Presto Canners

Converting your Dial Gauge Canner to a Weighted Gauge Canner

I recently advised someone that they could use the 3 piece weight set sold on Amazon to convert their Dial Gauge Canner to a Weighted Gauge Canner and this started a discussion about whether or not is was safe to do this.

In order for me to 100% clarify that it was safe to change the regulators I contacted Presto and ask them them about this.   As you can see from their reply, it is safe to use the 3 piece weight set to convert your Dial Gauge to a Weighted Gauge Canner.  I hope this information will be helpful to all of you.

So if your Presto Canner came with the dial gauge and the 15 pound regulator that looks like this photo.

Then you can buy the 3 piece set that looks like this photo to use on it

If you use the 3 piece set you will not need to monitor your dial gauge, When the regulator is gently rocking that will tell you that your are at 5, 10 or 15 pounds of pressure.

This is what I ask them in my email:

Can you please let me know if the 3 piece weighted regulator set sold on amazon will work with my 23 quart canner model number 0178107 and my 16 quart canner 0175510.  I know that I can't remove the gauge but want to use the weighted regulator.  Here's a link to the one I am speaking of.

Click here to see the 3 piece weighted set on Amazon

Here is their reply to me:

Hello Kathy,

Yes, part 50332 will fit on the vent pipe of the model 0178107 and 0175510 canners.  However, depending on your altitude it may not be necessary to purchase the 3-piece regulator.  If you wish to use the canner as a weighted gauge canner then you will use 10 pounds of pressure for all low acid canning for However, depending on your altitude it may not be necessary to purchase the 3-piece regulator.  If you wish to use the canner as a weighted gauge canner then you will use 10 pounds of pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 feet.  But it you live above 1,000 feet you need to use 15 pounds of pressure.  The pressure regulator on the 23-quart canner is a 15 pound weight, so you could use the canner as it is.

When using the canner as a weighted gauge canner the rocking of the pressure regulator is the indication that the selected pressure has been reached inside the canner.  At that point begin counting down the processing time and adjust the heat on the stove so that a very slow, but continuous rocking motion is maintained for the duration of the processing time.  Do not compare or try to use the weight and gauge simultaneously.  Use only the movement of the variable weight as your indication that pressure has been reached and is being maintained.

If you have questions about this response please get back in touch.

Sincerely,
Nancy
Home Economist
nbecker@gopresto.com
800-368-2194

Pineapple Pie Filling

I recently did crushed pineapples and pie filling is next on my list.  Someone ask for the recipe so I am typing it up now and will add photos when I make mine.  Spices are a taste preference so feel free to use what you like or none at all.

This recipe was adapted using the Peach Pie Filling recipe from NCHFP and substituting Pineapple in place of the Peaches.  I consulted a Master Food Preserver and got her opinion and upon comparing the PH levels of both fruits and seeing they were very close she could see no reason that it would not be ok to can this recipe.  
I contacted NCHFP and this is their reply:

1. Pineapple contains an enzyme that can affect product consistency and they have not tested it with clear jel.
2. The moisture content in pineapple has not been tested to see how it affects thickening and heating pattern during processing.
3. They therefore could not tell me how it would hold up during storage.

Because they don't have a tested recipe for Pineapple Pie Filling they can't recommend canning it.  

If you prefer not to use clear jel since NCHFP has not tested it's use with pineapples then you are safe to can the pie filling without it and add the thickener when you open the jar.

Make sure that you do not use overly ripe pineapples when making this pie filling.  As they ripen their acidity gets lower.  Do not leave out the lemon juice, it is needed for acidity.  

Ingredients: Make one quart or 7 quarts
You will need 6 to 7 pineapples to may a canner load of 7 quarts.

Pineapple Pie Filling from Kat's Kitchen
	Quantities of Ingredients Needed For
	1 Quart	7 Quarts
Sliced fresh pineapple	3-1/2 cups	6 quarts
Granulated sugar	1 cup	7 cups
Clear Jel®	1/4 cup + 1 tbsp	2 cups + 3 tbsp
Cold water	3/4 cup	5-1/4 cups
Cinnamon (optional)	1/8 tsp	1 tsp
Almond extract (optional)	1/8 tsp	1 tsp
Bottled lemon juice	1/4 cup	1-3/4 cups

