Tag Archives: canning

Fermentation and Pickling Crocks Questions & Answers

January 9, 2017 - posted by EmmaLee Sessions

You’ve probably had fresh, homemade pickles at some point in your life – maybe even homemade sauerkraut or kimchi. You may have even tried your hand at home pickling and fermenting. Whether you’re an expert, a novice or somewhere in-between I would bet that you have a question or two about pickling crocks.

Right here we answer some frequently asked questions about these fragile, ceramic creations with help from industry experts at Ohio Stoneware.

We’ve carried these Ohio made stoneware pickling crocks for several years (see them online here!) here at Smith & Edwards. Throughout that time we’ve gotten a lot of questions from our customers about pickling crocks. Here are some of the most questions we’ve received. Answers to these questions were provided to us from the experts at Ohio Stoneware and the Utah State University Extension Office.

Have a pickling crock question you don’t see answered here? Leave a comment below and we’ll track down an answer for you!

Pickling Crock Questions about Getting Started

Q: What do I need to get started?

A: You need a pickling crock with a set of weights and a lid. Whether you buy a pickling or fermentation crock is up to you. There are many brands to choose from, but our favorite here at Smith and Edwards is the Ohio Stoneware crocks.

Once you have your basic kit assembled, all you need is a few of your favorite recipes. Then you’re ready to start making delicious, fresh pickles.

You can also try pickling other vegetables, or even try your hand at fermenting!

Find out more tips about getting started with pickling crocks, and a FREE recipe, here.

Q: Are crock lids and weights necessary, or are there “pickling hacks”?

A: These items are necessary. Pickling weights hold your produce under the brine. Pickling crock lids keep excess air & contaminants from reaching your pickles.

However, you can use some shortcuts. Instead of weights, you could use a plate weighted down with bricks. Also, if you have a plate large enough, you could use that as a lid.

Crock weights are designed & sized specifically for your individual crock, so I recommend them – but you can get by without them.

How do I care for my pickling crock?

It’s quite simple, really. Your crock needs only to be washed with soap and water. The goal is to get rid of anything that would cause bacteria to form in your crock. So a little bit of hot water and soap will do just the trick. Here are some more questions we get about cleaning pickling crocks.

Q: Should I wash my crock by hand, or in the dishwasher?

A: Most pickling crocks, like the Ohio Stoneware crocks, have been treated with a special glaze that has been specially formulated to withstand the power of your dishwasher. But – due to their sheer size and majesty, your pickling crocks might not fit in your dishwasher!

If your 1-gallon or 2-gallon pickling crock fits, you can rest easy knowing that you won’t hurt your crock by putting it in the dishwasher. But handwashing is a good bet.

Q: What type of scrubber is best?

A: Most scrubbers will work great with your crock. You’re not likely to ruin the glaze. Still, Ohio Stoneware recommends that you don’t use anything too abrasive. Steer clear of metal scrubbing tools.

The traditional, little green scrubbing pads that you can find in most cleaning aisles (or on our center bargain tables here at Smith and Edwards) are the perfect tool for doing the job. Any other plastic-bristled scrubbers or foam sponges, even our favorite Scrub Daddy scrubbers, will work great on your pickling crocks!

Q: Is it safe to pour scalding-hot water in my crock?

A: Your pickling crock has been coated with some kind of glaze and was heated, or fired, in a kiln. Temperatures inside of an industrial kiln, which is like a giant oven, can reach up to 2500°F. So, a little bit of scalding hot water isn’t going to hurt your crock.

Something I would suggest would be to avoid pouring boiling hot water into your crock when the crock is extremely cold.

Have you ever seen what happens to glass when it is super-heated and then cooled too quickly? You get really cool cracks in the glass making it look like crystal! That’s not something that you want to have happen to your pickling crock.

Q: Can I still use a cracked crock? How about if the glaze is cracked?

A: If the crack is deep enough that the clay of the crock is exposed, it is recommended that you invest in a new crock. It would be impossible to guarantee that an older crock was made with lead-free clay and health and safety should be your number one concern when pickling and fermenting.

However, if you notice that your glaze is cracked but the clay is not exposed, you should be okay to continue using your crock. Be sure and check with the manufacturer if you have questions about the composition of your crock.

Chips in the rim aren’t an issue at all.

Questions about the Fermentation Process

Q: How do I know when my pickles & fermented foods are ready?

A: Follow your recipe, or even do some taste-testing. Really, that’s OK! Taste-testing helps you know how much longer to ferment or pickle.

Generally, the longer you pickle something, the stronger the taste. Just keep an eye on things.

Q: Can I ever re-use my brine? What about with pickled eggs?

A: No, you cannot. Even with pickled eggs! It is always best to start at the beginning for the best-tasting and safest pickles.

Q: What types of salt should I use? Are there different salts for different applications?

A: Use a pickling or canning salt. These salts are cleaner and have no additives, which can affect the quality of your brine and produce. In all of your pickling and canning, use a salt made specifically for these purposes.

Q: Do I have to be exact on the amount of salt and produce?

A: Yes. You need to go-to a good source for the ratio. Follow your recipe.

Q: What temperature do I need to keep my brine?

A: The ideal temperature range for pickling is between 68° F and 74° F. If you are not in that range, you can run into lots of problems:

If your solution is too hot, this can cause soft and slimy pickles. If your climate is fairly warm, then you need to pay more attention to your pickles. You may need to change out the brine more frequently and there is more “pickle-sitting” involved.

If your solution is too cold, it takes a longer time for the fermentation process to take place. This can mean cloudiness in your brine and a poorer-quality pickle.

