Friday Rookie Topic: Introduction to Canning

Rowena,
I canned in water, 10 cups, and 1.5 cups splenda, 1/4 cup lemon juice.Cooked for 5 min. then processed for 20 min in water bath. I used the kind in the bottle, reconstituted lemon juice.

I peeled/sliced into 1 qt water with 1 tbs. lemon juice, but the pears started turning, so I added some more lemon. They were still brown around the edges, hubby said they would eat.

They look so much better this am in the jars! Not brown at all? I guess the lemon bleached them out in the jars?
I got the receipe of the internet.
Thanks, Jo

bottled lemon juice is correct. it is balanced to ensure a consistent level of acidity from bottle to bottle. actual lemons vary too much from fruit to fruit to ensure that enough acid is present to do the job.

where did you get the recipe? not every site offers good canning information.

I got the receipe on the following site. I was looking for a site that used splenda, instead of just water. Cannot use sugar, so. It appears to cook/can long enough, hopefully enough acidity.
Jo
http://www.ehow.com/how_7326932_can-pears-sugar.html

the national center for home food preservation recommends ascorbic acid rather than lemon juice to prevent browning. however, lemon juice won't hurt anything in terms of shelf life.

the NCHFP also recommends that if you are avoiding sugar that you first consider natural fruit juice or plain water. the only purpose sugar serves in fruit canning is to preserve the color and texture of the fruit, but you can safely leave it out as it doesn't affect shelf life. they recommend that if sweetening is desired that it be added when the fruit is opened for consumption.

I just got off the USDA website, to see if I did the canning ok, and the only reccomended sugar sub. to be used in canning is Splenda, all others should be added just before eating,just for your info.
Jo

yes, i saw that. the NCHFP is the organization that supervised my master food preserver certification.

I need a product review.... and a clue. How many jars would fit in this gizmo? http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16700681&utm_source=e&utm_medium=e&utm_term=e&utm_content=KitchenElectrics&utm_name=KitchenElectrics

That looks like a really nice set camp Just out of curiosity, are you looking for something that includes all the extras like this one does, or do you already have things like tongs, laddle, funnel, etc? Is the size good for you? You know what you need more, but if you don't need all the accessories, would you find a larger capacity more beneficial or time saving? Either way, that's an excellent looking set!

Oh my goodness, I already have this pressure cooker I need to find my book on it to make sure I can use it for a pressure canner too if so this is a fabulous suprise!! Thanks for posting Camp!

the 10 quart fagor pressure cooker is the only one that can be used as a canner. it holds up to 4, one-quart jars. if you already have a rack that fits inside you can use that. just know that this pot is not adjustable--all your canning will take place at 15 pounds pressure regardless of elevation. what is your elevation? that might be way more than needed, which can cause your foods to be overcooked.

Rowena, I have been on the hunt for a pressure cooker. I like the idea of getting this one that I could use for canning dare I ever venture there.

Is sea level OK so my food doesn't get overcooked?

CC

My expertise and knowledge is limited, but so far I've been very pleased with the quality of my Presto. The price was right to and I can find replacement parts, additional weights etc at the local Ace/TrueValue:
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t13578-23-quart-presto-canner-pressure-cooker-70-8-11-12-only?highlight=presto
I've seen used ones on Craigslist for about as much as I paid for mine new. Shipped to my door from Walmart was $80 if memory serves and I saw them at Ace for $85.

rowena___. wrote:the 10 quart fagor pressure cooker is the only one that can be used as a canner. it holds up to 4, one-quart jars. if you already have a rack that fits inside you can use that. just know that this pot is not adjustable--all your canning will take place at 15 pounds pressure regardless of elevation. what is your elevation? that might be way more than needed, which can cause your foods to be overcooked.

I am about 5300 feet high! It would be nice if I could use it until I can get the funds for one that has more options.

A HEARTY THANK YOU to one and all for responses and all the information. I am not looking at this product specifically, but it was attached to a promotional email from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I was simply curious. I would not buy this product because it is not big enough and I dislike the lack of flexibility if regulating the pressure (thanks Rowena, a great point!).

I just ordered the Fagor with all the trimmings from Amazon, cost $95. I like that it's stainless and small. I've been wanting to stop eating out of cans, so I needed a pc to cook dried beans and such. Not enuff veggies from the garden this year to can but maybe next year.

Thanks, Rowena, for the lead.

CC

capecoddess, at sea level that is going to be a lot of pressure. i will check into it for you, there might be some research to support shorter times for canning at that pressure.

cheyannarach, at your elevation you'll be canning at 15 pounds anyway, so it will work well for you.

the fagor pressure COOKER functions differently from a traditional canner--it doesn't have a petcock or vent--so you'll need to read the instruction manual and ignore instructions for other models that are in canning books and websites. you'll still process the same as for any other PC--you have to vent the canner and then close it to bring it up to pressure--but the mechanism is different because there is no weight to add, and no dial gauge. so ALWAYS READ THE MANUAL!

