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I am dragging my feet about making jams and jellies from all of the fruit we've recently harvested. It's not that I'm afraid of the technical aspects of it, it just looks like it's going to be a messy PITA.
I've made sauerkraut, preserved lemons, jarred my own honey (talk about sticky), and blanched and bagged broccoli and made gallons of tomato sauce; so it shouldn't be a huge leap. It's just that I don't want to do all of those tedious steps like sterilizing jars, hot water baths, etc, along with everything else like storing the stuff after we finish.
Baklava. I tried it once in high school with my mother.
It was a huge time consuming mess, the filo dough was impossible to work with, and it turned out like a weird tasting, soupy mess. Plus nuts are waaaay expensive these days.
This got a big win on Top Chef and subsequent rave reviews for its plain old deliciousness. But so many steps! I won't be putting it together anytime soon. Maybe someone will make a big batch and bottle it for Costco or Whole Foods.
Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ellie
I am dragging my feet about making jams and jellies from all of the fruit we've recently harvested. It's not that I'm afraid of the technical aspects of it, it just looks like it's going to be a messy PITA.
I've made sauerkraut, preserved lemons, jarred my own honey (talk about sticky), and blanched and bagged broccoli and made gallons of tomato sauce; so it shouldn't be a huge leap. It's just that I don't want to do all of those tedious steps like sterilizing jars, hot water baths, etc, along with everything else like storing the stuff after we finish.
I think I'm getting lazy.
You can do this! It's not as messy or cumbersome/time-consuming as it sounds, I promise. It surprises me every year how quickly and smoothly it actually goes! You can make jam in an hour from start to finish, really! I bend the rules a bit and have never had a problem with spoilage, even when jams and jellies sit in the pantry for years and years.
- Run your jars through the dishwasher then place them in a hot oven to sterilize.
- Place your lids in a saucepan of almost-simmering water to soften the rubber
- Buy the Sure-Jell pectin (their recipes are FAST and tasty) and follow the directions for specific fruit, except...
I do not process my jams in a water bath or anything of the sort after I fill the jars and screw the lids down tight. This saves a ton of time and I believe the less-cooked preserves are tastier. As long as the lid pops to show a seal (99.9% of the time it seals as it cools, within a few hours), I have zero problem storing the jams in the pantry for eons. In the very rare instance a jar doesn't seal, eat that one first.
A few tools that are helpful (but not necessary): a large (somewhat heavy-bottomed) soup pot for cooking the jam (keeps splashes to a minimum), a canning funnel to save messes when pouring jam into jars, and an Oveglove for grabbing onto hot jars.
Regarding the original post: bring on the challenges. I love it all!
I think tender steak has to do with the cut of meat. I also think steak is more tender the less time you cook it. I don't like my meat pink either, so it's hard for me to cook steak at home. Husband does it on the grill, and it's pretty tender. We make sure we get a really marbled cut of New York strip.
One time I made beef jerky from London Broil (flank I guess) cut really thin by the butcher. The end pieces that were a bit thick I decided to sear in a really hot oiled pan for about 30 seconds on each side. They tasted okay but tough.
I tend to only like steak cooked in a slow cooker until it's falling apart tender, usually in a stew.
I think tender steak has to do with the cut of meat. I also think steak is more tender the less time you cook it. I don't like my meat pink either, so it's hard for me to cook steak at home. Husband does it on the grill, and it's pretty tender. We make sure we get a really marbled cut of New York strip.
One time I made beef jerky from London Broil (flank I guess) cut really thin by the butcher. The end pieces that were a bit thick I decided to sear in a really hot oiled pan for about 30 seconds on each side. They tasted okay but tough.
I tend to only like steak cooked in a slow cooker until it's falling apart tender, usually in a stew.
Now, I can do the slow cooker, lol. I try to make it in the oven - I DO NOT grill - and it turns out tough. Hubby can cook it either way and it's fabulous.
He cooks his on low for hours. I can do the exact same thing and get totally different results. Frustrating.
How do you like your steak? I cannot eat meat with any pink showing.
I generally eat mine medium. My husband prefers medium to medium rare.
I get a good crust on a ribeye cooked medium by getting a nice sear on room temp meat in a buttery skillet, about 3 minutes a side, then finishing in the oven for about another three. Dependent upon thickness, but this usually works out fine.
I tend to prefer the flavor of pan seared to grilled, but if my husband's cooking, I'm not gonna look a grilled steak in the mouth.
I'll do roast or stew meat in a slow cooker, but not steak.
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