What’s next?

The best step is to either start or continue pickling!

Whether you’re a seasoned pickling veteran, or just starting out, we are sure you’ll have more questions. Just remember the best resources you have in your pickling adventures.

You can contact your manufacturer for any questions that you have regarding workmanship, materials, and care. Any additional questions you have about pickling and fermenting can be answered by contacting your local Extension office. The Utah State University Extension office is always happy to answer any questions you have about pickling and fermenting and many other types of food preservation and safety as well.

Call the local expert on all things canning and fermenting, Teresa Hunsaker with the USU Extension Service, at 801-399-8200. Or email her at teresa.hunsaker (at) usu.edu.

Remember to stay safe and informed for the best pickles and cleanest crocks in town. Happy pickling!

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How to Make Dried Apricots & Apricot Jam

August 17, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

What do you do with a couple pounds of fresh Utah apricots?

Some of the best ways to preserve that fresh, tangy sweetness are dehydrating apricots and turning them into apricot freezer jam.

Maggie & Hannah are 10-year-old friends, cousins, and daughters of Smith & Edwards employees. They gave it a shot! Here’s how they did – and if they can do it, YOU & your kids can, too!

Making Dried Apricots

You’ll need:

Food Dehydrator
Kitchen knife

Wash and dry the apricots. Then, cut the apricots in half. Lastly, separate the halves, and pull out the pit.
Now arrange the apricots on your dehydrator screens. You can actually place them closer together than this, because they’ll shrink as they dry.
Let them dry according to your dehydrator’s instructions. This batch only took Maggie & Hannah about 1 hour.

Making Apricot Freezer Jam

We used:

Mrs. Wages Freezer Jam Mix + sugar & lemon juice
Canning funnel
freezer jam jars (Keep lids off of glass jars until the jam has frozen to prevent breakage.)
Canning scoop or kitchen ladle
Spatula and potato masher
Mixing bowls

Cut and discard the apricot pits, then mash the apricots.
Add sugar, lemon juice, and the Freezer Jam fruit pectin, according to the package directions.
Stir, then ladle the apricot jam into freezer jam jars.
This apricot freezer jam will keep in the fridge up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer up to a year!
Their grandmother has a secret about adding crushed pineapple to the recipe. Try it out and see what you like!

Your Turn!

What’s happening in your kitchen? We love to see pictures of what you’re making! Leave a comment, tag us on Facebook or Instagram, or send us an email.

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How to Freeze Cherries

July 20, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Here in northern Utah we’re lucky to get large yields of cherries in late June & early July! While there’s no end to what you can do with fresh cherries – cobbler being my favorite! – freezing cherries is a wonderful use for these short-seasoned juicy treats!

Freezing cherries will let you taste that sweetness even in January. Plus, you can use these for your shakes & smoothies.

Vickie, our Housewares manager, and Jean from Pettingill’s Fruit Farm, got together to show me how to freeze my own cherries. Take a look!

You’ll need:

Cherry pitter
Long cookie sheet with sides or jelly roll pan, that fits in your freezer
Short plastic drink cups or tupperware
Large, flat spatula
Ziploc® freezer bags

Directions: How to Freeze Cherries

Wash the cherries and remove their stems. Tip: use a colander!
Pit the cherries. Jean & Vickie like using a handheld cherry pitter and collecting the pits in an extra jar or measuring cup.
Place the pitted cherries on the cookie sheet.
Secret Tip: Double decker your cherries! Place short drink cups or tupperware on the cookie sheet and place it in the freezer. Then, fill another cookie sheet with cherries and place it on top of the cups to freeze twice as many cherries!
Let the cherries freeze overnight.
A chest freezer is GREAT for freezing cherries…
The next day, take a spatula and release the bottoms of the cherries from the cookie sheet.
Gather the cherries and place them in freezer Ziploc bags. Quart, gallon – your choice!

Questions we get asked about Freezing Cherries

Q: Is it messy?

YES! Wear surgical gloves so it doesn’t stain your hands, and wear a work shirt.

Pitting cherries is messy business! Wear gloves.

Q: Why not freeze them in bags from the get-go?

By freezing them individually first, they don’t get stuck to each other. Then after you put them in the bag, they break apart easily.

Q: What can you do with frozen cherries?

Vickie LOVES to make smoothies with frozen cherries. YUM!

Eat these fresh-picked as a treat when the snow’s flying in January, just like you were eating it fresh in July!!

Do you have more questions for us? Leave a comment & let us know!

If you liked this, you will LOVE our other frozen food storage tips! Make sure you check out How to Freeze Beets and How to Freeze Corn.

Looking for more food preserving, dehydrating, or canning supplies? Shop our canning supplies on the online store!

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Brand Spotlight: Cox Honeyland – Why We LOVE Honey

April 19, 2016 - posted by Jerica Parker

Henderson and Marion Cox started in the bee industry in St. George, Utah. Since then, the family has carried the tradition of bee keeping and honey production, and in 1989, Cox Honeyland opened for business. Now, the fourth generation of family is running the business in Logan, Utah, with more things than just honey, including lotions and other food items.

Here at Smith & Edwards, we have proudly carried Cox Honeyland for the past 20 years.

Honey has so many benefits!

Besides being all natural, healthy, yummy and sweet, it makes a great food storage item!

On top of that, there are other cosmetic uses that not many know about.

What’s even better? Finding honey that is harvested locally!

Why is local honey better?

We love the local Cache County honey from Cox Honeyland.

