The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables

by Carol W. Costenbader, Joanne Lamb Hayes (Revised by)

Learn how to preserve a summer day — in batches — from this classic primer on drying, freezing, canning, and pickling techniques. Did you know that a cluttered garage works just as well as a root cellar for cool-drying? That even the experts use store-bought frozen juice concentrate from time to time? With more than 150 easy-to-follow recipes for jams, sauces, vinegars, chutneys, and more, you’ll enjoy a pantry stocked with the tastes of summer year-round.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Gardening, Food Preservation, Reference

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 8, 1997

Reviews

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good recipes in this book, and a nice mix of common and more unusual ones. Also has the best equivalencies chart (Appendix C) out of any of the books I've read, showing both the typical number of fruits/vegetables in a pound and also the approximate number of cups you'll get out of that amount, which is very handy if you don't happen to have a kitchen scale with you when you're at the farmer's market! :)

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book filled with unique recipes - I have made several, most recently the crockpot apple butter. There are many others I am planning to make soon. I like the way the author gives the step-by-step details for jams and jellies. Also, she has some unique flavors and lots of herb jellies included - perfect for marinades and dressings.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for canning, other methods of preservation and recipes. The book even includes information on when a crop is ready for harvest based on appearance and the best methods of preserving each major fruit/vegetable. Worth a read!

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite good as a reference, and to know the basics, but as a recalcitrant urbanite with a demanding job, no kids, and who does not like to get up early at weekends to get to the farmers’ markets before they run out of everything, I don’t really see myself making a lot of these recipes. Still, I don’t fully regret having bought the book to learn the principles of some techniques.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic recipies, well documented processes, and a bit of everything. I was not too interested in drying, despite my love of tea, but it was great that they covered it in the book as I agree it is an important part of preserving goods.

If you already have the Ball basics books this definitly the next book to pick up about canning and preserving.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I owned this book until I loaned it out four years ago. I had a different edition, which I think I liked better. This book is still a good reference and educational book loaded with recipes for the person wishing to preserve their garden's harvest.

[Terra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great resource for canning, dehydrating or freezing seasonal produce for those dark days of winter. Decent assortment of recipes, but is no replacement for Ball's Book of Canning which everyone who cans should own.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest isn't going to give you all the basic information you'd need to can plain tomatoes and freeze corn, but the section introductions are good.

[Dioscita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. This has a couple of recipes I may try AND got me geeked to bid on some new gadgets from Ebay like the Squeezo Strainer (and no, I did not make up that word).

[Barbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

has a few good recipes, but not worth it for me to buy. I enjoyed browsing thru it though.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you lots of produce this is the book to get. I have looked at many canning books and this is the clearest writing with the most information.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great great book for anymore wanting to put up the summer's bounty. Highly recommended.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

An oldie but goody!

[Julianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVE the idea of small batch canning that happens year round. Can't wait to have more fresh produce ready for these recipes.

[Melissa]

Thanks to my sweet friend Kelly for this book! I will read this and use it for all of the goodies that my garden produces (I hope!) this summer...

[annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a semi-creative book on preserving the seasons's bounty. I use it as a reference point sometimes, but don't find it that inspiring. There are some good tips and recipes, though.

[Mary Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my go to books when canning.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great blending of old and new examples of recipes for food preservation. I find it a great resource and will refer to it again next growing season.

[S Vanorse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library book sale find, Oriental Pork Roll recipe in here I am dying to try, when it is not 100 degrees out, because it has to bake in the oven for 3 hours. A few things I would like to can, Corn & Zucchini Salsa. Another Green Tomato Dip, never heard of using eggs, flour, and vegetable oil in a water bath canning recipe and only processing for 10 minutes, it really sounds good just have my doubts about it being safe. It sounds like an Amish recipe I saw a while ago that called for miracle whip, almost the same ingredients. Worth a try to maybe cut the recipe in half, then refrigerate to be safe. Had some interesting info on when canning began. When and if I make anything in here I will update this review.

[Kylaslittlelibrary]

I liked the chart of the best ways to preserve your different harvests. It’s lacking any pictures of recipes and while they aren’t necessary they do help inspire me. Brief history of canning and several pages on canning safety.

[Terri Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot how good this book is. Especially for butters, vinegars. And oils.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think there were any recipes that I found to be extremely new, but I did enjoy reading and re-learning about the hows and whys of pickling, drying, freezing and canning.