Use Microwave For Quick, Cool Canning
The kitchen is hot. The air is steamy and redolent with simmering fruits and vegetables. It’s the season for preserving summer’s garden-fresh bounty.
If the associated heat and humidity are deterrents, use your cool-cooking microwave oven. You’ll save cleanup time, too.
The following tips and recipes help make the transition from stove-top to microwave preparation of preserves and pickles. They are adapted from “Make It Microwave,” a booklet from Alltrista Corporation, maker of Ball home preservation supplies, and from “Preserving Summer’s Bounty,” a Rodale Garden Book.
To save time, warm fruit in the microwave before extracting juice for jellies. When microwaving whole fruit, prick the skins to avoid explosions. If cutting, make uniform pieces for even cooking.
Use only recipes adapted for microwave cooking. Less moisture evaporates with microwave cooking and smaller batches give quicker results.
To avoid messy boil-overs, use a large (3- to 4-quart), microwave-safe bowl that is four to five times bigger than the volume of the preserves.
Do not substitute. Use the recommended amount and type of pectin, sweetener and produce.
Use potholders for removing bowls from the microwave oven. Sugar mixtures get especially hot.
Times given are a guide based on the highest setting, or full power. The amount of time needed depends on individual differences in microwave ovens and the condition of the produce. Check and stir often to note progress and distribute heat.
Use a thermometer to check temperature, but do not leave it in the microwave while cooking (unless it is a built-in temperature sensor probe). Heat hot-packed foods to at least 180 degrees.
Finally, do not attempt to process preserves in a microwave oven; instead, process in a boiling water bath.
Cherry Preserves
3 cups pitted red cherries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup water
1/4 cup powdered pectin
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Combine cherries, lemon juice, water and pectin in a 3-quart, microwave-safe bowl. Cook, covered, in microwave oven on HIGH setting until mixture boils, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover, place in microwave and return to a boil on HIGH setting, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir and return to microwave oven, uncovered; cook 3 minutes or until preserves sheet from spoon.
Remove from oven and skim foam, if necessary. Carefully ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust caps and process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Do not attempt to process in microwave oven.
Yield: About 3 half-pints.
Corn Relish
1-1/2 cups vinegar (5 percent acidity)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3-1/2 cups (20-ounce package) fresh cut or frozen corn kernels
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Combine vinegar, sugar and seasonings in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, in microwave oven 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture boils. Stir once.
Add corn, peppers and onions. Return, covered, to microwave oven and continue cooking on HIGH setting until mixture returns to a boil, about 14 to 15 minutes, stirring twice.
Carefully ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Do not attempt to process in microwave oven.
Yield: About 4 half-pints.
Grape Jelly
3 cups grape juice
1 package powdered pectin
3-1/2 cups sugar
Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions. Cover jars with water and boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.
Combine grape juice and pectin in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, in microwave oven on highest setting until mixture boils, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir twice. Remove from oven, add sugar and stir well. Return to microwave oven and continue cooking until mixture returns to a rolling boil, about 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Boil hard 1 minute.
Remove from oven and skim foam, if necessary. Carefully ladle hot jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Do not attempt to process in microwave oven.
Yield: About 4 half-pints.
Mixed Pickles
2 or 3 small cucumbers, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 or 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound pickling onions, peeled
1 sweet red pepper cut into strips
1/2 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/3 cup canning salt
1 hot red pepper
2 cups vinegar (5 percent acidity)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
Combine vegetables, except hot pepper, in a large bowl. Layer with salt. Cover with ice and let stand 2 hours. Drain and rinse. Drain thoroughly.
Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Cut 2 small slits in the hot red pepper. Combine vinegar, sugar, water, seasonings and pepper in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, in microwave oven, 6 to 7 minutes or until mixture boils. Stir once.
Add vegetables and return, covered, to microwave oven. Continue cooking on HIGH power until mixture returns to a boil, about 14 to 15 minutes, stirring twice. Remove hot red pepper.
Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic utensil. Adjust caps.
Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Do not attempt to process in microwave oven.
Yield: 4 pints.
Cook’s Note: Protect hands with rubber gloves when cutting and seeding hot peppers.
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