Sunday, July 1, 2012

WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE GIANT ZUCCHINI

Have you ever grown zucchini and one day you go out to check on them and you find a giant one!  How in the world do they grow so fast?

Well, don't toss them out.  They are still very good.  I make several batches of zucchini bread from them.  You can make zucchini cake, bread, cookies and muffins. 

My brother is the one who is growing the zucchini this year and I asked him to let some of his get big for me to use.

Nope, not for anything I have already mentioned.  I wanted to can zucchini pineapple.  That's right!  You read that correctly. 

So what is zucchini pineapple, you ask?  Well, it's zucchini that taste just like pineapple and you can use it just like you would any pineapple.  It's also a wonderful way to use up all that zucchini and get your kids to eat it without even knowing.

Want to learn how to make it?  OK, then read on.

You need to peel you zucchini.  I cut mine up in smaller sizes as it's much easier to handle.

I used a knife but I guess you could use a potato peeler if you wanted to.

Now, take out all the seeds.  A mellon baller is easy to use for this.

Then cut up your zucchini into the size you want.  If you want to have "crushed pineapple" then just grate it up. 

I wanted chunks.

In a large pot add 46 oz. canned unsweetened pineapple juice, 1 1/2 cups bottled lemon juice and 3 cups of sugar.  Then add your zucchini.

Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

Fill your hot, clean pint size jars with the zucchini and liquid.  Leave 1/2 inch headspace.  Adjust your lids and process in a water bath for 15 mins.

Remove and wait for the ping sound.

The recipe actually calls for you to use 4 quarts of zucchini but I only used the one large one so I had extra liquid left over and I only got 4 pints of zucchini pineapple. 

If you use the 4 quarts of zucchini you should get 8-9 pints.

If you are like me and don't use all the zucchini you will be left with at least 1/2 the liquid and you can make jelly from it by adding pectin to it.  

I couldn't wait to taste this so I left one piece out to cool off and eat.  I was so shocked that it really does taste like you are eating pineapple and it even looks like it too.

Hope you will try this too and let me know what you think.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the link on SB Canning's FB page! This looks great, now I need to get some pineapple juice :)

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  2. Hi Joanne!

    How have you been? Love to can stuff and this is an awesome and clever idea!! I've got to try this!

    I had to close my blog for a bit and have teamed up with Marie @ Dolls by Marie Antionett Blog, she needs someone to create her posts for a while due to health issues. We're having lots of fun.

    Please stop by to wish Marie a happy birthday if you have a chance! We'd love to hear from you!

    Hugs, "Edie" (Sherry from Edie Marie's Attic)

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  3. Awesome idea!!! I am sure to try this. I have zucchini growing like mad and have ran out of ideas of ways to save it. This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing it.

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  4. Found you through SB cannings FB page! I can't wait to try this!!

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  5. They cook up real tender on the bbq too.

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  6. This is really ingenious. Thank you.

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  7. Can't wait to try this. Want to plant zucchinis now.

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  8. Have to say thank you for this great idea!!! Its amazing and really tastes exactly like pineapples!

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  9. Have to say thank you for this great idea!!! Its amazing and really tastes exactly like pineapples!

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  10. Have to say thank you for this great idea!!! Its amazing and really tastes exactly like pineapples!

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  11. New to jelly. How much of the pectin to the juice?

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  12. Where do I find unsweetened pineapple juice? I looked everywhere to no avail please help

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  13. Where do I find unsweetened pineapple juice? I looked everywhere to no avail please help

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  14. Great recipe I made some right away and everyone loved it and could not believe it was zucchini! Keep the recipes coming

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  15. Found Libby's sugar free all natural, 100% Pineapple Juice from concentrate.

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  16. Quantity is so confusing. 4 quarts zucchini? What is that in cup measurements? Or 1 large zucchini makes 8 pints?

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  17. One and a half bottle lemon juice??? Referring to 8 oz, 150z or larger bottle of lemon juice? In the middle of canning this recipe and very disappointed. Quantity of zucchini, quantity of lemon juice. Not sure How this will turn out because I may waste food. Waste of time and effort.

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  18. Carol Ferguson - the recipe calls for one and a half CUPS of lemon juice.

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