The Beasleys love asparagus. When they can buy it fresh for a good price, they purchase it in bulk and can it for future use, like making eggs Benedict or combined with sautéed onions for a side dish. For a treat for the eyes, look for purple asparagus at the farmers’ market.
MAKES: about 4 pint jars or two 1-quart jars
INGREDIENTS:
- 7 pounds asparagus
- Boiling water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rinse the asparagus to remove any dirt and drain well on a wire rack or several layers of paper towels. Remove the tough ends and cut into pieces 1 inch shorter than the jar height. Rinse again and drain well.
- Snugly pack the asparagus, spear end up, into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Ladle the boiling water into the jars, covering the asparagus and maintaining the 1-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. If necessary, add more liquid to maintain the headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply hot lids and screw bands.
- Process pint jars for 30 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure in a dial-gauge pressure canner or at 10 pounds of pressure in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
- After the processing time is complete, remove the canner from the heat. Let the pressure return to zero before removing the jars from the canner. Let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals and remove the screw bands. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.
