One Hundred Dollars a Month

Using a pressure canner is a little bit different than hot water bath canning, in that it requires a little more attention and every pressure canner is a little bit different.  Making sure your pressure canner is in top order {or more specifically, the gauge} is essential.  You can usually take it down to your local extension office or hardware store and have it tested–and you really should do this yearly to ensure your safety and the safety of the food you’re canning.

Here’s a basic step-by-step guide for using a pressure cooker:

1. First off, when using a pressure canner, make sure your stove top is level.  Also, avoid using outdoor gas grills, as they can get too hot.

2. Put the rack and hot water into the canner.  If your recipe doesn’t call for a specific amount of water, fill it about 2-3 inches high in the canner.

3. Place your filled jars, with lids and rings, on the jar rack in the pressure canner.

4. Fasten the lid of the pressure canner.  Leave the weight off of the vent pipe for now.

5. Turn the burner to high and allow water to boil.  Steam should flow freely through the vent pipe.  Allow the steam to flow for 10 minutes or so.  {This is called venting or exhausting the canner}.

6. Place the weighted gauge/counterweight on the vent pipe and allow the canner to pressurize.

7. Start your processing timer once the pressure reading on the dial is reached per your recipe.

8. It is EXTREMELY important for the safety of your food that you maintain the specified pressure for your recipe the duration of processing.  This can require some babysitting on your part of your pressure canner.  If the pressure dips below the required number, start your processing time all over from the beginning.  It is equally important that you don’t allow the pressure gauge to climb unnecessarily.  Too much pressure, and KABOOM.  {Newer pressure canners have a safety mechanism that will prevent this from happening}

9. Once canned goods have finished processing, remove the pressure canner from the heat {carefully, you don’t want to tilt the jars inside and cause food to leak out and prevent sealing} or just turn off the heat.  The canner will depressurize.

10. Once the canner is completely depressurized, wait another 10 minutes and then carefully unfasten the lid and remove {away from your face, unless you want a super hot steam facial}.

11. Use a jar lifter to lift the jars out of  the canner–again be careful not to disturb the jars too much so that the liquids spill out, stopping the sealing process.

12. Set canned jars on a towel on the counter, adequately spaced from one another, and allow them to cool.

13. Allow the jars to sit untouched for 12-24 hours {or until COMPLETELY cooled}.

14. Check for a good seal on jars and remove bands from jars before storing.

Pressure canning seems a little overwhelming at first, but it really is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.  Plus, if you want to can meats, beans, etc. it’s pretty much your only option.

This is the pressure canner I use, my MIL gave it to me for Christmas one year, and it’s awesome!

See all of my canning recipes HERE.