Putting Up More by Stephen Palmer Dowdney is an excellent canning cookbook for those who want to push the boat out and explore a world of preserving projects that are outside the typical array of recipes.
Stephen Palmer Dowdney’s first book, Putting Up
was one of my very first canning books. I bought my copy in early in 2009, around the time when I first started this blog. I used it as starting place when I made my first batch of pickled asparagus (how long ago that feels!) and I continue to reference it on a regular basis.
While walking by the Cookbook Stall at Reading Terminal Market about a week ago, I happened to spot Putting Up More
in the window. I was surprised, as I hadn’t heard anything about a new canning book from Dowdney, but I stopped and bought a copy right there and then (let’s hear it for supporting local book shops!).
One of the things that makes Dowdney’s books stand out in the pack of canning volumes is the perspective from which he writes. He owned a commercial canning operation for more than 10 years and so isn’t as tethered to the home canning practices to which we all cleave. He sterilizes his jars in a bleach solution instead of a canning pot or dishwasher, utilizes the inversion method for sealing, skips a processing step for hot pack recipes and even gives you the intellectual tools necessary to check the pH levels of your goods.
Though he doesn’t specifically say it, his instructions on how to test acidity and how to adjust to bring your goods into a safe range is the information so many of us have been looking for. As long as you’re willing to follow his directions (to the letter), this technique will finally set you free from the confines of tested recipes. If this sounds appealing to you, I recommend that you get your hands on both Putting Up and Putting Up More, as they’re designed to work as companion volumes.
He includes a section of canning notes in each recipe, which details whether the recipe is one that will need to have its acid levels tested, what the yield will be, his recommendation for jar size (a hugely helpful bit) and whether the recipe can be safely increased or decreased. Dowdney has also taken a great deal of time to offer up suggestions on how to use and serve each recipe. For those of you who make things and then question what the heck to do with them, this is fantastic.
Other high points of this book include the safe for canning soups (including butternut squash, which I imagine will make some USDA canners devotees freak out), an entire section devoted to products made from hot peppers and an eggplant chutney that sounds incredible. As soon as the eggplant, peppers and summer squash are in season, I’m making it.
Because I think they’re excellent books, I’m giving away the pair of Putting Up and Putting Up More. This is not a publisher-sponsored giveaway, I just think these books are wonderful and I want to support Stephen Palmer Dowdney and the work he does in creative, inspirational canning.
In totally other news, I just started another year of a photo a day over on my other blog, Apartment 2024 (I used my birthday as the start). If you’re curious about what else happens in my life, feel free to take a peek. Recently, I drank a really tasty glass of iced coffee with condensed milk, voted in my local primary election and took a day trip to New Hope courtesy of Chevy.
Not very adventurous, but I’m looking forward to canning pears. We canned an abundance two years ago, and last year we didn’t have any to spare. I missed them.
Of course will be doing my usual favs – pickled beets, peach chutney and spicy red pepper jelly. Hope to add some new jars this year – from these fabulous books !
I am not a canner … yet! It’s something I’ve been thinking about trying so could use some good primers. I will have to look for these books at my local bookseller (that is, unless I win them!)
I am going to try pickles this year. I have only done blueberry jam and actually do not eat it! I would love to win so I can learn of more things to can!
I’m a newbee to canning so these books would be very helpful. I am most looking forward to canning tomatoes and making pickles.
I am looking forward to canning tomatoes and also a favorite of my boys…apple butter.
I’m trying my hand at tomatoes this year and I can’t wait! I’m also looking forward to replenishing my stock of pickled jalapenos – last year’s supply isn’t lasting as long as we thought.
anything with rhubarb! it’s in full swing at the farmers markets now 🙂
I hadn’t thought of canning pickled brussel sprouts. I planted 6 plants this year. I’m hoping to get quite a few from them. Now I have one more idea to use in canning.
I just pulled out my Ball book to start my canning list for this summer. I would love to can some different items along with the old favorites!
Gooseberry jam…….yum!
