Pressure canning questions

[eka]

I was hoping we had a few canning folks here because I have a couple of questions. I dug out my grandmother's old Presto 21 quart pressure canner and cleaned it up. Everything checked out great, even the rubber seal. I cleaned everything up and lubed the seal with vasoline. I don't have a manual with it or anything and have never fooled with a pressure canner. I use a pressure cooker all the time, so I have an understanding about what's going on here. So, I decided to give it a test run to see if it would hold pressure. I put about three inches of water in it and fired it up. No leaks or hissing or anything. Everything was good and tight and the pressure gauge started coming up. Now comes the part that I have a question about. The regulator is the old type that you can turn the knob on top and open the petcock without removing the regulator. I know if you are really canning, you want to vent the steam for ten minutes and then close the petcock. I picked that up from reading on some canning type site. But, for this run I just started building pressure. Well, it went from 5 lbs. on up to 10lbs., then 15 lbs., and the regulator never rocked or jiggled or anything. Incidentally, the vent pipe was clear, I checked that. The regulator started approaching 20 lbs., which is labeled caution on the gauge. So, in the interest of safety, I pulled it from the heat and opened the petcock knob just slightly and brought the pressure back down. It appears the type of regulator on this canner may rotate back and forth to release steam, but I'm not sure. It may jiggle or rock. What do you pressure canner experts make of this? Did I just do a poor job of controlling the heat? Shouldn't the regulator have started rocking somewhere along the way? Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Keith

[Tazman1602]

Any chance you could post a pic of that canner Sir? Wife and I use one all the time when it's canning season and we've worn out one canner that had the "Jiggle" type vent on it. The new one that replaced it had the gauge on it like you say yours has but this one doesn't have any type of regulator -- YOU have to regulate the pressure by manipulating the heat under the pot. Pressure canning is also the ONLY way to reliably can meat although we use our for all kinds of stuff.

The only thing we hot water can for anymore is tomato's because of the high acid content in them, everything else goes in the pressure canner.

Presto has a pretty good site:
http://www.gopresto.com/products/manuals.php

'nuther decent site:
http://www.pickyourown.org/pressurecanners.htm

be careful about releasing pressure! For every pound of pressure you put on water it raises the boiling point 3 degrees so if you've got 12 pounds of pressure on a pot and suddenly release it you've got water which will turn to steam INSTANTLY and can burn the heck out of you............................

Art

[hoosierlogger]

Those rubber seals are still out there at hardware stores. I bought one a couple of years back at out local store.

[whitedogone]

You have to turn down the heat to keep it at the pressure (10psi) you want to can at. The "jiggler" won't just kick in at 10psi. Before you use it take it to your nearest extension service office and have them check it against the master gauge. Your gauge may be off a few psi as well. I have to run mine at 12 to be cooking at 10. One thing I've found canning deer is that you have to stay close to the kitchen the whole time. :cry:

[eka]

Thanks guys. I'll get a couple of pics up as soon as I get a chance. Hoosier, I found a new gasket to fit it at Ace Hardware and I'm gonna go ahead and get it even though this one is still going strong. I will definitely make a call or two and find out where my local extension office is and try to get a reading on that gauge. My grandmother has been gone now for 40 years and I know my grandfather didn't use it, he didn't even know how to turn the stove on, but an outstanding man nevertheless. I couldn't help but think my Mamaw was smiling down on me as this old relic came up to temperature after so many years. She canned everything coming and going, so I know it got plenty of use at one time. I plan on giving it plenty more. Thanks for the advice.

Keith

[Tazman1602]

One more thing --- don't use vaseline to lube the gasket, use cooking oil!!

[whitedogone]

http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/

[eka]

Taz, I was originally going to use vegetable oil, but I read several things that said vegetable oil would harden due to the heat and vasoline or mineral oil was preferred. Like I said before, any advice will be appreciated.

Keith

[Tazman1602]

AHHHH! OK dude I know that canner, wife's grandma had one. What you have to do is get your can's in it with a bit of water and get it sealed and at a rolling boil. This whole time you have that screwable vent OPEN to where the steam is being exhausted, do that for ten minutes or so to make sure all air is expelled (that's from the instructions on my canner...) then, take and SHUT the vent and you'll have to sit in the kitchen and babysit it and watch the pressure gauge. When it gets to where you want it then turn down the heat to keep it at that pressure -- that will take a bit of up and down heat until you can mark your stove with your eyeballs to get it set to where it will "keep" that pressure, More pressure = more heat, less pressure = less heat. This can go up and down pretty fast (pressure) so you will have to watch the whole time.

