How should I preserve grape leaves?
 

Now this is weird: I posted this question here a few days ago (Friday)
and for some reason it never showed up at all. So just in case it
disappeared into the Twilight Zone, I'll ask again. Thanks for your
patience!

I live out in the boonies which has its' good and bad points. One of
the good points is that the wild grape leaves are ready to use right
now. Lots and lots and lots of them!

I love dolmanthes (and am going to do up a whole bunch and freeze
them,) but since we're looking at moving early Spring, we will be in a
city and won't have the luxury of harvesting grape leaves.

Would someone know the proper procedure & brine or ingredients on how
to preserve this?

Thanks kindly for your advice :)

Karen

justme wrote:
> Now this is weird: I posted this question here a few days ago (Friday)
> and for some reason it never showed up at all. So just in case it
> disappeared into the Twilight Zone, I'll ask again. Thanks for your
> patience!
>
> I live out in the boonies which has its' good and bad points. One of
> the good points is that the wild grape leaves are ready to use right
> now. Lots and lots and lots of them!
>
> I love dolmanthes (and am going to do up a whole bunch and freeze
> them,) but since we're looking at moving early Spring, we will be in a
> city and won't have the luxury of harvesting grape leaves.
>
> Would someone know the proper procedure & brine or ingredients on how
> to preserve this?
>
> Thanks kindly for your advice :)
>
> Karen
Freezing seems to be the safest way to preserve them, otherwise you
would have to pickle them since they are a low acid food, or find a safe
time for pressure canning them and they would be pretty dense. Perhaps
you should ask that question of the National Center for Food
Preservation. They have a place to ask questions and I have always
received a very prompt reply.
Ellen

justme > wrote:

>Now this is weird: I posted this question here a few days ago (Friday)
>and for some reason it never showed up at all. So just in case it
>disappeared into the Twilight Zone, I'll ask again. Thanks for your
>patience!
>
>I live out in the boonies which has its' good and bad points. One of
>the good points is that the wild grape leaves are ready to use right
>now. Lots and lots and lots of them!
>
>I love dolmanthes (and am going to do up a whole bunch and freeze
>them,) but since we're looking at moving early Spring, we will be in a
>city and won't have the luxury of harvesting grape leaves.
>
>Would someone know the proper procedure & brine or ingredients on how
>to preserve this?
>
>Thanks kindly for your advice :)
>
>Karen

Here are two methods that I got off the 'Net some years ago.
We've used both with equally satisfactory results.

1.
Grape Vine Leaves Preserving

Usually gathered in early summer. Whether you are going to eat them
fresh or preserve them, select young whole, medium leaves (small = too
thin, large or sunburned = too tough) with a good light green color
and no holes.
Any type grape is OK. Get from unsprayed plants; most sprays are
toxic, because regulations don't count on anyone eating the leaves.
About 1 1/2 pounds of fresh leaves are the same as 1 jar of preserved
leaves.
Medium size is whatever that is for your plants; too small and they
tear up, too big and they are TOUGH AND CHEWY. Drying out/ droughty
conditions also toughen the leaves, they are most tender and best when
the water supply to the plants has been steady and sufficient.
Timing- best season is when they have just reached medium size. The
earlier in the growing season the better. The leaves thicken and
toughen the longer they are in the sun. However, a handful for a
spontaneous dinner could probably be picked any time: blanch a little
longer if you are suspicious about toughness.

To preserve/can fresh leaves:

This is a multi-step process: making bundles of leaves, blanching,
covering bundles with brine, and processing the jars.
Prepare bundles: stack 6 to 20 blanched leaves of the same size. Put
the shiny side UP. Line up the stem ends. Roll from the side. Tie
bundles with real cotton string, not poly or synthetic.
You can blanch loose and then roll, but if you are going to preserve
them, I think it is easier to make smallish bundles and then blanch
the bundles, no more than 4 at a time, for up to 3 minutes. Turn
occasionally while boiling to blanch evenly.
Pack rolls tightly in sterilized canning jars, jars all the same size,
gently bending rolls if necessary to get the ends below the shoulder
of the jar.
Make brine: 1/4 cup kosher salt or pickling salt per quart of water,
boil at least five minutes, and keep it hot. Fill the jars to cover
all bundles with at least 1/2 inch of brine above the bundles. You
need a little more than 1 cup brine per jar.
Pour hot brine to fill the jars. Use a thin wooden or plastic utensil
around the edge of each jar to get out air bubbles.
Final processing: Boiling water bath. 15 minutes for quarts, 10
minutes for pints. Cool the jars and store in a cool dark place.