Have you ever had honey that tastes or looks a little different than other jars? Honey bees fly as much as 55,000 miles within a 5 mile radius, all the while collecting nectar from flowers. The nectar gathered from a specific region will give the honey produced a slightly different taste and color. Cox Honeyland honey has three different honey varieties: Clover-alfalfa (lighter color and mild taste), Cache Valley (darker with more flavor), and Mountain Snowberry (mountain wildflower flavor).

So wherever you get your honey from, it will be slightly different than honey from another place.

Fight those allergies!

A benefit of getting local honey is that it is said to help boost immunity for seasonal allergies. Naturally made, honey is healthy for you.

Tip: Have a sore throat? Mix honey with a spoonful of lemon juice in a mug filled with steaming hot water to soothe your throat and relieve congestion.

Pure and Healthy

You can tell honey is pure when it crystalizes. That means that there are no preservatives added to the honey. The great thing is that honey never expires! (Which makes it great as a food storage item!) When it does crystalize, simply place the jar in a pan of warmed water and it will soften back to its smooth texture.

What else?

Honey is great for various different uses, some can be surprising! As a natural sweetener, honey makes a great substitute in recipes for sugar. Using this replacement in some recipes reduces up to half of the sugar a recipe calls for.

Cox Honeyland has recipes using honey – View them here!

Honey also has cosmetic benefits. “My dad would have us wash our faces with crystalized honey as kids. When honey crystalizes, it makes a great natural exfoliator”, Maleesa with Cox Honeyland told me. You can also use the beeswax to make your own lip balms, lotions, massage bars, and more.

Now that you know why we love honey so much, it’s time to get your own! Whether it’s for your food storage, cosmetic benefits, or just to enjoy now, local honey is the best!

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How to Can Applesauce in 6 Easy Steps!

October 23, 2015 - posted by Jerica Parker

Fall is here! The leaves are falling, the wind is cooler, and it’s time to get ready for winter. One of my favorite ways is by storing all the delicious food we have enjoyed in the summer, so we can have it in the winter as well.

Vickie Maughan, our canning and housewares department manager, shared with us her great recipe for making canned applesauce at home. And we want to share it with you!

The perk of this recipe, is you can eat it right away, storing leftovers in the fridge – and you can also can the applesauce to enjoy in the winter. Her tips and tricks are right here in 6 easy steps:

How to Can Applesauce

Start by washing your apples. Peel them, and then slice them. Vickie used a peeler machine to take off the peel and slice them. Get your own peeler here!
Cook the apples in 3/4 cup of water on medium heat. When they reach a boil, lower the heat and steam them until the apples are tender.
Then, using an immersion blender, blend up the apples until it reaches your desired consistency of applesauce.

If you want to enjoy it right away, finish up by sweetening and seasoning however you like it. If you would like to continue to can and store for food storage, continue with the next steps.

When you have reached desired consistency, sweeten and season to how you like.
Next, fill the jars. Using a funnel is so helpful for easy cleanup! Wipe clean to avoid problems with sealing the lids.
Tighten lids and place jars in pot with water just above the level of the jars. Bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Careful! When you take out the jars, they will be very hot. Use a good jar lifter to protect your hands.

And voilà! Delicious applesauce to enjoy and share with your family and friends.

But you better hurry! You have just under 2 weeks left in apple season to get your apples for delicious applesauce. Stop at Pettingill’s and get your apples soon! They are closing for the season on Halloween, October 31.

Make sure to like Pettingill’s Fruit Farm on Facebook, and then take a peek at when we stopped in to Pettingill’s in August.

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How to Freeze Corn – Plus Easy Corn-Cutting Method!

September 10, 2015 - posted by Jerica Parker

What do you do with all that left-over corn you made for dinner? Throw it out? Stick it in the fridge, forget about it, and then throw it out? Not anymore!

With this easy video & guide, you don’t need to let the words “canning” or “food storage” intimidate you. Melissa in our Housewares department will walk you through the steps.

Easy Frozen Corn Storage: Watch How!

Now, this is something I have done with my family since I was a little girl. We have our own garden and we love corn. So when it is corn season, we all get together to freeze our own corn for storage. It’s so simple and the corn comes out with that same fresh-from-the-garden taste.

How To Freeze Corn in 6 Steps

Here are some quick and easy steps for freezing your corn:

Shuck the corn.
- Shucking means to take off the husk and the silk hairs. As Melissa shows in the video, one easy method is to hold the corn between your knees and pull the husk toward your body.
Wash the ears of corn and remove any remaining silk.
Blanch (or boil) the corn in boiling water for about 6 minutes.
- The reason behind blanching the corn, is to stop the enzymes that can make the corn taste bad later. Cooking it first helps preserve the flavor when you want to eat it later on.
Place the corn in ice water (using a pair of tongs to protect your hands) to slightly cool them off, just until they’re cool enough to handle.
Cut the corn off the cob.
- This part is optional. If you like, you can freeze them whole, on-the-cob. After step 4, you would wrap them in plastic wrap and then put those in freezer bags to freeze. If you prefer cut corn then you can take a knife and cut the kernels off the cob to freeze. In my family, we have always cut the corn off. It’s your choice!
- Editor’s Tip: To cut the corn off the cob, you can put them in the center of a Bundt pan. This will hold them as you cut off the corn and it will fall right into the pan. Or a simple board with nails pounded through (about 5″ apart) can hold the cob steady while you cut.
  To make a nailboard, simply take an extra shelf or spare board. Paint it, then hammer a 4″ nail through it. Then you can simply set each ear of corn on the nail, and safely cut the corn.
Now, simply scoop the kernels you just cut off into freezer bags.
- You can put 1 1/2 to 2 cups in a bag, depending on how big you want your portion sizes to be when you eat them. When the bags are flattened to about 1/2 – 1 inch thick, you can stack them nicely in your freezer to make the best use of freezer space.

