Home Canned Foods
A pressure canner is a great tool for preserving your home grown vegetables and fruits from the garden. It will heat the internal temperature of the foods to a higher heat than regular boiling water baths and if done properly will remove the danger of spoiled food. You can have colorful glass jars lined up in your pantry, sealed and tight, ready for the winter. You will need to find specific instructions for each of the foods you wish to can as the timing is based upon the acidity of the food being canned. Make sure your recipes or instructions have been updated since the 1980s when the USDA changed their canning recommendations. Basically, any non-acidic foods need to be canned under pressurized heat to prevent the growth of botulism.
Instructions
1. Wash all your jars, lids and rings in hot soapy water. Rinse them and then place them into a pot of boiling hot water for at least 10 minutes to sterilize them. The water should be just at a simmer and not rapidly boiling, or you might crack your jars.
2. Pull out one jar at a time, empty out the water and fill it with the fruits, vegetables or meat you are working with. Pack it as full as possible but remember to leave a 1-inch space at the top. Pour the cooking liquid over the food, still leaving the gap. Use a butter knife around the sides to press the food in a little to remove any air pockets.
3. Wipe off the top of the jar with a sterilized cloth (left in the boiling water bath) and place the clean lid and ring on top. Screw it on snug but not tight. Any food particles on the edge of the jar can prevent a seal from forming.
4. Open your pressure canner. The lid should come off with a twisting motion. There is a rack on the bottom of the pot that keeps the jars off the direct heat at the bottom of the pot. You will also find a little weight that sits on top of the canner that will hold the steam in causing pressure to build. The actual pressure gauge sits on the cover.
5. Fill the pressure cooker with the prepared jars. Add enough water for the specific directions of your canning recipe. Put the canner lid back on. (Don't put the weight that sits on top of the steam vent in place until the canner has reached the boiling temperature.)
6. Turn the heat on high. When steam has been shooting straight up from the vent for 10 minutes, place the weight on top of the vent. Watch the pressure gauge reading until it reaches the right level of pressure and start the timing.
7. Cook the food for the recommended time, according to specific directions. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to dissipate. Do not try to cool it down faster with cool water. Once the pressure has normalized, remove the weight from the steam vent and open the cover.
8. Remove the jars, using canning tongs, and place a towel over the top. Tighten the lids firmly and set on a dry towel to seal. In a few minutes you should hear the pop of the lid being sucked in. Store in a cool dark place until ready for use, usually within 6 months.
Tags: boiling water, place until, pressure canner, pressure gauge, specific directions, steam vent
