Comforting flavours, versatility and deep nostalgic connections to family, culture and tradition are a difficult combination to beat. It’s part of what makes up real “comfort food”, evoking strong feelings of home and family. Perogies are Eastern European dumplings typically filled with a cheesy mashed potato filling, made from unleavened dough. They are boiled and often pan fried with butter and onions, offering a rich, satisfying flavour especially when topped with sour cream and onions. That’s the other part of what makes up real “comfort food” – it’s gotta be delicious. No matter which way you look at it, perogies are THE comfort food of north central Alberta. They can also be filled with meat or sauerkraut, or even fruit for a sweet variation, with the dough providing a soft, sometimes chewy exterior to the soft interior – whatever it happens to be.
After that, its all about personal preference, as perogies are as versatile as you want them to be. They’re incredibly filling, making it the perfect food for hungry kids, and convenient too, easily be made ahead and frozen for later use. Some simply boil them, and some take the additional step of pan frying them with butter and onions. No matter how you cook them, they’re usually served with sour cream.
I am not a purist. I came to perogies the ‘gentile’ way – when I was a teenager they were introduced to our family by a relative – purchased frozen from the grocery store. Before long we were hooked. A few years later, I married a man with a Ukrainian step mother, and things like perogies and cabbage rolls were never the same in my world again. To be fair – Margaret Suelzle wasn’t a great cook of many other things, but when it came to her Ukrainian specialties she rocked. There wasn’t a festive dinner without homemade perogies and homemade cabbage rolls, and though I still purchased our perogies from the grocery store, we never said such things in her company.
Spelling
Perogy – perogi, perogies (both are plural so don’t stress about it). Pierogy, pierogi – all pronounced Pee-er-oh-gee. Since it’s native to so many different countries, and then considering the translation into English – spelling is pretty much anything you want it to be. In this blog, I’m gonna use them all, just because I can. No judging.
History of Perogies
Originally only served in the poorest of homes, pierogies required nothing more than the basic farm staples of flour and eggs, and whatever you had on hand for a filling (usually potatoes and onions). They’ve been iconic comfort food around Slavic tables since time immemorial. But just because no one can remember time without them, doesn’t mean they don’t have a history. Today, perogies are typically filled with some kind of potato combination, but they took root in Eastern Europe centuries before potatoes were brought from their native South America. Its perogy evolution.
It is believed that they were introduced in the late 13th century by the Venetian merchant, explorer and writer MARCO POLO who spent 24 years in China. When he returned, he brought fascinating stories of his adventures: the strange people he encountered and even stranger animals. And food! He documented many Chinese foods, introducing Europeans to the idea and variety of Asian cuisine, including spices like pepper, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, foods like rice and sugar, as well as preparation methods like dumplings.
Easy to make and flexible about filling, dumplings became a staple food taking all sorts of forms as they filtered through Europe for the next three hundred years. Hungarian dumplings, German spaetzle, small round dumplings filled with minced meat from Russia, spiced meat-filled dumplings from Turkey, gnocchi and ravioli from Italy, and many others.
By the mid 16th century Spanish conquerors brought POTATOES to Europe from their native land of South America. As with most ‘new’ things they took a while to catch on, but when they did, potatoes became a staple all over Europe – especially in the cooler climates where they thrived. It was only a matter of time before some creative cook would find a way to marry the dumpling to the potato. No doubt that creative cook was somebody’s grandmother, as everybody knows the best perogies in the world are made by grammas.
So how did perogies come to Canada?
Though perogies aren’t originally Canadian, they are deeply ingrained in our culture, thanks to large waves of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants. The first Ukrainian settlers arrived in central Alberta in 1891, followed by thousands more before the first world war. With them they brought traditional foods and recipes which were perfectly suited to their new world – as it so closely resembled the climate they left behind. For many today, perogies have become iconic as a ‘Canadian food’, especially among the Ukrainian and Polish populations of the prairies.
The versatility of perogies is endless, with fillings ranging from the savoury potato, sauerkraut and meat, to the sweeter dessert perogies filled with fruit or sweet cheese.
Verna’s mother was an excellent cook – and in this regard, Verna is just like her, always known for her cooking. She raised her 6 kids on traditional favourites like perogies and cabbage rolls, and to this day no festive meal is complete without them.
Verna Zilinski grew up on a farm in the Ukrainian/Polish area of Boyle (160 km north of Edmonton) surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. Her mother was born in Ukraine, her father in Alberta. When she was an adolescent her family moved to Edmonton which had become the urban hub for many previous farming families. – Did you know that the area east of Edmonton is the largest Ukrainian settlement outside of the Ukraine? 10% of Alberta’s population can trace their ancestry from these settlers.
Perogies are labour intensive, but easy, and CHEAP – definitely peasant food, made from whatever was abundant, which for Slavic people were: flour, potatoes and dairy (fresh cheese). Often times it was a simple cottage cheese that every homemaker could make relatively quickly. Verna’s Russian recipe filling below was likely very typical, but be flexible, there was a lot of variation – all depending on what the cook had on hand and their family experience. Cheddar cheese? Feta cheese? Ricotta / cottage cheese? Go for it. Develop your family’s favourite.
DOUGH recipe: makes 30+ perogies
Verna’s perogy dough 3 cups flour pinch salt 1 egg yolk 1/4 cup oil 1 cup lukewarm water
directions: 1 Prepare dough by mixing everything in. 2 Knead by hand on lightly floured board until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes). 3 Return to bowl and cover with damp cloth to sit and rest for about 30 minutes. 4. When the dough springs back from a gentle poke, then you’re good to go. 5. Divide the dough into two, and begin rolling out first half (same thickness as you would a pie pastry 1/8 inch or 6 millimetres). While the second piece of dough is sitting, keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out. Roll half the dough out being careful to not roll too thin. Using biscuit cutter, or a large rimmed glass, cut dough. You can use the scraps to reroll once again but remember, the more you work the dough the tougher it will get.
filling recipe
Verna’s Perogy Filling: 1 pound cooked, peeled potatoes mashed 3/4 pound dry cottage cheese 1 egg 1 medium onion, finely chopped and sauteed in butter salt + pepper 1/2 cup mellted cup butter Mash potatoes, mash in cottage cheese till well blended Add egg, sauteed onion, salt + pepper.
Mash potatoes, mash in cottage cheese till well blended Add egg, sauteed onion, salt + pepper.
Roll the dough out to a pie crust thickness (see above), and cut – using biscuit cutter or large mouth glass. Using a heaping tablespoon of the COOLED filling, fold the dough over into a half moon shape and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Go back and crimp again to ensure you’ve got a good tight seal with no air inside. Set aside on a lightly floured surface. If you’re planning to freeze them, set them on a lightly floured tea towel. Once frozen it’s a lot easier to remove them from the tray this way.
how to fill and seal perogies
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add a teaspoon salt. When boiling, drop perogies into water. Stir gently while adding so they don’t stick to the bottom. Don’t over crowd, you can do a second batch if needed.
Gently boil till perogies float, stirring from time to time. Continue cooking another two or three minutes till tender. Remove to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. You can drizzle melted butter over top to prevent sticking. Cook another batch if needed.
To Serve I like them with sour cream and chopped fresh chives or green onions. Dan is not a fan of sour cream. He likes his perogies with butter and sauteed chopped onions. Many also like to serve with bacon bits, or cooked sausage.
Suggested fillings: mashed potato and cottage cheese mashed potato and shredded cheddar sauerkraut sauerkraut and mushrooms
Dessert Perogies
filling: 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries + 1/2 cup sugar + 2 T flour use remaining blueberries to add a little water and simmer a few minutes to make a sauce when all are cooked, pour 1/2 cup melted butter over top and sprinkle with 2 T sugar serve with blueberry sauce and sour cream
For sweeter dessert perogies use fruit or mild cheese. Blueberries, saskatoons, currants, dried apricots, fig and apple sauce, mozzarella cheese or a favourite cheese that goes well with fruit. What do you have on hand?
Remember the humble beginnings of perogies, and the gentle people who made them. Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.
Perogies have kept their status as an inexpensive family meal, but they’re also a very popular side dish that can be pretty fancy if you want. If you’re creative, go all the way with it. If you’re a purist and must stick to your gramma’s original recipe, then rock on. It’s a whole new world out there. And in the spirit of the people who depended on them, use what you have.
“Preserving and storing garden produce extends the harvest season, reducing food waste, cutting grocery costs, and ensuring access to nutritious, homegrown food – bridging the gap between growing seasons (what our pioneer ancestors call ‘the hungry months’. It builds your level of self-reliance, providing food security against shortages, and enhancing emergency preparedness.
APPROPRIATE preserving methods retain more nutrients than many store-bought options, while allowing you to control ingredients, minimizing additives, preservatives and extra sugar. APPROPRIATE storage methods will allow your family to enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables throughout the winter.
Below, we’ll discuss discuss 6 different ways of preserving food and best storage methods suited to each food you grow in your backyard. We’ll also take a few cautionary side trips to ensure food safety.” – Cindy Suelzle
What is the Hungry Gap?
