Spring Treats

Grocery prices haven’t gone down, but one important way to get the most from your food budget is to buy produce at the height of the season, when the price is lowest, and preserve it to eat later. Spring brings asparagus, strawberries, and rhubarb. Let’s take a look at ways to preserve each!

The best way to preserve strawberries for later is to freeze them. Wash and cut in half, removing the green leaves, then freeze on cookie sheets overnight, before transferring into long-term freezer containers. This keeps them from sticking together. You can decide later if you want to make a batch of jam, bake a pie, or make an easy topping for pancakes or ice cream by gently warming it in a pan to defrost.

Asparagus can be frozen, but is tastier as a pickle, which is water bath canned for safe shelf life (see recipe below)

Rhubarb grows in many of our local homestead gardens, and its red stalks are highly distinctive. Sometimes you can cut these free for the asking, though they are also available at local farmers’ markets. Harvest the stalks before any flowers appear. Wash and chop into bite-sized chunks, then freeze for later. One-cup batches are just right for adding to muffins, while four cups are more appropriate for baking pies or rhubarb crisp later.

Pickled Asparagus for 6 wide-mouth pint jars

• 10 pounds of asparagus

• 6 large garlic cloves

• 4 ½ cups water

• 4 ½ cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)

• 6 small hot peppers (optional)

• ½ cup canning salt

• 3 teaspoons dill seed

Wash asparagus well, but gently, under running water. Cut stems from the bottom to leave spears with tips that fit into the canning jar, leaving a little more than 1/2 inch headspace. Peel and wash garlic cloves. Place a garlic clove at the bottom of each jar, and tightly pack asparagus into hot jars with the blunt ends down.

In an 8-quart saucepot, combine water, vinegar, hot peppers (optional), salt, and dill seed. Bring to a boil. Pour boiling-hot pickling brine over the spears, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids to just fingertight. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath (adjust timing for altitude: 15 minutes for 1,001-6,000 ft, 20 minutes over 6,000 ft). Recipe from So Easy to Preserve, Cooperative Extension University of Georgia