(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best canning & preserving books

I'm a bit of a cookbook junkie, so I have a bunch to recommend. I'm interpreting this as "good cookbooks from cuisines in Asia" so there are some that are native and others that are from specific restaurants in the US, but I would consider these legit both in terms of the food and the recipes/techniques. Here are a few of my favorites:


Pan-Asian

• Asian Dumplings - the masterpiece on all things dumpling
  
• Asian American - Dale Talde's (Top Chef) book with lots of Asian cultures' food in the US
  
• Asian Pickles - pickles and fermented foods from throughout Asia
  
• Lucky Rice - recipes from the Asian festival of the same name
  
• The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook - traditional cooking passed down to American cooks
  
  Burmese
  
  
• Burma:Rivers of Flavor - good focus on difference in Burmese cuisine from other regional
  
  Cambodian
  
  
• Num Pang - Cambodian sandwich restaurant in NYC
  
• Cambodian Cooking - GREAT book on Cambodian cuisine, supporting refugees
  
  Chinese
  
  
• Ken Hom Complete Chinese Cookbook - great primer for cooking Chinese food using ingredients commonly available in US
  
• China Moon - classic SF Chinese restaurant food
  
• Feeding the Dragon - modern culinary journey through all of China
  
• Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking - omnibus focused on the home chef
  
• Breath of a Wok - focus on wok technique at home
  
• Every Grain of Rice - wonderful Sichuan food for home cooks
  
  Indian
  
  
• Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking - actually, any of her cookbooks are wonderful for Indian cooking
  
• Savour Mumbai - looks at Indian cuisine as a melting pot in Mumbai
  
• The Indian Family Cookbook - modern South Indian food
  
• Indian Harvest - Vikas Khanna's family cookbook
  
• Made in India - classic Indian food, from street to home
  
  Indonesia
  
  
• The Food of Indonesia - everything you need for a rijstaffel!
  
  Japanese
  
  
• Japanese Farm Food - authentic rural Japanese cooking
  
• Preserving the Japanese Way - how to make awesome Japanese pickled vegetables
  
• Sushi Chef - not strictly speaking a cookbook, but "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" book in English
  
• The Japanese Grill - authentic hibachi and Japanese grill recipes
  
• Japanese Comfort Food - lots of traditional Japanese recipes
  
• Nanban - Japanese "soul food"
  
• Tokyo Cult Recipes - hip modern urban food from Tokyo
  
• Yum Yum Bento Boxes - updated modern take on bento boxes
  
• Ivan Ramen - traditional ramen for a Western audience
  
• Izakaya - traditional Japanese pub food & small plates
  
• Nikkei - emigrant Japanese food culture in South America
  
• Donabe - traditional Japanese hot pot recipes
  
• Kyotofu - very unique Japanese dessert cookbook
  
  Korean
  
  
• K Food - modern take on Korean street food
  
• Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking - great resource for Korean cooking in a non-pro kitchen
  
• Traditional Food - omnibus of four regions of Korean food
  
• Koreatown - authentic, approachable guide to Korean food in a US context
  
• Smoke & Pickles - Edward Lee's fusion of his Korean heritage and southern barbeque
  
• The Kimchi Cookbook - many, many recipes for kimchi...
  
  Malaysian
  
  
• Malaysian Cooking - good overview of Malay cooking
  
  Middle Eastern
  
  
• The New Persian Kitchen - modern Iranian food
  
• Ottolenghi - Israeli-Palestinian collaboration
  
• Persiana - dynamic modern recipes from throughout the Middle East
  
• Zahav - modern Israeli food
  
• Sweet Middle East - traditional and modern desserts
  
  Philippine
  
  
• Filipino Homestyle Dishes - good intro to classic Filipino dishes
  
  Russian
  
  
• Mamushka - focus on Ukraine
  
  Sri Lankan
  
  
• Hidden Kitchens of Sri Lanka - beautiful photo-cookbook on Sri Lankan cuisine
  
  Taiwanese
  
  
• The Food of Taiwan - um... food... from Taiwan
  
  Thailand
  
  
• Nong's Thai Kitchen - she beat Bobby Flay in pad thai
  
• Pok Pok - Portland's most AWESOME Asian restaurant
  
  Turkish
  
  
• Istanbul:Recipes from the Heart of Turkey - lovely focus on urban Turkish food
  
• Anatolia - wonderful approachable approach to Turkish cuisine
  
• Essential Turkish Cuisine - focus on history and evolution of Turkish food
  
  Vietnamese
  
  
• The Slanted Door - great Vietnamese restaurant cookbook
  
• Vietnamese Market Cookbook - focus on simple Vietnamese from fresh ingredients
  
• Into the Vietnamese Kitchen - traditional Vietnamese home cooking
  
• The Banh Mi Cookbook - the greatest sandwich in the world!
  
• Vietnamese Home Cooking - another great overview
  
  (edit: screwed up a couple links)

Hey there friend! You've got plenty of responses and they're all good :). Just a quick few bits from another UK forager (wasn't too long ago I was in your shoes).

