By Linda Clark
Back in the good old days of my youth, freezers were a new thing and very few people could afford them, so we used Hot Water Bath Canning instead. So this month, I will tell you how Hot Water Bath Canning was and is still done.
It is the oldest way to can food in jars to preserve it. Not just vegetables and fruit were done but meat was also done the same way.
When I was a young girl back in Indiana, I helped my grandmother, Jenny Schmidt, and my mother, Rachel Dodt, can beef in large glass gallon canning jars using a rubber canning seal and zinc lid on each jar.
In early fall my dad would buy a large quarter of beef, and with sharp knives he would take the bones out. Then we would cut the beef up in pieces small enough to fit and fill the jars. Next we filled each jar with warm water (not hot) and put in one Tablespoon of salt per jar, wiped off the top of the jars, put the rubber on and then screw the lid down tight on them.
Then my dad would put our big Wash Boiler on the stove. It took up two burners. Then a piece of wood was put in the bottom. The jars were put in the Boiler on top of the wood. Then it was filled with warm water, clean up over the top of the jars and the lid was put on. When the water started to boil, you turned your burners down to medium heat and let it cook for almost three hours. When done, we would leave it cool down for at least a hour, then mom always set them on the table to cool for another hour or so. Then dad would put the jars of beef in the cellar to keep cool for the winter. We knew we’d have meat for winter time. Pork and chicken can be done the same way. If any one has questions feel free to ask and I will try to answer them.
My grandmothers name was JENNY SCHMIDT of Logansport, Ind. She was married to railroad man and she always had a good meal ready for him when he got home. Especially the Beef Stew listed below.
From Linda Clark
Homemade Beef Stew
Legacy of Jenny Schmidt
Logansport, Ind
Ingredients:
1 gallon jar of canned Beef (you can buy beef cubes and cook them)
3 large onions cut up in pieces
6 carrots also cut up in pieces
10 large white potatoes peeled and cut up
1 quart jar of canned tomatoes (or 2 cans store)
2 cups of corn
1 can of green beans
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a large pot. Add enough water to cover it. Add one teaspoon of salt. Cook on medium heat until well done. You can add cabbage if you like. If you think it good the first day, if there is any left over, it’s better the next day.
________________________
Pig Stomach
Legacy of Bill Clark
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Ingredients:
1 large clean pig stomach
2 lbs sausage
1 large onion chopped up
6 medium sized potatoes peeled and cubed
Directions:
Season sausage, onions and potatoes with salt and small amount of parsley flakes.
Stuff pig stomach with all the above ingredients.
Put in large pan. Cover with water and cook until when stuck with fork, potatoes are soft, (about 45 minutes). Drain off the water. It can be cut and eat that way or if you want it brown, put in a lightly greased pan and put it in the oven at 350. Keep watch on it. Will brown fast in about 5 to 10 minutes.
___________________________
Angel Cake
Legacy of Lizzie Fink Hostetter nee Long (1881-1961)
South Annville, PA
Ingredients:
White of 11 eggs
1 cup Swansdown flour
1 cup Granulated sugar
1 level tea spoon cream of tarter
1 tea spoons vanilla
Directions:
Sift flour 4 times before measuring.
Sift sugar twice.
Beat egg white almost stiff then add cream of tarter and vanilla.
Beat till you can hold upside down with out spilling, then mix sugar and flour last.
Start in slow oven for about 20 minutes.
Taking at least 1 hour to bake.
___________________________________
German Kuchen
Legacy of Helen Held nee Parker
Newtonville, Indiana
Ingredients:
2 pkg yeast
1 c warm water
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c melted shortening
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
5 c flour
Directions:
Stir up, add flour. Cover with damp cloth and let rise until double.
Put on board and divide into 3 9 inch pans.
Let rise, spread with topping
Bake @ 325 degrees for 20 minutes.
Topping for Kuchen Melt c butter and spread over kuchen make holes.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and spread on top.
Bake.
______________________
SALLY LUND
Legacy of Mrs L G Patterson
Logansport, Indiana
Ingredients:
1 quart flour
2 eggs
1 pint sweet milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 large lump butter (size of an egg)
teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
Directions:
Put half of cake in a greased 9-13 pan.
Mix above ingredients & spread over cake pieces.
Add remainder of cake pieces & refrigerate overnight.
Next day, whip 1 cup cream, spread over dessert & sprinkle 1 can coconut all over.
_____________________________________
Lemon Angel Cake Dessert
Legacy of Verna Wike nee Hostetter
1925-2000Elkhart, Indiana
Ingredients:
1 cup powder sugar
1 cup butter
3 egg yokes
3 egg whites, beaten
Juice of 1 lemon
1 angel food cake broken in pieces
1 Qt. whipped cream, whipping 1 cup at a time.
Directions:
Mix all together well. Bake 1 hour.
NOTE: This recipe is over 100 years old.
____________________________________________
Baked Cabbage
Old PA Dutch Recipe
Ingredients:
1 head cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup cabbage juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1 cup butter
Directions:
Boil 1 head cabbage with 1 teaspoon salt until almost tender.
Cut into 2 inch pieces.
Make white sauce by melting 1 Tablespoon butter, stirring in 1 Tablespoon flour 1 cup cabbage juice.
Cook until slightly thickened.
Fold in 1 cup mayonnaise.
Fry 1 cup fine bread crumbs in cup butter.
_________________________________________-
Apple Sauce Brownies
Legacy of Helen Drozda nee Mihu
Campbell, Ohio
Ingredients:
1 cup oleo
2 cups sugar
12 tbsp cocoa (more or less) or 4 sq. choco)
4 eggs well beaten
1 cup applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder tsp baking soda
1 cup nuts (chopped)
Directions:
Melt oleo & choco.
Mix in eggs, sugar & applesauce.
Beat well & add flour & nuts.
Bake 350 (20 to 25 min.)
Put marshmallows on top when done.
Let it melt then spread with chocolate icing
____________________________________________
Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons.
All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
Asparagus and rhubarb.
___________________________
Lettuce is the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh!.
___________________________
Published in U S Legacies Magazine April 2005
- Log in to post comments