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4 cups lean beef (chuck is good) cut in 1-inch cubes

4 cups new potatoes cut in ½-inch cubes

4 cups carrots cut in ½-inch pieces

4 cups small whole onions, peeled

1½ cups coarsely chopped celery

Put prepared meat in a very large bowl; add vegetables and mix with the meat. Pack firmly into clean, hot pint jars, leaving 1 inch of headroom, and apportion juices collected in the bowl among the jars, adding ¼ cup boiling water to each jar if needed. (Add an optional ½ teaspoon salt to each pint jar.) Wipe sealing rims of jars. Use two-piece screwband lids adjust firmly tight.

Process in a Pressure Canner at 10 psig (240 F/116 C) for 60 minutes.

• Adjustment for my altitude_________________.

Pie Fillings

Following are well-tested pie fillings: the first two are good friends and fine performers from CES-Nebraska. Tapioca as the firming agent is more stable than cornstarch, which formerly was used here. All-purpose flour, in twice the amount of tapioca, can be used, though; the result will not be clear, and will be stiff. (The best thickener is ClearJel used in Apple Pie II, Cherry Pie II, and Blueberry Pie.)

Fillings may be canned in pints for pie-for-two, or in ½-pints (processing times for either are the same as for quarts). Make adjustments for your altitude throughout.

Nebraska’s Apple Pie Filling

6 or 7 quarts

4½ cups sugar

1 cup quick-cooking tapioca

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

10 cups water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 or 3 drops yellow or red food coloring (optional)

8 to 9 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

(about 16 cups of sliced apples)

In a large saucepan blend the first five dry ingredients. Stir in 10 cups water, cook on medium-high heat; stir until thickened and bubbly; cook an additional 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and, if desired, food coloring. Add the apples to the sauce. Stir constantly and bring mixture up to a rolling boil; cook 1 minute. Promptly ladle mixture into jars, leaving ½ inch headroom. Adjust lids, process in Boiling–Water Bath: pints 25 minutes, quarts 25 minutes. Remove jars; complete seals if using bailed jars.

Prepare pastry for a two-crust, 9-inch pie. Line pie plate with pastry; add 1 quart of apple pie filling. Adjust top crust, cutting slits for escape of steam; seal. Bake at 400 F/205 C for 50 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned.

Nebraska’s Cherry Pie Filling

6 or 7 quarts

The relative amount of sugar needs to be increased because cherries are more sour than apples. Almond extract or kirsch are the flavorings commonly used in cherry pie.

7 cups sugar

1 cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

7 cups water

1 teaspoon pure almond extract or ¾ cup kirsch

3 tablespoons lemon juice

9 pounds pitted cherries (sour)

Blend the dry ingredients and add water and flavoring. Cook on medium-high heat and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook an additional 2 minutes and add lemon juice. Add the cherries to the sauce. Gently stir and bring mixture up to a rolling boil for 1 minute, ladle mixture into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headroom. Adjust lids; process in a Boiling–Water Bath: pints for 25 minutes, quarts for 25 minutes. Remove jars; complete seals if using bailed jars.

Cherry Pie Filling II: USDA-CES

1 or 7 quarts

1 Quart

Fresh sour cherries 3⅓ cups 6 quarts

Granulated sugar 1 cup 7 cups

ClearJel ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon 1¾ cups

Cold water 1⅓ cups 9⅓ cups

Bottled lemon juice 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. ½ cup

Ground cinnamon (optional) ⅛ tsp. 1 teaspoon

Almond extract (optional) ¼ teaspoon 2 teaspoons

Red food coloring (optional) 6 drops ¼ teaspoon

Rinse and pit cherries, and hold in cold water. To prevent stem end browning, use ascorbic acid solution (see Apple Pie Filling II). Combine sugar, ClearJel, and cinnamon in a large saucepan; add water, and optional food coloring or almond extract. Stir mixture and cook over medium-high