Might be worth investing in a book just to get a general idea of what's around in Britain. "Food for free" is great, but a little large to take around. Good for those cold cold nights and nothing's on TV/a good reference book.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007438478

The one I really like is River Cottage Handbook hedgerow which most of UK non mushroom stuff revolves around. Excellent read, funny informative and great photos. I've met John Wright and he really is an awesome and fun guy. Lots of great tips on what to do with the stuff you find. Also good combined with Jam and Preserve making book, which has masses of recipes to keep your foraged goodies lasting all year round. The hedgerow book you can just about fit into your jacket pocket - if it's a big one that is...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgerow-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-7/dp/140880185X


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Preserves-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-2/dp/0747595321/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=58P3VRK2HZ8Y4ZY2N43K

After that maybe check out any local foraging groups or classes? Depends how much you enjoy it. If you're anything like me, then you're in for a real treat :).

P.S the most important bit of any book is the dangerous/deadly section. Make sure you can recognise the nasties or at least not pick anything that looks remotely like them until you're 100% sure and confident!

Asia's a big, ancient place. Even within each nation there are unique styles of regional and ethnic fare.

With that in mind, I'd love to see some recommendations here for awesome Indian, Filipino, Hmong, Uzbek, etc. cookbooks.

Japanese

Lets get beyond sushi and hibatchi.

Shizuo Tsuji's Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art is a great starting point. If you want to get technical you should check out Ando's Washoku or Hachisu's Preserving the Japanese Way.

If you want to start simple, Hachisu also has a great book on Japanese Farm Food. Ono and Salat have written a great noodle slurping opus in Japanese Soul Cooking.

Chinese

What we've come to think of as Chinese food in the US is a natural part of human appropriation of food styles, but with all due respect to Trader Vic's, crab rangoon and other buffet staples really aren't the real deal. Food in China is extremely regional. You don't have to go very deep to see the vast differentiation in spicy Schezwan recipes and Cantonese Dim Sum culture.

For your reading pleasure:

Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.

Breath of the Wok by Grace Young and Alan Richardson.

Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees by Kian Lam Kho and Jody Horton.

All Under Heaven: Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China by Carolyn Phillips.

Some people might freak out that I'm placing Erway's The Food of Taiwan under the Chinese category, but I'm not going to get into a political debate here. Taiwan has had a lot of different culinary influences due to migration / occupation and that is really the take away here.

Go forth, make bao.

Korean

Korea is having it's moment right now and if you want the classics, Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall's Growing up in a Korean Kitchen is a good baseline. It has all the greatest hits.

You also can't cook Korean food without kimchi. The only book I've read is Lauryn Chun's The Kimchi Cookbook which is kind of underwhelming considering the hundreds of styles of Kimchi that have been documented. The process of making kimchi (kimjang) even has a UNESCO world heritage designation. With that in mind, I think it's only a matter of time before we see a English book on the subject that has depth.

Given the cuisine's popularity, there are several other cookbooks on Korean food that have recently been published within the last year or so, I just haven't gotten around to reading them yet, so I won't recommend them here.

Thai

David Thompson's Thai Food and Thai Street Food are both excellent. /u/Empath1999 's recommendation of Andy Ricker's Pok Pok is excellent but it focuses on Northern Thai cuisine, so if you want to venture into central and southern Thai fare, Thompson's the other farang of note.

Vietnamese

Nguyen's Into the Vietnamese Kitchen provides a nice survey to Vietnamese cooking. Charles Phan also has a couple of cookbooks that are quite good but I'm sure that there are zealots out there who would bemoan authenticity in either Vietnamese Home Cooking or The Slanted Door, but seriously, who gives a shit, the dude has Beard Awards under his belt for fuck's sake.

TL;DR OP means well but its long past time to bury "Asian" as a catch-all for such a large and diverse part of a continent, no?

For books, I highly recommend Fermented Vegetables and Fiery Ferments. The Kindle editions of both go on sale regularly. In fact, Fermented Vegetables is currently $2.99.

For lids, I assemble my own. The new Ball Leak-Proof Storage lids aren't leak proof, but they're better than the old-style white ones. Sturdier too. Buy them at your local grocery store—they'll be way cheaper than Amazon. You'll also need 3/8" x 5/8" rubber grommets, which you can find in your local DIY store in the electrical section—you want ones that have a 3/8" inner hole and fit into a 1/2" hole, with an outside diameter of 5/8". Finally, 3-piece airlocks, which are going to be cheapest at your local homebrew store (they should be a $1, maybe $1.50). 3-piece are easier to clean than the 1-piece. From there, you just drill a 1/2" hole in the lid, insert the grommet, and then insert the airlock. Support the lid around the hole as you insert the airlock so you don't crack the plastic.

Other equipment:

• Sauer Stones are my favorite glass weights. Right now they're $10.95 for four. I think I have 20 or 24 of them at this point. They work great in conjunction with a cabbage or horseradish leaf to keep everything under the brine.
  
• You can never go wrong with having a couple of food-grade 5-gallon buckets kicking around for mixing kimchi, or salting large batches of sauerkraut, or even fermenting in. Again, these are cheapest at your local DIY store. Get a lid with a gasket, and make sure you grease the gasket with food-grade grease.
  
