canning

[Sarah-b]

Am just wondering about canning...
What is the difference between a pressure cooker and a pressure canner? Is there a difference? Can you do canning in a pressure cooker?

Thanks Sarah.

[Sarah-b]

[tim]

Wherever possible, I prefer 'bottling'/canning to freezing. It's colouful & doesn't need thawing. OK, it takes longer in the first place.

Home Preservation of Fruit & Vegetables HMSO is useful. So is www.uga.edu/nchfp/.

A canner is an  accurate pressure cooker, but we've always used the latter. Best if it has pressure options of 5,10 & 15lb.

Mostly, these days, we use it for fruit & various tomato products. = Tim

[aquilegia]

OK - stupid question - when canning, do you end up with a can, like shop-bought beans?

Tim - how do you bottle tomatoes? I end up with a freezer full of tomato sauces for pasta, but could use the space for something else.

[tim]

In the true US sense - yes. But Kilner & Le Parfait jars are more homely.

We mostly bottle tom juice or reduced pulp. We also do local peaches & pears, & our own Victorias.

I would love to help, but I do think that everyone ought to READ the small print - especially the importance of both sugar & acid, each in its own place. = Tim

PS In the '50's, I bottled our whole crop of sweet corn. Looked great. Shelves sagging with it. So - both the boys got whooping cough & all they could eat was - ? - CORN!! Dear boys!!

BTW - the Good Housekeeping Institute answer any tech question every Friday between 10 & 4.