Canning supplies

[Legacy]

Thanks for the replies and the heads up on the rust! Sure appreciate it!

[Canned Nerd]

The weight on a dial canner is not the same thing as the weight rocker gauge on the other style canners. You must remember too with a dial gauge that it MUST be tested at a local Extension before first use and annually thereafter to make sure it is accurate.

 

Many, if not most, canners find this an inconvenience unless they do large volume canning, live above 2,000 feet, or live close to an Extension that can do the testing. Presto Canners sell a conversion kit to go to a weight gauge.

[sassenach]

CN I am getting a Presto canner. I looked at the parts available on the site. So, would a pressure regulator be aka weighted gauge? Because there is nothing listed as a weighted gauge and I think this is just another name >>>?

[Violet]

Arby,

This is a seperate three piece weight set you buy. What comes on a Presto is a counterweight.It is only meant to hold pressure in the canner, not for regulating pressure for canning. A Presto uses a dial gauge. It will keep climbing in pressure if you keep the heat on high. The dial MUST be tested before you use it as it may be off by as much as 4 lb. and it would not be safe to use. I test many brand new gauges that are bad from factory.

I contacted Presto, as well as the National Center for Home Food Preservation a year or more ago. I came up with the idea to use the weights instead. Both Presto and NCFHFP told me it was fine to do so. You then leave the dial on, but you don't have to test it before use or each year like otherwise you would need to. You then use the weight off the set for your altitude. Most everyone uses 10 lb. weight. You then use the weight and it will rattle the whole time you are using it, but it will self vent and keep the canner at 10 lb. pressure. You don't have to sit and watch that gauge the whole time. Makes life easier, for sure.

Any more questions, just ask.

You order part number 50332 for the weight set. It comes apart. You have 3 pieces. The center is 5 lb. Add one ring and you have 10 lb. , add the third piece along with the other 2 and you have 15 lb. pressure.

[sassenach]

Thankyou Violet. I am trying to find a supplier online in case the hardware store in town does not carry them or order them either. I do have Cornell Extension office locally and can get the pressure gauge tested once I receive the canner. Hoping it will be fine, ( yea, right). Will write down the weighted gauge order number for reference, thankyou.

[Violet]

This is where I order. You can even see a pic of the weight set.

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/prestoregulators.htm

[sassenach]

Ok, I found the part on the sites long list of canner parts for presto. Thanks! I will just order one on Payday, but also have the pressure gauge tested. Between the two choices something will make it possible to get started! It would be helpful to use the weighted guage for sure. Sitting there monitoring a canner for 90 mins would make it hard to get anything else done while I wait for processing to be done and that is not a good use of time.

[Josephine]

I got my 3 piece weight set on Amazon. I like it as I can be around the house and just listen for the rocker.

[ScrubbieLady]

Originally Posted By: Violet

Arby,
This is a seperate three piece weight set you buy. What comes on a Presto is a counterweight.It is only meant to hold pressure in the canner, not for regulating pressure for canning. A Presto uses a dial gauge. It will keep climbing in pressure if you keep the heat on high. The dial MUST be tested before you use it as it may be off by as much as 4 lb. and it would not be safe to use. I test many brand new gauges that are bad from factory.
I contacted Presto, as well as the National Center for Home Food Preservation a year or more ago. I came up with the idea to use the weights instead. Both Presto and NCFHFP told me it was fine to do so. You then leave the dial on, but you don't have to test it before use or each year like otherwise you would need to. You then use the weight off the set for your altitude. Most everyone uses 10 lb. weight. You then use the weight and it will rattle the whole time you are using it, but it will self vent and keep the canner at 10 lb. pressure. You don't have to sit and watch that gauge the whole time. Makes life easier, for sure.
Any more questions, just ask.
You order part number 50332 for the weight set. It comes apart. You have 3 pieces. The center is 5 lb. Add one ring and you have 10 lb. , add the third piece along with the other 2 and you have 15 lb. pressure.

Okay, now I am really confused. My pressure canner (Presto) came with a "pressure regulator" that looks just like the 3 piece weight set. I cannot figure out how to get it apart. When I go to the website you reference, it shows a "pressure regulator" for my cannerPresto 175005) that doesn't look like the one I have or the three piece weight set. Is there a secret to getting it apart? Our friends didn't know theirs came apart until he dropped it. I tried that also but didn't work.

Help

[Josephine]

Originally Posted By: ScrubbieLady

Okay, now I am really confused. ...

This is the pressure regulator that comes with the Presto Canners (mine came with this one, at least):



This is a Pressure Regulator that I bought thinking was a three piece (and looks like one!) but isn't.


If it came apart when he dropped it, it broke.

This is the three piece. 5-10-15 Pressure Regulator:

[Darlene]

I rarely use my official water bath canner. I have huge stock pots that do the same job...I've even used my turkey roaster.

 

I don't feel it's necessary to buy a huge pot just because it says "official water bath canner" on it. You can accomplish the same goal if you have large enough pots that will do the same thing...hold water and jars.

[Canned Nerd]

For a Boiling Water Canner that is true, as long as you have some form of rack to set the jars on and there is sufficient height above the jars for a rolling boil. The only advantage of an "official" BWC is in the lid that is curved differently that prevents a boil out of water.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted By: Josephine

Originally Posted By: ScrubbieLady

Okay, now I am really confused. ...