• Jars. Stop at garage sales, thrift stores, and rummage shops. You'll occasionally find a good deal on mason jars, or a unique Fido jar, or who knows what. The more you ferment, the more you're going to end up in situations where you need odd-sized jars. If you come across Fido jars with bad or missing gaskets, these work really well.
  
• More jars. If you need larger jars or want to buy new, Fido jars from EverythingKitchens.com by way of Google Express is the cheapest I've found them. Free shipping for buying a certain amount, sometimes you get a discount from Express for your first order, blah blah blah.
  
• Even more jars. If you need gallon sized jars that you want to fit with an airlock, this is the cheapest I've found them. Get the plastic lids, then see the instructions above. If you need extra lids (for storage), these fit and are of good quality. The 1-star review is from some dumb-dumb who ordered the wrong size.
  
• Oh. One more thing. Pouring things out of mason jars sucks. They always dribble, etc. But they're also the best way to store, say, fermented cordials, or to mix up your brine (cap and shake the shit out of it). These lids do not come cheap, but they are well worth the purchase price. Leak-proof, with a removable rubber gasket, we use them for everything from drinking to storage. And they pour like a dream. Easy to clean too.
  
• Actually, one more one more thing. Get yourself a good strainer/filter/funnel set. This one is, again, not super-cheap, but I got rid of all my other ones and use it exclusively. It disassembles, screws to wide-mouth mason jars, has a plastic strainer for the first stage and a fine-mesh filter for the second stage, the narrow bottom part is silicone and is removable, and you can put a coffee filter in the fine-mesh filter portion if you need to.
  
  One last thing. I see folks suggesting sanitizer. It's absolutely pointless for lactic fermentation. You're not sanitizing the vegetables that go in, or your hands, so there's no point in using anything more than soap and water on your equipment. If you're talking about brewing beer or cider or wine or something where you're looking to introduce a specific strain of bacteria, yeast, or fungus, then you need to sterilize.

What people usually refer to as "quick pickles" are pickles that are not water bath preserved, but rather refrigerated. Because you usually aren't "cooking" these by soaking them in boiling water, they tend to come out crisper than a water bath preserved pickle. You usually boil a vinegar based brine with some salt and spices in it and then add it to the vegetables. You let them cool to room temp and then stick them in your fridge (or, if your brine has an acceptable acid level, process them via boiling water bath... these are not longer "quick pickles," but processed via boiling water bath.) There are also directions for a lower temp (like 180degF) pasteurization process that I have never played with. These supposedly result in crisper pickles. You are adding acid in the form of vinegar to create a safe environment for food preservation for these pickles.

Fermented pickles are cured in a brine (usually a room temp) for a lengthy period of time, usually from a week to a few weeks, depending on the vegetable and your final goal. You are creating an environment that favors a certain type of bacterial growth which causes (hopefully) predictable changes in the taste of the pickle. These bacteria out-compete everything else and create an environment hostile to other bacteria that are dangerous for you to eat. The by product of the bacteria you are trying to grow is lactic acid, which lowers the pH enough to create a safe environment- instead of adding vinegar to make a safe environment, you are "growing your own" acid. Obviously, this can be a tempermental process. It's a world onto it's own, with lots of variations steeped in culinary history of different areas of the world. Check out /r/fermentation for some more info on this process.

My suggestion is to ask yourself what you love in a pickle. Sharp "dill pickle" flavor? (probably fermented) Super crisp, fresher tasting? (quick pickles, most likely) Stable, room temp storage and a predictable process? (boiling water bath pickles) These are broad generalizations of course, but those are my opinions of the strengths and characteristics of each style.

Some resources: The Joy of Pickling for an array of styles and anything by Sandor Katz for the fermented styles. I also loved Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon for a whole new range of pickles unfamilar to a lot of people.

I have a couple more "exotic" books on canning, but my favorite is Asian Pickles, which goes through Japan, Korea, China, India, and SE Asia. While it's definitely a good book, I wish the author was a little less "broad" in scope to give more recipes. Though, she does give both traditional and "inspired" recipes, which I appreciate.

I've done a fair bit of traveling, and I don't see much in regards to canning beyond the commercial products and home fermentation/pickling outside of North America/Europe/Russia. The hot pickles from Indonesia, if we're thinking of the same thing, are called "achaar" and are lacto-fermented. Most chutneys (at least, traditional/regional varieties) are all fermented or refrigerated as far as I've found.

I have a couple ideas as to why, but this is based on my own speculation (contradict at whim!). I think we largely see home-preservation in the form of canning in the north due to the limited growing season, the nature of native fruit-bearing plants, and preservation method options. Obviously, the growing season around the tropics is much, much longer and the need to preserve fruits/veggies for the winter is limited. In northern regions, you're also not going to have the same amount of daylight needed for drying that one would closer to the tropics, which is why I think the MENA nations focused more on drying techniques as opposed to canning. Fermentation has the added benefit of actually adding nutritional value to foods, so you'll see it pretty much across the board with pickles, beer, wine, etc. Pressure canning to make low-acid foods shelf-stable is a relatively new concept in the grand scheme.

I'd expect that South Africa has chutneys largely because of outside influence rather than native traditions. With the occupation by Britain and Britain's occupation of India (and their adoration of Indian cooking), I'd be shocked if the chutneys weren't brought in by Brits. I'd expect they'd largely use the local produce, but they're probably the same in terms of creation method.

