Violet

If the lids are put on and they seal when hot, botulism can grow quickly enough to cause death or paralysis within a few days. ( Same reason that foods need reprocessing within 24 hours of the initial canning if they don't seal. It grows that fast.)

So, if one insist on doing this, even with the risk of the glass explodiing in the oven, they should be baked, let cool totally. Then put a lid on, keep in the fridge no longer than 3 days or frozen. We still do not recommend doing this with the risk of the jars exploding.

Little cans would be much safer than jars. Grease and flour them, then use them.

Pyrex also had a glass tube for baking breads in called a bake a round, I think. I had one years ago.

The safest is to use small bread pans instead.

You are welcome. I really do want you all to survive.

Anewme, this is how we all learn. You need to keep asking questions about things. Never feel as though you have a silly question. Please, ask away !

This is a VERY dangerous thing to do. You can get botulism from it.

Think of the ingredients... flour, eggs, oil, all things not safe to can ( other than a few marinated HIGHLY acidifed things that have been tested in labs). Then, to put in a solid form, since density is a big canning factor adds to the danger. Plus, the glass is not safe for the oven. It can shatter and throw glass all over. Then, sit in a sealed jar just where botulism likes to grow. Besides, the jars are not even processed, they are done "open kettle".

Please, do not try any of the cake/bread in a jar things.

Oh, PURDY !!!

It says on the box, holds 7 qt, 10 pints, 12 half pint mason jars. Any bigger and it wouldnt fit on my cooktop, its a very confined area.

Since i no longer cook for a army, family of 6, downsized to 2 now, i dont really need quanity, just looking for home grown things of our own.

Cowgirl,

That will suit your needs well. I am happy you got a new canner !

I think I may like a small one, too, but no more storage area. I am out of room and still getting more jars. I have NO idea where they will go yet.

Canned Nerd,

They started selling that 16 quart size a couple years ago. No dial, just the weight set. Yes, same 3 piece set that I have been telling folks they can get and use on the dial gauge canner.

Cowgirl, they are totally safe. Especially with the weights since they self vent and will not get over the pressure you have set with the weight. We are here cheering you on !!

It is fun !!

Scrubbie,

I also wash mine off. I cut the open, then wash and dry. Never had any problem with flavors. They really are the best between burgers. They don't get soggy or rip like wax paper and not flimsy like plastic wrap. I wish you could buy that plastic stuff on a roll. I also use bread sacks cut up, too, but using the unprinted side, of course.

Jingles,

The bags work great to save and use for patting out hamburger patties, things like that on. I cut them open. My daughter and I use them for dropping out no bake cookies on.

You can save the bag and use it for coating meats, chicken, etc.

I don't think I would reuse for sealing up, but for other things, sure. Why waste money if you have these to use for things ?

My dh thinks I am strange for doing this, but it does save money.

Dianne,

It is really easy to get a weight set for a dial gauge Presto canner. Just order the part number 50332 from any place online that sells them. I normally order the sets from RedHill General Store. Fast service, too.

It can depend upon what kind of stove you have as to what kind of canner you will need to buy. A glass top stove may or may not be used, depending upon the manufacturer. Presto is the only one that states on the box it can be used with flat top stoves.

If you have an electric coil stove, you will need to get a special canning element or you risk killing your stove. How do I know ?? I learned the hard way, after the fact, that there is a special element for the stove. I killed 2 stoves before anyone ever told me this.

The Presto 23 quart canner is really good, but I do suggest the 3 piece weight set so you don't have to worry about getting the gauge tested. You are doing exactly as the new All American canner in doing so, you have both a dial and a weighted system.

I use the Presto because I cannot lift the heavy All American canners due to my back problems. I can find the Presto parts here a lot easier than Mirro. Mirro is only a weighted gauge canner, though, no dial involved.

So, if you have any questions, give a holler and I will help you out.

You are all welcome ! Makes a fun gift, too. Something a bit different.

BANANA JAM

4 cups prepared fruit (about 11 fully ripe medium bananas) 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. EVER-FRESH Fruit Protector (optional) 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional) 6 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl (See tip below.)

