“M” Is for Freezing Mulberries

Mulberries are one of Earth’s little treasures. Not only do they taste wonderful right of the tree but they are actually good for you. They are a good source of antioxidants, nature’s little workhorses that help protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. They also provide anthocyanin, beta-carotene, calcium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, fatty acids, iron, magnesium, malic Acid, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and resveratrol, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.

Now that you know they taste good and they are good for you, you probably want to know what to do with them. Well, they can be used in any of your favorite recipes in place of other berries. Just substitute equal part mulberries for whatever your original recipe calls for and you’re in business.

I picked the first batch of mulberries today from the five year old tree in my back yard. It is the first time the tree has produced and I am pleased with the harvest. I got a little less than 1 quart of berries from the first picking and will return again over the coming days and weeks.

This first batch is going into the freezer. I like to have a variety of berries on hand throughout the year for different things. Mulberries can be frozen like any other berries.

A thought about the stems: When mulberries are picked, their tiny green stem comes with them. There is no way around that. Whether to leave them on or remove them is a matter of personal preference. The stems are edible and really have no taste. Removing them by hand often results in most of the berries being mashed. This isn’t a problem if you plan to make jam, jelly or something of that nature. If you want them in a pie or muffins though, you may want to remove the stems. Get a brand new pair of nail clippers and simply clip the stems off. It is time consuming but gets the job done while leaving the berries intact. It is my personal belief that the business of removing stems is one reason mulberries are not sold in the grocery stores. It is probably too expensive to pay someone to remove the stems.

Once you have resolved the stem issue, rinse the berries. Make a solution that is 1 quart tap water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps remove any impurities, including tiny insects that might be lurking in the berries. Repeat the process several times, rinsing with just water the last time. Let the berries rest in a colander for ten minutes to remove all the excess water.

Spread the mulberries on a baking sheet with a lip. The berries should be in a single layer and not resting on top of one another. Place the pan in the freezer on a level surface for about 10 to 12 hours. The berries will be frozen solid but will not be suck to one another. Putting all the fresh berries in a freezer bag and tossing them in the freezer will work but will result in one giant block of frozen berries. You would not be able to remove just a few at a time. By freezing them on the pan, you can then pour them into labeled freezer bags, seal and store for six months. When you need just 1 cup for a muffin recipe, simply open the bag and scoop out what you need. This method works for most berries.

Muffins, pancakes, coffee cakes, cobblers, crisps and crumbles are all wonderful with mulberries. I like to add them to my smoothie recipe too. That makes a wonderfully refreshing and healthy cold drink on a hot summer day.

If you want to know more about growing your own mulberry trees, see the posts on my Fruit, Nut and Ornamental Trees 101 blog: Growing Mulberry Trees and Mulberries Fruiting Now.

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Posted in: freezing,how-to,mulberries,nutrition

K Is for Canning Your Own Ketchup

Time for a recipe/how-to. Ketchup is a staple in many households and I thought it would be a good place to start providing recipes and instructions. You may need to adjust the quantities if you want to make more or less, depending on your family’s usage but here’s how I make a batch.

Ingredients and Supplies

This method uses a boiling water canner. You will also need a 4-gallon stock pot or equivalent sized kettle, 1 large stock pot, 1 medium saucepan and a large bowl. Six or seven pint jars with lids and screw caps per batch.

·         24 lbs of ripe tomatoes

·         3 cups of onions , chopped

·         3/4 tsp of ground red pepper (cayenne or other zesty red pepper)

·         3 cups of cider vinegar

·         4 tsp of whole cloves

·         3 sticks cinnamon, crushed

·         1-1/2 tsp of whole allspice

·         3 tbsp of celery seeds

·         1-1/2 cups of sugar

·         1/4 cup of salt

Preparation

Start a large pot of water to boil. Prepare a large bowl or pot filled ¾ of the way with cold water and ice cubes. This will be used to blanch the tomatoes. Blanching is a method of splitting and loosening the skins through the application of first hot water then cold. Skins can be tricky to remove and I have found that to make it easier, I use a paring knife to slice a small “X” on the blossom end of the tomato. You can do this while the water is heating. Once it comes to a good boil, drop the tomatoes in for 30 to 60 seconds. Quickly (and carefully) transfer the tomatoes to ice water. The heat loosens the skins and the cold stops the heating process so the tomatoes don’t actually cook.

Once the tomatoes have cooled enough for you to handle them, simply take hold of one of the sections where you carve the “X” and start peeling away the skins. Remove the cores, quarter the tomatoes and drop them into a 4-gallon stock pot or other large kettle. Add the pepper and onions, and then bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Combine spices in a spice bag and add to vinegar in the medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil; cover and turn off heat. Let both the tomatoes and the spice mixture rest for 20 minutes. Remove the spice bag from the saucepan and add the vinegar to the tomato mixture. Boil for 30 minutes. Next pour the tomato mixture through a food mill or sieve and return it to the pot. Add the sugar and salt (adjust these for your own dietary needs) and boil gently. You should keep stirring at this point. The mixture is done when the volume is either reduced by half or when the mixture rounds p on a spoon with separating.

Fill pint jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes at 0-1000 foot altitudes, 20 minutes for 1001 to 6000 foot altitudes and 25 minutes over 6000 feet.

The time to complete a batch is three or more hours, depending on how long it takes to get the various pots of water to boil and how long it takes the tomato mixture to boil down.

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Posted in: canning,catsup,how-to,ketchup,recipe,technique,tomatoes