Topic: Pressure Canning..

[BarriedaleNick]

I have been reading through a lovely new preserving book and I am thinking about getting a pressure canner.  My inherited ancient pressure cooker is on the way out and with a glut of produce a pressure canner seems like a good bet.
Does anyone own one or have any recommendations or advice?

Cheers!

[galina]

No recommendation, but experiences this blogger had buying one.

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/you-can-buy-a-pressure-canner-in-the-uk-7434/

As there is so much food preserving in France, I wonder whether they can be bought from there?  There is none from the German Weck system that I know of. 

[Obelixx]

I don't own a pressure cooker as I tend to make them explode or bend their bottom.   For extra safety I simply make my jam or chutney or pickle in an ordinary pan then seal the jars while warm so they make a vacuum as they cool and I immerse them in a deep pan of boiling water for 5 minutes.   Seems to work.

[BarriedaleNick]

I don't own a pressure cooker as I tend to make them explode or bend their bottom.   For extra safety I simply make my jam or chutney or pickle in an ordinary pan then seal the jars while warm so they make a vacuum as they cool and I immerse them in a deep pan of boiling water for 5 minutes.   Seems to work.

It was more the canning aspect - so thing like toms, beans, carrots etc rather than preserves or jams.

[Obelixx]

I'd have thought the same applied if you're using Kilner type jars.

[galina]

I'd have thought the same applied if you're using Kilner type jars.

Not quite Obelixx, low acid foods are more safely preserved under pressure to get the temperature to over 100C, because there is a possibility that botulism spores can survive if the process heats the food to 'only' 100C, ie boiling.  These botulism spores develop over time in a low acid, low oxygen environment, such as in a jar.  They cannot develop in the short space of time between cooking and eating food.  Although there have been rare cases where baked potatoes were kept in foil for hours and people got ill from those.  There are different preserving methods to cope with killing the spores.  In the USA temperatures over 100C are the recommended way (such as reached in a pressure cooker/canner).  In Germany the Weck company recommends sterilising twice at 100C, the second time a few days after the first to kill any botulism spores that have emerged.  I have also heard of methods of half filling jars before waterbath processing to keep food safe with more oxygen left in the jar after processing.  But the best researched method for low acid food is the pressure processing.

The type of jar doesn't matter, provided it gives a hermetic seal.  Weck jars, kilner jars, reused sauce jars with pop up lids or Le Parfait jars with the clip tops work equally well.  The food safety comes from the method of preserving and from how hermetic the jar seal is. 

Botulism is only ever a potential problem with low acid foods like meat, beans, other vegetables, never with high acid foods like fruit, pickles, chutney etc.  Jam additionally has so much sugar in it which acts like a preservative, that in many cookery books they just recommend to fill hot into sterilised jars and then close with sterilised jar lids 

[Obelixx]

That's clearer then.  Wouldn't ever think of bottling veg when I can freeze or just eat them.

I'm off to make Possum some plum jam using Mirabelles we've just picked.  It's the only home-made jam she likes - rejects my blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry etc but happily eats this when given by friends or neighbours.  Now we have our own tree and will see.

[johhnyco15]

I don't own a pressure cooker as I tend to make them explode or bend their bottom.   For extra safety I simply make my jam or chutney or pickle in an ordinary pan then seal the jars while warm so they make a vacuum as they cool and I immerse them in a deep pan of boiling water for 5 minutes.   Seems to work.

please let me know how you get on ive always fancied a go but never had the BOTTLE as it were

It was more the canning aspect - so thing like toms, beans, carrots etc rather than preserves or jams.

[Obelixx]

Have you thought of drying them in a low oven and then storing them in olive oil?  Or making a really reduced passata and bottling or freezing it to make sauces and soups?

[BarriedaleNick]

Have you thought of drying them in a low oven and then storing them in olive oil?  Or making a really reduced passata and bottling or freezing it to make sauces and soups?

I already do that with toms.  Just running the second lot through the dehydrator and I have 10 bottles of tomato based chili sauce on the table - the rest of the toms this year will go to passata or be chopped and frozen.

However the canning idea interests me - not just because of the end product but also the process and the variety of things you can do.   It isn't just about toms - I like the idea of canning pates, meats, soups, stews etc.  Of course I could freeze them but I like to try new things and after the power outage I had a couple of years ago (plus the fact the freezer is full) I am looking at alternatives.  Doesn't seem to be a popular option here but the relatives in Canada say it is pretty popular over there..

please let me know how you get on ive always fancied a go but never had the BOTTLE as it were

Will do!