2.
Preserving Grape Leaves
Preserving grape leaves is doubly gratifying - it is easy to do, and
it saves you money.
Make sure you pick grape leaves that are young, tender and
pesticide-free. Traditionally grape leaves are preserved without
undergoing the vacuum packing process; and that worked quite well
indeed but, with minor shortcomings: the jars tended to ferment and
leak and often form a moldy layer on top. The following method
takes care of these two annoyances, and the leaves stay fresh and in
excellent condition for a whole year or even longer.

Ingredients:
Freshly-picked grape leaves
250 ml (1 cup) coarse salt
2 L (8 cups) water
1 to 2 L size (4 to 8 cup size) canning jars with lids and screwbands.
a deep pot considerably taller than the pickling jars

Method:
Wash the leaves, drain, and arrange in stacks with the shiny side
facing up. Roll approximately 15 leaves tightly into a cigar shape and
secure with a string - a sewing thread will do. Do the same with the
rest of the leaves. Insert the rolls vertically into the
jars. Pack tightly, inserting as many leaves as the jar will take.
Dissolve the salt in the water. Bring to a boil and pour the brine
into the jars, wait a few minutes to allow the brine to seep through
the leaves. Add more brine to fill the jar, leaving 1/2 inch
headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Store in a cool dark place. The leaves will keep nice and fresh for
over a year.
Happy canning!

Ross.
To email, remove the "obvious" from my address.

ellen wickberg wrote:
> justme wrote:
>
>> Now this is weird: I posted this question here a few days ago (Friday)
>> and for some reason it never showed up at all. So just in case it
>> disappeared into the Twilight Zone, I'll ask again. Thanks for your
>> patience!
>>
>> I live out in the boonies which has its' good and bad points. One of
>> the good points is that the wild grape leaves are ready to use right
>> now. Lots and lots and lots of them!
>>
>> I love dolmanthes (and am going to do up a whole bunch and freeze
>> them,) but since we're looking at moving early Spring, we will be in a
>> city and won't have the luxury of harvesting grape leaves.
>>
>> Would someone know the proper procedure & brine or ingredients on how
>> to preserve this?
>>
>> Thanks kindly for your advice :)
>>
>> Karen
>
> Freezing seems to be the safest way to preserve them, otherwise you
> would have to pickle them since they are a low acid food, or find a safe
> time for pressure canning them and they would be pretty dense. Perhaps
> you should ask that question of the National Center for Food
> Preservation. They have a place to ask questions and I have always
> received a very prompt reply.
> Ellen

I've never tried to preserve them since they are so cheap in the local
grocery stores but: grape leaves are normally preserved in a very heavy
brine. Pulled a jar of Krinos brand leaves out of the pantry and the
ingredients are, in descending order of predominance: grape leaves,
water, salt, vinegar, sodium metabifulfite (preservative to retain color).

I only make dolmas a couple of times a year because they are very labor
intensive and then there's the cooking time. Generally make a large
stockpot full and freeze the few that are leftover.

Our favorite meal when friends come over is mostly composed of
Mediterranean (the latest catch term for Middle East cookery) finger
foods, hummos, tabbouleh, dolmas, kibbe, etc. It's amazing how much of
that stuff along with pita bread that several adults can eat.

George

I've rolled them up, stuffed into a jar, and covered in vinegar.
Refridgerate. Rinse well before using.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

