Empty canning jars full of potential for season

If you’re a food preserver, last year’s canning jars aren’t really empty, they’re filled with potential.

You’re looking at strawberry jam waiting to happen. MacMillan chutney-in-the-making. Peerless red raspberry preserves for all.

Indeed, if you’re one who loves the making of these things, a pantry full of sparkling-clean jars quickens the pulse.

Inexplicably — perhaps it’s genetic memory traceable to prehistoric food preservationists — you see beyond the exhaustion factor of home canning. You view the havoc wreaked upon your psyche and kitchen as a small price to pay for the inner pleasure derived from putting food by.

But romantic images aside, we’re approaching that time of year in every canner’s life when a bit of preparation is required. If you’re a seasoned veteran, you perform the tasks instinctively. If you’re just getting started, perhaps a little guidance would be appreciated.

About now, you should:

Inspect your canning jars, looking for nicks or cracks; give your freezer a thorough cleaning.

Get your pantry in order by finishing up last season’s jams and fruits.

Set up a special place in kitchen or garage where you can keep all of your preserving supplies in one easy-to-reach location; you’d be amazed at how such a simple set-up will streamline the activity.

Purchase all of the basics you’ll be needing, such as canning salt, commercial pectins, sugar, seasonings, pickling spices, jars and lids, freezer bags and containers.

Consider making at least one major purchase, something you really wished you had last year but couldn’t quite justify cost-wise such as an extra canning kettle, a jelly bag and stand or a food dehydrator. If you do this every year, pretty soon you’ll be a thoroughly outfitted preserver.

Evaluate last year’s efforts in relation to the types of crops you should or shouldn’t plant this year:

If you have access to good-quality pickling cukes at a nearby U-pick field, for example, maybe you don’t need them taking up space in your garden. (Be aware, however, that most growers don’t appreciate customers who pick baby-sized cucumbers.)

Did you have enough Roma-type tomatoes for drying? If you had trouble tracking down specialty herbs for your flavored vinegars, perhaps you should add them to your garden.

For now, local rhubarb and California strawberries can help you put some delectable color back into your pantry. With this in mind, the following recipes are worth considering.

This chunky conserve, dotted with raisins, dates, and nuts, is good in all ways: as a spread for toast, a relish with meats or a topping for ice cream.

Rhubarb conserve

Dice unpeeled rhubarb stalks to measure 4 cups. Place rhubarb in a heavy-bottomed 8- to 10-quart pan. Stir in sugar until well blended. Cover and let stand for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature.

If you’re planning to store the conserve in canning jars at room temperature, then wash 10 half-pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

Rinse and thinly slice unpeeled oranges and lemon; discard seeds, then cut slices into small pieces. Add orange and lemon pieces, raisins, and dates to rhubarb mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring. Then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until thickened (35 to 40 minutes); as mixture thickens, reduce heat and stir more often to prevent sticking. About 5 minutes before removing from heat, stir in walnuts.

For long-term storage at room temperature, ladle the hot conserves into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (0 to 1,000 feet; 15 minutes 1,001 to 6,000 feet; 20 minutes above 6,000 feet).

Or omit processing and ladle into containers for the refrigerator (Will keep up to 1 month in refrigerator) or freezer jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace; attach lids. Let stand for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature; freeze up to 1 year in freezer.

Makes about 10 half-pints.

Adapted from "Sunset Home Canning," by the Editors of Sunset Books and Sunset Magazines

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rhubarb jam

Wash eight half-pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

Thinly slice unpeeled rhubarb stalks and place in a medium-size pan. Add water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rhubarb is limp (about 2 minutes), stirring once or twice. Drain rhubarb, then measure. Thoroughly crush strawberries; add enough crushed berries to rhubarb to make 3 1/2 cups (pack fruit solidly into cup to measure). Turn the fruit into a heavy-bottomed 8- to 10-quart pan. Stir in sugar until well blended.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in pectin all at once. Skim off any foam.

Ladle the hot jam into one hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (0 to 1,000 feet; 15 minutes 1,001 to 6,000 feet; 20 minutes above 6,000 feet).

Or omit processing and ladle into containers for the refrigerator (Will keep for several months in refrigerator) or into freezer jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace; attach lids. Let stand for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature; freeze or refrigerate. Will keep up to 1 year in freezer.

Makes about eight half-pints.

Adapted from "Sunset Home Canning," by the Editors of Sunset Books and Sunset Magazines

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contract her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.