More Tips on the Freezing Process

11 1/2 dozen large ears of corn should give you about 58 cups of corn to freeze.
Vickie, Kitchen Dept. Manager at Smith and Edwards, says to lay the bag with corn flat as you zip it up. When you have about an inch left to zip, squeeze the air out. “If it has air in it in the freezer, it is more likely to get freezer burn,” she says.
Melissa has another idea on how to get the air out. She says when you have the full bag, you can slowly lower it into a lot of water, just until it reaches the zipper line. The water on the outside of the bag helps push the water out and you can seal it while still partly in the water.
Don’t put too many bags in the freezer at once! If you put a lot of warm things in the freezer, it may begin to thaw out your other frozen foods. But if you put in just a few at a time until they’re frozen, they will freeze faster and won’t thaw any of your other food.

Now you have corn to eat for the next few months! It’s a great and easy way to start up your own food storage without the complicated recipes or big pressure cookers.

We would love to hear back from you! If this worked for you, or if you have any other tips or secrets to help others in starting their canning & food preserving, please leave a comment below.

If you liked this, you will LOVE our other frozen food storage tips! Make sure you check out How to Freeze Beets and How to Freeze Cherries.

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How to use a Pickling Crock: the Art & Science

August 8, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

Teresa with USU Extension service helped answer some common fermenting & pickling questions for us!

When people think of pickles, large quart jars of olive-colored pickles come to mind. But there’s another way to make pickles that takes a lot less heat, a lot more time, and some say, yields a lot tastier results:

Fermenting Pickles and Vegetables

When you make pickles in a traditional pickling crock, in some ways it’s much less work: simply prepare your pickles, load them in the crock according to the recipe, and give them a few weeks.

This yields crisp, crunchy, delicious pickles!

And you can make sauerkraut and more fermented dishes the same way.

Our favorite brand of stoneware pickling crocks are the Ohio Stoneware line (click to shop), which is make in the USA in Zanesville, Ohio. And when you order yours from Smith & Edwards, we guarantee they arrive in perfect condition!

We carry lids, weights and pickling crocks in a huge range of sizes, as well as the very-popular 3-gallon fermentation set.

What size Pickling Crock do I need?

The US Department of Agriculture recommends a 1 gallon container for each 5 pounds of fresh vegetables. So a 5-gallon stone crock is an ideal size for fermenting about 25 pounds of fresh cabbage or cucumbers, according to the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Cucumbers and cabbage must be kept 1-2 inches under brine while fermenting, so weights can be instrumental.

Make sure to wash your crock, weights, and lid with hot soapy water, and rinse them well with very hot water, before adding your vegetables.

Ohio Stoneware crocks at Smith & Edwards

You can get a pickling crock for any size project – from one to five gallons – and the weights & lids to match.

Why & How to use a Pickling Crock

We were lucky to have Teresa Hunsaker from the USU Extension Service here at Smith & Edwards this summer to check pressure canner lids, as well as give tips on the fermenting process. Fermenting is only growing in popularity as people return to the traditional method, as well as gain interest in probiotics and the health benefits of fermented foods for the digestive system.

Read on for common fermenting mistakes, how to process your vegetables after fermenting them, and a fermented Dill Pickle Recipe!

Pickling Crock Common Mistakes

One of the common problems Teresa sees has to do with salt: especially people not using enough salt.

Salt is hugely important with shredded vegetables and pickles: otherwise, the brine goes scummy and your lovely batch of pickles or sauerkraut is lost. It’s so important to use the right salt ratio!

Use your standard pickling salt: you can use both iodized and noniodized table salt. Noncaking materials added to table salts may make your brine cloudy. USDA advises against flake salt because it varies in density. Reduced-sodium salts may be used in quick pickle recipes; this may give your pickles a slightly different taste than expected. But, reduced-sodium salt is not recommended for fermented pickles.

Layer your vegetables, then salt, then vegetables, then salt: this is especially important with cabbage.

Another mistake Teresa sees is not having your crock at the right temperature. Some people will store their pickles in the basement as they ferment, or in a room that gets too hot.

The temperature should be between 68-74 degrees. That’s because if it’s too hot, it will process too fast and produce scummy brine. Too cold, and the process will take too long.

The traditional way to make kimchi is actually to bury the fermentation pot in the ground, to keep the temperature constant!

Fermenting is both an art and a science!

How Long does Fermenting Take?

The length of time needed for your batch of pickles or sauerkraut depends on your recipe. It takes about 3 weeks for sauerkraut, and there’s a good recipe out there for 21-day pickles.

Follow your recipe exactly, including changing out the brine: with the 21-day pickles, you need to change the brine every few days.

OK, they’re done… Now what?

You can can your sauerkraut or pickles after they’re done: just process them. For sweet pickles, it just takes 15 minutes; for whole dills, about 25 minutes does the trick at this altitude.
Or, you can waterbath them – check your local recommendations and keep them under 185°.

But you don’t HAVE to can them at all. Your crock pickles can hold in the fridge for weeks!

This 3-gallon fermentation crock features a channel for the lid to rest in, and comes with matching weights.

What’s the difference between pickling crocks and fermentation crocks?

Either style works well.

The fermentation style is designed for keeping the vegetables down better, and it features vents. You do want some air circulation to temper the temperature.

Dill Pickles Recipe for Pickling Crocks

Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container.

