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Batch: Over 200 Recipes, Tips and Techniques for a Well Preserved Kitchen: A Cookbook
“In the world of preserving, Joel MacCharles and Dana Harrison are the masters, the authority. Batch packs everything you’ll ever need to know about preserving into one cohesive bible. Joel and Dana’s passion project takes a deep dive into the fundamentals of preserving and offers both simple and adventurous, and totally flavor-forward recipes.” —Chef Curtis Stone, New York Times bestselling author and chef/owner of Maude Restaurant
Joel and Dana’s journey into preserving began with an innocent lesson in making jam. Almost a decade later, WellPreserved.ca is an extraordinary resource for both beginners and experts alike. Their much-anticipated first cookbook showcases seven different preserving techniques—waterbath canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, cellaring, salting & smoking, and infusing—and takes readers on a trip to the market in twenty-five ingredients. Within each ingredient chapter, you’ll find multiple preserving recipes using the different methods. From apples, pears, peaches and rhubarb, to asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and covering a variety of meat and fish, Batch teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your kitchen.
With their signature approachable and fun style, Joel and Dana showcase techniques for a variety of skill levels, explain how to batch your recipes to make two preserves at once, give you multiple options for preserving in ten minutes or less, and serve up mouthwatering center-of-the-plate meals that take your preserves from the pantry to the table. With personal anecdotes, creative and incredible recipes, and beautiful photography and illustrations, Batch will show you how to incorporate preserving into your life and your community.
Joel and Dana’s journey into preserving began with an innocent lesson in making jam. Almost a decade later, WellPreserved.ca is an extraordinary resource for both beginners and experts alike. Their much-anticipated first cookbook showcases seven different preserving techniques—waterbath canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, cellaring, salting & smoking, and infusing—and takes readers on a trip to the market in twenty-five ingredients. Within each ingredient chapter, you’ll find multiple preserving recipes using the different methods. From apples, pears, peaches and rhubarb, to asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and covering a variety of meat and fish, Batch teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your kitchen.
With their signature approachable and fun style, Joel and Dana showcase techniques for a variety of skill levels, explain how to batch your recipes to make two preserves at once, give you multiple options for preserving in ten minutes or less, and serve up mouthwatering center-of-the-plate meals that take your preserves from the pantry to the table. With personal anecdotes, creative and incredible recipes, and beautiful photography and illustrations, Batch will show you how to incorporate preserving into your life and your community.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2016
33 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 20, 2017
overall fun book-- nicely thought out, designed, and photographed. i think this is one of the best "all-in-one" preservation books i've come across in terms of diversity of food items, but keeping it easy in its approach without overwhelming recipes or suggestions, but with enough to give you something to go on if you want to explore a preservation method further!
January 9, 2017
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Lots of creative recipes and clear instructions on the various methods of preserving. Water bath canning, pressure canning, fermenting, cellaring, salting, etc., very cool! My only reservation lies in some of the WARNING introductory language. At first glance the book sells itself as a way to introduce preserving to novices and taking all of the fear and apprehension out of it. However in the very first few passages it tends to fear-monger and discourage experimenting (which I agree with to a certain degree, this is science and botulism is not awesome), but when you tell me not to trust my grandma's canning methods or recipes that's where I'ma tune out and take what you say with a grain of salt. Sure, methods and food stability standards have changed over the years, but my Grams made the most bangin pickles and sauces and did so with every precaution and understanding of the science. Don't freak people out right out of the gate, I would love to see preserving come back full swing in my generation.
September 18, 2017
We have tried out some of the recipes this year with all of our canning to give us some new flavours. I like that sugar is not heavy in the recipes and that honey is used in place of in many recipes that would require some sweetening. We will definitely be enjoying some of these goodies this winter.
January 3, 2021
I started doing preserves to keep myself busy during the pandemic. Batch is packed with useful information about all types of preserves. I enjoyed how it's organized by fruits/vegetables. The layout and design are beautiful. Although I won't do many of the techniques due to lack of space it's a great reference book to have in your cookbook collection.
April 1, 2024
This book is full of great information about preserving food. I have a large garden and regular get large summer "dumps" of specific foods that are growing well and need a way to save the food for the off season. I love how this book is written to help people like be accomplish this. Plus they give tips on how to use the persevered food, to which can be a challenge.
December 26, 2019
It's pretty organized and well written. This is not a revelation but really interesting for people who want to try new things. Not sure really about the fuzz around "Batching" as it's really not a clue of the book. Kind of a bait.