This is the pressure regulator that comes with the Presto Canners (mine came with this one, at least):



This is a Pressure Regulator that I bought thinking was a three piece (and looks like one!) but isn't.


If it came apart when he dropped it, it broke.

This is the three piece. 5-10-15 Pressure Regulator:

That's right , Josephine!

I have a Presto canner and I got my 3 piece regulator from here:

http://mendingshed.com/50332reg.html

I LOVE it. So much that I got a second one (and another gasket)for back up.

The dial is still left on when canning, and the 3 piece is used in place of the regulator that came with the canner. Most of my canning is at 10 pounds pressure, so I leave one ring on the regulator, and place it on the stem after the obligatory 10 minutes of venting. When it gets to 10 pounds pressure, the regulator will start to jiggle and hiss. That's when I start timing. The dial will still show the pressure, but I go by the sound of the regulator.

I used to have problems keeping my pressure even and thought it was my ceramic cooktop, but since I started using my 3 piece regulator, and adding more water to the canner (to be a good 3 inches deep before adding jars) I have no problem at all. Once it achieves the target pressure, I can turn my burner setting down to "4" and my regulator evenly and merrily jiggles and hisses for the duration of the processing time.

[Violet]

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.

[sassenach]

Thanks for the pictures and detailed explanations. I will order the 50332 part for my canner on payday. I was wondering what one did with the pressure gauge as well, so the explanations helped ! I would rather trust the weighted guage system too. Makes things alot easier for me.

[HSmom]

Originally Posted By: Violet

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. That 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.

Thank you for the clarification, Violet. My canner came with the old counterweight. I recently purchased the three piece weight set. For $20 including shipping, I have SOOOOOOOO much more confidence in the accuracy of my canning. I was NOT diligent about getting my guage tested. Now I find that I was way over-pressuring my stuff (better than the other way around!). It's easy to add on, and one quickly gets the hang of listening to the hissing of the "jiggly" thing, so now I have the added advantage of being able to "watch" my canner by ear, rather than visually.

[Violet]

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.

[ScrubbieLady]

Thanks for the info Violet. My canner is not listed for use with the three piece weight set but I e-mailed Presto and they said it would work on mine.

[Violet]

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.

[sassenach]

Ok, got my canner coming with canning tools and pickling spices for different types of pickles. It should arrive on Friday, as I paid for 3 day service over the phone to expedite things because of next weeks schedule. I ordered the weighted gauge as an after thought when I remembered, just now, it will come by US Mail so it will be safe and doesn't conflict with my busy two weeks schedule.

[sassenach]

The canner arrived. Just washed all the silicone grease off it..... waiting for the weighted gauge to arrive in the mail as I'd forgotten to add it to the canner and stuff in the original order that was shipped UPS.

Everything looks just fine.

 

My question is this, about canning salt. Does Walmart carry it ? I know they do, but don't know the brand or what would be best for pickling. I did get some pickling spices, and three have salt already added but one little cannister is just the pickling stuff. I go to Walmart on Monday so a quick answer would be greatly appreciated. I figure I will buy a large quantity of the pickling salt so I can just use as needed. I may become a pickling freak if this goes well.

 

My first canning will be meat, so I can use my tiny freezer for frozen veggies I use all the time in my daily meals, and so I have some room for ice cream finally! I also will can up some beans too. Just waiting on the gauge.

 

Eventually will get used to canning produce and have ready to heat veggies and preps building up this way. I am so very tired of hearing about bacteria and such on produce. Or in peanut butter! It just seems very wise to prep it myself and try and grow my own salad greens and maybe we will get lucky with tomatos at the mha garden, if folks there help me tend the garden since we have to hand water.

[Josephine]

I didn't use canning salt when I canned my meats. I think I will leave it out next time as the beef I tried was very salty (it was straight out of the jar...). I don't use a lot of salt so it may have been just me.

[Violet]

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 !

[sassenach]

Violet, I forgot the pickling salt, but didn't get any cukes anyhow. I sure have plenty of skinless chickenbreasts, it was a fair price at Walmart so I bought alot!!! Also got some nice lean beef chuck and rump and figured it would at least be beef I could can.

I did just pick up the weighted gauge at my po box just now. It has two rings, so I use one of them not both, for 10 lbs pressure?

Yea, will check the canner tonight and do canning in the method if you get back to me this evening on the weights question.... and I might need a tip or two on how to 'fine tune it'?? You are such an expert at all this!

 

I bought some 80 % hamburger in the bulk five pound packages, can hamburger be canned in some way? Any suggestions would be terrific. Fry up patties that would fit in the jars, maybe, drain all fat of course? Or is that a no no? Would just fill with broth or water.

""Thinking ready to eat canned meats is a great idea.""

 

 

[Josephine]

I bought some 80 % hamburger in the bulk five pound packages, can hamburger be canned in some way? Any suggestions would be terrific. Fry up patties that would fit in the jars, maybe, drain all fat of course? Or is that a no no? Would just fill with broth or water.

""Thinking ready to eat canned meats is a great idea.""

 

 

Arb, I bought some beef and had it ground to can. Here' is the link from the NCHFP about canning ground meat. I'd like to find a recipe for meatballs that only has approved ingredients for canning. Bread crumbs no, what about egg?