As a rule here at the farm we combine butchering day with the Brother in Law and Sister in Law's next door. We find that it's easier with help, and there is only need for 1 cool room and 1 meat saw to be used at a time. Also less cleaning up afterwards.
Last week the boys got together and killed 3 of the Brother in Law's sheep.
One was to be used on a birthday party spit that they were having and the others were one each for our freezers.
Brian is getting pretty handy at cutting up the meat these days.
It filled our freezer well,
We have been trying to eat a little healthier and so have many meals like this of grilled lamb chops and salad or vegetables.
As freezer space is often at a premium around here I pulled out a few items to use up in other ways to conserve some space.
I decided to make up some chicken curry to flat pack into 2 person portion sized bags .
I roasted 5 of our roosters from the freezer, then made up my curry minus the meat, pulled the meat off the carcasses and added to the curry.( I did temporarily freeze the carcasses)
These are great for us, 1 bag does both of us with a little rice, pasta or naan bread, and they fit flat perfectly in our small caravan freezer compartment for quick meals when we are travelling.
My son had taken some of my Mango Habanero Chilli Sauce to work with him and there have been a chorus of requests by his workmates to be able to purchase some, so I got in and made up a new batch.
I love making these sauces as they are so simple to put together and cook.
This is the process roughly,
While wearing protective gloves I chop the required amount of Habanero chilies( I freeze mine and chop and de- seed whilst frozen as it reduces the chili fumes).
I use tinned mangoes as they are much more affordable here than fresh.
Chopped and de- seeded yellow capsicums( sweet bell peppers)
White vinegar and crushed garlic,
This is then all blended bit by bit in the food processor.
I then add white sugar,
The mix is then cooked until it reduces slightly and reaches the desired consistency. It will thicken slightly on cooling.
I fill the bottles with the hot sauce , these are 250 ml bottles( 1 cup approx).
These bottles were then capped and water bathed 15 minutes to seal.
This sauce is a winner, sweet and tasty with a hit of chilli, definately our favourite here.
I still had to deal with those frozen chicken carcasses, so I pulled them out along with two turkey carcasses that I had frozen as well and as we had enough( more than enough) soup on the pantry shelves I opted to once again make stock( you can never have too much stock) .
So, another two big pots of stock bubbled away and gave me another lot of gorgeous golden chicken/turkey stock.
It really has been a full on week, the preserving didn't stop there, There was just too much to put into one post so, I decided to break it up into two posts.
The weather is still dry, we have had a couple of short small showers about 4 mm in each, but just enough to hopefully survive until a bit more comes our way.
Take care until we meet again,
Cheers
Jane and Brian.
i missed your earlier post, (i have so many blogs i like to read sometimes they overlap & get missed) you are so busy! love reading about your canning & preserving & how you go about your days on your farm. ahhh to think one day i might do the same (much smaller though) your chilli sauce looks amazing, so bright!
ReplyDeletethanx for sharing
Hi Selina,
Deletewe have had a big week plus visitors and other stuff thrown into the mix, it's a great life but at times a hectic one..
Take care
Cheers
Jane.
Your mango habanero chilli sauce looks so good, I think I might try it next year. My canning is almost done and the gardens are put to bed for the winter. I am curious, where do you get those wonderful bottles you put the chilli sauce in? Isn't it great to have all that good food stored away and then it is so easy to get a meal. Love your blog
ReplyDeleteHi Grandma Zee,
DeleteI purchase those bottles locally here in Australia from a bulk bottle and jar supplier called Plasdene, I think there is a similar company in the US or Canada called Filmore Jars or something like that.
Canning is a wonderful thing, I am totally hooked, wonder how we ever managed with out doing it.
Take care
Cheers
Jane.