Thriving in the Dead of Alaska Winter | Canning Moose Chilli, Wild Foraged Jam & A Winter Hunt

This week has dipped into the hard negatives, until we got a beautiful day. While it was cold we took the time to preserve some food and stock the pantry with wild game and foraged berries, a hearty moose chilli and old-fashioned honey sweetened wild blueberry jam. When it warmed up, we finally got outside to do a little bird hunting around the homestead. We cooked our catch over an open fire with some homemade sourdough & jam. In between, we did a little wiring project and got ready for an (unexpected) mishap & trip into the city.

Thank You for following along as we build our life on the last frontier!
-Dennis, Amy & Lena
filmed at our cabin on the fringes of the wilderness

HOMESTEAD RECIPES

Old Fashioned Honey Blueberry Jam
(from Ball Canning)
-4.5lbs berries
-1.5 C honey
-2 tsp lemon
cinnamon, or vanilla (optional)4

1. Combine a;ll ingredients and simmer 20 min, until jammed up.
2. Fill sterilized jars to 1/4" headspace, check for air bubbles, wipe rims, tighten lids.
3. Process in water bath 10 min, adjusting for altitude.

Chilli Con Carne
(from National Center for Food Preservation)
3 cups dried pinto or red kidney beans
5-1/2 cups water
5 tsp salt (separated)
3 lbs ground beef
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
3 to 6 tbsp chili powder
2 qts crushed or whole tomatoes
Yield: 9 pints

1. Wash beans thoroughly and place them in a 2 qt saucepan. Add cold water to a level of 2 to 3 inches above the beans and soak 12 to 18 hours. Drain and discard water. Combine beans with 5-1/2 cups of fresh water, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat simmer 30 minutes. Drain and discard water. 2. Brown ground beef, chopped onions, and peppers, if desired, in a skillet. Drain off fat and add 3 teaspoons salt, pepper, chili powder, tomatoes, and drained cooked beans. Simmer 5 minutes.

Do not thicken. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process 75 min.