July 21, 2020
One of the best preserving books i have read. Great book if you have a vegetable garden and want to use all the parts of the fruit or veg. No need to buy any exotic produce. And some fantastic recipe ideas to use your preserves with. Highly Recommend.
July 4, 2017
Hands-down my favorite preserving book!
January 14, 2018
Excellent resource, beautifully photographed. Lots of great recipes and ideas throughout, sprinkled with stories of the author's journey of home preservation.
December 27, 2021
Lots of good ideas
July 24, 2023
Definitely one of the most inspiring recipe books I have perused this year. Not all the recipes are easy-peasy though, and often specialized equipment is needed. Not for the novice preserver!
August 4, 2016
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I discovered Joel MacCharles and Dana Harrison's Batch after receiving it for review from Appetite by Random House, and WHOA, I must say that I am so impressed with the outcome of the recipes, the authors' organization throughout the recipe book, the unique recipes found, and how much effort was put into this cookbook, making it unique from others and certainly one that I will use over and over again. EVERYONE NEEDS THIS. Just as the synopsis says, "Batch teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your kitchen," I certainly believe that this statement is true towards the whole cookbook, and I will recommend it to any beginner cooks who are looking for healthier alternatives than your regular dishes fried on a pan with loads of oil and nasty stuff. In this case, the authors provide readers/cooks with their expertise, sharing tips on how to make different vegetables and yummy ingredients have this chef flair that will make you want to eat the whole pot/pan/dish that you created the meal with.
The first dish I tried was the tomato sauce mixed with lemon juice and peppers. WOW. My mom and I usually created tomato sauce using just a bushel of tomatoes, but the authors were fabulous with giving this good ol' Italian dish their own flair with lemon juice. I really preferred eating my spaghetti with that sauce, compared to the regular tomato one, since I'm not a big fan of tomato sauce as a whole. Here is a photo of my creation:
You see, this is a splendid summer cookbook. You could definitely create some of the dishes included here during any time of the year, but I have sticky noted many that seem perfect for the barbecue this summer. I love how there is a big focus on flavour and preservation and sauces, because many cookbook authors/chefs seem to just focus on the food itself, but the sauces/dips certainly play a humungous role in how you taste the dish.
Batch is a lovely cookbook that I would certainly recommend to all beginners, amateurs and food lovers or chefs. We need to promote it, because it has a gorgeous cover and amazing content that is difficult to find online, or in any other cookbook that is out there. I would adore to sit in Joel and Dana's kitchen and just taste and sniff the gorgeous smells of spices, sauces and meals found in this book and beyond.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
I discovered Joel MacCharles and Dana Harrison's Batch after receiving it for review from Appetite by Random House, and WHOA, I must say that I am so impressed with the outcome of the recipes, the authors' organization throughout the recipe book, the unique recipes found, and how much effort was put into this cookbook, making it unique from others and certainly one that I will use over and over again. EVERYONE NEEDS THIS. Just as the synopsis says, "Batch teaches you everything you need to know to get the most out of your kitchen," I certainly believe that this statement is true towards the whole cookbook, and I will recommend it to any beginner cooks who are looking for healthier alternatives than your regular dishes fried on a pan with loads of oil and nasty stuff. In this case, the authors provide readers/cooks with their expertise, sharing tips on how to make different vegetables and yummy ingredients have this chef flair that will make you want to eat the whole pot/pan/dish that you created the meal with.
The first dish I tried was the tomato sauce mixed with lemon juice and peppers. WOW. My mom and I usually created tomato sauce using just a bushel of tomatoes, but the authors were fabulous with giving this good ol' Italian dish their own flair with lemon juice. I really preferred eating my spaghetti with that sauce, compared to the regular tomato one, since I'm not a big fan of tomato sauce as a whole. Here is a photo of my creation:
You see, this is a splendid summer cookbook. You could definitely create some of the dishes included here during any time of the year, but I have sticky noted many that seem perfect for the barbecue this summer. I love how there is a big focus on flavour and preservation and sauces, because many cookbook authors/chefs seem to just focus on the food itself, but the sauces/dips certainly play a humungous role in how you taste the dish.