Make It

BRING boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

MASH bananas thoroughly. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. Stir lemon juice and fruit protector into prepared fruit in saucepot.

STIR pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

STIR in all sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Just a quick note for anyone suffering from high blood pressure to take it easy on magnesium, including epsom salt baths.

I have high blood pressure and take magnesium supplements for leg cramps. I had not been told that it was harmful. Maybe I better check it out some more. My doctor knows I take calcium and magnesium. I take blood pressure meds. too.

Thanks for letting me know. I will do some more research.

The larger jars take too long to process the foods. Often the food becomes too thick or dense for the heat to properly penetrate while canning. Botulism can grow in those cases or in high acid foods, like fruits, the fruits can mold or ferment.

Ony fruit juice, not even tomato juice in the half gallon jars. I don't know how you can really find a canner tall enough for them considering the water would have to come up over the tops of the jars by 1 or 2 inches and still have room to boil.

From USDA:

What can I process in half-gallon canning jars?

At least one canning jar manufacturer is selling half-gallon canning jars. That manufacturer has a printed note on the top that says half-gallon jars are only used for some highly acidic foods in a boiling water canner, with instructions to call a toll-free number for the instructions. When we last called, the only choices are grape juice and apple juice, as we also recommend.

The only processes that USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation and the University of Georgia have to recommend for half-gallon jars are for very acidic fruit juices (and juice only): Apple Juice (http://www.homefoodpreservation.com/how/can_02/apple_juice.html) and Grape Juice (http://www.homefoodpreservation.com/how/can_02/grape_juice.html). This process time is not to be used for tomato juice, for example.

There are no other research-tested processes for half-gallon jars. Boiling water processes for other foods for jars larger than those published with recipes (usually pints and/or quarts) cannot be extended by any formula to a larger jar.

We are aware that there are historical recommendations for canning foods in half-gallon jars. However, these are not currently accepted or endorsed by the USDA, Cooperative Extension System or U.S. manufacturers of home canning jars.

The only safe way to can bananas is in a banana jam recipe. It has lemon juice added to it, too.

Not just any banana jam or banana butter recipe is safe.

Be sure it comes from a reliable source. The safe ones I know of are from Sure Jell/Kraft foods.

Bananas are low acid and need to be properly canned to be safe.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/surej...read-51023.aspx

ph of Banana, yellow 5.00 - 5.29

The recipe you sent is fine, it has the lemon juice in it.

Hello good people,

This forum thing is new to me so if I make a mistake, just let me know...

My husband and I are very interested in getting a pressure canner. I have water-bath canned for years, but my freezer fills up every year with the produce that I can't can in that manner...Anyway.... I am trying to decide between the AA 921 or the AA 925. The only advantage that I could think of is that perhaps the 921 won't take the 1.5 quart jars. Having never actually seen either canner, I'm not sure if this is true... If I don't have to get the bigger, heavier one, I would prefer not to. But, there are times when I use my larger jars....

Any help on this matter?

You are not able to safely can anything in a jar larger than a quart. Not other than fruit juice, not even tomato juice. Besides, you need a really tall canner in order to use larger jars.

I don't think there is an advantage to the larger one in this case. I would go for price on the two models.

I got whipping cream on sale for 79 cents a pint. Made butter out of it. So good, sweet, creamy, and less salt. It is really tasty.

As usual, washed out some bread sacks to reuse, things like that.

Went shopping and got more chopped ham for 99 cents a lb. and froze a bunch.

Yes, Arby.

The center by itself with no rings on is 5 lb. pressure, then add one ring for 10 lb. The whole thing together is 1 5 lb.

There are charts for canning fruits with the 5 lb. weight in case you need to know for later on.

Arby,

You can use the online methods and recipes from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. You don't need to wait for the Ball Blue Book. The Ball book just has some more recipes, but all the basic, safe methods and recipes come from USDA to begin with. They are the leading authority on home preservation at the Univ. of Georgia.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/ground_chopped.html

I got 25 cent shampoo and free hair mousse ! I got a brand new nightgown, priced reg. at $46 for $4. A nice suedelike black blouse for $3.50. Just have to take the cuffs off and shorten the sleeves.