RR wrote:
> justme > wrote:
>
>
>>Now this is weird: I posted this question here a few days ago (Friday)
>>and for some reason it never showed up at all. So just in case it
>>disappeared into the Twilight Zone, I'll ask again. Thanks for your
>>patience!
>>
>>I live out in the boonies which has its' good and bad points. One of
>>the good points is that the wild grape leaves are ready to use right
>>now. Lots and lots and lots of them!
>>
>>I love dolmanthes (and am going to do up a whole bunch and freeze
>>them,) but since we're looking at moving early Spring, we will be in a
>>city and won't have the luxury of harvesting grape leaves.
>>
>>Would someone know the proper procedure & brine or ingredients on how
>>to preserve this?
>>
>>Thanks kindly for your advice :)
>>
>>Karen
>
>
> Here are two methods that I got off the 'Net some years ago.
> We've used both with equally satisfactory results.
>
> 1.
> Grape Vine Leaves Preserving
>
> Usually gathered in early summer. Whether you are going to eat them
> fresh or preserve them, select young whole, medium leaves (small = too
> thin, large or sunburned = too tough) with a good light green color
> and no holes.
> Any type grape is OK. Get from unsprayed plants; most sprays are
> toxic, because regulations don't count on anyone eating the leaves.
> About 1 1/2 pounds of fresh leaves are the same as 1 jar of preserved
> leaves.
> Medium size is whatever that is for your plants; too small and they
> tear up, too big and they are TOUGH AND CHEWY. Drying out/ droughty
> conditions also toughen the leaves, they are most tender and best when
> the water supply to the plants has been steady and sufficient.
> Timing- best season is when they have just reached medium size. The
> earlier in the growing season the better. The leaves thicken and
> toughen the longer they are in the sun. However, a handful for a
> spontaneous dinner could probably be picked any time: blanch a little
> longer if you are suspicious about toughness.
>
> To preserve/can fresh leaves:
>
> This is a multi-step process: making bundles of leaves, blanching,
> covering bundles with brine, and processing the jars.
> Prepare bundles: stack 6 to 20 blanched leaves of the same size. Put
> the shiny side UP. Line up the stem ends. Roll from the side. Tie
> bundles with real cotton string, not poly or synthetic.
> You can blanch loose and then roll, but if you are going to preserve
> them, I think it is easier to make smallish bundles and then blanch
> the bundles, no more than 4 at a time, for up to 3 minutes. Turn
> occasionally while boiling to blanch evenly.
> Pack rolls tightly in sterilized canning jars, jars all the same size,
> gently bending rolls if necessary to get the ends below the shoulder
> of the jar.
> Make brine: 1/4 cup kosher salt or pickling salt per quart of water,
> boil at least five minutes, and keep it hot. Fill the jars to cover
> all bundles with at least 1/2 inch of brine above the bundles. You
> need a little more than 1 cup brine per jar.
> Pour hot brine to fill the jars. Use a thin wooden or plastic utensil
> around the edge of each jar to get out air bubbles.
> Final processing: Boiling water bath. 15 minutes for quarts, 10
> minutes for pints. Cool the jars and store in a cool dark place.
>
> 2.
> Preserving Grape Leaves
> Preserving grape leaves is doubly gratifying - it is easy to do, and
> it saves you money.
> Make sure you pick grape leaves that are young, tender and
> pesticide-free. Traditionally grape leaves are preserved without
> undergoing the vacuum packing process; and that worked quite well
> indeed but, with minor shortcomings: the jars tended to ferment and
> leak and often form a moldy layer on top. The following method
> takes care of these two annoyances, and the leaves stay fresh and in
> excellent condition for a whole year or even longer.
>
> Ingredients:
> Freshly-picked grape leaves
> 250 ml (1 cup) coarse salt
> 2 L (8 cups) water
> 1 to 2 L size (4 to 8 cup size) canning jars with lids and screwbands.
> a deep pot considerably taller than the pickling jars
>
> Method:
> Wash the leaves, drain, and arrange in stacks with the shiny side
> facing up. Roll approximately 15 leaves tightly into a cigar shape and
> secure with a string - a sewing thread will do. Do the same with the
> rest of the leaves. Insert the rolls vertically into the
> jars. Pack tightly, inserting as many leaves as the jar will take.
> Dissolve the salt in the water. Bring to a boil and pour the brine
> into the jars, wait a few minutes to allow the brine to seep through
> the leaves. Add more brine to fill the jar, leaving 1/2 inch
> headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
> Store in a cool dark place. The leaves will keep nice and fresh for
> over a year.
> Happy canning!
>
> Ross.
> To email, remove the "obvious" from my address.
BWB for vegetables is not usually recommended because of botulism risk.
Pickles that are left to ferment before canning usually develop
their own acid, but these are canned directly. Refrigerator storage is
safe because the C.bot spores do not grow at that temperature.
Ellen

I want to thank everyone for their help, the links and the How-to. I
think I'm going to go and freeze them as I don't have a pressure
cooker yet (hoping my hubby darling will take the hint).

I really enjoy this group. The backbiting and bitchiness is gloriously
absent here; and the good humour and jokes are just fantastic.

Thanks so much!
Karen

PS: Mom loved the comments about the bugs and blueberry thread. She
doesn't have a computer so I read a lot of the threads to her over the
phone. (I almost have her convinced on getting a computer - even a
smaller refurbished one to start with).