How to Make Homemade English Mint Sauce.

Photos coming soon

What would roast lamb be without a traditional English mint sauce? Now you can make your own bottled / canned mint sauce! You can store it in your refrigerator or, if you have a pressure canner, on the shelf.

You do need to use a pressure canner if you want to store the jars without refrigerating them. Every university food science department and the government will tell you that it just is not safe to use the water bath bath method; it takes the higher temperatures of the pressure canner to kill the botulism bacteria.

See this FAQ for details: Can I use a water-bath canner instead of a pressure canner for low acid foods like mint leaves and greens?

BUT, with a pressure canner it's easy.  And although a pressure canner costs $100 to $200 (see this page for pressure canners models, makes and prices), they last a lifetime, and your children and grandchildren may be using it. You can also find free information from the USDA in this PDF file (it will take a while to load!) about selecting and using canners here!

So, here's how to make the mint sauce! The directions are  complete with instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. In the winter when you open a jar, the mint will taste MUCH better than any store-bought canned mint sauce (although I think frozen greens will taste ten times better than canned).

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of about 8 months, and aside from storing in a cool, dark place, require no special attention. If you'd rather freeze your mint, see my page on how to freeze mint and greens. Even easier than canning and they will taste just like fresh.. but it does take up space in the freezer.

Directions for Making Canned mint sauce

Ingredients and Equipment

Yield: 1 cup of sauce per 2 cups of packed raw, fresh mint leaves.

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the mint

The most important step!  You need mint that are FRESH and crisp.  Limp, old mint will make nasty tasting canned mint.  Guests will probably throw them at you.. Select filled but tender, firm, crisp mint. Discard any wilted, discolored, diseased, or insect- damaged leaves. Leaves should be tender and attractive in color.

How much mint and where to get them

You can grow your own, pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. 1 cup of raw leaves makes 1/2 cup of finely chopped leaves, and that makes about 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of sauce. So, an average of 1 pound is needed to make each two 4 ounce jars. But really, all that matters is that you measure the finely chopped leaves!

Step 2 - Prepare the jars and pressure canner

Wash the jars and lids

This is a good time to get the jars ready! The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle. Otherwise put the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. I just put the lids in a small pot of almost boiling water for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" (available from target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page) to pull them out.

Get a large pot of water boiling

We will use this water to pour over the mint and fill each jar with liquid, after we've packed them full of mint. I use the largest pot I have, so that there is plenty of clean, boiling water ready when I need it.

Get the pressure canner heating up

Rinse out your pressure canner, put the rack plate in the bottom, and fill it to a depth of 4 inches with hot tap water. (of course, follow the instruction that came with the canner, if they are different). Put it on the stove over low heat, with the lid OFF of it, just to get it heating up for later on.

Step 3 -Wash the mint!

I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the mint in plain cold or lukewarm water. Wash only small amounts of mint at one time. Drain water and continue rinsing until water is clear and free of grit.

Step 4 - pick off the leaves and chop them

You just want healthy, green leaves. Pick off the leaves and discard everything else.

Chop the leaves into fine pieces. A blender works very well, using a little of the vinegar, just enough to keep it moving.  (Purists, and perhaps Gordon Ramsey, will insist on hand chopping the leaves; I just haven't got that much free time!)

Step 5 - Cooking

Bring the remaining vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan, add the sugar and chopped leaves. This is both cooking and blanching.  It stops the bacteria and enzymes from degrading the quality during storage.

Simmer for about 20 minutes. You can vary the sugar or water to taste.

Step 6 - Packing the mint sauce in the canning jars

A funnel works well to add the sauce, but stir as you pour it in. The mint tends to settle to the bottom of the jar, stirring helps to get an even mix. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch of space at the TOP of the jar.  That is called "headspace" and is needed for expansion during heading.

Now, if you don't have a pressure canner, just stop here!  Let the jars cool for an hour, then pop them into your refrigerator, where they will be good for 3 to 6 months!

Step 7 - Put the lids and rings on

Put the lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and screwing it down snugly (but not with all your might, just "snug"). Those outside the U.S. generally won't have access to these jars and just use a single lid system.  Just snug the lid on  and carry on to step 8.