Like flying an airplane make small corrections until you get it right and then keep it at that pressure the entire time recommended. USDA has some good pressure canning guidelines. It takes some practice, just like casting, to get it right but once you do it won't take any time at all.

NOW after the time in the canner is done, shut off the heat but DO NOT open the vent!!!!! Let it cool down itself, normally about half hour to 45 minutes. Check the vent (SLOWLY open...) and if no steam comes out open it up and let it sit for another five minutes, THEN open the top. It's still gonna be hotter than blazes so be careful! Let it cool a bit more and then you can take your canning jars and sit them on a towel to cool -- just like bullets.

If you use veg oil on the gasket wash it in hot soapy water after every use -- you can still get those gaskets for about ten bucks so get a new one and use that, cheap insurance.

You can take the toughest, gamiest old buck, can it with some garlic powder salt and pepper, and once you can it it's the tenderest meat around.

Hope I helped out some man, I am extremely picky about procedures with home canning as you can kill yourself doing it, but it's very rewarding. Another good recommendation (from USDA again....) is to always boil or keep at boiling temps for ten minutes all home canned veggies/meat before eating because you don't have the dog gone preservatives in it -- they will still keep for years, just be careful.

Art

[Lunk]

I owned one of those for years. I was at least as old as that one and worked like a charm. I got a new one about 3 years ago, the metal on metal seal type. Anyway what Tazman said is exactly correct. You have to baby it along until you get a feel for how it will work. One very important thing to remember, if you are canning low acid food (eg meat) you must keep it OVER the pressure threshold the entire time. If it dips below that limit you have to bring the pressure back up and start the time all over again. This is to kill Botulism, the only anaerobic bacteria that I can think of that will kill you. It survives boiling so you need the pressure/heat to destroy it and render your food safe.

I'd try dry (no product but with water) running it a few times to figure out where your stove needs to be to keep the pressure even.

On a side note I'd worry about that Vaseline, doesn't petroleum distillates dissolve rubber?

[largom]

TAZMAN's instructions were right on. Use cooking oil on the seal. Presto has a good web site and you can probably get a manual [owners guide] from them.

Larry

[mroliver77]

My dad retrofitted Grandmas old Presto to the jiggler type regulator. The local hardware had the "tit" and weight to do this. The threads just happened to be the same and it works well. I have 3 or 4 pressure canners and a couple 6 quarters for cooking down stock etc.
Jay

[scrapcan]

The above instructions and advice are spot on. We have several pressrue canners also and the old type with release and gauge is the one I prefer as it seems to do a better job and you can regulate the pressure. The jiggler type you have at the most a couple of wieght ranges to operate at. Pressures and times need to be varied by elevation and set weights may not get you where you want to be.

[Lee]

TAZMAN's da Man!! Couldn't add more...........

[szanemh]

We have been canning using dial gage which goes up to 20#. We usually can at 10#. We we given a new canner that has a regulator that rocks back and forth. NO gage We did not get any book. How do you know how when it reaches 10# without a gage. I know how long to pressure it.
Thanks

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

As stated above, there are only a certain number of weights out there for the jiggle type pressure canners. You need to find the maker's website and determine from them which of the size weights that you have. All of the canner companies are very forth coming with information.

[mroliver77]

We have been canning using dial gage which goes up to 20#. We usually can at 10#. We we given a new canner that has a regulator that rocks back and forth. NO gage We did not get any book. How do you know how when it reaches 10# without a gage. I know how long to pressure it.
Thanks
First you let it steam off for the 10 min.Or should I say purge for 10 min. Then add the weight. It starts to jiggle when the shown psi is reached. Adjust the heat then so it jiggles a couple/few times a minute and you are there. Very simple and my preferred type of canner.
Jay

[pmeisel]

My Aunt Doris, Aunt Florence, and my mother-in-law Louise are all gone now..... so this thread warmed my heart. I may buy my wife a pressure canner for mother's day. Thanks for the memories!

[10 ga]

The guys brought me some pigs feet from hog killin back in Feb. I think I'll get some out of the freezer and can/pickle them up with my Presto. They are a favorite at the hunt club. Along with my pickled eggs. 10 ga

[deerslayer]

I could not set in the kitchen with those type I tried it took to much patience and I used all my patience in the last hunting season so I got one with a shaker. And yes I am young and yes I canned quite a bit in my twenties I was poor and had gotten used to eating so I provided for myself and my family. Wish I could find the time to do it still but these girls take all my time and we can afford food so it is not a priority any more but it is better food.

[.357]

call your local extension office they should be able to calibrate your canner and help you with times +/- depending on your elevations.

Best of luck, i love canning.