1. Cut the top and bottom off of your pineapples.  With a sharp knife cut the pineapple into 4 pieces.  
2. Cut the core off and discard.
3. Stand pineapple section on end and take a sharp paring knife and cut from top to bottom staying close the rind.
4. Turn over and do other side the same way.  (save rinds to scrape extra pineapple and make jelly)
5. Cut the pineapple into one inch chunks.
6. Measure per chart for the amount you want to make.
7. Place small batches of pineapple in boiling water and once it returns to a boil, boil for one minute.  Use a slotted spoon and place heated pineapple in a bowl and repeat until all pineapple is heated.  Cover bowl and keep warm.
8. Combine water, sugar, clear jel any spices you want to use in a large stainless steel pot.
9. Stir and cook over medium/high heat until it thickens and starts to bubble.
10. Add lemon juice and boil one more minute stirring constantly.
11. Fold your drained pineapples into the glaze.
12. Immediately fill your jars leaving 1 inch head space.
13. Wipe rims of jars well with a wet paper towel.
14. Place lids and rings on jars and tighten down finger tight.
15. Process pints and quarts for 30 minutes in a boiling water canner.

After 30 minutes turn off the heat.  Remove lid from canner and wait 5 minutes before taking the jars out of the canner.  

Place jars on counter to cool for 24 hours.  Wash jars.  Label and Store in a cool, dark place.

Remember to adjust time for your altitude.  See Chart.

Recommended process time for Pineapple Pie Filling in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 -3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	30 min	35	40	45

Canning Pumpkin

Do you love Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Rolls, Pumpkin Bread or just about anything that contains pumpkin?  If you do, you will love it even more when you make it from a jar of fresh pumpkin you have canned yourself.  

Canning pumpkins is really easy. Peeling them, not so much, but it can be done with a little patience and know how.  I like doing the small pie pumpkins when possible.  Getting them ready to peel is a quick 4 step process for me.

Pumpkins with a hard rind and stringless, mature pulp are ideal quality for cooking fresh. Small size pumpkins (sugar or pie varieties) make better products.

1. Wash the pumpkin and cut off the rind
2. With a very sharp knife, Begin at the top of the pumpkin and slice toward the bottom in one or two inch slices.  Cutting in the grooves is easier.
3. Slice all the way around the pumpkin and then separate the pieces.
4. Take a paring knife and scrape away the pulp and seeds.  (save seeds for baking)

Now with a sharp knife you can peel the thick skin from each slice. Cut them in half if needed for even easier peeling.

If you are going to puree the pumpkin and freeze it you can go one step further and make it even easier to peel.  Put a small amount of water in a bowl and place pumpkin in the bowl.  Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the skin.  I only do this when I am going to puree it because it will soften the flesh if heated too long.  

Now cut your peeled pumpkin into cubes.  DO NOT PUREE IF YOU ARE CANNING, IT IS NOT SAFE.  THE PUMPKIN IS TOO DENSE AND THE HEAT MAY NOT REACH ALL THE WAY TO THE CENTER OF THE JARS.

Get a pot of water boiling and add the pumpkin to the pot. Boil for 2 minutes.  Fill jars with pumpkin and liquid leaving 1 inch head space.   If you prefer you can raw pack the pumpkin and cover with the boiling water.  I raw packed mine because it cooks quickly and I don't want it turning to mush.

Wipe the rims of your jars with a paper towel dipped in vinegar or hot water.  Place lids and rings on jars and tighten down finger tight. Place jars in canner and process according to charts.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Pumpkin and Winter Squash in a dial-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints	55 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
	Quarts	90	11	12	13	14

Table 2. Recommended process time for Pumpkin and Winter Squash in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints	55 min	10 lb	15 lb
	Quarts	90	10	15

Always vent steam according to your manufacturer directions.  This is usually 10 minutes for the Presto and 7 minutes for the All American.  

Never try to cool your canner down, always let the pressure drop naturally.  Wait 2 minutes after the pressure drops and open the canner.  Wait 10 minutes and then place jars on a towel to cool for 24 hours.

Wash jars, Label Jars.  Store in a cool, dark place.

When ready to use, drain off liquid and puree if needed.

Reference:  National Center for Home Food Preservation Website

Canning Nut Meats

A recent discussion on canning nuts and recipes containing nuts prompted me to contact NCHFP for help in clarifying a few things.  Many recipes call for nuts as an ingredient and some of those in the discussion thought the recipes may no longer be safe and just had not been pulled from NCHFP website.    I received the answer from them and hope it will be of help to all of you.  As I said before, canning nuts alone is no longer recommended, but if a recipe calls for nuts then the recipe is safe as long as it is a tested recipe.