A big drawback of using a pressure cooker against using a pressure canner is that pressure cookers vent off almost all the time as it is nigh impossible to get them just tripping in and out at the right pressure , this becomes problematic when you have a long sterilization time of 90 minutes for if your not careful you will boil them dry .

Using a pressure cooker with an open top as a hot water canner is easier for you can always top up with boiling water if needed out of an electric kettle etc.

I've not had my Presto pressure cooker/canner very long and have used as a pressure cooker (pinto bean and ham) and water bath canner (pears with splenda), haven't used as a pressure canner yet.

Plantoid, you said pressure cookers vent all the time, is it just the pressure cookers made for just cooking, or just the ones in England? Maybe I did something wrong.
Jo

My take on it is that a bog standard pressure cooker has no pressure guage so the only way you know it is up to pressure is when it is slowly hissing or lifting an indicator , the temperature inside could vary tremendously .

The canners have a pressure guage & adjustable weight positions so you can compensate for altitude and most seem to have a rocking pressure sensing device that clicks in and out , if you are careful you can reduce heat so it clicks every six or more seconds .

I have two old fashioned Prestige Hi- Dome rise and fall pressure cookers .. they leak at the lid and valve seals despite getting new manufactures seals every six months. You cannot be 100 % sure of the pressure which in turn will affect the temperature .
I can pressure cook at 5 , 10 or 15 psi as I have three seperate weights per pan. The rising weight indicator on my pans is only an indicator of an internal pressure above 5 psi , but not how much so it can be easy to over cook and boil the vessels dry over a long sterilization time or should the seals & the seal of the rise and fall indicator weight shaft not be upto scratch you may undercook / not sterilize sufficiently and end up with botulism in your pressure canned goods .

The makers of my brand of pressure cooker especially warn against trying to use it as a pressure / sterilizing canner .
I suspect that what you have is quite good for pressure canning but having recently seen one of the All American Canners that has been in daily use for donkeys years in a commercial kitchen I know I will go for that as there is nothing that needs renewing save for putting a decent quality industrial pressure guage on it once in a blue moon .

the new presto canner and the used one my mom got for us only have a weight thing on them....5 10 15.....they dont have a pressure guage......does this mean my canning may not be as safe as if i used a pressure canner that has the pressure gauge on it?

we have not used them yet....

hugs
rose

I got the one with a gage, but since I bought it, most folks tell me I should have got the one with weights, go figure. Mine works fine. I think they will work fine. I was fearful of 'hearing' when pressure was reached, I was just fearful all the way around. I think some folks with canning experience should jump in here!
Jo

the weights are more accurate. the gauge has to be calibrated every 12 months or so. my presto canner came with a dial gauge but i totally ignore that. instead i purchased the adjustable weights. i use them to do that actual pressuring. the dial serves as a plug.

Rowena, I have a presto 23 qt canner with a dial guage. Can I buy the weights for it. Where to buy, and where do I put the weights if I get them? Is there a book that would point this out? ex: canning for dummies? I'm so new at this and all that came with the canner is a small, very small booklet, which tells me nothing!
Thanks, Jo Ann

Ace/True value has weights and replacement parts for the presto line. They also have a great selection of jars and canning accessories. When I was there recently they had a weight pack containing 5,10,15 weights.

littlejo wrote:Rowena, I have a presto 23 qt canner with a dial guage. Can I buy the weights for it. Where to buy, and where do I put the weights if I get them? Is there a book that would point this out? ex: canning for dummies? I'm so new at this and all that came with the canner is a small, very small booklet, which tells me nothing!
Thanks, Jo Ann

the weight that came with your canner is probably this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-Pressure-Cooker-Canner-Regulator/dp/B0014IGAPG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1347221579&sr=8-3&keywords=presto+pressure+cooker+weight
it is not adjustable.

the weight you want is this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-Pressure-Canner-Regulator/dp/B000HMBVQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347221579&sr=8-1&keywords=presto+pressure+cooker+weight
to get 5lbs. pressure you remove both rings and use the stem alone. to get 10lbs, you add one ring. to get 15 lbs you add both rings. you use this weight set instead of the one that came with the canner.

generally when you use these weights, if the dial is accurate it will register one pound higher than the weights--this is correct--it is to allow for a few differences in measuring systems.

the book that came with your canner is an operators manual only. the books you want are either/both of the ball canning books, which tell you not only how to operate your canner but also how to process specific foods. i recommend either the blue book or the complete book. use the most recent editions, as they have the most up-to-date methodology for safe home canning. there are other good canning books but these are consider the bibles of home food preservation.

ball blue book:
http://www.amazon.com/Jarden-Home-Brands-21400-Ball/dp/B001DIXG9A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1347221860&sr=8-3&keywords=ball+blue+book

ball complete book:
http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1347221860&sr=8-6&keywords=ball+blue+book