4 lbs of 4-inch pickling cucumbers
2 tbsp dill seed or 4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup vinegar (5%)
8 cups water and one of more of the following ingredients:
- 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- 2 dried red peppers (optional)
- 2 tsp whole mixed pickling spices (optional)

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16 inch slice off blossom end and discard. Leave 1/4-inch of stem attached. Place half of dill and spices on bottom of a clean, suitable container. Add cucumbers, remaining dill, and spices. Dissolve salt in vinegar and water and pour over cucumbers. Add suitable cover and weight. Store where temperature is between 70° and 75° F for about 3 to 4 weeks while fermenting. Temperatures of 55° to 65° F are acceptable, but the fermentation will take 5 to 6 weeks. Avoid temperatures above 80° F, or pickles will become too soft during fermentation. Fermenting pickles cure slowly. Check the container several times a week and promptly remove surface scum or mold. Caution: If the pickles become soft, slimy, or develop a disagreeable odor, discard them. Fully fermented pickles may be stored in the original container for about 4 to 6 months, provided they are refrigerated and surface scum and molds are removed regularly. Canning fully fermented pickles is a better way to store them. To can them, pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to reduce cloudiness, if desired. Fill hot jar with pickles and hot brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process as below, or use the low temperature pasteurization treatment.

– recipe from USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 6: Fermented Foods and Pickled Vegetables

Want to learn how to make sauerkraut in a fermentation crock? Enter your email address to get access to a free printable Fermented Sauerkraut recipe!

Explore Pickling Crocks…

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The Secret to Clean Jar Rims: a New Canning Funnel

August 23, 2014 - posted by Rose Marion

To enjoy home canned salsa and pickled beets, we have to be certain we’re canning safely in the summer. Making sure our jar rims are clean and not sticky is so important – but most canning funnels wind up still letting some syrup or jam drip over. Isn’t there a better way? A clean canning funnel?

Carefully ladling, pouring, and wiping down 89 jars of salsa could make anyone break down…. instead, Mark Gallegos woke up the next morning at 3am and designed the Bottle Mate canning funnel.

This canning funnel is available in-store and in our online Canning Equipment department!

That was 4 years ago, and now Mark’s canning funnels are our most popular funnel!

What makes this canning funnel the best for keeping rims clean?

It’s cleaner
It’s safer
It’s lightweight
Doesn’t get hot
Doesn’t wobble
Wide, sturdy handles for great gripping

If you have arthritis, Mark has found that the broad handle and sturdy plastic makes it the best funnel for his clients to use.

Made from BPA-free polypropelene, these funnels are lightweight and rest on the outside of the jar, giving you stability so you can pour or ladle salsa, corn, beets, or jam right into the funnel and jar without holding onto the funnel. The Bottle Mate funnel’s design has 2 rings: one for the funnel to go into the jar, and an outer ring to rest on the outside of the jar. This keeps your rims clean on wide mouth & regular jars!

This clean canning funnel made in Utah has 2 rings to keep your jars clean!

Mark’s design has the secret: the two-ring design allows the funnel to completely cover the rims of your canning jars, keeping them sauce- and jam-free for safe canning!

Designed by Mark in Utah and manufactured right here in Ogden, the Bottle Mate canning funnels have been featured in Edible Wasatch magazine and on Good Day Utah!

Mark loves his salsas and marinara sauce, and he’s the only one of 5 siblings who cans, so he stays busy. Phew, 89 jars? Wow!

Bottle Mate funnels are the right size and rest on the outside of canning jars. So you can leave headspace on even specialty jam jars – they won’t sink all the way down into the jar like other funnels!

Mark Gallegos and his Bottle Mate Canning Funnel

Thanks, Mark! Happy Canning!

See the Bottle Mate Canning funnel online here, and click here to see all Canning Equipment & Gadgets.

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7 Super Simple Mason Jar Crafts that Make Great Gifts

August 19, 2014 - posted by Amy Griffiths

It’s 10:00 pm and your child tells you she needs a teacher gift for school in the morning. What do you do? You start your daily chores and realize it’s your friend’s birthday, but you don’t have time or money to go to the store. What now?

With 5 kids and a busy schedule, these and many more scenarios like them seem to be what makes my world go round.

Here are 7 easy tried and true mason jar crafts that are not only simple to make, but are kid friendly, inexpensive, can be done in a jiffy, and are sure to bring smiles to the ones receiving them.

1. Candy Jars

This one is as versatile as the friends you give them to. Keep them simple with a favorite treat you know they like or go elaborate by layering them by color.We used Lemon Heads, Laffy Taffy, Zotz, and Bit O’ Honey. They work beautifully with unwrapped candy like M&Ms or Skittles!

You can finish it off simple and let the candy do the talking, or for the more artistic type, deck it out with ribbons, tulle, flowers, a homemade gift tag – whatever works for you. The sky’s the limit on these mason jar gifts!

2. Painted Vases

Painted mason jar vases are all the rage right now. There is something so warming about a nostalgic piece of America, and I love the way these were done with a vintage touch. They are great for flowers, kitchen utensils, pen organizers, or a rainy day money fund.

Since you are making them yourself you can pick out the perfect color for your special friend (after you’ve made one for yourself, of course!)

Image courtesy of Jana from Hydrangea Hill Vintage on Etsy

3. Conversation Jar

Want to encourage a more meaningful family time? These mason jar crafts aren’t only fun to make but can make such a difference for the one you are giving it to. You simply cut a bunch of questions in strips, fold them up, and put them in the jar. They are meant to encourage conversation and get to know each other a little better.