I'd definitely love to see more...but I don't think we're going to see a lot of "traditional" canning coming from regions outside the US/Canada/Europe/Russia. I'd expect a lot of them will be "translation" recipes (meaning, not the traditional recipe, but adapted to suit a home "canner" instead of using the original method of preservation).

I want to be healthier and more organised! I'm struggling to get started with both of these goals, but I think I can do it! It's hard to pick just one item that would help me achieve this, so I'm going to cheat and tell you about two!

For being more organised with my healthy eating, these meal prep containers would be useful because they would allow me to plan out my meals more and have a better idea of what I'm going to eat. But, one of my cook books would help me know what to put in these containers!

I think the smart meal prep for beginners would be most helpful, but I also have a Joe Wicks, a Tom Kerridge, and a Hairy Bikers book on my list that would help me reach my goals by cooking healthier meals. It's so hard to choose!

Thank you for running this, it was really nice to think about what it is that would help me meet my goals, and I'm going to be much more proactive when I'm feeling a little better :)

I've been making hot sauces for several years now, and I think probably the best advice to use on top of everything already said here is to simply try making lots of different sauces. I started off making simple uncooked sauces for the first year or two, then shifted over to cooked sauces and found I liked those better in general. I made (and still make) vinegar forward sauces, less vinegary sauces, fruity sauces, tomato-based sauces, and many other experimental things that either work or don't work to my taste. The question you ask at the bottom of your post re: specifics is really a matter of personal taste. Try making different sauces and see what you like! I don't always want a fermented sauce, and sometimes what I'm eating calls for something less vinegary/more vinegary, or even fruity! You'll probably find that you want to have several different kinds around.

The hot sauce book mentioned in this thread is a good one (I own it and have used it for years), and there are a few others out there that are fun, too. The book, Fiery Ferments, helped me break into fermented sauces, and I've had some fun this summer using some of the recipes for inspiration in my own creations. I pay attention to recipes whenever I find them, either here or elsewhere, and I make note of interesting ingredients that I might want to try.

I also have found that it's helpful to write down the recipe I create when I'm making a sauce. I weigh and/or measure the volume of each thing I add, and then record that for future reference along with any other steps in my process (cook time, blending, etc.). Documenting my process has resulted in a couple of solid recipes that I devised on my own, and it's fun to make then year after year.

Bottom line: find yourself a mess of peppers and start making sauces!

>Do you cook for a living already?

No, I don't. I just like trying new recipes and experimenting.

On my most recent Skyrim play through I have been noticing more the food/cooking element in the game, which I usually ignore (unless I'm dying and need to scarf down a dozen wheels of cheese). Most of the foods are things that already exist in real life (like beef stew or garlic bread), but some things would take more experimenting. Either way, eating like in Skyrim appeals to me (My stomach belongs to the Nords).

My brother, who is more of a nerd than I am, has actually tried making his own mead and I know there are books on the subject. So that shouldn't be too difficult to try.

A number of the alchemy ingredients have real life equivalents too, but obviously it would be too dangerous (and stupid) to try to reproduce those recipes! (Also, where would one even find Vampire Dust or Giant's Toe?!)

>I love the way kitchens are set up in Skyrim. The way they have organic spices hanging up to dry, and barrels full of grain, etc. I would love to have the same set-up in my kitchen.

Ditto. I'm not sure it would be the more ideal storage for some foods, but I love the thatched cottage look of some Skyrim homes.

On a similar note, and not entirely related to Skyrim, during Witcher III I entered one of the homes in Oxenfurt and immediately fell in love with the style and decor. I really wish Skyrim had more homes like that in it. The exterior is very Tudor-esque, but the interior would not be out of place in Skyrim.

It sounds like your meat was too warm. When I grind it, I put the cut up cubes in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until the edges are kind of crunchy. Don't let it freeze though. I do the same with the sausage mixture. It sounds like this is where your main problem was. Try separating into small bowls so you can keep it cold in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to stuff. I would suggest sticking to the basics of Italian & breakfast sausages until the stuffing becomes a little easier. Those are just as good without putting them in links.

I've found the Kitchenaide stuffer to be hard to use, particularly when you get into emulsified sausages. Try not to let the mixture feed all the way down the tube before you add more. Again, keeping it near frozen helps here, otherwise it just climbs out the sides of the pusher. If you get into making a lot of sausage, get a dedicated stuffer. I finally broke down & got one last year. They're kind of expensive, which is why I waited so long, but it was definitely worth it. I got this one.

There's a ton of websites out there. I won't bore you with one's you can easily find in google. But this one http://www.mrswheelbarrow.com/ has been really fun for the past year. They've done a different charcuterie technique each month, I've learned a lot from them.

As far as books are concerned, I have this one and this one. They're both decent, but I don't know if it's not anything you couldn't find on the internet. Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie is the bible for any home charcuterie enthusiast. You should buy that one immediately. (No, I don't get any royalties, it's just that good.)

Also try /r/Charcuterie. It doesn't get much traffic, but there are some good posts on there.

