Sep 04 2008
Canning the Chow Chow – Part Deux
It’s morning. I haven’t had coffee yet. I’ve got the heavy stock pot tilted over the sink, draining the water from the tomatoes and onions that have sat overnight. I remind myself that if I DON’T visualize myself losing the lid and an hours worth of chopping down the sink, then it CAN’T happen.
To the chow, I add 3 cups of brown sugar and stir it up. The original recipe called for white sugar, but my “Auntie Hallee” (who is 1.5 years my junior.) adapted the recipe, and I’m giving it a go. I pour vinegar in, to come half way up to wear the “chow line” is. I haven’t any cheese cloth, so I rinse out a clean “J” cloth, and tie 2 tablespoons of pickling spice into it, and plunk that on the top.
While the pot is boiling, I’m washing the new jars and lids. I put the pot that is going to boil the sealed jars on to the stove with the rack in the bottom, and put it on to just warm up. I’m referring constantly to my 1973 Homes And Gardens® Home Canning And Freezing hardcover book that I purchased some years ago from a Goodwill thrift store JUST for this day. The house is smelling YUMMY.
I put yet ANOTHER pot on to boil… This I’ll use for dipping the jars in, and the lids to sterilize. I’ve got tongs out. I’ve got the ladle out. I’ve got an extra fork out incase I get air bubbles (Because Better Homes And Gardens® said I might need one.) I’ve got my oven mitts out. I’m pretty close to pulling my hair out.
For nearly an hour, the stock put boils. I stir it every now and again. (This still doesn’t stop me from burning a bit on the bottom of the pot.) I attempt to take some pics of myself to show you just how happy and easy this little experiment is.
(I’m not sure if I’m dropping the camera or getting burned from steam, or just trying to be cute here. Any way you look at it, I’m a dork for trying to take my own picture at the stove. Don’t try this at home, kids. )
Then, it’s TIME.
I can’t grip the jars with my new oven mitts on. So, I find the old ratty oven mitts that SHOULD have been thrown away a long time ago. I realize at this point I have no funnel. Oh well, on with the show!
Sterilize a bottle with the tongs. Sterilize the ladle, because I realize I haven’t done that yet. Pick up jar with clumsy old ratty oven mitts and fill the jar to leave about half an inch at the top. Put jar on counter. Wipe the chunks off the side with the clean cloth. Sterilize lid. Try to place this on the top without touching it with the ratty oven mitts. Sterilize ring. Place ring on lid. Tighten. Place jar in the warmed water pot with bottom rack. Realize that the pot isn’t big enough to cover this size jar. Insert swear word. Fill three more jars before deciding to remove jars from hot water in too small pot. Remove big pot full of chow chow and empty chow into yet another pot and put back to boil. Scrub big pot like mad, because there is burnt chow on the bottom. Rinse. Pour hot water from too small pot into big pot, plunking the rack in the bottom. Insert the four jars, cover with water, and let it come to a boil. Sweat, swear, and make a big mess.
What was I thinking???
I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Lori Petroff