Questions may include, “If you were given $100 to spend today, what would you buy with it?” or “Name the best birthday gift you were ever given.” Don’t start to panic, I’ve made it easy on you. Here’s a link to a great site that has done all the work for you so you can just print and copy. I’m sure you’ve got some great ideas too, so feel free to add some of your own.

Some other fun themes to customize this jar idea would be: Couples questions (great wedding gift!), family history questions to ask grandma & grandpa, a teacher’s jar to use in her classroom, dinner party questions, or holiday related questions/activities.

Use your imagination or stick to the script; either way, they are going to love it!

4. The Mega Mason Jar Statement Piece

This is absolutely adorable with decoration or without. If you have a friend who loves canning, she’s going to go crazy over this extra large, 1 gallon mason jar (No, you can’t actually preserve in this jar, it’s just awesome!)

Okay, okay, so you will have to go to the store to pick this one up, but once you have it you’ll be glad you do!

For the image shown we wrapped 5.25″ mesh wire fabric we got out of the giant junk playground that is the Smith & Edwards surplus yard to give it a more vintage, rustic look. We added a bit of ribbon and a fabric flower and……voila! A statement piece worthy of attention.

Use it for flowers, fruit, favorite knick-knacks, or just let it stand alone. It really speaks for itself.

5. Toys for Boys


A jar full of building block toys, such as Legos®.	A set of jars stuffed with boy-related toys.	A gallon size decorative jar stuffed with Schleich® toys.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to whip up something for a girl – ribbons, flowers, glitter and sparkles and you’re good to go! Boy gifts I’ve always struggled with, especially when you want to make something with a little added personal touch.

Here are some ideas I actually got from my sister. She made some darling jars with Hot Wheels in them for a boutique.

People were crazy for them, and they were the first ones gone. She was asked if she would make some more, so I guess it’s not just me looking for boy ideas!

With 2 boys of my own, you can’t go wrong with Legos, marbles, and cars.

For the mega mason jar, it’s fun to create a theme they love and here we used farm animals from Schleich®. I can picture a cool jar full of batman or dinosaur items too, can you?

6. The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Someone help me, I’m a dreamer. I can’t help myself, I always have been! I believe we can make a difference in the lives of those around us one small act at a time.

That being said, I love the idea of this jar. It’s to encourage looking beyond yourself and seeing what you can do for someone else. It’s a great way to teach kids to be aware of those around them and reminds us to reach out where we can.

Here is what the poem says:

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Is the gift I bring to you;

Just put a candy in the jar

For each random act of kindness you do.

Watch the jar start filling up

One small act at a time,

What a difference you can make

By letting your light shine.

When the candy reaches the top

Your service doesn’t end,

Pass the jar to someone new;

Share it with a friend!

Each time the recipient of the jar does a random act of kindness he/she puts a piece of candy in the jar. Watch your treats stack up as you are helping others. But it doesn’t stop there, after they fill their jar they can share it with another!

It’s the little things – a simple smile, dropping by to check on a neighbor, helping the lady with 5 little kids pick up the bag she just dropped, or giving some change to the guy in front of you who is short $1.78 for his groceries. Simple things that soften hearts, brighten days, and even give hope. This is a gift that benefits everyone!

7. Mason Jar Drinking Cup with Straw

Since we’ve been talking about simple mason jar crafts, I just couldn’t resist showing you this cute idea. Ball® recently came out with lids and straws that fit perfectly on the canning jars that make drinking more like a fun activity than a basic need (you can find them here with our canning lids). This is such a fun gift idea!

Just open package, wash before you use, pop on clean mason jar, and you’ve got an easy gift that is ready to go. If you are giving it immediately, fill it with cold lemonade, add some ice and lemons, and really get bonus points!

Take a Peek: Limited-Edition Green and Blue Mason Jars

Curious about the gorgeous blue and green jars and lids throughout this post? Talk about taking your mason jars to the next level!

Ball® is making limited edition, period-inspired colored jars and lids in classic blue and green, just like they made 100 years ago! The quality and structure is the same as their awesome canning jars we use now, but with a fabulous vintage flair. (Find them with our canning jars here)

Blue came out in 2013, green in 2014, and a final new color will be unveiled in 2015. Since they are limited editions, grab them while you can find them because they’re not going to be available forever!

Can’t you just imagine how fun your next canning projects could be in these heritage-style mason jars? Perfect for a little added touch to your gift giving – especially at Christmas!

Show us what you make!

I hope these ideas inspire some creative thoughts and give you some hope next time you’re in a jam (no pun intended!) You’ll find the supplies – jars, candy, toys, ribbon & tulle – all at Smith and Edwards. If you have any questions about any of the products shown let us know and we’ll be happy to help any way we can.

We’d also love to see the mason jar gifts you’ve made, so feel free to share (and you may even be spotlighted on a future blog!)

Pin these Mason Jar Gift Ideas for Later!

Whether you have a passion for canning or just a beginner, feel free to explore our great selection of canning jars, tools, and equipment that will make your food preservation easier than ever.

Be sure to check out our helpful canning tips, too. I learned a lot from reading that blog post!

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Canning Tips and Fruit Stand Forecast

July 31, 2014 - posted by Rose Marion

Ah, the first of August! It’s that time of year: Time to turn the fragrant, tasty fruits of summer into beautiful bottled treats for the winter. That’s right, it’s canning season. And if you haven’t been up Highway 89 this summer, you’re really missing out!

Pettingill's Fruit Stand on Highway 89 in Willard, Utah

Take Exit 351 north off I-15 and head up Highway 89 to see the produce at Pettingill’s!