Have fun! I hope this helps. I look forward to seeing some of your results!

I got so much fun stuff from /u/PandaProphetess! I got some lovely green yarn & needles to match, this book on canning and this book on writing. Neither of which I own already, yay!

Also since I mentioned that tarot cards were my secret love I got a new [deck] (https://www.amazon.com/Ostara-Tarot-Morgan-Applejohn/dp/0764352822/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525531995&sr=8-1&keywords=ostara+tarot) and it's AMAZING.

I haven't had the best of luck with reddit secret exchanges in the past, but I'm definitely super happy with my gifts. Thanks, /u/Panda Prophetess!

Under $10

Under $20

$$$ I have this guy on my own wishlist! It's good for canning low-acid items like green beans and beets and etc.

As a bonus, here's a fun book: Put 'Em Up. I have it and it's great! Also, you can make things like jam with little sugar by using pectin, or if you aren't into jams and preserves, you can pickle things and can sauces. It's just generally awesome.

Pomona's Pectin website has tested and reliable low-sugar recipes. You can also trust the recipes in the book Stocking Up, a personal favorite of mine.

u/Tuilere is great for pointing out that the best resource is education. When you know the basic principles of canning, you will more easily be able to spot recipes that you shouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. I also second contacting your local extension and seeing what reading material they have available. There are also some great links in the r/Canning sidebar.

1. The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World's Healthiest People | Dan Buettner | free download https://b-ok.cc/book/2576785/937370
   
   
2. The Pescatarian Cookbook: The Essential Kitchen Companion: Cara Harbstreet MS RD LD: 9781641522663: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Pescatarian-Cookbook-Essential-Kitchen-Companion/dp/1641522666/
   
   
3. Smart Meal Prep for Beginners: Recipes and Weekly Plans for Healthy, Ready-to-Go Meals: Toby Amidor MS RD CDN: 9781641521253: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Meal-Prep-Beginners-Ready/dp/1641521252/
   
   
4. Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science-Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great about Your Body (2019): Jaclyn London: 9781538747452: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Side-Other-Myths-Debunked/dp/1538747456/
   
   
5. Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? | Mark Hyman M.D. | free download https://b-ok.cc/book/3430737/494149
   
   
6. Fill Your Plate Lose the Weight: 70+ Delicious Meals that Keep You Full: Sarah Mirkin&#44 R.D.N. and the Editors of Prevention: 9781950099009: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Fill-Your-Plate-Lose-Weight/dp/1950099008/
   
   
7. Vegan for Everybody: Foolproof Plant-Based Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and In-Between: America's Test Kitchen: 9781940352862: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Everybody-Foolproof-Plant-Based-Between/dp/194035286X/
   
   
8. The Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Solution: The 28-Day Kickstart Plan for Lasting Weight Loss: Julene Stassou MS RD, Mark Sapienza MD: 9781623159405: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Mediterranean-Diet-Weight-Loss-Solution/dp/1623159407/
   
   
9. Instant Loss Cookbook: Cook Your Way to a Healthy Weight with 125 Recipes for Your Instant Pot®, Pressure Cooker, and More: Brittany Williams: 9780525577232: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Loss-Cookbook-Healthy-Pressure/dp/0525577238/
   
   
10. Ottolenghi Simple: A Cookbook | Yotam Ottolenghi | free download https://b-ok.cc/book/3651265/06ebeb
    
    
11. The Plant-Based Solution: America’s Healthy Heart Doc’s Plan to Power Your Health | Joel K. Kahn | free download https://b-ok.cc/book/3506218/11ff08
    
    
12. Prep: The Essential College Cookbook: Katie Sullivan Morford: 9781611806106: Amazon.com: Books https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Essential-Katie-Sullivan-Morford/dp/1611806100/

Since no one's commented in a day, I just wanted to say this book just came out a couple months ago, so likely not many have looked at it yet. But he's chef of a couple excellent restaurants, and looking through the recipes, he has a decidedly world-wide cuisine, taking inspiration from Europe, Southeast Asia, Mexico and many other places. He even has a recipe for New Jersey style pork roll (Taylor ham), beloved breakfast sandwich meat. So there's plenty in there to delight even an experienced cook.

The indispensable book remains Ruhlman's Charcuterie. If your friend already has that, I recommend Fatted Calf's In the Charcuterie.

I would never say it's complicated but it is more involved. First off all jellies are made using the boiling water bath method (which can be as simple as having a pot large enough to have at least 1" of water covering the top of your jars at all times). Where the science comes in is when to determine if pectin is needed, what ratio of fruit to sugar is needed, and what jar sizes are safe (you can always process in a smaller jar but never a larger jar). If you have yet to purchase a Ball book of canning I strongly recommend it.
The first two books I bought were (http://amzn.to/2uyqAYA) and (http://amzn.to/2uIsZ33) however Ball just released a brand new Basics book (http://amzn.to/2tfdw6l) that discusses jams, jellies, butters and pickles.
I know this may not have been the answer you were looking for but I would gladly help you walk through the process of making a jam

If your really interested in the art of charcuterie I suggest purchasing this charcuterie book. It will explain everything, it's an amazing book.

http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Craft-Salting-Smoking-Curing/dp/0393058298


As for pickling veg. It is very easy. Another book for that with ligitimate recipes is

http://www.amazon.com/The-Joy-Pickling-Flavor-Packed-Vegetables/dp/1558323759

Also really good book with great recipes. In the book she refers to pickling salt in almost all recipes. Just use kosher.