Yesterday I got six boxes of free food. Four we gave away to the needy, and kept 2 for us to eat. Also got 15 lb. free bread flour.

Made potato salad out of some free red potatoes that had just started to sprout.

Got some free razor clams from the neighbor. My Dh went over and showed them how to clean them and they shared with us.

I am not sure I will be able to explain it . I am not trained in a whole lot of the chemistry behind foods. Wish I knew more of the scientific,technical things behind it all. I hope I am going to make sense.

For example, when you make salsa, the ph reading would be a certain number. As it sits and the veggies acidify the ph can change. It was explained to me that foods will in the beginning sort of "reject" the acid, then relax, and accept it. I was told that is why recipes like salsas need to be tested for safety. Also, why salsa is not packed raw into a jar and processed. It takes time for the acid to penetrate the cell wallls of a food, is my understanding. I am also thinking things like pickles. The cucumbers will eventually absorb the acid as well as the flavor.

This is why we should never make up our own recipes. We just have no idea what the ph level is or the density.

Also, something to think about, the recipes that are tested are tested with those EXACT amounts and EXACT ingredients. If you change anything, then the processing times would be different for that food. The density of food will also determine the processing times. That is why something like a juice will require less processing time than chunks of fruit. The chunks are more dense and will take longer for the heat to penetrate.

When they test the recipes, they are tested at all stages. The time it goes into the jars and then later on as the food has sat.

There is just so much to learn. Even the temp. at which you store your jars makes a difference. If they get too hot, foods can acutally spoil, or at least change colors. Fruits can get pale if left in light.

In all honesty, the person to ask more scientific, detailed things would be Elizabeth Andress at the National Center for Home Food Preservation. She is the one who has shared so much of her wisdom with us.

The reason you must peel potatoes is that no matter how much you scrub or wash, you cannot get all the botulism spores off. They may not all be killed during processing. The processing times are for PEELED potatoes. If it was possible to be 100 percent sure the botulism was destroyed with peel, the processing time would be longer. May or may not even be possible to destroy all the spores by processing. I just know this is what I am taught and what I am to pass along as safe processing, to peel all potatoes and root crops. This would also be for carrots, etc. anything that grows underground.

The spores can grow into the toxin in the absence of air, as in the sealed jar.

If you decide to use the ones with peels you have, be sure to boil at least 10 min. before you ever taste them.

Arby,

Walmart here has the canning/pickling salt during part of the year when they have canning supplies. You will just have to check and see if they have it now.

I get mine at the grocery store.

When I can meats I use boullion, which has salt in it. I do use canning salt in my veggies and pickles, though.

Glad you got your canner ! Finally. If you want to play with it, go ahead and just put some water in there and check to see if the gauge goes up and also if the seal leaks,etc. Vent for the full 10 min. then put on the counterweight. If you want to take it up to 15 lb. pressure, it should rock at that point. You will have to keep a good eye on it though, since you will be regulating the pressure yourself with the heat.

It is not self regulating as the weights will be. Well, you do adjust it some so it doesn't have to rock like it is going to fly off, but basically once you set the temp. on the stove it will just rattle the whole time and keep it at the right pressure.

Woo hoo ! You are going to be canning away soon !

I am glad it will work on yours. There is only one really old model that I have found it doesn't work on so far. It works on my oldest canner, which is about 30 years old.

You are welcome for the help. I also have gone to using the weights even though I test gauges. I do it so I can also just listen and not have to babysit watching the gauge.

Glad it is working so well for you, too.

The top 2 pictures are only counterweights. They are not meant to regulate the pressure, only hold it in and allow pressure to build. The first one is the new model counterweight. The second picture is the kind that came on my old canner, but still a counterweight.

The third picture is a three piece weight set. It comes apart. It is part number 50332. Taht is what you want to use for making it into a weighted gauge canner. Leave the dial on, just don't rely on it for accuracy. No more having to test the gauge every year.