The hungry months (‘hungry gap’ or ‘hungry season’) refer to the time, usually between March and May, when stored supplies from the previous year’s harvest have run out, and before the new season’s crops are ready to be harvested. Historically, this was a time of food scarcity, with families being forced to rely on limited rations, forage for wild food, and eat nutrient-poor diets. Proper food preservation and storage aim to reduce or eliminate the hungry gap.
Right off the bat, let’s dispel a few common misconceptions that I observe over and over.
Myth 1: Harvest is at the end of summer. Sometimes new gardeners have the idea that gardening is like a sandwich. They expect to plant in the spring and harvest in the fall. Truth: If you’ve gardened for awhile, you know the truth is very different. Aside from the near daily attention of watering and weeding, you can begin eating out of your garden within the first few weeks after planting (in garden talk that’s almost immediately), and throughout the growing season. Harvest is an ongoing processall-season-long. That means you’re picking and eating of course, but also picking and freezing, picking and canning, picking and pickling or fermenting, and picking and dehydrating all that is not consumed right away.
Yes, there will be things you’ll be harvesting at summer’s end – like winter squash, root vegetables, apples, plums and grapes, but that doesn’t take into consideration all the other fruits and vegetables (especially garden greens) that you’ll miss if you wait.
Myth 2: Fresh food from the grocery store is the BEST option nutritionally. Truth: The word “fresh” has been stretched and misused to define all sorts of things. The produce in the grocery stores should best be defined as ‘perishable’ instead of ‘fresh’. To be clear, I am not dissing perishable fruits and vegetables in the produce department of our favourite grocery stores. In Alberta, this is the only way we’re ever gonna enjoy pineapple or bananas, or mangoes or citrus fruits, or let’s face it – many other things. All I’m saying is – be reasonable about your nutritional expectations. Don’t expect a mango we buy at the grocery store to be everything it was in the hour it is harvested.
In many cases, it often takes a week or more after harvest before produce arrives on our grocery store shelves, and this, after being picked before it’s ripe. Since all produce begins deteriorating within the hour it’s harvested, having it be two weeks from harvest before we even see it is a problem. Sometimes, preserved food might actually be more nutritious than the older perishable food in the produce department. Open your mind to some new considerations.
It doesn’t matter how good it was on the day it was harvested, if it doesn’t get taken care of immediately. All produce begins to deteriorate within the first hour of harvest, so remember – THE CLOCK IS TICKING!
Myth 3: Storing food will make it last indefinitely. Truth: Nothing STOPS food spoilage, it’s food! It’s not indestructible, but certain methods of preserving slow spoilage down. That is the best we can hope for. No matter what you hear, no stored food lasts indefinitely. Be reasonable. Nutrition is optimum the fresher it is, of course, and it is best used within a certain time frame. All storage methods have limits that are shorter than we might assume.
Generally this is what you can expect with preserving:
Canned food – commercially canned or home-bottled food has a recommended shelf life of 18 months to 2 years. Two years is the time frame I try to work within. Nutritional value is approximately 40% of whatever that food was when it went into the bottle. That nutritional value decreases as it ages, so yes, we may all know someone who has bottled peaches from 2018 on their shelf, but just because it’s there, doesn’t mean it should be eaten. The nutritional value is so poor . . . . Just EAT the doggone thing or give it to the chickens! Get it over with! What are you waiting for?
Frozen fruits and vegetables if prepared properly have a recommended shelf life of 4 months to a year. For me, I use a year as my benchmark. Nutritional value is approximately 60% of whatever the food was the hour it went into the freezer. The key is to have it in the freezer as close to harvest time as possible. Don’t forget about it in there.
Dehydrated foods have a Potential Shelf Life of – 1 year for fruits, 6 months for vegetables, 1-2 months for meat (6 months if vacuum sealed. I say potential because there are so many factors to consider when dehydrating at home. How long between picking time and the dehydrator? Did you remove all the moisture? Are you certain? How are you storing it? Best practise is to store in coolish room temperatures (no less than 40 F / 5 C and no higher than 70 F / 20 C), out of direct light. Nutritional value is approximately 80%; again the key is prompt processing.
Freeze dried foods has the potential for a 25 year shelf life IF done properly, IF packaged properly, and IF stored properly. Freeze drying is a gentler process preserving and protecting food value. Nutritional value could be over 90%, with a lotta variables in the shelf life. How you package your freeze dried food will influence its long term stability. A sealed oxygen-free can or jar has the longest storage potential. A high quality mylar bag – provides a top 5-8 year shelf life.
It is impossible to achieve the coveted 25 year shelf life in a typical home kitchen – no matter how expensive your freeze-drier is. So stop having unreasonable expectations, and agree to live with the way things are. Freeze drying is a good way to preserve, but if you have to buy the food you’re going to freeze-dry, you’re already behind the 8 ball. And if you don’t store it properly , it will not last as long as you think it will.
The key to success for all preserved food – is ROTATION. Rotation means you USE it! 1st in – 1st out. Commit to using the food you preserve.
Community
One of your greatest resources when learning how to preserve the food you grow (or acquire) is other people. Everyone has an idea you’ve never tried (or even heard about) before. Don’t be stuck in the way you’ve always done things, just because that’s how you always have. But just because your girlfriend’s mom did things a certain way, doesn’t mean that’s best either. Be open-minded and willing to LEARN, willing to try new things. Be wise and pay attention to details. And then share your successes and failures with others so everyone can get better.
get a good book you can trust
I am not saying this is the book you must have (in fact, it’s out of print), but there are other excellent resources available with important details that will be invaluable to you in your food-preserving journey. Look around, do some research and FIND a GOOD BOOK that will not only give you great suggestions and recipes, but more importantly – tell you how to can, and the times to boil your jars, what times and pressure to use when you’re pressure canning, suggested steaming or blanching times when you’re canning etc. These are very important details.
These things have been (and continue to be) studied in test kitchens for decades. What temperatures and times are needed to safely preserve food? What temperatures kill the toxins that cause botulism? Don’t depend on your memory, don’t depend on what Aunt Martha has always done, and if you use google, be very cautious about where you take your information.
before we go on, we must take an important cautionary side trip . . . . . don’t skip this part below, it could save your life
Botulism! is nothing to trifle with.
What is it? Botulism is a rare but serious condition caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nervous system. It can cause life-threatening symptoms. All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies, but for our purposes here, we’re only talking about Foodborne Botulism.
Harmful bacteria can thrive and produce toxins in low-oxygen, and low-acid environments. The bacterium responsible for botulism grows best in these conditions which is why improperly processed home-canned or bottled foods pose a higher risk. Freezing does not destroy the bacteria or it’s spores. While boiling can destroy the toxin itself, it does not kill the spores, which can survive and later produce more toxin under the right conditions.
Strict adherence to cleanliness, and ensuring that proper canning methods are used when home preserving is more important than we might suspect. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before using. Glass jars should be cleaned with hot soapy water, rinsed with hot water and kept clean till used. It is not necessary to sterilize jars if they will be processed in a hot water bath for at least 10 minutes.
Only high acid foods like some fruits and in some cases pickled vegetables, should be canned in a hot water bath canner. Why? A boiling water bath (212°F) is only safe for high-acid foods (fruits, pickles, jams) because the acid prevents the botulism spores from germinating, even though the heat does not kill them.
Low acid foods: vegetables, legumes, soups, sauces, meat and fish should be processed in a pressure canner under recommended pressure. Don’t guess about the what pressure to use, or the timing, always use a reputable guide. Why pressure? Because botulism spores are highly resistant to heat and can survive boiling water, but they are destroyed at temperatures of 240°F and above.1 which are only achievable in a pressure canner.
Key Facts About Pressure Canning and Botulism Safety:
Temperature Requirement: To destroy botulism spores, food must be processed at 240°F (116°C) or higher, using 10-15 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure.
EATING “IN THE SEASON”
Years ago (for nutritional reasons), I decided to focus our eating IN THE SEASON, preserving the EXCESS of what we could use immediately. Consequently, we eat primarily out of our garden from the beginning of May through the end of September. Other than the watermelon we buy constantly throughout the summer, 90% of our fresh produce comes from the garden. Like everyone else, I still like summer fruits we cannot grow in our climate: peaches, nectarines, citrus, and blackberries – when all those fruits are at their best. Lucky for me, I live in a place where I have the best of both worlds.
Every growing season will be different; not every vegetable will do great every year. Some years are going to be great tomato years, some will be better green crop years. It is important to diversify what we grow to give us the best variety and chances for success. For instance, our growing season – summer of 2024 – was the perfect lesson for why diversification is a good idea.
It threw some unexpected curve balls at us: April was cold, May was cold and excessively windy, even June was cold and very windy. 2 I was still planting my garden in the middle of June – a full month later than than I ever have before. But then the weather was perfect for weeks at a time. By mid July most things had caught up. Who knew? April, May and June of 2024 was perfect spinach weather, but unfortunately for me, and uncharacteristically, I hadn’t planted any spinach. Booooo me.
