What's for dinner?

silvermouse

@CalvinAndHobo said:
I like pickles a decent amount, but nothing crazy. garlic pickles is an idea. Compound butter another idea. @Yakster if I have the jars with shoulders, can I just not fill them up, and leave some room, so that when it freezes and expands, it doesn't get tall enough to reach the start of the shoulder?

That is right, about 1 1/2".

Rdp77

@CalvinAndHobo you mentioned stew. A good hearty chicken soup is good canned. You can make egg noodles in about ten minutes to pour it over.

Yakster

Here's the AI answer which seems reasonable. Sounds like as long as you leave room for expansion, you should be fine.

Freezing with Canning Jars That Have Shoulders
Jars with shoulders (the curved section narrowing toward the mouth) can be used for freezing, but extra care is needed to prevent breakage due to expansion.

Fill below the shoulder: Never fill above the shoulder area. Leave at least 1 inch of space below the shoulder to allow for expansion. This is the most critical rule—overfilling even slightly increases the risk of cracking.
Use the freeze line: Many jars have a "freeze line" etched or embossed below the threads. Do not exceed this line. If no line exists, treat the shoulder as the upper limit.
Cool before freezing: Always let the food cool to room temperature, ideally overnight in the refrigerator, before placing it in the freezer. Avoid placing hot jars directly into the freezer.
Loose lid or no lid: Leave the lid loose or remove it entirely until the contents are fully frozen. This allows pressure and expansion to release safely. Once frozen, you can secure the lid tightly.
Avoid jar damage: Use only undamaged jars with no chips or cracks. Avoid recycled jars (like old spaghetti sauce bottles), as they are not designed for freezing.
Alternative approach: If you're still concerned, freeze the jar without a lid until solid, then add the lid. This method eliminates pressure buildup entirely.

CalvinAndHobo

@Rdp77 said:
@CalvinAndHobo you mentioned stew. A good hearty chicken soup is good canned. You can make egg noodles in about ten minutes to pour it over.

I actually already have this in the freezer from a month ago, just duck instead of chicken, it's going to be very good.

@Yakster said:
Alternative approach: If you're still concerned, freeze the jar without a lid until solid, then add the lid. This method eliminates pressure buildup entirely.

This looks like the most full proof way to not have to stress about anything.

According to google, because I don't have a pressure canner, using the big jars is dumb because things like roasted red peppers will only last for a few weeks in the fridge, so it'd be smarter to freeze smaller portions and take them out one at a time instead of thawing a whole jar of something and having most of it not get used. That's kind of lame, but alas. At least I have those ice cube trays that make the really big cubes. I think this is the plan:

Garlic and rosemary infused olive oil, with a stupid amount of garlic
Save the garlic confit
Caramelized onions
Roasted red peppers
Bacon jam

CalvinAndHobo

Happy Valentine’s Day

CalvinAndHobo

(How do you caramelize 7 large onions and only end up with enough for some bacon jam and 4 large ice cube’s worth. It’s worse than spinach.)

Yakster

You should see collard greens shrink down.

Mini-cheesecakes not shown.

TRayB

@CalvinAndHobo said:
Happy Valentine’s Day

Those freakin' garlics though! I love roasted garlic spread on fresh bread.

Cheapsmoke

Here is the cheesecake
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