pressure canner.....yep.....got me one

**sinopa27** · 09-16-2011, 01:55 PM

I finally broke down and got me a pressure canner. I am currently using it now to can my green beans.
I went to 5 stores to finally think of going to Southern states (6th store) and they had 2 left. I bought the biggest one for $100. Then, the man gave me a $10 off coupon at the register!!

I got one and I saved!!!

Then my cousin called me as I was leaving and said that Walmart had one for $64.

Maybe......I will get that one too and give as a gift to my newly married daughter or a backup one for mine.

**Debbie-cat** · 09-16-2011, 01:59 PM

Have fun canning!!

**sinopa27** · 09-16-2011, 02:01 PM

thank you! I feel like the world has just opened up!! Too bad I didn't get this at the beginning of the growing season.

**Uniwolf** · 09-16-2011, 03:05 PM

Actually sinopa27; I don't can durring the summer. I throw all of my canning produce, fruit and such in my freezers, then in the fall, I can so my house doesn't get so hot. Actually on cooler days it has actually kept us from turning on the heat

**Labontet** · 09-16-2011, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Uniwolf

Actually sinopa27; I don't can durring the summer. I throw all of my canning produce, fruit and such in my freezers, then in the fall, I can so my house doesn't get so hot. Actually on cooler days it has actually kept us from turning on the heat

That is for sure!!!! It is so miserably hot down here in Florida I just can't stand the thought of canning. I actually never thought about putting the produce, etc., in the freezer then taking it out to can at a later date.

I suppose I will catch on soon.

**HappyMama** · 09-16-2011, 06:38 PM

Yeah!!! Have fun canning!

**sinopa27** · 09-16-2011, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Uniwolf

Actually sinopa27; I don't can durring the summer. I throw all of my canning produce, fruit and such in my freezers, then in the fall, I can so my house doesn't get so hot. Actually on cooler days it has actually kept us from turning on the heat

wait a second!! Am I reading this right?? You freeze your stuff and then can it later??????
Like, I can get strawberries when they are in season, freeze them and then in the fall make strawberry jam???
I am amazed!!

**sinopa27** · 09-16-2011, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Labontet

That is for sure!!!! It is so miserably hot down here in Florida I just can't stand the thought of canning. I actually never thought about putting the produce, etc., in the freezer then taking it out to can at a later date.

I suppose I will catch on soon.

I saw so many youtube videos of people using a pressure canner outside with the propane tanks that I thought that could be a possibility for me. But the first thing that I saw when I opened it up was a bright yellow paper saying NOT to use the propane cookers with the pressure canner.

**mndtrp** · 09-16-2011, 08:45 PM

Quality pressure canners rarely need backups, they can last for decades.

If you're going to smash, mush, or otherwise destroy the texture of your fruits or vegetables before canning, there isn't really any reason why you can't freeze first. If you want to retain as close to the original texture as possible, I wouldn't do much freezing.

**Uniwolf** · 09-16-2011, 09:10 PM

sinopa27;

I buy strawberries ALOT when they are on sale for .89 or .99 cents a container (qt I think, not sure though) and then just wash stem and slice as I would to make jam anyway. I only make apple jelly with the peels (learned this from my mom, she allways made apple jelly after Thanksgiving and Christmas, we allways peel the apples before makeing apple pie). Greenbeans I wash and snap as I would before canning and put them in qt freezer bags and in the freezer they go. Peas, same way. Carrots -rarely last that long, but yep, slice and freeze. I also buy meat on sale through out the year, and can it in the cooler months also. Some things I leave frozen, but for the most part, I freeze and then can. Tomatoes also, like I said, most of what I can has been frozen before I can it. mndtrp I don't do anything to it that I wouldn't normally do before canning anyway. Like I said, I slice strawberries before making jam. With things like rasberries and blackberries, I simply was and place on a cookie sheet, let them freeze and then place in a freezer bag. We have a small house, with a very small galley style kitchen. It can get very hot in there in the summer time. Also with my job I have mega crazy hrs mid to late Jan through end of October. It is just less stress for me. This way I still can supplement my grocery budget, without killing myself.