MAY
What is typically ready in my yard (and probably your yard too) in May? * Early greens like spinach if you got it planted early enough (April, or even the previous August is a good time). * Volunteer Greens: Lambs Quarters – a common garden edible weed that is very much like spinach in many ways. Dandelion leaves – open your mind – when they’re very young, (young dandelion greens are nice added to a salad). Giant hyssop is an edible native plant that comes up early. Chickweed (yes, another common garden edible weed) that springs to life as soon as the ground warms up. * Sorrel, one of the earliest garden greens. * Rhubarb is at its best at the beginning of the season. * Chives, Garlic Chives and Welsh Onions are up and big enough to start picking for meals.
JUNE
What is ready in my yard (and probably your yard too) in June? * All your herbs. * More early greens, including lettuces. * Early strawberries. * Haskaps are the first fruits of the season – usually ready before the middle of the month. * Rhubarb is full on and at its best in June.
JULY
By the first of July, you should be eating something from your garden every day. Peas, beans, more greens including Asian greens, kale, the first cucumbers, every kind of herb, and the first tomatoes, zucchini and onions, black currants and more strawberries.
AUGUST
Very soon the excitement of first ripening turns into mass ripeness – all ready to harvest at the same time. Zucchini that gets so big you can use it for a piece of furniture, or it sits on the counter for several days before you use it; kale that grows bigger by the hour; more salad than anyone can enjoy, and more basil-wrapped-tomatoes than you can put on any table. Who has time to do take-out in the summer? And why would you? There is so much to eat every day right in your garden.
Part of the beauty of summer is the healthful benefits of eating in-the-season. Shop for dinner every day from your garden. There’s nothing like fresh sour cherries or plums from the tree, or those first crisp apples! But don’t miss the more subtle offerings: parsley that is ready fresh all summer long – with plenty to be dehydrated for use all winter, kale that we can literally pick every day and it never stops producing, with lots left to freeze or dehydrate. Gardeners, we have carefully tended our food plants since the weather warmed up, so be open to all the ways they want to give back to us. In some cases, the more we pick, the more will keep coming. When we let vegetables like peas, beans, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes stay on the plant longer than needful, they start to over-ripen in an effort to produce viable seed, signalling the plant that producing time is over. They’ll stop producing more fruit, and focus on going to seed.
We sabotage our garden’s quality and quantity by not constantly harvesting throughout the entire growing season.
Picking cucumbers every few days as they ripen will keep the plant producing. You’ll have some to enjoy today, some to give away, and some to put up for winter for several weeks. Same with tomatoes: freshly sliced on toasted sourdough bread, in your garden salad of course, fresh bruschetta on fresh sourdough, fresh salsa, roasted pasta sauce, – enough to eat fresh, enough to share and enough to put up for winter.
STORE WHAT YOU EAT AND EAT WHAT YOU STORE
Preserving means NO WASTE, and extending the season – but never at the expense of eating IN the season. We really can have plenty of both, ironically by picking more. And there are several different ways to preserve, some more suitable than others, each with it’s own advantages, disadvantages and optimum shelf life. Not all methods are suitable for all produce. Be open-minded and employ a variety of methods to take advantage of the best options. When you eat what you store, you will have greater success in keeping your food properly rotated. This is what is meant by Food ROTATION.
front and centre you can see two tomatoes that suffered from irregular watering
When harvesting, be GENTLE. All fruits and vegetables are easily bruised and damaged; that damage will affect how long they’ll last. Use injured produce immediately, and the less severely injured ones as soon as possible. Go through your stored vegetables frequently, discarding all that are showing signs of spoilage.
COLD STORAGE Choose the coolest area in your house or garage that is clean with no risk of freezing. Do everything you can to keep it cool: lowest level if you’ve got a basement, no windows, outside walls if possible, no carpet, no heating vents, and dark. Vegetables like potatoes and onions will last for months, beets for a couple weeks at best. If you have a very cold room, you may even be able to keep carrots packed in CLEAN sand for an additional month or two, and possibly even cabbage short-term if it’s cool enough. COLD STORAGE is a temporary short-term storage method, extending the season another month or two or three – the key being to EAT it, don’t leave it there for months. Rotation is important. Most modern homes are not built for cold storage.
2. REFRIGERATION Room is always an issue in any fridge and over packing your fridge reduces its effectiveness to keep everything at a consistently cold enough but not too cold temperature. Additional fridges have additional costs involved in running them. It is an excellent, though temporary, short term storage method. Count your time in weeks at best. Eat your food storage to keep it rotated.
Refrigeration and Freezing are 100% dependent on electricity. For this reason, I don’t consider anything in either one part of my food storage. They are for convenience only, and let’s face it – freezers are mighty convenient. But if you lose power, you’ve lost a LOTTA food. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – in the fridge or freezer basket.
3. FREEZING Again room is an issue, and leaving foods too long in the freezer is a common problem. Rotate your frozen food, 1st-in 1st-out. Short to medium short-term storage when properly prepared, packed and labelled. Freezing retains approximately 60% nutrition IF prepared properly and frozen quickly after harvesting. Recommended shelf life of frozen food is 4 months to 1 year, depending on what it is. And yes, I know your mom has food in her freezer from 3 years ago. Again, the recommended shelf life is 4 months to 1 year.
4. CANNING Two methods of canning: using a hot water bath with boiling water reaching 212 degrees F, and a pressure canner, which uses steam and pressure to reach up to 250 degrees F. Hot Water Bath canning is for high acid fruits. I always add lemon juice or vinegar – depending on the flavour it’s going to give the fruit. For instance, to a quart jar its recommended to add 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or double that for vinegar.
5. JAMS, JELLIES AND SYRUPS I always process these lovelies in a hot water canner. It is possible to freeze jams but I choose not to. Freezing always seems to require more sugar, and freezer space is a premium in my house. 3 for directions on how to make your own jam click HERE
5. DEHYDRATING is one of the oldest ways to preserve foods, keeping them safe to eat and maintaining reasonable nutrition. Estimates are that up to 80% of original food value is preserved. Times to dehydrate range from 1-2 hours to 24+ hours, depending on what you’re drying. Pay particular attention to ensure there is no remaining moisture in individual pieces.
Do NOT dehydrate high fat foods such as avocados, olives or nut butters, or dairy as the risk of food poisoning is too high. I personally do not dehydrate any kind of protein either.
For optimum storage keep in a cool, dry, dark place at temperatures below 60 degrees F or 15 degrees C. Dried foods should be good for up to 12 months depending on storage conditions. Vacuum sealing dehydrated fruits, vegetables and herbs will extend the shelf life for up to 10 years. The vacuum seal prevents oxygen from entering.
6. PICKLING OR FERMENTING While I have pickled various vegetables over the year: cucumbers, beets and carrots, it seems our family are not big pickle fans so I haven’t kept it up.
We are however, big SAUERKRAUT fans. I like to make a batch of sauerkraut in the late fall – November for the winter.
7. FREEZE DRYING Freeze drying is a relatively new option in home preserving. Commercially, its been on the market for 40+ years, but quality was a little hard to find. Since the year 2000 it became increasingly more available for purchase, but as with most things, the quality varied greatly.
The process is two step: Step 1 is to FREEZE, and step 2 is to remove all remaining moisture WITHOUT thawing. The key to the highest nutritional quality is – how fast can one get it from field to freezer? and how fast can one freeze it? When freeze drying at home, you must have sufficient freezer space to freeze your food in a flat surface layer so that once frozen, the food can be transferred to the freeze dryer. Everything will take different times, but to give you an idea of what to expect, blueberries will take approximately 30-40 hours to completely dry. Because blueberries (and other berries like them) have a protective skin on them, each berry must be punctured. If you don’t do that, the outer skin will dry, sealing in the moisture – exactly what you don’t want! Once they’re completely finished it is imperative that you get them sealed in an oxygen free storage container as soon as possible because they will begin absorbing moisture from the air.
Commercially, the process is the same: Freeze, and remove all remaining moisture without thawing, through a vacuum like process called sublimation. There are many companies that freeze dry, and I have noticed that not all are the same in their commitment to quality. Again, like for home freeze drying, the key to quality is – how fast can one get it from field to freezer? Over the years, I have tried many different brands of commercially freeze dried food, and finally settled on THRIVE LIFE as my brand of choice. There were several reasons for this – all of them relating to their unwavering commitment to quality. Sadly, in 2025 Thrive Life ceased selling to individual households. So the search for quality began again.
Last fall, I found WISE HARVEST Freeze dried food. Based in Utah, they process their own food, so they’re in charge of their own selection, quality and process. They are currently packaging in high quality mylar bags which allow for a shelf life of 5-8 years, and have about 20 items in their inventory. I have tried everything they sell and I am impressed with the quality. It is definitely a company I will be keeping track of as they grow and develop. Incidentally, they ship everything FREE once the order tops $100 – even into Canada. And their prices are both in American or Canadian dollars.
