gtwrek
2019-07-19 17:34:07 UTC
(Yes a crosspost to two newsgroups. Relevant both places, and I don't
think I'm going to overrun anyone's inboxes...)
Jammin time. Our peach tree (like many I understand) tends to produce
all its ripe fruit at once. Usually during a heat wave too.
(Although us out US west coast aren't as bad as you folks in the
central and east coast, yeash, looks like some ugly heat waves..)
This year's preserves time, we decided to try some new recipes using a
slow cooker. Standing over a hot stove, constantly stirring the
preserves, waiting for the correct temperature, (again heat wave),
didn't seem as attractive. (It always seems to take forever to
reach that critical Jam temperature - phase changes and all that)
Using the slow cooker meant spreading the actual canning time over
more days. Longer cooks in the slow cookers, followed by the water
baths. Borrowing another slow cooker, we could have two batches
cooking at once.
We used a Vanilla Peach Butter recipe for one. This worked great -
basically a blended peach, sugar, lemon juice, and a scraped vanilla
bean - set on the slow cooker on low. Prop up the top a bit after
it reaches temp to allow water vapor to escape.
Second slow cooker was a standard Peach Preserves, with added pectin.
Same idea for the slow cooker.
First batches of both turned out fine.
On the second batches, the temp on the Peach Preserves cooker got
away from us - the batch started to carmelize. Turned quick too
(those darned phase changes again). Spouse and I decided this wasn't
going to make an attractive preserve at all.
However, one not to waste, (it's carmelized, not scorched yet) I gave
the now carmelized preserves a quick blend with the immersion blender.
Tasted the results - It's very much like a candy syrup now - like a
deep amber 290F syrup. Good complex taste, with some peach notes
(not much as I would expect) I've made home made syrups before,
... for my homebrew. (see - it's on topic).
So put up 3 quarts (not bothering with smaller pints or half-pints)
of my homemade "peach candy syrup". I'll figure out some homebrew
recipe to craft with it - maybe a Belgian Dark Strong.
So the yield:
19 half pints peach vanilla butter
3 quarts peachy candy syrup
22 half pints peach preserves
2 gallons frozen chopped peaches
Also on deck last night - the eldest coming home this weekend to
celebrate his 21st. Want's burgers and brews for him and his buddies.
Our freezer's been mostly empty for a while, so (also same night):
10 lbs brisket + 10lbs chuck went through the grinder for burgers.
Busy night.
Regards,
Mark
think I'm going to overrun anyone's inboxes...)
Jammin time. Our peach tree (like many I understand) tends to produce
all its ripe fruit at once. Usually during a heat wave too.
(Although us out US west coast aren't as bad as you folks in the
central and east coast, yeash, looks like some ugly heat waves..)
This year's preserves time, we decided to try some new recipes using a
slow cooker. Standing over a hot stove, constantly stirring the
preserves, waiting for the correct temperature, (again heat wave),
didn't seem as attractive. (It always seems to take forever to
reach that critical Jam temperature - phase changes and all that)
Using the slow cooker meant spreading the actual canning time over
more days. Longer cooks in the slow cookers, followed by the water
baths. Borrowing another slow cooker, we could have two batches
cooking at once.
We used a Vanilla Peach Butter recipe for one. This worked great -
basically a blended peach, sugar, lemon juice, and a scraped vanilla
bean - set on the slow cooker on low. Prop up the top a bit after
it reaches temp to allow water vapor to escape.
Second slow cooker was a standard Peach Preserves, with added pectin.
Same idea for the slow cooker.
First batches of both turned out fine.
On the second batches, the temp on the Peach Preserves cooker got
away from us - the batch started to carmelize. Turned quick too
(those darned phase changes again). Spouse and I decided this wasn't
going to make an attractive preserve at all.
However, one not to waste, (it's carmelized, not scorched yet) I gave
the now carmelized preserves a quick blend with the immersion blender.
Tasted the results - It's very much like a candy syrup now - like a
deep amber 290F syrup. Good complex taste, with some peach notes
(not much as I would expect) I've made home made syrups before,
... for my homebrew. (see - it's on topic).
So put up 3 quarts (not bothering with smaller pints or half-pints)
of my homemade "peach candy syrup". I'll figure out some homebrew
recipe to craft with it - maybe a Belgian Dark Strong.
So the yield:
19 half pints peach vanilla butter
3 quarts peachy candy syrup
22 half pints peach preserves
2 gallons frozen chopped peaches
Also on deck last night - the eldest coming home this weekend to
celebrate his 21st. Want's burgers and brews for him and his buddies.
Our freezer's been mostly empty for a while, so (also same night):
10 lbs brisket + 10lbs chuck went through the grinder for burgers.
Busy night.
Regards,
Mark