**sinopa27** · 09-16-2011, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Uniwolf

sinopa27;

I buy strawberries ALOT when they are on sale for .89 or .99 cents a container (qt I think, not sure though) and then just wash stem and slice as I would to make jam anyway. I only make apple jelly with the peels (learned this from my mom, she allways made apple jelly after Thanksgiving and Christmas, we allways peel the apples before makeing apple pie). Greenbeans I wash and snap as I would before canning and put them in qt freezer bags and in the freezer they go. Peas, same way. Carrots -rarely last that long, but yep, slice and freeze. I also buy meat on sale through out the year, and can it in the cooler months also. Some things I leave frozen, but for the most part, I freeze and then can. Tomatoes also, like I said, most of what I can has been frozen before I can it. mndtrp I don't do anything to it that I wouldn't normally do before canning anyway. Like I said, I slice strawberries before making jam. With things like rasberries and blackberries, I simply was and place on a cookie sheet, let them freeze and then place in a freezer bag. We have a small house, with a very small galley style kitchen. It can get very hot in there in the summer time. Also with my job I have mega crazy hrs mid to late Jan through end of October. It is just less stress for me. This way I still can supplement my grocery budget, without killing myself.

I understand better! Thank you so much for explaining. I tell you one thing is for sure......I learn something new every time I come to FV forums!!
That gives a person options. I am thinking if I get a deal on strawberries, I can freeze them until the weekend I am off and then can them. Thanks for the idea!!

**Spirit Deer** · 09-17-2011, 12:03 AM

If you can in large quantities, a second canner would speed up the process as you can have both of them going at the same time. If you decide to do that, be sure both will fit on the stove without hanging over the counter. I scorched my countertop years ago by having two canners side by side, and the stove not being quite wide enough. You may need to put one on a front burner and one on the opposite side back burner to get them to fit.

Be sure you can easily get parts for any canner you buy, locally if possible. I would suggest a name brand. Check the store where you bought your canner and see if they carry parts, such as the rubber seal for the lid and the over-pressure plugs on the lids. (Not sure if the new canners have those or if they use some other system.) If the Walmart canner isn't a name brand that has parts available from more than one source such as Walmart, hardware stores, tractor supply stores, etc. then I wouldn't buy it. The instant you can't buy a part for it, it's worthless.

Be aware if your new canner(s) has a gauge and not a weight, you will need to get that checked annually, so be sure you know where you can get that done. Extension services used to do that but they don't anymore. At least they don't here.

**sinopa27** · 09-17-2011, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

If you can in large quantities, a second canner would speed up the process as you can have both of them going at the same time. If you decide to do that, be sure both will fit on the stove without hanging over the counter. I scorched my countertop years ago by having two canners side by side, and the stove not being quite wide enough. You may need to put one on a front burner and one on the opposite side back burner to get them to fit.

Be sure you can easily get parts for any canner you buy, locally if possible. I would suggest a name brand. Check the store where you bought your canner and see if they carry parts, such as the rubber seal for the lid and the over-pressure plugs on the lids. (Not sure if the new canners have those or if they use some other system.) If the Walmart canner isn't a name brand that has parts available from more than one source such as Walmart, hardware stores, tractor supply stores, etc. then I wouldn't buy it. The instant you can't buy a part for it, it's worthless.

Be aware if your new canner(s) has a gauge and not a weight, you will need to get that checked annually, so be sure you know where you can get that done. Extension services used to do that but they don't anymore. At least they don't here.

It has a gauge that has a range of 0 to 20 psi and a regulator on it. I got mine from southern states and is a Presto brand and it listed how to get replacement parts for it. I will call the cooperative extension offices on Monday and see what they recommend. Thanks! I had no idea the gauge needed to be checked.

**sinopa27** · 09-17-2011, 01:19 AM

Let me ask a question, my canner says it cans like 20 pints. Does that mean I stack them on top of each other?

**Spirit Deer** · 09-17-2011, 01:22 AM

It should say in your instruction book.

If your canner is a Presto, you're in luck. The company will test the gauge if you mail it to them in Wisconsin. Spare parts should be available from them or in various other places, too. They've been around for a long time and that's a respected brand.