Do I freeze dry my own produce? Not at this time, but I am always considering it.
Why not? I have reflected on doing so many times over the years, and have several friends who have taken the step into freeze-drying their own food. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been tempted to buy a freeze dryer, and looked a few times very seriously. After all, it is completely cohesive with the way I do things. But the thing that holds me back from this very expensive system, is the fact that I do not believe I can DO better or provide a better end product than what I can buy already freeze dried. In all other methods of preserving, I believe I provide a cleaner and more nutritious end product: canning, freezing and dehydrating. But not when it comes to freeze drying? Not yet. Not as long as there is a good, affordable source providing the quality and variety I cannot match.
Some hard facts to consider: * Living in central Alberta, most produce available for purchase has travelled long distances and is several days from harvest by the time it reaches our grocery store shelves. This means tremendous loss of nutrition. * Living in urban central Alberta, the variety and quantity of food I grow is restricted by my weather. Some of the food my family would like to eat freeze dried are things I cannot grow: bananas, mangoes, pineapple, etc. I feel that if I must buy the food I am going to freeze dry, I might as well buy it already freeze dried – in the end, I am looking for the highest quality.
Currently, of the variety and quantity of food I grow in central Alberta, that are suitable to be freeze-dried, I just don’t think I can justify the cost. One also needs to consider the additional cost of dedicated freezer space (the 1st step of the process). It’s a personal choice, and I totally understand those who go that route. It’s just not my route quite yet.
– Preserving your ABC’s –
Apples
A late summer favourite in our house, we look forward to the apples. Usually coinciding with the beginning of back-to-school time, our apples are ready, and we begin juicing. September smells like apple juice in our house. If the apples are nice then we make a few apple pies to eat and freeze, apple muffins, apple cookies, apples in our salads, apple sauce, apple fruit leather . . . there is no end to the versatility of apples. If your apples are more tart, its not necessary to add lemon juice, but if they’re more sweet, you might want to add 1 T to a pint (500 ml), 2 T to a quart (1 L).
Cold Storage: YES! the colder the better. Refrigeration: YES. can be stored in the fridge for a month or two Freezing: Yes! Also cut up as if for pie filling, apple sauce and juice Canning: Yes! As apple wedges as if for pie filling, apple sauce and apple juice. Dehydrating: Yes! Sliced reasonably thinly in wedges or rings. Pickling or Fermenting: no Juicing: Yes! Freeze Drying: Yes
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short term Freezing: Yes. Canning: not really suitable Pickling: yes Dehydrating: No. Texture is not good. Freeze Drying: yes
Beans – green or yellow or purple
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes, short term Freezing: Yes. Freeze in whatever meal amount suits your family best. I blanch for two or three minutes then seal into small freezer bags, label and freeze. I find this better suited for our family so that those few of us who like them can enjoy without cooking up to much at a time. Canning: Yes – under pressure. This is my sister’s family’s favourite winter vegetable; consequently she cans dozens of jars every summer. Cooked beans are not a favourite in our house, so I have never canned them. Pickling: Yes. Several different types of pickled beans – open your mind and seek out recipes that appeal to you. Dehydrating: No, not the best. Takes a while to rehydrate and the texture is not very nice.
Beets can be picked pretty much all July and August as you thin out your rows.
Thinning will allow more room for the beets to grow bigger, and they can be left in the garden till cold weather forces your hand.
Beets are best stored unwashed but with excess soil brushed away, in a ‘cold’ dark place – a cold room or the fridge. Unlike onions and potatoes they can be stored in large food grade plastic bags, but are not suitable to long term shelf life in a cold room. Best place is the fridge. For longer storage, either can, freeze or pickle.
Every year, I look forward to BORSCH, the traditional Eastern European later summer soup, and a national dish in Ukraine.5 click HERE to read my post on Borsch including recipe
Cold Storage: short term Refrigeration: yes, in fact they should be stored in the fridge (short term again) Freezing: yes Beets can be frozen with good results. Cook them first. I prefer roasting covered in a hot oven (400 degrees). Keep 1/2 inch or more of their bottom stem to minimize colour bleed, ensuring they stay to their beautiful deep colour. I use a roasting pan, or a casserole dish or even just tin foil – depending on how many you’re doing. Keep them covered. They’ll cook in their own moisture. Or you can boil: cover with water allowing plenty of room in your pot so it doesn’t boil over (big mess). Roasting or boiling, when tender to the fork remove from heat, cool and remove the peel – it will slip off easily in your hands. Slice, cube or grate and package them into freezer bags or containers. Label and freeze. Plan to use before next season for best results. Canning: Can in pint or quart jars – because they are a low acid food they must be processed in a pressure canner. Don’t have a pressure canner? Consider pickling them. This you can process with a hot water bath canner. For maximum nutrition, plan to use within 18 months – 2 years. Dehydrating: Don’t. You won’t like them. Not a good texture. Pickling: yes Freeze Drying: yes
Berries
Cold Storage: NO Refrigeration: Yes Freezing: Yes Canning: No. The texture of berries is too delicate to withstand the heat and time of canning. Dehydrating: No – with reservations. Depends on the berries. It’s helpful to puncture berries with a skin like blueberries, saskatoons, currants, haskaps. Personally, I don’t like any of these delicate berries dried. Strawberries are good dehydrated if they’re not sliced too thin. I don’t like raspberries dried. Too sour, and I don’t like the texture. Jams: Yes Vinegars: Yes
Cabbage
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes short term Freezing: We often freeze cabbage in the original head, to break down the texture so as to be better/more pliable to make cabbage rolls. Canning: I never have and have no comment Dehydrating: doesn’t sound good to me Fermenting Cabbage : Sauerkraut. A definite YES! 6 Once your sauerkraut is sufficiently fermented, store in the fridge. Freeze Drying: ? maybe?
to read more about sauerkraut, including how to make it, click HERE
Carrots can be stored in a high humidity COLD storage room.
Gently wash and trim the tops to within a 1/2 inch, and thoroughly dry before storing. Store only whole, unblemished carrots; refrigeration is highly recommended. Place in large plastic, food grade bags with several breathing holes punched through. Line the bag with a layer of paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Check carrots every few weeks to ensure they’re not drying out, but are also not too wet (I know – sigh). If the paper towels get very wet, replace them. Cold Storage: yes, packed in clean sand. Use withing a few months. Refrigeration: yes, you can store them in the fridge for a few months Freezing: no, don’t. Very rubbery. That’s all I have to say about that. Canning: Carrots can be bottles and processed in a pressure canner. As with beets, if you don’t have one, consider pickling. Dehydrating: Yes. Chop small. Best to use in a nice brothy soup to refresh. Don’t use too many, they’re pretty strong and will overpower a dish. Don’t do too many the first year – a little goes a long way. After the first year, you can judge for yourself. Pickling : Yes Freeze Drying: no
Cherries or Sour Cherries
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes for the short term Freezing: yes. Pit first or you’ll wish you did. Canning: Yes. I suggest adding 1 T lemon juice to a pint (500 ml) or 2 T to a quart (1 L). Dehydrating: Yes. Pit and cut in half. Freeze Dried: Yes. pit and cut in half, or pit and puncture with pin. Jams: Yes Juicing: Yes, and can combined with apple juice or on its own. Vinegars: Yes
Corn
Corn is best eaten the day it is picked. If needed to pick in advantage, keep as cool as possible and make every effort to use as soon as possible. Suggestion: submerge cobs in ice water right after harvesting, drain and refrigerate with husks on. If the husks have been removed, store in plastic bags, for a few days in the fridge.
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: My preferred way to store corn. Once the corn is cooked, (we prefer to grill it on the BBQ), we cut the kernels off with a sharp knife. I gather the kernels in a plastic tub. and gently tossed the corn with me hands. Then I pack in serving sized freezer bags. . Canning: I have canned excess corn before, under pressure in the Pressure Canner. Dehydrating: no, I don’t recommend it Pickling: I’ve seen corn used in salsas which are canned, as well as relishes. Personally, I would pressure can these.
Cucumbers
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: nope Canning: nope, not unless you’re canning your pickles Dehydrating: doesn’t sound good Freeze Drying: in small pieces the results are excellent. When home freeze drying I find they don’t stay crisp. It’s tempting to freeze dry in slices, but it seems to work a lot better in dices.
Pickling or Fermenting: A definite YES for pickling.
Garlic – as with onions, you can use garlic immediately from the garden,
but for long term storing, as with onions again, it should be cured. Remove all excess dirt and tie in bundles of about 10-12 heads, hang upside down out of the way and out of the sun. Must be cured – as with onions – it is ready to prep and store when it is dry, brown and crispy. Any remaining moisture will promote spoilage down the road.
With scissors cut off the stock, leaving about a 1 inch piece and also remove the root close to the surface. Small paper bags left open at top are perfectly suited for storing garlic in dry dark cold room. Dehydrating: I have never done it myself but I have several friends who do. Slice and dehydrate in a dehydrator. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry on a cookie sheet in your oven at the lowest temperature. If you cannot get your oven below 150 degrees, use a wooden spoon to prop your oven oven slightly. Check often to prevent scorching. Once it is thoroughly dry / crispy, powder in a food processer or coffee grinder. A blender will work but you’ll get a lot of powder. Let it settle before opening the lid.
