Pressure Canning

[Durgan]

Preserving garden produce is a bit of a hassle. The objective is to utilize produce when it is abundant and have storage for long periods in a form that is desirable to ingest. The process is simple, boil any fruit or vegetable with minimal water and strain the soft residue through cheese clothe or a fine screen mesh, pressure can and store at room temperature for up to a year with no difficulty. What is produced is true juice.

Last year,I have processed carrots, tomatoes, grapes, elderberry, gooseberry, blackberry, pears, cherry, currants. This year I am going to process anything that is available.

17 August 2010 Pressure Canner 17 August 2010 Pressure Canner

A Presto pressure canner, 23 quart size, was purchased to enable me to process and store safely (sterilize) various juices in the cold room. This unit is the same as a typical Presto pressure cooker, of which I am familiar, except it has a gauge to determine pressure controlled by adjusting the heat applied, and the container is larger to accommodate large jars.

Today the elderberries were processed for long term storage, up to a year in the cold room. The berries were made into juice, and placed in liter jars with the lids finger tightened, and placed in the canner, and placed on the stove. The canner was operated without the “whistler” in place until steam started to emerge to drive out the air, then placed in position.

The recipe called for 11 pounds pressure for 15 minutes. When the pressure reached 11 pounds the heat was adjusted to maintain this level for 15 minutes. Then the heat was removed, and the canner allowed to de-pressurize. The jars were removed and placed on the counter to cool. The pictures depict the simple procedure.

[Ceashels]

Great photos.

I would love to have a pressure canner but have no place to store it as of yet. Once the basement is finished and I have some storage for both the equipment and the filled jars... I'll be having a new hobby.

[low-1]

Just got a 23L Mirro pressure canner from a guy I work with. His wife bought it as a makeshift "autoclave" for tools she uses in her foot care business, but found a true autoclave before she even had a chance to take the canner out of the box. They've had it for 8 years and the box had never been opened.

Heading down south this Friday for a couple of weeks, going to have to stock up on supplies and produce. Can't wait to start playing with it! I'll be netting suckers (fish) next spring for sure as well.