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Sweet Zucchini Relish – Cooking and Canning

Day 1
10 Cups Grated Zucchini (~5 pounds. I prefer younger zucchini.)
4 Cups Onions Chopped
1/4 Cup Salt

Wash and peel zucchini. Grate zucchini through food processor cheese grater blade. Chop onions with food processor chopping blade.

Combine grated zucchini, chopped onions and salt into a large bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Day 2
2 Cups Sugar
2 1/4 Cup White Vinegar (5% acidity)
1 Tbsp. Celery Seeds
1 Tbsp. Ground Tumeric
1 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper (Optional Margot says no)

Makes ~5 Pints

We use wide mouth pint jars. Put jars into dishwasher with dishwasher soap. Run a few hours before canning so jars are hot when canning.

Start water bath canner so water hot when jars are ready.

Transfer zucchini and onion into a small holed strainer and rinse under cold water. Drain well. Press between layers of paper towels.

ingredsugar

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to bowl over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

cooking relish

Sterilze lids by boiling water in tea kettle and pouring into bowl with lids.

kettle

Pack hot mixture into hot jars using a ladle and canning funnel to neck of jar. ~1/2 inch from top. Cover at once with metal lids and rings.

Use jar lifting tongues to place jars in water bath canner with water boiling 1 inch over lids for 15 minutes.

Remove jars with jar lifting tongues. Place jars in area to cool. Make sure all jars seal properly with lid sucking in when cool.

jars

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Pressure Canning Green Beans

can kit

Put quart jars in dish washer. Add dish washer soap. Run dish washer.

Pick green beans. Cut off ends. Rinse.

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Boil water in large sauce pan, medium sauce pan and electric tea kettle.

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Put new lids in bowl. Pour boiling water into bowl with lids. Do not use used lids.

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Add water to tea kettle. Boil again.

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Add 3″ of water in pressure canner. Heat water for a few minutes so it is ready to go. Turn off gas and put lid on. Assuming summer time 70-90 degrees outside.

6 Quarts per batch.

Remove warm jars from dish washer.

Pack jars with beans. We break into 1″ to 2″ pieces. Shake jar occassionally to pack tighter.

Fill until jar is filled to within inch of top for head space or just below neck.

Add 1 teaspoon canning salt per quart. (Optional for taste.)

salt

Use funnel to fill jars with small sauce pan. Do not fill all the way. Refill medium sauce pan with large pan as need. Top off with boiling water in tea kettle to neck of jar. ~1″ from top.

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Use magnetic canning knife to slide into jars along the edges to knock out the bubbles.

Wipe off rims of jars with clean paper towel.

Use canning knife with magnet end to pick lids out of sterilizing water bath and place on top of jars.

Place rings over lids and tighten just snug. Not too tight.

rings

Place 6 jars in pyrex baking pan or other tray. Carry out to table near canner. Light burner under canner.

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Place 6 jars into canner. Try to keep them separated.

Set timer for 25 minutes.

Put lid on canner without weight. Wait until only steam comes out of spout. Use the jar tongues to put the weight on so you do not get  steam burn.

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Wait for pressure gauge to read 12 PSI @1000′ above sea level.

cann 12 psi

Turn off burner. Turn back on when gets to low end of 10 PSI.

cann 10 psi

After 25 minutes, leave burner off. Wait for lid lock to drop down. DO NOT REMOVE SPOUT WEIGHT.

Remove canner lid. Use jar lifter tongues to lift jars out. Place jars on pyrex baking sheet and take into house to cool.

Repeat as necessary.

Once jars have cooled, make sure all lids sucked in. Rings can be backed off or removed. Store for later enjoyment.

can bean back