I've never tried anything of the sort, but maybe look for a book on the subject? Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen sounds like it could be of interest.

> [...] Recipe methods range from the ultratraditional— Umeboshi (Salted Sour Plums), Takuan (Half-Dried Daikon Pickled in Rice Bran), and Hakusai (Fermented Napa Cabbage)— to the modern: Zucchini Pickled in Shoyu Koji, Turnips Pickled with Sour Plums, and Small Melons in Sake Lees. Preserving the Japanese Way also introduces and demystifies one of the most fascinating ingredients to hit the food scene in a decade: koji. Koji is neither new nor unusual in the landscape of Japan fermentation, but it has become a cult favorite for quick pickling or marinades[...]

(Note that I haven't read it and this isn't an endorsement, just the results of a quick search.)

Thank you for the shoutout.

/u/StanMikitasDonuts should start out with some light reading. Get yourself Charcuterie, by Ruhlman and Polcyn, In the Charcuterie by Boetticher and Miller, and maybe a simple recipe book like Cured by Charles Wekselbaum. That will give you a really strong foundation of recipes to work with.

Most people will start off making Duck Breast Prosciutto (Prosciutto D'Anatra) because it requires only duck breast, salt, and 7-10 days of waiting... and does not require a curing chamber. Beyond that, bacon is a popular and fairly foolproof early project. Fresh and hot-smoked sausages are a good foray into charcuterie as well.

Once you get into whole muscle curing (like OP's pork loin idea) and fermented sausages like salamis, et al, you start needing to account for more ingredients, more processes, and more equipment. A curing chamber is essential for anything that is going to hang for long periods of time. You'll need lacto cultures and mold starters. None of it is difficult or particularly expensive (especially compared to buying these products retail)... but it does become a more immersive hobby once you've got appliances dedicated to making meat logs.

>But, kombu? Miso? The American stuff doesn't cut it.

Particularly with kombu and miso, there may be no true American substitute... it's a terroir thing.

That said, there are some really interesting types of miso coming out, and we are getting ready to start making our own! Which brings me to my next point...

Koji may be the thing that unites or binds American and Japanese ramen. You can make miso out of other beans (as you know) and you can make other types of "bushi" using koji (other than katsuobushi, also as I'm sure you know).

I think we can take Japanese techniques and apply them to American ingredients. Have you seen or do you own this book? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SUGT2Y6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 I love getting ideas and techniques from it to use in my own non-Japanese cooking.

Here's a recipe for corn salsa that I like from "Put 'em Up" by Sherri Brooks Vinton. I have the Kindle version (It was on sale for cheap), so I'll copy and paste it here. I think this falls under fair use, but if it doesn't, mods: give me a message and I'll take it down.

EDIT: Makes about 8 Pints

INGREDIENTS

12 ears corn, shucked

3 cups distilled white vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

5 pounds tomatoes, diced

1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARE

1. Bring a large nonreactive stockpot of water to a boil. Add the corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
   
   
2. When the corn is cool enough to handle, stand the cobs on end and slice vertically to cut off the kernels, being careful not to cut into the cobs. Empty and wipe out the stockpot.
   
   
3. Combine the vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt in the stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, jalapeños, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, to allow flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and return to a boil. Remove from the heat.
   
   
   Refrigerate: Ladle into bowls or jars. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
   
   Can: Use the boiling-water method. Ladle into clean, hot half-pint or pint canning jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on jar bands. Process for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
   

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jekkas-Complete-Herb-Book-Association/dp/1856267415/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504455888&sr=1-3&keywords=Jekka

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Preserves-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-2/dp/0747595321/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504455955&sr=1-1&keywords=pam+the+jam
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgerow-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-7/dp/140880185X/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F3VYXKB4NNCVEYAJEQ0K
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-12/dp/1408817934/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2YHRTEAT811G23JYQSDR

I love these ones as they give you a target to go out and find stuff. They'll have links to other books that the authors use. All three are the best in their field(!) on foraging and using foraged items to make wondrous delights. Yesterday I also picked up
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgerow-Cookbook-delicious-recipes-wild-ebook/dp/B00PPHWYNO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504456311&sr=1-1&keywords=The+hedgerow+cookbook

I read Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide, which was a gift from a very kind friend. Also, I google random beer questions I have. Tons of information out here on the web for free. Reddit is always a wonderful resource.

Sure!

The River Cottage Curing and Smoking Handbook is what I used as a reference. It's great.

I'm going to have it in my basement for the winter where it is cold and dry. I'm the spring I'll probably move it to my in-laws basement which doesn't get humid in the summer. I'm just going to source meat hooks on Amazon, there are a bunch.

As to sourcing the leg, I'm lucky in that living on the Vermont/NH border there E many organic farmers around. And I'm lucky enough to have one that will do this stuff with me. I would probably start with farms in your area and then move to butcher shops. Ask for rear leg with the trotter attached.