Jean Davis runs the southernmost fruit stand, Pettingill’s, with her family. Jean’s father built the farm back in 1947. Jean and her family have put together one of the finest fruit stands along the entire “Fruit Highway,” which is Highway 89 from the I-15 exit 351 north to Brigham City at the Eagle Mountain Golf Course in northern Utah.

There’s nothing better than local produce fresh from the farm: it’s excellent quality at good prices, and you’ll get to meet some great people at the fruit stand, too. They’re friendly and always happy to share uses & ideas for the produce that’s in-season… they may even tell you what’s coming around the corner!

I asked Jean what some of the best fruit and vegetables are best for a beginning canner. Apricots, she said. Apricots and Peaches. It’s a quick bottling process and easy to do.

And you don’t have to can all that produce to keep it for the winter. Sweet corn is excellent frozen. Peaches, nectarines, pears, tomatoes, apples, corn, and apricots are all wonderful dehydrated (more on dehydrating in a moment!)

Bushels of tasty peaches at Pettingill’s

So what’s in the fruit stands right now? (As of July 31, 2014. Available produce will vary from month to month, year to year.)

What to Can in August

It’s pretty tough to say which tasty fruits and veggies will be in the fruit stands week-to-week… your best bet is just to drop in and see what’s there! Please note that all dates are as of August 1st. Generally speaking, here’s what you can expect for the month of August in the Fruit Stands this year:

Just finishing, get ’em now: Cherries and Apricots. Summer apples have about 3 weeks left!
Just in: Tomatoes and Sweet corn just came in – this is a great time to get your salsa, bottled tomatoes, and sauces going! Freeze your sweet corn today (you can also dry it!)

Pears will be coming in to Pettingill’s in about 10 days.

Cantaloupe and watermelon

Also in now: Watermelons, Anaheim peppers, Jalapenos, Yellow peppers, Cantaloupe, Raspberries, Zucchini, Beans, Beets, Peaches

Peppers, cucumber, and zucchini

Coming soon: Fall apples will start at the end of August and continue to the first week of October. Plums will come in September.

Summer Gold Apples at Pettingill’s – great for eating, baking, and making applesauce

Update August 9: Pickling cucumbers are in at Pettingills, and so are yummy Bartlett pears! Today was the first day for both!

All those yummy fruits and vegetables are in season now and ready for you to freeze, can, or dehydrate. You can get day-by-day updates on the Pettingill Facebook page!

We were so lucky this year to have an amazing cherry season in 2014. They’ve about wrapped up now… hope you got to make some delicious cherry cobbler, canned cherries, or crumbles with them!

Best Peaches for Canning

One question both Jean and Smith & Edwards get is “What peaches are best for canning?” It’s a tough question because Jean’s farm has 50 different varieties of peaches alone!

They all come on one after the other, and who could pick a favorite out of 50? So what Jean’s customers have said is the best canning peaches come on in August and September. The top 6 varieties of peaches for canning according to Pettingill’s customers are: Canadian Harmony, Rosa, Early Elberta, Angeles, Sun Princes, and Hales.

Besides fresh local fruit, Pettingill’s carries Utah and German chocolate, truffles, spicy cheese nuggets, syrups from every berry imaginable, vinaigrettes, local honey (in honey sticks, honey bears, and tubs), Farr West ice cream, and all sorts of sauces made from Pettingill’s produce. Plus they serve up shakes & hot dogs from 11-5:30pm. Just a mile north of Smith & Edwards, Pettingill’s fruit stand is a great local stop to visit all summer long!

Canning Tips from USU

Canning can be a lot of fun – well, at least it can be very rewarding! There’s nothing like digging in to your family’s favorite apple pie filling on a cold January Saturday morning. You can get better flavor through home processing, better nutritional content, and you can make food that fits your family’s special diet needs. Plus, once you’ve got a season under your belt – or friends, family, or church connections who can show you the ropes – you’ll have the canning process down pat.

Teresa Hunsaker from the USU Extension Office came to Smith & Edwards in July to teach a Food Preparedness seminar, part of our monthly preparedness series (see all events here). Afterward, she stayed at the store to test pressure canners, so you could be sure your pressure canner gauge is working properly!

Teresa Hunsaker educating people about canning and testing pressure canners at Smith and Edwards

Teresa had some great tips for us… here are a few:

Use citric acid to preserve tomatoes. Really! You only need 1/2 teaspoon citric acid for quarts, which means you get more of the sunny tomato flavor. Using vinegar, you’d need a whopping 4 tablespoons, or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Try it this year and see!

Bushels of ripe tomatoes at Pettingill’s – for salsa, canning, & BLTs!
Canning adjustments for our area: Weber County isn’t at the same elevation as most cooking & canning books are written for. For Ogden, Brigham City, Farr West, and other places in our area, we’re right around 4300 feet. At sea level water boils at 212°F, but at our altitude in Weber County, water boils at about 202°F. So it will take longer to get the necessary heat to the center of the jar to destroy molds and yeasts.
But it’s easy. If you’re using a Water Bath Canner, just add 5 minutes for a process time less than 15 minutes; or, add 10 minutes for a process time 20 minutes or more. If you’re Pressure Canning, have your dial gauge at 13 pounds between 4,001-6,000ft altitude, or 15 pounds on a weighted gauge for 4,001-6,000ft altitude.
Think all bottles have to be sterilized before using? Not anymore! If you’re pressure canning or water bath processing for at least 10 minutes, you don’t need to sterilize the jars. The jars should be filled with food. You do want to wash the jars before using, though!

Need to know how much headspace to leave? Here you go:

1/4-inch headspace on Jams & Jellies
1/2-inch headspace on Fruits and Tomatoes
1 to 1-1/4 inches headspace on low acid foods

Canning Basics: Water Bath and Pressure Canning

The Ball Blue Book of Canning is the definitive resource on canning.