Looking forward to canning peaches. Someone’s gotta win, i hope it’s me!
ooohhh! i hope I win! I love anning so much! This year will be stellar for rhubarb, jams, chutneys, ketchups of all sorts, as well as pickled eggs, including duck eggs from my own Girlz!! Good luck to all of us & Happy Canning!
Definitely looking forward to making canned dill pickles again for the summer. I thought I made too much when I made 10 quarts, but I finished them a few months ago and now am going through pickle withdrawal.
I am looking forward to canning some bird eye beans for the first time this year.
This year I will replenish the fruit jam and syrup, tomato’s and salsa. I am sure I will try a few new things too. 🙂
To be honest, I never really thought about jarring before this past Christmas. It neve crossed my mind. But then, I got gifts of booze, jams and pickles this Christmas from my sister and voila! I want to jar everything! So this summer I plan on jarring tomato sauce, jams, and of course, booze.
This is my first year canning, and I’m really looking forward to canning my own spaghetti sauce!
Yes! These two books look amazing.
I’m looking forward to blackberry jam!
I’ll be making more garlic jelly. already have requests 🙂
Rhubarb
I’m looking forward to expanding out from the more traditional recipes and sharing this skill with my 2 young daughters who love to be in the kitchen with me.
Can’t wait to get the garden stuff in so I can start canning.. This book looks great…
Would love to have these books. I don’t think I have entered yet. I just started canning last year and love it.
I’ve never canned anything before. I hope to put up some tomatoes this summer.
I’m looking forward to trying some different pickled items this year. Last year I put up onion relish, which is a big hit to all who’ve tried it. I’d like to make a corn relish, maybe something with watermelon which I saw a recipe for.
I’ll be making some of the chive vinegar you described – my chives are just starting to blossom. One of my favs last year was Rum Peach Butter (Pirate Peaches – yar!!) AND….. it’s my birthday tomorrow! Getting these books would be awesome!
Thanks for all you share with us.
I’m very excited to put up my own homegrown tomatoes for the first time this year, though I’m also pleased to be teaching a friend how to can strawberry jam this Monday. So much fun!
I am looking forward to the first harvest of basil and a wonderul batch of Basil Jelly. I might get in a kettle of Rosemary Jelly even before that.
I can’t wait to make lots of peach lavender jam and apricot jam. They are so wonderful to enjoy in the winter when peaches and apricots are long gone. MMMMMM
Strawberry season is almost here and I need some new recipes.
I have dreams about the pickled beets my grandmother and aunt used to can. Since I’m growing some this summer, and my boys adore them, I’m planning on putting up some of Grandma Cooper’s pickled beets. RAHR!
Strawberry Jam! I didn’t make nearly enough last year!
I made strawberry-kiwi jam today…next I am going to try Banana split preserves! Hope I win a couple of new canning books for new ideas!
i am just starting canning so i am looking forward to everything from summer to have all year round!!! and to doing more myself vs. buying!!!
I am very excited about canning some vanilla bourbon peach preserves.
tomatillo and roasted pepper salsa, I grow the tomatillos and buy the fire roasted peppers from the local market
i’m looking forward to pickled peppers, dill pickles (always a favorite), and hopefully grape jelly from my own grapes this year.
I made my first 3 quarts of pickles last summer and they were AMAZING! This summer I can’t wait to pickle jalapenos and make my first batches of strawberry jame!
I’m looking forward to making maraschino cherries.
And pickles.
And jam.
And beans.
And salsa. You can never have too much salsa on the shelf.
I am so looking forward to learning to can meat this summer. Also berry jams for when winter is getting me down, eat some yummy jam and berry picking season is back!
I would love to be able to can soup! And make pickled asparagus
I can’t wait to create a balsamic onion jam this year.
Tomatoes! So original, I know. But I’d really like to stay away from tin canned food, and tomatoes are my biggest weakness in that regard.
Ooooh…looking forward to everything! However, I am most definitely excited about my “Sunflare Salsa” with various yellow and orange tomatoes, habañeros, fresh cilantro and lime…and hopefully a little fresh Ghost chili…if my seeds every get to waking up!! ;o)
The fig trees in the yard are heavy with fruit. Anxiously awaiting ripeness for Cabernet Fig Jam.
Apricot-habanero jam is on the horizon as the first of the apricots ripen this week. Yeah! I can’t wait.
Soups and tomato sauce! Strawberry-Rhubarb jam.
Peaches. And tomatoes in all forms: Want to try my hand at tomato soups, diced tomatoes, V-8 style juice and tomato sauce. Still looking for a couple of ideas for apples.
I can’t wait to make some peach jam.
I made apricot jam last year for the first time, and have enjoyed it all year. Can’t wait to make it again!
I don’t have this one, but it looks excellent!
My sister is the canner in the family, and I cheer her on! I’m hoping she’ll try your pickled cherries.
Peach chutney with ginger! We eat it all year long!
I would love to can- never have. I don’t know why I’ve always been afraid of it. It’s on my list of things I want to learn to do this year. I’d love to can tomatoes to start!
I would love to have a copy of this so I could experiment with my recipes. (I’m always very careful.) This is my second go around with canning. The first time, I made money as a 4-Her from my fair premiums. This time, I’m planning on selling my goods at farmer’s markets. I would love this tool!
My son has already put in his order for garlic pickles (FIJ recipe), I might be doing Picalilly, if I get my hands on green tomatoes, and I will also be looking for new things to try.
I am looking forward to dilly beans, we ran out in a month last year,
i’m looking forward to canning some tomato sauce — just as soon as the tomatoes get ripe in oregon ! 🙂
I want to make onion jam, pickles and the creamcicle jelly you posted a few months ago.
Cherry jalapeno jam. strawberry rhubarb butter, and those pickled sweet cherries of yours!
I cannot wait to make all kinds of pickles!!! I love cucumber pickles like there is no tomorrow. Last year was my first year canning and I never got around to pickles. I definitely plan to make up for that! 🙂
I’m hoping to can tomatoes for the first time ever this summer.
awesome would love these books! I want to can pie fillings
I have never canned before but enjoy cooking immensely. I am looking forward to making something with raspberries, my favorite fruit. It will be nice to tuck into something touched by the sun in the middle of next Winter.
I would like to can 2 recipes I found on your site…roasted tomatillo salsa and Cranberry Quince sauce (my dad has a quince tree)
I am really interested in reading the acidity testing section. Thanks!
I adore this blog! I am really looking forward to putting up some of my flocks eggs in curry. Also a strawberry, baslmic and cracked pepper jam is in order come june.
I would love to know how you can eggs in curry!
I am looking forward to strawberry rhubarb jam canning in the next week or so!!!
can’t wait to can tomatoes and peaches! (not together)
Somehow I totally missed the giveaway when I first read this post (thank goodness for your reminder on Facebook!) and almost ordered the books off of Amazon!
I’ve already started canning my favorite thing… berry jam. But I’m really looking forward to making some new pickled things this summer!
I can’t wait to can pickles with dill pollen!
Last year we made tomato & ginger marmalade but I think savory jams and more chile relishes will be getting done this year. It really depends on the garden successes and failures 🙂
I would like to learn to make a really good pasta sauce.
Peach jam. The peaches in the front yard are almost ready!
Blueberry Jam
canned apricots in syrup. I didn’t make them last year and I wished I did all winter. I’m making a billion jars this summer.
I want to can some meat this summer. Maybe pork but time & mood will decide. Also my wife.
I really like making pickle relish and corn relish. I like all the chopping and seasoning and seeing the fantastically colored finish products in the jars. And they are delicious too. I always use the Ball Bluebook, have 30+ years canning experience. i think I could stand to learn some new tricks and wold love the books.
I’m just looking forward to making jam. And lots of peaches.
I’m confused because I’ve been told that the canning methods used in this book are outdated and unsafe.
This is a very old blog post.