Self-reliance often means making more of your own food and preserving the food you grow yourself. Browse this section of Homestead How-to to learn how to become more self-reliant in the kitchen! Articles include cooking from scratch, canning, preserving, and using your garden produce to its fullest potential!
Roasting garlic is a great way to make your harvest last longer and to have garlic on hand any time you need it to spice up your meals. The process of roasting garlic is simple, and there are multiple options for storage. Learning how to …
Do you love brownies? Have you ever cooked brownies in a cast iron skillet? If not, then it’s time to give this cooking technique a try! Cooking brownies in a cast iron skillet (also known as “skillet brownies”) has many benefits and is worth the …
Seasoned salt is basically salt that has been flavored with herbs or spices. It can be used for a variety of purposes, and is very easy to make. I love to make homemade seasoned salt with fresh herbs from my garden when they are in-season. …
Making tomato sauce in an instant pot or slow cooker is not only possible, it is a great solution for easy tomato sauce. If you’re looking for a way to make tomato sauce that requires less supervision, using the slow cooker or your instant pot, …
Drying black currants is a great way to preserve this tart summer berry. Dried black currants can be used in sweet baking projects like scones or cookies, or they can be added to savory dishes like stuffing or rice. Drying black currants at home is …
Cast iron pans are one of my favorite homestead kitchen tools. They heat up well, don’t stick too much, can go from stovetop to oven, and last decades (if you take care of them). Learning how to clean and season cast iron pans is essential …
Making maple syrup is a labor of love, especially for a hobby sugaring operation with small equipment. Reverse osmosis is a process that can speed up syrup production by removing a significant amount of water from the sap before you put it in your evaporator. …
Cleaning maple sap buckets after you collect sap, or in preparation for this year’s collection, is essential for food safety. Clean sap buckets ensure that you are not introducing any pathogens or bacteria into the sap that you are collecting to make maple syrup. Cleaning …
Stocking your pantry is a common strategy to prepare for emergencies or the need to space out visits to the grocery store. It is a reasonable idea, and one that came in handy in 2020 – the year of the pandemic. But you don’t have …
Homemade pumpkin puree is so much better than the canned stuff you buy at the store. The flavor of homemade puree is much richer, and the texture can vary depending on how you want to use it. If you grow your own pumpkins, you can …