Garlic Salt: My cousin brought me some garlic salt she made herself and now I am a total convert. So doing this myself when I run out. It’s a super simple process. You control the texture of your garlic salt, leave it chunky, coarse or fine – depends on your desired end use.
1 cup coarse kosher salt (non iodized – don’t use regular table salt) 12-15 cloves fresh garlic peeled. Process in food processer until garlic is finely chopped. Spread over parchment line baking sheet and bake 200 degrees till mixture completely dries out. Expect it to take 45-60 minutes.
Baking it makes it a little clumpy, so after its cooled, either crush it in a mortar and pestle or run through your food processer again, or throw it in your high powered blender if you want a finer texture.
Valiant grapes ready to harvest. End of September.
We’ve grown Valiant Grapes in our backyard for almost 20 years. They look and taste very similar to Concord Grapes that are grown in the Niagara region. They are delicious, nutritious, super easy to grow, and winter hardy – everything that is important to me. They have seeds in them and for that reason, some in my family prefer not to eat them ‘fresh’. That doesn’t bother me one little tiny bit. Grape seeds are so rich in nutrition, that I am highly motivated to ‘like’ them.
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes. We freeze them for smoothies all winter long. Canning: no Dehydrating: no because they contain pits that are too hard to remove. You won’t like them. Juicing: yes, and then can the juice Jamming: YES!!!
We make GRAPE PIE – as a traditional favourite dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
They make a wonderful sauce to add to yogurt, serve over top ice cream or angel food cake, and they make the best jam in the history of the world!
Herbs
Most of the herbs I grow get dehydrated for winter use. The exceptions are dill weed and chives. Dill weed is too delicate to dry – it loses all that makes it wonderful. So I chop it and freeze it, scraping out of its container with a fork while it’s still frozen to use, then returning to the freezer immediately. Chives are also too delicate to dry – becoming ‘woody’ in my opinion, so I chop and freeze them too.
Small amounts of thin leafed herbs (basil, mint, oregano, parsley, tarragon, thyme) – dry on a clean towel on the table or counter. Larger amounts or thick leaves I put in the dehydrator.
Basil – Pesto Pesto is one of my favourite summer traditions. I used to think it was synonymous with basil and at one time it was, but this is a brave new world we’re living in, and pesto can also come from parsley, radish greens, carrot greens, nasturtiums or any combination thereof, or any other flavour you want to preserve. 7
to learn more about pesto, including recipes click HERE. In the link are several different posts about different ways to make pesto using a variety of herbs. Be creative and have fun experimenting.
Dandelion roots – I wash, chop and dry roast them in the oven at 400F. Store in glass jar away from direct light. 8
Dill– I am generally interested in the green weed. I pick when they’re green and lush throughout mid summer, swish in cool water then put in a salad spinner to take excess water off. Chop with a sharp knife on board and scrape into a freezer container. Label and seal. Freeze. To use, I simple scrape the chopped weed out of its container with a fork while its still frozen and return to the freezer immediately. 9
Horseradish – you can make horseradish sauce or freeze it in clumps. It will lose some of its pungency, so plan to use in 6 months. to read more about horse radish including recipes click HERE
Mint – for tea is foundational, probably the first herb most people dry and then use all winter long. Easy to dry. Easy to use.
Kale
Cold Storage – nope Refrigeration – short term Freezing – Yes. Wash and remove stems. Chop coarsely and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and to lock in colour. Once the mass is cooled, strain and let the leaves drain for a few minutes. Pat dry with a cloth, and put them in labelled clean freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Blanching kale increases the shelf life to 6-9 monts, while raw kale frozen is best eaten within 1–2 months. Canning: nope Dehydrating: This is my personal preference. Easy to do and easy to use later. Two to three hours in the dehydrator depending on how full your racks are, and then pack away in a glass jar. Label, and keep out of direct sunlight.
These jars pictured are 2 quart size. You’d be amazed by how much dehydrated kale is in each of these jars. I use it throughout the winter in many dishes, just scooping out of the jar and adding it to soups, stews, chillies, and sauces of all kinds. Pickling or Fermenting: nope Freeze drying: One of my favourite freeze-dried vegetables.
Onions can be used from the garden as needed all summer long
especially when the bulb starts to round out, but by late summer you’ll notice the tops begin to flop over, giving the signal that the plant has stopped growing. They’re ready to harvest.
Cold Storage: Yes. They need a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated spot (a pantry will do) to stay firm for months.
To dig, carefully loosen the soil around your onions with a garden fork, then gently pull them up by their tops. Best to keep the full stem intact until fully dry. If the weather is dry with no danger of frost overnight, lay the plants out in the garden for a day or two to dry out. If the weather is not in your favour, move them to a protected area – perhaps the floor of the garage or a covered porch.
Curing onions is the term used to prepare them for long term storage, and is absolutely necessary. The outer layers dry out, tightening around the bulbs to effectively protect them, keeping the onion firm longer. Its a simple process: make sure they have plenty of air space for circulation – ideally outside but protected from the sun. Either hang or lay out. That’s it. You do you, but take care not to bump or bruise them. And don’t rush this process, drying takes TIME, and properly curing onions means you can enjoy the harvest all winter long. Taking shortcuts will prevent proper curing, and the onion bulbs will turn soft and mushy. Curing onions allows them to be stored at room temperature, so even a kitchen pantry would be sufficient if it was nice and dark.
Onions are sufficiently cured when the necks are completely tight and dry, and the stems contain no moisture. Use scissors to trim the roots to about 1/2 inch, and the leaves to about 1 inch. Like potatoes, onions should be kept cool and dark – with good air circulation. The same kind of containers are suitable. If the onions are exposed to light for any long stretches, they may sprout new green leaves. Use any onions that have been bruised or damaged first, as they will not last as long.
It’s tempting to store onions with potatoes because their needs are similar, but potatoes release moisture as they age, which can encourage onions to develop soft spots, so keep a reasonable distance between them.
Either hang or lay out, you do you, but don’t rush the process. Drying takes TIME
Refrigeration: No. The fridge is too damp, causing them to turn soft and moldy. *note: if you only have a few onions and you think you’ll use them up in a few weeks, don’t worry about curing. Go ahead and put them in your fridge.
Not all onions are intended for long storage. Generally, the milder or (or sweeter) onions are intended for short term use. Stronger (or more pungent) flavoured onions may retain quality for up to a year if cured properly. These are things to consider when selecting the type of onion you want to grow in the spring.
Freezing: Yes, though they will lose their crunch. They are best suited for cooked dishes like soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles. Properly stored, frozen onions last about 3-6 months.
Peel and chop, dice, or slice onions to the desired size. Spread out on a baking sheet and place flat in the freezer for about 2 hours. This prevents them from freezing into a solid clump. Pack into airtight bags or containers, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Use directly from frozen in recipes; no need to thaw.
I’ve seen my dad put on goggles and chop tons of onions by hand for hours so that he could freeze them for ready use. That was enough for me to never want to do the same thing. Generally, I choose not to freeze.
You can also freeze onions precooked to save cooking time later.
Canning: No Dehydrating: Yes, but you might want to take the dehydrator outside to do it. The smell lingering in the house for days is not appealing. Pickling: Yes Freeze drying: Yes! I don’t freeze-dry onions myself – I prefer the quality of what I have purchased. They are super easy to use, and do not need to be refreshed. One can use them in fresh salsas, chicken or egg salads, or in any other way.
Parsnips – same as carrots.
Peas
Cold Storage: nope Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: Yes. To freeze fresh peas, shell and wash them, then blanch in boiling water for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water for 2 minutes to stop cooking, drain well, and dry completely. Freeze in a single layer on a tray (flash freeze) before storing in airtight freezer bags for up to 6–12 months Canning: Yes, under pressure Dehydrating: Yes, but . . . . I don’t like them. Pickling: no Freeze Drying: YES! They’re great to snack on, and when they’re refreshed, they taste just like fresh from the garden.
Peppers
Cold Storage: nope Refrigeration: Yes short term. Freezing: Yes. They can be frozen raw and chopped (sliced or diced, seeds removed), no blanching necessary. Freeze on a cookie shett to prevent clumping, then transfer to a labelled freezer bag. Will keep a good 9 -12 months. Canning: Yes, under pressure Freezing: Yes.
Dehydrating: Yes Freeze Drying: Yes
Potatoes
Cold Storage or Refrigeration: Potatoes should never be stored in the fridge, as it converts starch into sugars, changing the texture to a sweet, gritty, unpleasant texture. Cool is good, COLD is not. A nice dark area is necessary as light turns potatoes green. Keep them in a breathable storage container like a cotton or burlap bag, paper bag, basket, or a cardboard or wooden box. Use injured potatoes first – those that may have been damaged with a shovel when harvesting, those with blemishes, those with splits or anything else not perfect. Those injury spots will begin to spoil, so use them first. Continue to go through them from time to time, removing any that look like they are starting to rot. Canning: Yes, under pressure Dehydrating: Yes with reservations. I personally don’t dry them. Freeze Drying: Yes . . . .though I’ve never done so myself. I do however, use commercially freeze-dried potatoes.