Step 8- Put the jars in the canner and the lid on the canner

Using the jar tongs, put the jars on the rack in the canner.  Make sure the tops of the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.

Step 9 - Process for 20 minutes*

The chart below will help you determine the right processing time and pressure, if you have a different type of canner, or are above sea level. There is no lab tested recipe from the USDA for mint sauce, so these times are approximations from their pickled beets recipe, which also uses vinegar and ought to be similar. But I offer the recipe "as is" since I haven't got a lab-tested version to use as a basis. You can always just refrigerate it without canning the mint sauce.

For most people, using a plain open water bath canner, the time will be between 20 to 35 minutes. You can use either a plain water bath canner OR a pressure canner, since the vinegar adds so much acidity (if you can vegetables other than tomatoes without adding vinegar, you must use a pressure canner). 

It is important to learn how to operate your pressure canner by reading the owner's manual that came with your particular canner. If you can not find your owner's manual, you can obtain find one online: Here is where to find some common manufacturer's manuals:

• Presto canner manuals

or by contacting the company that made your canner. Give the model number to the manufacturer, and they will send you the right manual. Click here for more information about pressure canners and a variety of models you can order.

Step 10 - Remove the jars

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool on a wooden cutting board or a towel,  without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight), here they won't be bumped. You can then remove the rings if you like, but if you leave them on, at least loosen them quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped moisture. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok. You're done!

Other Equipment:

From left to right: Jar lifting tongs to pick up hot jars Lid lifter - to remove lids from the pot of boiling water (sterilizing ) Lid - disposable - you may only use them once Ring - holds the lids on the jar until after the jars cool - then you don't need them Canning jar funnel - to fill the jars

Pressure canners! If you want to can low-acid foods such as red meats, sea food, poultry, milk, and all fresh vegetables with the exception of most tomatoes,  you will need a pressure canner.  These foods  fit into the low acid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. The temperature which must be reached and maintained (for a specified amount of time) to kill the bacteria is 240 F. Pressure canning is the only canning method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and fish. Ordinary water bath canners can only reach 212 F and can not to kill the types of bacteria that will grow in low acid foods. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure as achieved in quality pressure canners. There are several manufacturers of pressure canners.  The two leading ones are Presto and All American (Wisconsin Aluminum). They are more expensive than water bath canners, but extremely well built - I bought mine in 1988 and it still looks and works like new!
	Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner Amazon usually has this (through the links at left) for about $79.  (which is a GREAT price for a pressure canner).  Click on the links at left for more info and current pricing. Features: 17 by 15-1/2 inches; 12-year warranty Heavy-duty 23-quart aluminum pressure canner and cooker Comfortably ergonomic, stay-cool black plastic handles Strong-lock lid with pressure regulator, dial gauge, and overpressure plug Comes with canning rack to protect jars during canning
	Shown at left is the Presto 23 quart pressure canner. Features below and click here for more information or to purchase from Target. Features: The easy-to-read dial gauge automatically registers a complete range of processing pressures Includes cooking/canning rack and complete instruction/recipe book and has a 22-quart liquid capacity Aluminum construction Holds seven 1-quart Mason jars
	All American Pressure Canner and Cooker #921 Features: Exclusive "metal-to-metal" sealing system Automatic overpressure release and easy-to-read geared steam guage Professional quality, extra heavy duty cast aluminum The smallest size holds 19 pint jars and 7 quart jars; the largest holds 32 pint jars or 19 quart jars One-year warranty
	5-Piece Canning Accessories Kit Five-piece set: funnel, jar lifter, lid lifter, jar wrench, and tongs Vinyl coating improves grip and prevents heat transfer Extra-wide funnel mouth Ideal for home canning Hand washable only Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours

In the UK, use this link:

Bean "Frenchers" It is tiring and laborious to prepare green beans for canning; there are so many of them and you do them all by hand.  But wait there's a new device that makes it easy.  Hmmm, actually, these devices have been around since our great-grandfather's day!  Here are several different types and makes, some hand fed, some cranked: choose the one that meets your need and budget! For photos and features of the bean frenchers, click here!

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This page was updated on 23-Apr-2012