Mrs. Wages/Ball mixes for canning?

JustMe 8/21/2012, 11:25 pm

Are the pre-packaged mixes by Mrs. Wages and Ball for salsa, spaghetti sauce, pickles, etc. worth it?

Do they taste good? Will I just be better off using a canning 'from scratch' recipe?

littlejo 8/22/2012, 3:20 pm

I've used Mrs Wages bread & butter pickle mix and it is very good! I even made 1 jar of eggplant while doing the cukes. It was good, but I'm still not a fan of eggplant. I've also made dill spears and dill pickles using the mix.
I think it depends on your area and your tastes. I cannot get the spices in a reg. store. I have to do mail order.
I have not used her mix for anything except for pickles. They always come out crisp, which in yrs. past did not, using a reg. receipe.
I just made my speg. sauce how I wanted it to taste, then canned it. I don't think a mix is needed for that.
Jo

cheyannarach 8/22/2012, 7:47 pm

I just used Ball dill mix for dilly beans, it was my first time though so I am not much help. I can let you know in about a month Very Happy

**rowena___.** 8/23/2012, 10:26 am

in the long run i think it is less expensive to make your own mixes, but if you can't get a variety you need, then ms. wages is a good compromise. you might want to check the ingredient list to see what preservatives or fillers are added in case that matters to you or your family's dietary needs.

JustMe 8/25/2012, 7:11 pm

When we eat spaghetti, we have Paul Newman to thank. I've never made it from scratch, and my mom mixes a Lawry's spice pack with canned tomato paste for her spaghetti sauce.

I invited a friend over next month to make spaghetti sauce in order to can. She doesn't make hers from scratch either, so we're trying to figure out our options.

We're thinking we might live a little and just try a Ball from scratch recipe.

**rowena___.** 8/26/2012, 10:48 am

while i sometimes make sauce and salsa to can, i generally just can tomatoes plain. that way i can use them any way i want. once they are canned it is easy to whip up a sauce on the stove or dump them in a crock pot to make soup.

**camprn** 8/26/2012, 6:25 pm

rowena___. wrote:while i sometimes make sauce and salsa to can, i generally just can tomatoes plain. that way i can use them any way i want. once they are canned it is easy to whip up a sauce on the stove or dump them in a crock pot to make soup.

+1 For my I only make up salsa after I have plenty of tomaoes put up. Usually by then the peppers are ready to harvest. Very Happy

nycquilter 8/27/2012, 12:46 pm

I've only used her pickle mix, the first time I did pickles, and found it way too salty for my family's tastes. I am lucky in that I can pretty much find any spice/herb I need so I always make from scratch now.

**Scorpio Rising** 7/22/2020, 8:02 am

Does anyone have any experience with the Mrs. Wages Dill Mix? I have no trouble getting spices for the Ball dill recipe, just wondering if Mrs. Wages is more mainstream. My daughter is a dill pickle fan, and isn’t really in love with the Ball recipe.

Curious!

**sanderson** 7/23/2020, 2:22 am

I haven't. I'm still struggling to make a decent Kosher mix. Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 7/23/2020, 6:16 pm

sanderson wrote:I haven't. I'm still struggling to make a decent Kosher mix.

Me too

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Mrs. Wages/Ball mixes for canning?

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