Potatoes are easy to store: choose the coolest area you have (NOT the fridge) and keep them in the dark with as much air circulation as possible. No plastic bags or tubs.
Pumpkins and other winter squash
Cold Storage or Refrigeration: Cool, NOT cold. Handle gently, as dents and scrapes will introduce decay. Clean the surface by wiping with cool water in which a capful of bleach has been added. This kills bacteria that will quickly gain a foothold in any injury spots, including cuts when you carve a jack-o-lantern. After it’s been disinfected, dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth before storing it. Keep your pumpkins cool, dry and dark and they’ll reward you by lasting several months. Slight freezing or even too cold will break down the tissue and make the pumpkin soft, but too warm is a problem too. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Best place is in your cold room or garage, as long as it doesn’t freeze. Keep them OFF the cement floor with cardboard, a blanket, wood slats or on a shelf. And try to keep them from touching each other to allow them to breathe.
Freezing: Yes, but the texture gets watery. I don’t care for the final result Canning: Yes, in chunks not puree – and always under pressure Dehydrating: No. Freeze Drying: Yes
Rhubarb – the best friend you never gave the time of day to
Cold Storage: No. Refrigeration: Yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes! Wash, chop, bag and freeze. I use the frozen rhubarb in smoothies for an especially refreshing drink. Canning: Yes! I cold pack macerated rhubarb into pints, using the juice of the rhubarb and sugar as liquid. 10 minutes in a hot water bath. I don’t feel the need to add any lemon juice or vinegar, as it is acidic enough already. We use this to flavour yogurt or to top oatmeal on winter mornings, or for baking.
Jam: Rhubarb is foundational in most of my red summer jams. Dehydrating: Yes, but only as fruit leather. By itself or as a base with strawberries, raspberries, plums, and many other flavour companions. Be creative. Yes you can dry rhubarb in small pieces, but it is not a nice texture or flavour and is hard to find uses for. Freeze Drying: Yessss, although I don’t care for the texture. I guess it depends on what your goals are to use it.
To read more about Rhubarb including recipes, click HERE10
Sorrel and other Greens such as Spinach, Swiss Chard and Amaranth
Cold Storage: No. Refrigeration: Yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes. Lightly blanch and pack into small freezer bags, label and freeze. Canning; nope Dehydrating: nope Freeze Drying: YES
Tomatoes are why I garden
Cold Storage: No. I leave whole tomatoes in my kitchen at room temperature while they’re ripening. I want them close at hand so I can keep an eye on them. We use them daily fresh, but sometimes they ripen a lot at once, so I need to be watching. Refrigeration: No. Cold temperatures stop the ripening process, breaking down cell structure and creating a mealy texture, as well as reducing flavour. But sometimes, if your tomatoes are over ripe, you can refrigerate to buy your some extra time. Best to only use in cooking after they’ve been refrigerated. Freezing: YES! Sometimes if I have too many ripening all at once, I’ll wash and dry them, then place in the freezer to buy me some time. I freeze loose, them pack them frozen in a freezer bag. This is a short term gig, and we’ll use the tomatoes as quickly as we can afterward. Only good for cooking. Canning; YES! I always 2 T vinegar to a pint (500 ml) or up to 4 T to a quart (1 L). Whole, ripe tomatoes are best stored on the counter, but can be refrigerated for 1-2 weeks to prevent spoiling. Cold temperatures (under 55°F/13°C) stop the ripening process, breaking down cell structure to create a mealy texture and reducing flavor compounds. Always bring refrigerated tomatoes to room temperature before eating. Dehydrating: YES! Freeze Drying: YES! but I find the texture very delicate, and that it absorbs moisture from the air very quickly. Not ideal.
to learn more about tomatoes including recipes click HERE
Zucchini is the master of disguise
Cold Storage: Yes, short-term for big ripe zucchini, but not too cold. Refrigeration: Yes, short term for smaller, less mature ones. Canning: Yes, under pressure. Personally, I don’t like the texture. Freezing: Yes, . . . but texture will be watery. For me its a no, unless I shred the zucchini and package in the right amount for zucchini cake. Dehydrating: Yes – my preferred method for long term storage Freeze Drying: YES! but I find the texture gets a little spongy after a while Pickling: No.
Fruit Leather
Fruit leather! Apple leather – rhubarb leather – any kind of fruit leather. Mix it up. Apple Pear. Rhubarb Raspberry. Plum Cherry. Plum Apple, Plum Grape Apple. . . . . Whatever you’ve got on hand that needs to be used up, turn it into a delicious, nutritious snack to grab all winter long.11
to read more about fruit leather including recipes click HERE
Vinegars
Take your favourite flavours from the growing season and use them to flavour vinegars.12
to read more about vinegars including recipes, click HERE
Tips for storing your preserved foods
Don’t just stash your food and forget about it. You’ve done all the work up till now: you’ve grown it, nurtured it, harvested it, preserved it, – now you need to finish the job by keeping it safe, making it accessible and incorporating it into your daily life. EAT IT!
I cannot overstate the importance of STORING WHAT YOU EAT and EATING WHAT YOUR STORE.
In many cases the shelf life of your food will depend on where and how its stored.
Pay attention to the risks : Humidity – Light – Oxygen – Temperature Variations – Pests (insects and mice)
Moisture/Humidity: If dried food picks up moisture molds and bacteria will grow. Moisture can also damage packaging material, and rust jar rings. In areas of high humidity, using moisture absorbers and investing in a dehumidifier is a good idea. Keep everything OFF the floor, especially if the floor is cement.
Light: Direct light, especially sunlight can speed deterioration
Temperature: Optimal temperatures are cool, ranging from a low of 40F (above freezing risk) to maximum of 70F. All food will react badly to heat. Canned food should not be allowed to freeze for the food’s sake but also, freezing will compromise seals. Dehydrated foods can freeze but continual freeze-thaw is detrimental. Even freeze dried food will have its exceptionally long shelf life significantly reduced by heat, and in continuous freeze-thaw conditions.
Pests: Protect your food storage from pests. Moths, ants and mice belong outside but they don’t always stay there, and once they’ve found their way into your food storage – it will be unsafe for you. Glass, food grade plastics and metal are excellent protection but not always practical in every situation. Do the best you can with what you’ve got. Keep food off the ground and off the floor! Aside from being more susceptible to insects, it is also more vulnerable to water damage should that sad event occur.
Preserve Responsibly
KEEP IT CLEAN Pay attention to cleanliness and details like full boiling and timing when canning, full moisture removal when dehydrating, blanching and packaging when freezing. Cleanliness extends to your storage area.
LABEL You think you’ll remember, but you WON’T, and even if you did – you may not be the one who uses it.
USE IT Shop for Dinner from your Food Storage room. Routinely go through your food storage to ensure that seals are still intact, food is still properly packaged, no signs of pests or mould, and to ROTATE it. USE it!
STORE WHAT YOU EAT and EAT WHAT YOU STORE. I know, I know, you’ve seen it before. It is the single most important rule. If you don’t eat what you store, you’ve wasted your time, energy, food and money! Not using what you “put up” is no better than doing nothing with it, because it ends up being the same.
the final word (words)
Eating a nutritious and balanced diet with variety is the best way to protect our health. It gives our bodies the best chance to take care of themselves. That extends into the non growing seasons, those of us who live in northern climates must think about winter, so we store food.
* Storing food properly is the key to protecting ourselves and our families WITH continued good health and FROM foodborne illnesses.
* You cannot always tell when food is unsafe by its appearance, smell or taste. Botulism for instance cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. When in doubt, throw it out!
* Preserving your garden produce is the next-to-final step in the blessings and benefits of growing a garden. It is soul satisfying. The last step of course is to continue to enjoy the produce throughout the winter.
* Everybody has Failures. Failures are the best teachers. Learn from them.
I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions, as well as some of your success stories as well as things you’ve learned from failures.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
Footnotes:
Botulism spores (Clostridium botulinum) are highly resistant to heat and can survive boiling water (212°F / 100°C), but they are destroyed at temperatures of 240°F to 250°F (116°C to 121°C), which are only achievable in a pressure canner. (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service) ↩︎
Just for fun, I checked some weather history in Edmonton, and in May 2024 we had 8 sunny days!↩︎
Sauerkraut – literally translated, means “sour cabbage”, and that is exactly what it is. I’ve heard some refer to it as ‘pickled’ cabbage, but to be clear – it is fermented, not pickled. What’s the difference? Well, I’ll admit they may be similar in taste and features perhaps, but it is in the process by which that sour taste is achieved, that we find the difference. Pickling for example, is a method of preserving foods in acidic liquid like vinegar. One type of fermentation is the process of using naturally occurring good bacteria to produce lactic acid, which in turn breaks down the sugars or starches in a food turning them into acid. This is the fermentation used in common foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt and even sour dough bread.
sitting on the counter to ferment
Why do we care? Fermentation produces PRObiotics, which support the body in building and maintaining healthy bacteria and other helpful organisms in the intestinal tract. This beneficial bacteria promotes a healthy gut and good digestion, which ensures we get the best from the foods we consume. PREbiotics are a source of food for your gut’s healthy bacteria. Both are necessary for good health. It starts to get very complicated but the process of making sauerkraut is super easy, and since the benefit of eating fermented foods is good health, we really should try to add more of them to our diet.
