Canning mustard

A couple weeks ago, I went into the city for our once-a-quarter Big Shopping, and picked up a few things for canning (or re-canning). I have a 40-lb. box of boneless skinless chicken breasts waiting my attention in the freezer, and last week I canned up 12 pints of mushrooms.

I also got a case of cheap mustard. It’s not a condiment I care for, but Don likes mustard with his sandwiches, so having an abundant supply is convenient. For this reason I buy it bulk, and re-can it into smaller portions.

It was also an excuse to use, for the first time, the two water-bath canners I got for my birthday last year.

I had been storing the canners in the barn, so I pulled them out, along with the mustard (the case held four containers of mustard, but one was already in the house).

I like to hot-pack mustard, so I scooped it all into a pot, using a double-boiler arrangement so the condiment wouldn’t scorch. Older Daughter didn’t know I had started this canning project until she came out of her room and saw the full pot. She burst out laughing. “That’s a lot of mustard!”

The mustard heats slowly since it’s not over direct heat. I stirred it periodically. Meanwhile I washed jars. I also washed out the mustard containers since Don likes to use them in his shop.

Those four containers filled 25 pints.

Scalding the lids and rings.

The two canners held 18 pints between them. What a joy to have so much room! (Ignore the old labels on the lids. They’ll come off in the water bath.)

I process mustard for 20 minutes at a rolling boil. By the end of the evening, all 25 pints were processed.

And Don has plenty of mustard to last a long time.