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for your interest in the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Regarding your question:

There has been a big discussion in a canning group that I am in concerning the safety of canning nut meats and recipes containing nuts.  I hope you can help me clarity the issue.  I explained to them that nchfp no longer recommends water bath canning nut meats alone but that they should freeze them.  I gave them the following link for a reference.

Whatever happened to canning nutmeats?

 Some of them believe that recipes like conserves calling for nuts are now no longer safe to make and can and that nchfp just hasn't pulled the recipes and updated their web site.  I explained that if you are using a tested recipe from nchfp or the Ball Blue Book and the recipe calls for nuts then that particular recipe is ok to can.  Can you please give me an answer on this to clarify this issue.   

You are correct, it is only particular canning procedure for a dry pack of shelled nut meats we withdrew:

I explained to them that nchfp no longer recommends water bath canning nut meats alone

This was not intended to be any recommendation regarding other products such as conserves that might contain some nuts. We only recommend canning recipes, procedures, and process times that have a scientific, research-based determination. Let's consider our recommendations for conserves with nuts, such as Apple Conserve: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/apple_conserve_powder.html for example -- these recipes, procedures, and canning processes were developed with that called for amount of nuts. Rather than just nuts alone, there are other ingredients that influence the characteristics of the final product. Apples are an acid food and lemon juice is a strong acid, increasing the acidity of the final product. Pectin and sugar combine with this acid and fruit to make a gel, which reduces the water activity of the final product. These characteristics make a difference in the canning process. For a more detailed explanation of how canning processes are determined, please read this backgrounder: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/heatprocessingbackgrounder.html .

We also update recommendations when new research reveals previously unknown concerns. In the case of canning nut meats, concerns arose due to the increase in Salmonella problems in some nut products such as we have seen over the last few years. In just the past few years, there has been new research about different species of Salmonella and their tolerances for some drier (low water activity) conditions. Based on this information, canning nutmeats in a dry pack could be potentially hazardous using the directions we formally had if any condensation or moisture pockets formed inside the jar. That previous canning process was really a way to create a vacuum-sealed jar and there is no documentation for any microbial sterilization that might have been taking place.  So, without the science to support it, and in the face of concerns from microbiologists should moisture condense inside the jars, we no longer have a recommendation for canning nutmeats at home in the dry pack in a boiling water canner (or by any means)​​.  We are unable to study this issue in home canning at this time.  There are other options today for vacuum packaging of dry shelled nutmeats than there were when that process was first published.

As an aside, nutmeats stored in a freezer in a dry pack should not go bad or spoil once the electric goes out.  Nuts do not even have to be stored in the freezer; it is a way of extending the quality over storage time but not necessary for safe storage.

You can also contact Ball to find out their testing protocol for their recipes ( http://www.freshpreserving.com/contact-us ). Ball does conduct product testing, but not everyone who writes canning recipes does; you can always try contacting authors and companies in order to find out their testing protocol (or lack there of). We suggest using canning recommendations only from reliable sources who have conducted product testing.

Best wishes,

Kasey Christian

Water Bath or Pressure Can

How do I know which one to do? 

I see lots of questions like this.  People want to can something, but then are unsure of which method to use.  I am hoping this post will clarify this for any of you that are in doubt.

The first thing I want to point out is why you need to know this information.  When home canning your own food you always run a risk of botulism forming in your jars.  Boiling water only reaches 212 degrees.  No matter how long you leave it boiling it will never get hotter that 212 degrees.  This is not hot enough to kill the microorganisms that cause botulism.  The temperature needed to kill all these organisms is 240 degrees.  A pressure canner reaches 240 degrees.  The food in the jars must not be to dense.  The heat needs to reach all the way to the center of the food in the jars at this temperature in order to be safe.

Foods that can be done in a Water Bath Canner: 

Only high acid foods can be done in a water bath canner. 

Jams
Jellies
Fruit Butters
Conserves
Pickled Foods
Fermented Foods
Tomatoes (You must add acid in the form of lemon juice or citric acid)

These are the only foods that can be processed in a water bath.  You should never process a low acid food in a water bath canner.  You may see recipes online saying it is safe to do so, but it is not. 

