butter you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands! If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!
You will also need a food mill (I use one that attaches to my KitchenAid Mixer) and a steam juicer!
I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that it can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!
This pear honey tastes just like traditional honey! You can extract the juice needed for this recipe from pear peels, so no part of the pears will go to waste! You need only three ingredients and a water bath canner or steam canner for this recipe.
You can use pear honey just as you would regular honey! In tea, in recipes, on toast or biscuits, or as a sugar replacement.
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Supplies to Make Pear Honey
For this particular recipe, I recommend using a steam juicer! I extracted pear juice from the peels and used the fruit for other recipes (like my pear pie filling).
Yes, this recipe can be doubled or tripled, just make sure to double to triple all ingredients.
Important Note
If you cook or can for anyone who is vegan, then I have great news. This “honey” is vegan! I have a family member who is vegan, and I love having this fruit-based “honey” to use in recipes I know that person will be eating.
Recipe Video
Recipe
Adapted from the So Easy to Preserve cookbook, which can be purchased here.
Ingredients
Instructions
Bring the pear juice to a rolling boil in a large stockpot.
Add the lemon juice and sugar.
Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Continue boiling until the mixture has reduced to a honey-like consistency. It should be thick and sticky.
Remove stockpot from heat.
Store in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.
Canning Instructions
Fill clean, warm jars with pear honey, making sure to leave 1-inch headspace.
Clean jar rim off to ensure no pear honey is on it.
Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
Put in water bath canner or steam canner.
Fill remaining jars until pear honey is gone.
Process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
It’s pear season here in the southern United States, and that means it’s time to figure out how to preserve pears! In this post, I’ll teach you how to make pear pie filling for canning!
If you look in your safe, approved canning books, you’re not likely to find a pear pie filling recipe. However, according to North Dakota State University, you may safely:
“Substitute peaches for nectarines, or apples for pears, and vice versa with the same tasty result.”
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What Do I Need to Can Pear Pie Filling?
To make this peach butter you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands. You must also use ClearJel, which is a modified food starch. You can purchase it in a 1.5 pound container, but, if you plan on making more than one or two batches of pie filling, I recommend purchasing the 3 pound bag.
A fruit peeler will also come in handy for the recipe! I use a KitchenAid attachment to make the job faster!
I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use the steam canner or the Ball Water Bath Canner exclusively for anything I that doesn’t need to be pressure canned.
The best feature of the Ball Water Bath Canner is that it can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!
Recipe Video
Recipe
This recipe has been safely modified from the Apple Pie Filling Recipe in the So Easy to Preserve Book.
Ingredients
Instructions
First, blanch your pear slices by placing about 1 quart at a time in boiling water, boiling for 1 minute, then removing from the boiling water and placing into a covered bowl to keep warm.
While blanching pears, combine remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, in a large stockpot.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once mixture begins bubbling, add lemon juice and continue cooking/boiling for 1 minute.
Remove stockpot from heat and fold in hot, blanched pears.
Store in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.
Canning Instructions
Fill clean, warm jars with pie filling, making sure to leave 1-inch headspace.
Clean jar rim off to ensure no pie filling is on it.
Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
Put in water bath canner or steam canner.
Fill remaining jars until pie filling is gone.
Process in a water bath canner for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
Did you know you can make a small batch of cowboy candy, or “candied jalapeños,” even with just a few jalapeños? In this post, I’ll show you how to use this safe, tested recipe to make something delicious with those jalapeños!
How Can I Use Cowboy Candy?
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to how to eat cowboy candy! Here are some ideas:
Mixed into deviled eggs or a cheese ball
In potato, egg, or pasta salad
With cream cheese and crackers
On a sandwich
In corn bread, tacos, or burritos
As a baked potato, chili, or pizza topper
In jalapeno popper dip or cheese dip
If you have leftover brine, you can also can it and use it to make homemade barbeque sauce and pickle eggs or to baste meat with!
Pickled peppers are one of my favorite things to can! They’re fast, easy, and a delicious, shelf-stable topping for pizza and burritos! Canning pickled peppers doesn’t take a lot of prep work, and, because they’re acidic, they can be canned in a water bath canner.
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What Kind of Peppers Do I Need?
The good news is that pretty much any small pepper can be pickled and canned this way! Anything from jalapenos to banana peppers and Thai chilis to dragon roll peppers are perfectly suited for pickling.
How Many Peppers Do I Need?
This recipe makes enough brine to cover about 2.5 pounds of peppers, but you can double or even triple this recipe if you have enough peppers!
How Do I Keep My Peppers From Getting Mushy?
Pickled peppers are notorious for getting mushy once they’re canned because they have to be processed in a boiling water bath canner. To combat the mushiness, I recommend adding calcium chloride (also called Pickle Fresh by Hoosier Farms or Pickle Crisp by Ball) to your jars after adding the peppers and before adding the brine.
Just add 1/8 teaspoon to each pint-sized jar or 1/16 teaspoon to each half-pint-sized jar!
In a large pot, combine apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, water, and salt.
Heat over medium heat.
While waiting for your brine to come up to a boil, cut your peppers into 1/4-inch-wide rounds.
Once the brine has come up to a boil, fill a hot jar with peppers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
If using seasonings or spices, add them now. You can add up to 1/2 Tbsp celery seed, 1 Tbsp mustard seed, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and/or 1/8 tsp calcium chloride to each pint-sized jar.
Pour brine over peppers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Clean jar rim off.
Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
Put in water bath canner.
Fill remaining jars until peppers are gone.
Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
Peach butter is my absolute favorite way to preserve peaches! It’s peach-y, cinnamon-y, and oh-so-delicious! If you have a steam juicer, this is a great way to use up the leftover peach pulp.
Another reason I love using the leftover peach pulp from the steam juicer is because most of the juice has been extracted. That means you don’t have to wait for hours for the peach butter to reduce!
Using Pulp From the Steam Juicer
If you have ever used a steam juicer, then you know that, after the juice is extracted from the fruit, you’re left with a ton of pulp! Most people recommend throwing it out, but, if you’re like me, then throwing out that pulp isn’t an option. That’s why I decided to make peach butter with it!
The concern with using leftover pulp from steam juicing is that there won’t be much flavor left. So, instead of letting my steam juicer run until there was absolutely no juice left in my peaches, I took it off of the heat once the juice production started slowing down.
For another way to use leftover fruit pulp, check out my fruit leather recipe here!
Can I Change the Spices?
You may add up to 3 teaspoons of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves, or you can leave the spices out altogether!
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Do I Need to Can Peach Butter?
To make this peach butter you need jars, clean, new lids, and bands! If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!
You will also need a food mill (I use one that attaches to my KitchenAid Mixer) and a steam juicer!
I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that it can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars! For this particular recipe, I was able to make 11 half-pint jars and 7 quarter-pint jars of plum jelly by stacking my jars!
Put 8 cups of milled peach pulp into a large stockpot.
Heat over medium heat until warmed through.
Add sugar and spices, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Lower heat to low to medium heat and stir continuously.
Once peach butter mounds on spoon (only took about 10-12 minutes for me), you are ready to store the butter in the refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.
Canning Instructions
Fill clean, warm jars with peach butter, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
Clean jar rim off to ensure no butter is on it.
Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
Put in water bath canner.
Fill remaining jars until butter is gone.
Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