The most life changing thing on my list would be this cookbook. We are trying every way possible to save money and be healthy. We inherited a chest freezer, so to be able to make freezer meals like this would save us a lot of money as well as help us to not get fast food all the time because meals would already be prepared in the freezer :-) . . . Plus, we could help people more often such as if there is a new baby or illness or death in the family, we can provide dinner for them without the extra expense and time because, hey it's already in the freezer!

I'm a little late to this thread, but buy this book. We have a freezer full of ready to cook meals, and it's a great time saver with two kids under 5 yo.

this book (stocking up) is a pretty awesome resource for getting into preserving. recipes, how-tos, pros/cons of freezing vs canning vs drying etc for tons of different things.

you NEED to read something before you can anything. it's pretty simple, but there are rules you need to follow to do it safely.

Yes, though personally I recommend Fiery Ferments over Hot Sauce but that's because I'm more interested in fermenting peppers for hot sauces, which the former delves into more - the latter has a greater collection of recipes so depends on what you're looking for.

https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Pickling-Flavor-Packed-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/1558323759

This is a good book for actually making pickles.

Sandor Katz's books are more fun for reading, but his approach isn't about making refined and perfected recipes as much as just explaining the variety of processes for making different fermented foods. for example, while he explains how to make miso, I wouldn't use his book as a guide to make my own. It's more about reading about the process than a step by step guide by an expert.

Is this the one? http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Fatted-Making-Sausage-Confits/dp/1607743434/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464038066&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=father+calf+in+the+charcuterie ? I was searching initially for Father Calf as the author thinking he's some monk that does nothing but make carcuterie in his monestary. I'll definitely give that a read, thanks!

I checked this ebook out at my library and got some great ideas. You prepare the meals ahead of time freeze them in gallon bags then cook later. This book specializes in recipes using items sold in bulk at Costco.

Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family https://www.amazon.com/dp/1603427260/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_rfaKwbAFPQY2C

OP's book/media suggestions, formatted with links:

• People start with Ruhlman's Charcuterie, but quickly learn it's heavy on salt.
  
• For some slightly more esoteric recipes, check out In the Charcuterie by Taylor Boetticher and Levonia Miller. I absolutely "butchered" those names, btw.
  
• Also, get a book called Pig Perfect by Peter Kaminski... Not a lot of recipes, but it will enamor you with all things pig.
  
• Show... There's a series on BBC called <Time Period> Farm]... Edwardian, Victorian, Jacobean, etc... Where a group of historians run a farm for a year by the standards of the time period. It's cool and they do some pig stuff.

I like the book Dave Miller's Homebrewing guide It's very informative and will help you get a grip on easy and complex topics.

Also, I write for a blog about beer, but have a lot of recipes up there and try to explain why I changed/did certains things in the recipes. Feel free to ask questions/poke around.

My first pick always is the Marinski Books....


Charcutier. Salumiere. Wurstmeister - Francois Paul-Armand Vecchio
http://www.amazon.com/Charcut.../dp/0615720846/ref=sr_1_1...

The Marinski Books : http://www.amazon.com/.../e/B001JRXURI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

In the Charcuterie from The Fatted Calf: http://www.amazon.com/.../dp/B00C0AO18U/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

Pig Perfect - Peter Kaminski: http://www.amazon.com/Pig.../dp/1401300367/ref=sr_1_1...

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery - Jane Grigson : http://www.amazon.com/Charcut.../dp/B004SHJJ44/ref=sr_1_6...

The Art of Charcuterie - John Kowalski: http://www.amazon.com/Art.../dp/0470197412/ref=sr_1_sc_1...

Professional Charcuterie: Sausage Making, Curing, Terrines, and Pates - John Kinsella & David T. Harvey: http://www.amazon.com/Profess.../dp/B0032UXZ4S/ref=sr_1_1...

Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing - Rytek Kutas : http://www.amazon.com/Great.../dp/0025668609/ref=sr_1_1...

Bruce Aidells's Complete Sausage Book: http://www.amazon.com/Bruce.../dp/B007WKE2J6/ref=sr_1_1...
Patés & Terrines: http://www.amazon.com/Pat%C3.../dp/0688038964/ref=sr_1_2...

Hank Shaws Page: http://www.amazon.com/Hank.../e/B004OBEILI/ref=sr_tc_2_0...

I bought this book last year and love it!

Quick & Easy Tsukemono: Japanese Pickling Recipes

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/488996181X/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_5Gwdub17ZSM1N

This one:

https://smile.amazon.com/Fermented-Vegetables-Creative-Fermenting-Chutneys/dp/1612124259/

Got it for Christmas a couple years back, it's a really great resource with some good recipes. If you're into spicy foods, the same authors also wrote this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Fiery-Ferments-Stimulating-Fermented-Condiments/dp/1612127282/

My mother-in-law got me both of these books.

I can't remember the changes I made, but this is the book I've been using.

I have not made anything out of this book yet, but like the writing style. I am still trying to figure out why he adds powdered milk to his recipes. Any ideas?

Edit: I should say that when I make different kinds of brats, I just use my intuition on amount when adding chopped habenero, onions or chipotle powder. If it says add water, add beer. :)

I make the corn salsa from Put 'em Up!, and it is sooo good; spice to taste!