Although one most often thinks of sauerkraut with eastern European foods like Ukrainian, Russian or German, the process of fermentation actually originated in Asia with something very similar. It is believed the Mongols brought the preservation process with them to eastern Europe during the conquest of the 13th and 14th centuries. As a cold weather crop, cabbage does well in northern climates, and fermenting it is a brilliant food preservation technique. It was readily adapted by those eastern European countries we associate it with.
When we (in my house), first made sauerkraut many years ago, we followed a process of layering finely shredded cabbage with pickling salt and pushing it down to produce liquid which the salt drew from the fresh cabbage. I have since learned that a little bit of patience mixed with the same ingredients, allows the salt to do its thing with a lot less manpower. And when we first made sauerkraut we did a big batch – like we did everything in those days. When you have a big family, big batches of everything becomes the habit. But as life went on and family dynamics have changed, I’ve fallen in love with small batch preserving when its to my benefit. Since cabbage is in season from late summer through early winter, it is easy to make up a single quart here and there. The key is ‘patience’. The #1 rule with sour dough is “don’t try to rush the sourdough“. And the same principle applies to fermentation of any type. Don’t try to rush it. Don’t forget about it, but don’t rush it.
Health Benefits
Fermentation multiplies nutrition and health benefits far beyond those of fresh cabbage. Cabbage is already a good source of vitamins C and K, but the fermentation which transforms it into sauerkraut increases the bioavailability of nutrients, making it even more nutritious than the original cabbage. Fermentation is a process during which microorganisms on the cabbage digest its natural sugars, converting them into carbon dioxide and organic acids. It starts when yeast and bacteria that are naturally present in the air, the cabbage itself, and even your clean hands, come into contact with the sugars in the cabbage. Sauerkraut fermentation creates conditions that promotes the growth of probiotics (good bacteria). This helps make foods more digestible, increasing your gut’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Maintaining a healthy gut helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, improving our immune system. Its a natural way of putting your body in the best position possible to fight disease.
It is a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium and an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.
Top reasons to eat Sauerkraut 1 – improves digestion by introducing healthy bacteria important to proper gut function 2- excellent source of vitamins and minerals including fragile ones like Vitamin C 3 – low in calories 4 – high in soluble fibre 5 – it tastes great and is very versatile to incorporate into meals
How to Store Sauerkraut: Although you can preserve it in a hot water canner, the heat damages the vitamin C and naturally occurring enzymes as well as the live lactobacilli. Since it will last months in the fridge – it is my preference to simply refrigerate it and use it throughout the winter.
Store bought vs homemade: Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate having healthy foods available commercially. And certainly, store bought versions are often the only way many people will get them. But, as with most things, store bought sauerkraut is considered to be less nutritious compared to homemade sauerkraut – mostly due to the necessary processing. Store bought sauerkraut has to be preserved somehow of course, and so must undergo a pasteurization during canning. This eliminates live probiotic content – which is one of its main benefits.
Store bought benefits: availability, shelf stable, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and non water soluble vitamins and minerals. Tastes good. Homemade benefits: easy to make, will last in fridge for a long time, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and ALL original vitamins and minerals (including VC). Rich in antioxidants and live enzyme probiotics. Tastes better.
Having said all that, I was in the Maritimes recently – in a grocery store, and saw some ‘fresh’ sauerkraut in the refrigerated part of the produce department. Did my heart good. If you’re gonna buy sauerkraut, look for this HIGHLY better option.
history
Eating sauerkraut played an important role in preventing scurvy in the early days of sea travel. Scurvy – the scourge of the seas in its day, resulted from an absence of vitamin C in the diet. Symptoms begin after a month, and the only prevention and cure for it is Vitamin C. It was the primary cause of deaths between 1500 and 1800 — on sailing ships around the world. It was so common, that a 50% death rate on every voyage from scurvy was assumed and planned for.
Long before it was understood ‘why’, it was discovered that sauerkraut prevented scurvy. Scottish naval surgeon James Lind noticed that scurvy was linked to a diet which was severely limited. He began testing various foods and noted that citrus fruits provided the quickest and most effective cure for the disease. However, citrus fruits were not readily available in Europe, and it was impossible to keep fresh fruit on a sailing ship for months at a time.
Experiments using different types of food on sailing expeditions began in earnest, and famed Captain James Cook drew the lucky straw with sauerkraut in 1768. He was outfitted with almost 8000 pounds of the fermented cabbage, each man being rationed two pounds a week, and at the end of his three years’ journey, returned without a single death attributed to scurvy. An incredulous first! It literally changed the world! The number of lives that were saved with this discovery is unimaginable. A century later, during the American Civil War, physician John Jay Terrell began using sauerkraut to treat the same disease. In times when Vitamin C – the “fresh fruit vitamin”, is not so easy to come by, sauerkraut is a practical and healthful solution.
Let me just stop here for a moment and bask in the wonder of all this. It is amazing to me that ancient people could figure out how to harness the fermentation process and make it work for them. Without the knowledge of vitamins, bacteria or gut health, they came across a food that quite literally not only preserved their lives in winter times of no fresh fruits or vegetables, but preserved their health, enabling them to better digest foods, increasing their body’s ability to absorb important nutrients. And this, in a common farm house of illiterate people. If you are a believing person as I am, this is nothing short of a miracle – Evidence that a loving Father in Heaven cares intently about the affairs of his children.
making it
Making sauerkraut is embarrassingly easy, and I’m convinced when you discover just HOW easy it is, you’ll be making it frequently. It requires no special equipment. Yes, there are things traditionally used, like a crock and a wooden pounder, but you can also make it in a bowl with a potato masher, and stuff it into a glass jar with a lid. And yes, you can use a food processor, but I do not. I prefer to use a large knife and slice it thinly myself. And yes, if you make a lot, you might want to can it, but if you make less, you can still store it for months in your fridge, so I prefer not to can mine – but to take advantage of the full nutritional benefit of raw. Its another example of how eating seasonally is best.
Equipment: Okay I lied, you do need some things. Get a large, sharp knife for slicing the cabbage. A cutting board on which to cut it. A large enough bowl to hold the shredded cabbage while you toss it. A container to store it in: wide mouth glass jar or a crock of some sort . . . . I prefer glass or pottery. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE VERY CLEAN OF COURSE. I do not sterilize everything I use, but it is very clean, and cleaned continually as needed, throughout the process.
1. necessary: cutting board, sharp knife, container to store – jar, corning are with lid, crock … 2. necessary: large bowl or tub to mix the cabbage with salt 3. optional but handy: some kind of tool to push cabbage down with, scraper to help transfer it from board to bowl, canning funnel to help put cabbage into jar
Ingredients: cabbage and salt. That’s it! Really. That’s it. For a large head of cabbage – (approximately 5 pounds), you’ll use 3 heaping tablespoons of salt. NOT table salt which contains iodine, but pickling salt, or sea salt. I prefer coarse salt.
The SALT has a very important job – it draws the moisture out of the cabbage, helping to form the BRINE, it causes the cabbage to release fermentable sugars. Salt is also a natural preservative, inhibiting the growth of undesirable yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Through the miracle of nature, the bacteria needed for safe fermentation tolerates high concentrations of salt. Submerged in this brine for a week or more, the cabbage slowly ferments into the crunchy, delightfully sour – sauerkraut.
Some people add dill seed or caraway seed or even use purple cabbage. I think these are great ideas, and one day I might try a single jar of purple cabbage or even dill seed. But I hate caraway seed so that’s never gonna happen.
What causes this transformation called lacto-fermentation? There is beneficial bacteria naturally present on the surface of all fruits and vegetables. Lactobacillus is one of those bacteria, which bytheway, is the same bacteria found in yogurt. When submerged in a brine, the bacteria begins to convert sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid; this is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
Since this process is anaerobic – which means ‘without out oxygen‘, the cabbage must remain completely submerged in its liquid during fermentation. This is accomplished by packing it down firmly, and then placing some kind of weight on top. I have used a heavy rock (cleaned and in a plastic bag), plates, smaller glass jars . . . be creative. Find something that you can sufficiently clean, to set on top of your sauerkraut to keep it submerged. The cabbage near the surface wants to float, so I find it useful to place a large outer leaf of the cabbage over the surface to hold it down. Of course you want to ensure the jar or crock is covered at all times with a clean cloth. This allows airflow, and protects the surface.
the glass jars allow you to see the three layers beneath the weight: 1. tightly packed cabbage mixture on bottom 2. folded cabbage leaf to cover cabbage and prevent any from floating to surface 3. natural brine which is produced from pushing cabbage salt mixture 4. weight of some kind to keep everything safely below the surface 5. cover to protect from evaporation and contaminants, but not completely airtight
How long does it take?