Batch is a lovely cookbook that I would certainly recommend to all beginners, amateurs and food lovers or chefs. We need to promote it, because it has a gorgeous cover and amazing content that is difficult to find online, or in any other cookbook that is out there. I would adore to sit in Joel and Dana's kitchen and just taste and sniff the gorgeous smells of spices, sauces and meals found in this book and beyond.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
May 9, 2016
Full review including pictures of what I made, published on my blog, In the Stacks: http://nikkitheknack.blogspot.ca/2016...
The first part of the book gives you instructions on seven different styles of preserving, including fermenting, cellaring, and infusing. For complete beginners like me, these chapters will basically be your preserving Bible because they give you the basic knowledge you need to get started.
The recipes are organized by ingredient, which makes grocery store trips a dream when you're making things from this book. In each chapter, you'll learn a few different ways to preserve an ingredient, such as peaches, peppers, and meat. At the end of each chapter, there are recipes that show you the delicious ways you can use the preserves you've just made.
Along with each recipe, you can see the level of difficulty which, as a complete newcomer to preserving, I really valued. I wanted to start off easy so I could learn along the way and work up to some harder recipes.
I'm really pleased with how the four recipes I tried turned out, and I'm looking forward to trying more of these recipes and methods this summer when there are more foods in season!
The first part of the book gives you instructions on seven different styles of preserving, including fermenting, cellaring, and infusing. For complete beginners like me, these chapters will basically be your preserving Bible because they give you the basic knowledge you need to get started.
The recipes are organized by ingredient, which makes grocery store trips a dream when you're making things from this book. In each chapter, you'll learn a few different ways to preserve an ingredient, such as peaches, peppers, and meat. At the end of each chapter, there are recipes that show you the delicious ways you can use the preserves you've just made.
Along with each recipe, you can see the level of difficulty which, as a complete newcomer to preserving, I really valued. I wanted to start off easy so I could learn along the way and work up to some harder recipes.
I'm really pleased with how the four recipes I tried turned out, and I'm looking forward to trying more of these recipes and methods this summer when there are more foods in season!
February 14, 2017
Well written, interesting. Great recipes.
July 27, 2016
Thanks to Goodreads and Random House for providing this book to me. It is a lovely cookbook for making all types of preserved foods -- canned, fermented, smoked and dehydrated. I collect cookbooks and while I love to cook, I am not big on making jams or canning food myself. However, this is a book that I will treasure as it includes a lot of information on equipment and procedures: something you won't get with other books that only include recipes. The photographs are stunning and the book includes many lip-smacking recipes for foods such as dill pickles, fishcakes, sauerkraut pierogis.
April 2, 2022
Batch is an absolutely gorgeous book. MacCharles and Harrison walk the reader through different preservation techniques (waterbath canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, cellaring, salting, and smoking, and then offer directions and recipes for two dozen different foods. It was a good overview of the different techniques and helped to confirm that the methods I'm already dabbling in are the best ones for our family.
August 7, 2016
Fantastic book! If you're interested in preserving, then this is the ultimate book for you! I'm going to be passing this book along to my mother and father who have been active preserves and aspiring gardeners for years. Thanks again, great book, well laid out, beautiful illustrations! Highly recommend it!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway promotion.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway promotion.
June 17, 2016
LOVE this book. So educational, beautiful, and easy to understand. Batch would be stunning on a coffee table or your kitchen bookshelf. Well-written and thorough - everything you'd need to know to get started in preserving, canning, smoking... (I received a copy from Penguin through a Goodreads giveaway)
July 4, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads first reads giveaway and I am really grateful, as it is fabulous! It is a really wonderful cookbook: beautiful photography, simple easy-to-follow directions, chock-full of interesting and informative tips, and delicious recipes. This cookbook is a rare gem!!
June 8, 2016
Looks intimidating and complicated but I think there are a few things I can attempt
September 25, 2016
Very nice I enjoyed all the recipes
July 29, 2018
This book gave me some great ideas. I was looking for a book about dehydrating food. There weren't many books on the subject at my local librsby but this one made up for it. My favorite tip, line the dehydrator trays with parchment paper cut to fit yo keep food from sticking or falling through the trays.
Also using parchment paper with pureed fruits to make fruit leather. Definately more affordable than buying the special mats sold by the manufacturer.
There are also tips for pressure cooking, canning, freezing. I'm sure I'll be checking this book out again later this summer and maybe even next fall.
Also using parchment paper with pureed fruits to make fruit leather. Definately more affordable than buying the special mats sold by the manufacturer.
There are also tips for pressure cooking, canning, freezing. I'm sure I'll be checking this book out again later this summer and maybe even next fall.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews