School me on pressure canning....

[Twingy]

This is my first year preserving some of the harvest and I took my new pressure cooker for a spin yesterday but I did something wrong.

I got the 20qt. Graniteware. I was doing pasta sauce and sliced beets. Put the jars in the canner and turned on the heat. Once I started getting steam from the vent pipe I let it go for about 10 minutes then put on the weight (10lb). I never got the weight to “jiggle.” I called graniteware today and they said it takes 30-35 minutes to get full pressure. So it looks like user error due to inexperience cos I didn’t wait that long, didn’t know it took that long to fully pressurize.

So I let the jars sit out overnight to cool, they all have a vacuum, and I threw them all in the fridge since they weren’t fully processed. I’m assuming they will be safely stored in the fridge and I shouldn’t have any spoilage issues.

Any tips on how to do better for next time?


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[kev74]

If you don't get the stuff inside got enough, you run the risk of botulism, regardless of the vacuum seal. Use it quick, or re-can it the right way.

 

[Catskillkid]

Check with your local Cooperative Extension office. I took a pressure canning class from Ulster CCE a few years back and it was great!

 

[whauburger]

I watched a "back hole" ton of YouTube videos before I started canning stuff

 

[kev74]

Check with your local Cooperative Extension office. I took a pressure canning class from Ulster CCE a few years back and it was great!

I watched a "back hole" ton of YouTube videos before I started canning stuff

I let my wife handle that shit!

 

[livingston]

This seems to be the book to go to
Ball® Blue Book® Guide to Preserving, 37th Edition Recipe Book & Instructional Guide
We do have a pressure canner and girlfriend has used it but we are no experts yet... There are many you tube that will walk one through the process..
I see you have a pressure canner and cooker ...
20 Qt Pressure Canner (F0730) | Granite Ware
I have an American pressure cooker All American 921 21 Quart Pressure Canner | AllAmericanCanner.com
The American booklet said we should not cook certain foods with it (rice perhaps) is one as it could clog up the relief valve and then it could explode .

 

[Twingy]

If you don't get the stuff inside got enough, you run the risk of botulism, regardless of the vacuum seal. Use it quick, or re-can it the right way.

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah, I put the food in the refrigerator since it wasn’t processed fully. Can I try to pressure can it again even though it’s been in the fridge?


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[tony]

Use new lids when you recan and you should be ok. Wipe sealing surface on jar after you remove old lid, apply new lid and then try it again.

 

[livingston]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah, I put the food in the refrigerator since it wasn’t processed fully. Can I try to pressure can it again even though it’s been in the fridge?


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Girlfriend has cooled it down and put in fridge to can the next day . She said it will be fine .

 

[Twingy]

Sweet, got more tomatoes from the CSA yesterday, gonna make more sauce then try canning the whole lot of it.


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[Rondo223]

A little late but Have 2 of the American canners, the 30qt and the 41qt. They come in real handy when canning venison.
As far as use if you are not getting pressure how much water did you put in before starting? 1-1.5 inch is probably plenty. Too much and it tales too long to heat the water. Also if you are not getting pressure turn up the heat. That's how I regulate the pressure on mine as they are the older ones without the weights just the gauge and relief valve.

If you are canning tomatoes or tomato based products you only need to water bath process them not pressure can. The sauce you did is probably OK but you never know what temp you got to if you did not see 10lbs.

If you don't have it get the Ball preserving book. There are a bunch of other good ones out there but that is pretty much the bible and is easily had.

 

[HighlandLofts]

When I lived back there I canned a ton of venison with a pressure scanner. It came out great, I had the ball book and followed the directions. After a few times you will.feel comfortable.

 

[ManrisFrack]

If I could piggy-back on this thread with a question:

My wife is doing peaches with water-bath at the moment. A few are coming out with small dents/buckling toward the edge of the lids but the seal seems intact. Are those dents cause for concern?

 

[Rondo223]

As long as the seal area is smooth you should be OK. The worst thing that could happen is the seal breaks and you have a bad can or two.