The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest

With all of the trendy food preservation & canning books out there, it's easy to overlook this book. It doesn't have a super-snappy name and no fancy photographs, but this book delivers exactly what it promises: good, solid instructions for how to can, freeze, and dry all kinds of fruits and vegetables. It's an excellent reference book for newer and more experienced canners alike. For people new to canning, there are detailed sections that cover the questions you should ask yourself every time you're preserving food to make sure you've covered all of the food safety bases. For more experienced canners, it has tables for different fruits & vegetables on processing times & prep methods, so you can go beyond the recipes in the book. And for everyone, it has plenty of good recipes for actually preserving food. I find myself reaching for this book every year, without fail. The reasons for consulting the book vary - maybe I need a good recipe for tomato jam, or maybe I've got a recipe from somewhere else with unclear instructions and I want to know what exactly a specific term means. I never fail to find the answers in this book.

I love the fact that this book covers canning (pressure and water bath) drying, and root cellaring all in equal detail. I have been searching for a good jerky marinade for about 6 months now with many flops inbetween. This book delivers. I LOVE the marinade for beef jerky in it. I have also made the peach jam, very tasty. It was interesting to read about creating a root cellar, and got me thinking into how I can incorporate that method of preservation into my lifestyle. Very good book!

I have been canning and pickling for about 25 years. I bought this book a month ago and was pleasantly surprised that there could still be a book that could start in me the tickling and energy to start immediately and try all the preparations in the book. Along with Canning by Sue Deeming, they are the best books in Canning and Pickling I have encountered.The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest has many advantages. It has a lot of recipes. Not only how to can in water and a little salt, but delicious recipes. Each page is so well organized, that it becomes so easy to follow the steps. The variety is unique. The Freezing and Drying Chapters are not dry and frozen, but very alive with opportunities of relishing in scrumptious food delights. More surprises: each recipe has a Nutrition Chart at the bottom of the page. What more can one ask for?

Being a beginner canner, I have picked up many canning books, this is an excellent book. The book is organized well, and has great tips in each section. It offers information on all types of preserving and storing, from the canning to root cellering, it has been an extremly helpfull book. I know it is a reference I will use forever. Also includes many great recipes.I suggest this for anyone who is interested in canning.

My Mom gave me this book for Christmas one year. I was looking for basic directions and shelf life of all veggies and foods. I've been canning for several years, but this is the only book I use now. This book has something in it for everyone. Easy to use, clear and concise directions. Highly recommend it for beginners!