It could take days or weeks – depends on you, your personal preference, and the temperature of the room you’re storing it in. The cooler the room, the longer the time. I suggest tasting it anytime after the first week. I expect my sauerkraut to be ready in about a month, but testing it weekly will let you know. When you like it, simply put it into the fridge. It will continue to ferment in the fridge too, but at a much slower rate.
In a glass jar, you may see bubbles, foam, or white scum on the surface of the sauerkraut. You won’t see them in a crock, but they’ll be there. All signs of normal, healthy fermentation. The white scum on top can be skimmed off as you see it, in both glass jar or crock. It’s possible that the brine might bubble over during the fermentation process, so best not to pack your containers too full, and have them sitting on a cloth to absorb excess moisture, or a plate to catch it. You should be checking the progress every couple of days anyway. This helps you trouble shoot. If you see white scum, remove it. Taste it frequently with a clean fork to test for doneness. NEVER RETURN THE FORK TO THE SAUERKRAUT ONCE YOU’VE PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH. GET A CLEAN ONE. Ensure the cabbage continues to be covered by the brine.
image on left: 5 gallon crock free from cracks, filled 2/3 – 3/4 with tightly packed cabbage (approx 3 1/2 cabbages). Covered loosely with plastic wrap to reduce evaporation and clean cloth. image on the right: large stone in plastic bag weighing down plate. Beneath plate is cabbage leaves protecting the sauerkraut and preventing any from escaping to the surface.
Troubleshooting
Mould: We have in the past found mold growing on the surface of the sauerkraut. Don’t panic. This is not rare, as mold typically forms when the cabbage isn’t fully submerged. Simply remove the offending pieces and re-ensure the rest is submerged. The sauerkraut is still fine being preserved by the lactic acid. Be smart though. Yes, a little mold that you can easily remove is not bad news, but a lotta mold that is affecting an inch or more into your sauerkraut IS bad news. That would only happen if you’ve run out of brine. Perhaps your container was too full and the bubble-over, took away too much of the liquid to keep the cabbage completely covered. Or perhaps it evaporated. Be proactive, if you’re running out of liquid you need to address it sooner than later. Better to remove some cabbage to allow the remaining cabbage be fully submerged. You can always eat the mild sauerkraut you’ve removed. Better that, than to risk harm to the batch with reduced liquid.
Adding more liquid: If you must add more liquid DO NOT add vinegar. I know its tempting because it seems to make sense, but don’t. The sour flavour of fermented sauerkraut comes from lactic acid produced by the bacteria, not from vinegar. NOT the same thing. Vinegar will kill the beneficial bacteria needed for fermentation. On the other hand, a salt water brine will maintain it.
The cabbage will produce its own liquid when salt is massaged into it. As it releases liquid it becomes more limp and able to be compacted down into the jar – squeezing more liquid out of it. You want the cabbage submerged, ideally by at least 2 inches of brine (5 cm). In time, some liquid may evaporate. You cannot allow the cabbage to become dry on top or it will begin to mould. I don’t recommend using plain tap water, but if that’s all you’ve got, boil it ten minutes first, then cool it. I prefer to use distilled water. Whichever you use, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water to keep from diluting your salty brine. Add enough to re-submerge the cabbage, but don’t use more water than necessary.
Recipe:
1) Remove the ugly outer leaves and discard into the compost. Remove another leaf or two and set aside to use later. I begin by cutting the cabbage in half, then in half again. Remove the core from each quarter, and slice. Slice thinly as you would for coleslaw. Scoop all the sliced cabbage into a large bowl or kitchen tub.
1. choose a beautiful cabbage 2. chop it up 3. sprinkle pickling salt over top 4. toss to coat completely, then set aside
2) Salt: 3 Tablespoons for a large cabbage. Adjust as needed for smaller cabbage. Its not an exact science so don’t stress about it. Sprinkle salt over top and gently toss to fully incorporate. I use my hands, its just easier. Massage the cabbage for about five minutes.
It seems like it won’t be enough salt, but trust me, it is. As you toss the cabbage, you’ll see within the first minute that moisture is already beginning to be drawn out of the cabbage. Gently squeeze handfuls of cabbage as you’re massaging it.
pushing the shredded cabbage down with a pounder is very effective. You can watch the liquid rise.
3) At this point, you can cover the cabbage loosely with a cloth and set aside for an hour or more. This gives the salt time to work. When you come back, gently toss it by hand and again, and you’ll be surprised by how much liquid you’ll see. You can even do this the night before if you want. Don’t wast a drop of that liquid, you’ll need it all.
4) Begin packing the cabbage into your jar (or other container) by the handful. I use a canning funnel to make this less messy. If you’re using a jar, this is when you’ll be glad you chose a wide mouth jar, because you may want to put your hand in to tamp down the cabbage with your fist. Pour whatever liquid was produced into the jar with the cabbage. If you have a wooden pounder (isn’t that a descriptive name?) it will come in handy now to pack the cabbage in easier. Don’t take the name literally and go pounding it – you’ll damage the cabbage. Treat it as gently with the wooden pounder as you would using your own hand. You’ll see more liquid start to form throughout this process. Keep it up till you’ve got at least two inches covering the cabbage. Don’t fill your jar too full. Give it plenty of space to bubble-up in the next couple days.
If you’re using a large crock, allow a good three inches of brine on top, and allow some headspace for the inevitable ‘bubble-up’. If you haven’t allowed room, the liquid will spill over the sides of your container – wasting it. Whatever you choose will probably not be enough, but then you’ll learn for next time, right?
5) Take one of the outer leaves you’ve set aside, fold to fit into the jar, and place on top of the sauerkraut. This will help keep small pieces from floating to the surface and causing your grief later.
placing a tiny jar inside the wide mouth of your sauerkraut jar helps to keep the cabbage cover down, and cabbage submerged in brine
6) Put your weight on top. For a glass jar, consider using a rock (in a plastic bag) or marbles (in a plastic bag), or a small empty jar. For a crock, use a plate with a rock on top (in a plastic bag of course). In a large crock, we filled a plastic bag with water and placed on top to keep everything down. It worked well.
7) Cover with cloth to protect, and allow airflow. Secure.
It is important to keep everything clean throughout the process. Taste frequently over the next few days for a couple of weeks. Never return a used utensil back into the sauerkraut. When you decide its as sour as you want it, simply refrigerate. It should keep fine for three or four months in the fridge, ESPECIALLY as you ensure it stays clean. Never put a fork into your mouth and then back into the jar.
Kimchi Recipe
1 head nappa cabbage 2 Tbsp grated ginger (peeled) 5 cloves garlic minced 2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 – 2 tsp red pepper flakes – you choose 2 Tbsp paprika 1 medium carrot julienned 2-3 sliced green onions
smaller amount for 1 quart 1 pound cabbage 1 Tbsp fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp coarse salt 1/2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 Tbsp paprika 1-2 sliced green onions 1 medium carrot julienned
Combine everything in bowl and begin tossing to coat the cabbage well. Add a little distilled water if it doesn’t create enough brine on it own. Scoop into jar and compress, covering with brine. Add a weight to keep vegetables submerged. Fermentation of kimchi can vary from a few days to several weeks. You’re the boss of when it tastes right to you. I generally let it sit for at least two weeks before it is fermented enough for me. It’s all about personal taste and preference (and the warmth of your kitchen).
Sauerkraut Soup
Sharp and flavourful, comforting. Can be ready in an hour, or simmer longer if you choose. With meat or without – your choice. If using meat, you can gently simmer stewing beef or pork ribs (your choice(, for an hour. Or you can use prepared broth and later add precooked (leftover ground beef or shredded pork or … again your choice) meat in bite sized pieces.
1 large onion chopped 3 large cloves garlic minced 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (your choice) 2 large carrots chopped 4 large potatoes chopped 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 bay leaves 10-12 cups beef or vegetable broth – either from cooking meat, or separate 3 cups sauerkraut fresh sour cream and fresh dill for serving.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil till onions are translucent. Add carrots, potatoes, and black pepper. and toss till coated in oil and lightly toasted. Add 10 cups of broth (with meat if meat was cooked in it) and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and lightly simmer till vegetables are tender. If using precooked meat, add while vegetables are simmering. When all is tender, remove from heat and add sauerkraut. Stir in. You can simmer with sauerkraut in it for about 10 minutes if you want; I prefer not to cook sauerkraut because heat will hurt much of the nutrition. Regardless of whether you cook it or not, let the soup sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
If desired, serve with dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of fresh dill in each bowl. Fresh bread on the side.
Enjoy.
I’d love to hear your sauerkraut experiences, and ways you use it.