Foods that must be done is a Pressure Canner: 

Two popular models are the All American and the Presto, both pictured below.

All American Canner

Presto Canner

All low acid foods must be processed in a Pressure Canner. These include all foods except those listed above that can be water bathed.

Vegetables (Unless pickled or fermented)
Meats
Soup and Stews
Sauces
Any other food that is not on the list that can be water bathed.

Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce is very easy to make.  If you can't get fresh cranberries you can make it from dried ones.  This is a must for the holiday season.

You would normally use 8 cups of fresh berries you will only need 6 cups of dried ones.  This recipe was done using dried berries.

6 cups of dried cranberries (If using fresh berries, you need 8 cups)

4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water  (I used what I drained from the berries)

Zest of one orange (optional)
1/3 cup of clear jel (Optional if using dried cranberries and your sauce doesn't thicken up enough)

Yields 4 to 5 pints of sauce

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and pour over your berries.  Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to re-hydrate them.  While your berries are re-hydrating, get your canner and jars ready.  

Drain the liquid off of your berries into a clean pot.  As you can see from mine, they were sliced in half before drying.  This is what they look like after they have been re-hyrated.

Mix sugar and water in a stainless steel pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat stirring to dissolve sugar.  Boil hard for 5 minutes.  

Add your berries and bring back to a boil.  Boil gently for about 15 minutes.  It should start to thicken and sheet from a spoon but with dried berries it doesn't get quite as thick as I like.  Now take 1/3 cup of clear jel and mix with 1/2 cup of water.  Add this and your orange zest  to your sauce and stir until thick as you like.  

Ladle hot sauce into jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space.  Use a chop stick or something similar to remove air bubbles.  Adjust head space and wipe rims of jars with a paper towel dipped in vinegar to ensure a good seal.  

Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight.  Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Adjust time for altitude.  

Turn off heat and wait 5 minutes before taking jars from canner.  Place jars on counter to cool for 24 hours.  Test seal by pressing thumb in center of jar.  Remove rings.  Wash jars.  Label and Store in a cool, dark room.  

Rump Roast

from Kat's Kitchen

Selecting, Preparing and Canning Meat

Strips, Cubes or Chunks 

Bear, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Sausage, Veal, Venison
Prepared per NCHFP guidelines

There are two methods you can choose from when canning meat.   Hot Pack or Raw Pack.  Hot pack is nchfp's  preferred method and mine for the best liquid coverage and quality during storage.   The natural amount of fat and juices in lean meats are not usually enough to cover the meat when raw packed.

For hot packing you need to precook your meat by roasting, boiling, or browning in fat.  I boil mine and use the liquid to cover the meat for canning.  

Wash your jars in warm, soapy water.  Fill about 1/2 full and place in your canner to simmer and stay hot until you are ready to fill them with meat. 

 Get your lids and rings ready per manufacturer directions.   

Choose a high quality roast.  Keep it chilled until ready to can.  

Slice your roast into about 1 inch slices. 

Trim off any excess fat.

Cut into cubes or strips.  

Put meat in a large stainless steel pot and cover with water. Boil for about 20 minutes or Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning in a small amount of fat.

Fill your jars with meat, loosely.  

(Optional)  Add a few bouillon cubes to each jar, then add 1 tsp of salt per quart jar.

Cover your meat with boiling broth, water or tomato juice leaving one inch head space.

 Remove all air bubbles and adjust head space as needed.

Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight.  Place jars in the canner and put on the lid.  Vent steam for a full 10 minutes or per your canner instructions.  

Process according to charts

Table 1. Recommended process time for Strips, Cubes, or Chunks of Meat in a dial-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot and Raw	Pints	75 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
	Quarts	90	11	12	13	14

Table 2. Recommended process time for Strips, Cubes, or Chunks of Meat in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot and Raw	Pints	75 min	10 lb	15 lb
	Quarts	90	10	15

Let pressure drop naturally.  Once the pressure has dropped wait 10 minutes and carefully remove the lid.  Let food set in canner for at least 10 minutes to allow jar to adjust to the temperature in the room. Take jars out of canner and place on counter to cool for 24 hours.

Remove rings and wash your jars.  Label and Store in a cool, dark place.  

If you prefer to raw pack.  

Raw pack – Add 2 teaspoons of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Do not add liquid.  Put on lids and rings and process per the charts.