Canning may take a day out of your weekend, but those yummy pickled beets, salsa, and applesauce are so worth it in the wintertime.

Jean from Pettingill’s highly recommends the Ball Blue Book of Canning. It’s got everything you need to know about canning in it.

If you’re just starting out, Jean says, remember that you don’t have to go it alone! Ask your family, friends, neighbors, or friends from church or work if they want to come can with you. More people makes it more fun, you’ll learn from the wide experience they’ve had, and someone might bring a special ingredient or recipe that you’ll all wind up loving!

All-American pressure canners (click to see more)

There are 2 good methods for canning and bottling: Pressure canning and Water Bath canning. Use a pressure canner for vegetables, to avoid botulism. The modern pressure canners aren’t your grandmother’s canner, where the lid blows off! Today’s pressure canners are safe and have gauges and weights that will depressurize if needed. Plus, we always have Teresa from USU Extension come test pressure canner gauges at least once a year, so you can be sure you’re canning safely.

Fruits, jams, jellies, and tomatoes can be done in a water bath canner. Steam canners are available to use, but USDA and USU don’t recommend them due to lack of testing – most canning recipes don’t have adjustments for steam canners.

There are a couple good brands of pressure canners out there, Presto and All-American among them. Both are good, come in different sizes, and they will both last you a lifetime. Presto has one tray. The All-American 21.5 Quart canner comes 2 trays for your convenience, so you can double-stack the pints! All-American canners have the advantage of having an all-metal seal, so you don’t have to replace the rubber gasket. They’re made in the USA and precision manufactured and inspected, so there’s a reason behind the investment.

Canning this year?
Whether it’s your first time or you’ve got seasons of canning under your belt, we’d love to see how your bottling turned out this year! Email your canning pictures to info@smithandedwards.com.

Vickie’s Canning Tip

Vickie Maughan, the Kitchen & Canning buyer for Smith & Edwards, has an amazing tip for canning.

In the summer, it’s already hot, and then you’re cranking up the heat in the kitchen and making your air conditioner work doubletime. Plus there’s the heat and the mess to deal with in the kitchen, and maybe you have a glass stove top which means you have to be careful about which canners to use on it.

Vickie’s solution? Use your Camp Chef and do all the canning outside. It’s easier on the AC, it’s less mess and cleanup, and you can use just about any canning equipment on it. Come in to the store and check out Camp Chef stoves, it’s a real nice way to get your canning done!

Sure you can make chicken noodle soup on a Camp Chef – and you can can fruit on one, too!

Dehydrating Recommendations

Square Food Dehydrator at Smith and Edwards

Square food dehydrators are great for jerky!

When it comes to dehydrators, the higher the wattage, the faster it will dehydrate your food. You can get ones that heat from the top or the bottom. We’ve found the dehydrators that heat from the bottom work best for us – look for metal-bottom dehydrators for best results. Square dehydrators are best for jerky, because you can fit more on.

What can you dehydrate? Fruit of course, jerky, and herbs all are great to dehydrate. If you’re just starting, head over to a fruit stand and start simple with cherries and apricots. You can even try dehydrating zucchini – it’s fabulous with cheese sauce! You can even dehydrate beautiful flowers from your garden, like sunflowers, to keep as decorations.

Try dehydrating your own jerky, either with a jerky gun which uses ground meat, or slice thin strips of meat yourself.

Here’s another tip: an apple corer makes dehydrating easy. You can peel, slice, and core all at once and then put the apple slices right on your dehydrator!

Once your food is dehydrated, keep it safe from moisture in a ziploc bag in the fridge, the freezer, or a cold, dark space.

A word about Food Storage

Freeze Dried Meals for Emergency Preparedness

Home-canned or preserved foods can supplement freeze-dried vegetables or meals like Mountain House #10 cans… or even eliminate the need for them!

Teresa also had some great advice about Food Storage when she came, and it’s really practical advice to live by.

Having food canned and set aside in storage isn’t just about preparing for a “disaster.” While some people may seriously be preparing for the apocalypse, having food your family will eat in a stressed situation is beyond value and worth considering.

What types of stressed situations are there? Well, true, natural disaster is one. But if you’re preparing for an earthquake, glass bottling may need some extra steps to make that a good plan. A truck can spill or a train can derail, meaning that it may be 72-96 hours until grocery stores are replenished.

Or, even situations such as job loss, sudden or long-term illness, surgery, or the off-season for seasonal jobs are great times to appreciate the food preparation you’ve done ahead of time.

Canning may or may not be a part of your Food Storage plan. Maybe your family devours everything you can by the time temperatures are back in the 80s. But if your family is the type to put up loads of beans and then forget them: Let your Food Storage be your “What’s for Dinner?” backup plan!

If you really want to be prepared to use your Food Storage, keep it fresh and have a plan of what recipes to use by drawing from it regularly. This means you’ll keep it rotating, and you’ll never be stuck with the power out, thinking “How am I going to make a meal with dehydrated veggies, canned tomatoes, and wheat?”

(By the way, a Cooking with Food Storage class is coming up this September!!)

By making your Food Storage something you’re familiar with and something you’re comfortable using, you’re going to be a lot more prepared than someone who has food storage older than their youngest child and have never tried to cook with it…. I guarantee it!

Your Turn

Have canning tips to share with other Smith & Edwards customers? Have questions for Jean from Pettingill’s, Teresa from USU Extension, or Vickie & the gals in our Canning Department? Leave your questions & tips in the comments below!