I often mush up an avocado and then stir in the salsa; easy guac!

Online version.

This tsukemono book is pretty good.

This has long been one of my favorites for simple Japanese pickling. Quick & Easy Tsukemono: Japanese Pickling Recipes https://www.amazon.com/dp/488996181X/

Strawberries, herbs like dill, cilantro, sage, etc., squash, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots... normal garden variety vegetables!

Also pick up a few books about canning and preserving your crops. It’s relatively easy once you know what you’re doing. Ball puts out a book with canning how to’s and basic recipes which is really handy

amazon

constant air flow + pork + salt

​

I think this book is great

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607747871/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've not personally read this book, but I've heard that others here have enjoyed it and I believe it covers how to use naturally occurring yeast:

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Mead-Like-Viking-Wild-Fermented/dp/1603585982

I'm reading a book right now on cured meats including how to make your own which was written buy the people at The Fatted Calf which is a great SF butcher that makes their own.

https://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Fatted-Making-Sausage-Confits-ebook/dp/B00C0AO18U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504125848&sr=8-1&keywords=charcuterie+fatted+calf

I don't think you can water-bath or pressure can ginger, likely for the reason that Yossarian33 says: it would lose its crispiness. I have the awesome book The Joy of Pickling and all the recipes for pickled ginger, including the sushi-restaurant style, are for refrigerator pickles.

Brewing mead or wine is the laziest hobby ever with the best results! Start with this book, an open mind, and a good local source for your honey.

I'm really enjoying Fiery Ferments right now.

Sandor Katz's the Art of Fermentation is good, but wordy. I started out with Real Food Fermentation because it's got pictures to demonstrate the steps.

My husband got me this book off of Amazon Fiery Ferments for Christmas and there is a lot of helpful information in there.

This is a very traditional way of doing things and very valid. If I were you, I'd read up on traditional meadmaking and look into some pitchable kveik strains (or other traditional strains that will give you this ability):

• Info on Kveik strains
  
• Imperial Organic Kveik strain, might use that for your first batch
  
• Make Mead Like a Viking
  
• Sandor Katz' book, a great reference to have on hand

if you want heavy science, read my uncle's book:

http://www.amazon.com/Dave-Millers-Homebrewing-Guide-Great-Tasting/dp/0882669052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331346904&sr=8-1

otherwise papazian and palmer are good reads.

In The Charcuterie: The Fatted Calf's Guide to Making Sausage, Salumi, Pates, Roasts, Confits, and Other Meaty Goods
Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing

Can recommend both.

Adding on to this, the book Put 'em Up! uses Pomona's Pectin in all the recipes that call for pectin. Great book.

edit: And her other book Put 'em Up FRUIT also uses Pomona's Pectin exclusively. Haven't bought it and tried any of the recipes yet but it's on my list.

I learned a lot from the book "Make mead like a viking".

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Mead-Like-Viking-Wild-Fermented/dp/1603585982

I have these three that I like quite a bit:

Japan: The Cookbook

Preserving the Japanese Way

The Gaijin Cookbook

I have and recommend this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Fiery-Ferments-Stimulating-Fermented-Condiments/dp/1612127282

I haven't tried the Sofrito recipe yet (it's on my list for this year), I've done well with other recipes from this book:
Put 'em Up! https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1603425462/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fy30Cb5M5NYYR

It's a Japanese Pickle Press. Excellent for quick pickles but anything going more than a day or two I'd use a ceramic crock. This is the book I use with my press. You can, obviously, use any recipe with it though.

I've done it with good effect with 5 small batches, and only one went bad. Here's my method for making Wild Fermented Dandelion Wine.

It can definitely be a gamble, and if you are seeking consistency between batches and a known finish, it isn't the way to go. I'm a bit more of a mad scientist than most brewers I know!

Most of my methods align with those expressed in Make Mead Like a Viking by Jereme Zimmerman.

Why not the River Cottage Curing book instead of just the meat one?

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Pickling-Flavor-Packed-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/1558323759

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01L83TS7S/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Books. You need them.

http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Salting-Smoking-Revised-Updated/dp/0393240053

http://www.amazon.com/Salumi-The-Craft-Italian-Curing/dp/0393068595

http://www.amazon.com/In-The-Charcuterie-Sausage-Confits/dp/1607743434

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-Meat-Curing/dp/0025668609

Amazon link here.

Also bought these to go with it.

My wife bought me the book Fiery Ferments and now I can put it to use.


This kit also has an $8 off coupon.

$10 off this one.

$2200 Corny kegs

$1300 Two Conical Fermenters

$3000 This is the total the Brew store I go to has me at. I asked a while ago why they were taking my name every time I bought something. They said this was to track purchases. I then asked if they have a total of how much I spent. This was it. That includes all ingredients over the past couple years.

Books.

Homebrewing Guild by Dave Miller Link to Amazon

Starting your own brewery Link to Amazon

Not sure if they are non-standard but those are what I have been using as reference. Along with this forum and a lot of google.

I messed up the title. Here it is on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Preserving-Japanese-Way-Traditions-Fermenting/dp/1449450881