canning questions

[herbal]

Im not sure if this is the way to address these questions?Kind of new to forums and how to use them.Anyways I have some questions first of all my mirro canner weight thingy that rocks keeps sticking and I have cleaned it????Next question ,I have some canned chicken broth and messed up some planning so ended up putting it in the fridge over night ,can I can this or do I have to start all over?I never did any cooking in the canner with these jars of broth but I did do all the steps prep before like boiling and sterilized jars.Last question Im making chicken pot pie and seperating my ingrediants can I can peas,green beans,carrots,celery,onion and parsley in one jar....and how would I prep this before hand cover with boiling water and fill to half inch???thanks waiting for answers so I can get back at it. :

bounce:

[Darlene]

Hey there herbal...let me see if I can help you figure out some of the answers, but I might have a couple of questions myself lol...

 

Exactly how is your weight "sticking"?

 

It is safe to can your chicken broth that you refrigerated overnight. I would just heat the broth up back in a pot, and then refill your jars to get them ready to process. If you try to put a cold jar into a hot canner, your risk of the jar exploding is high.

 

If you're canning chicken pot pie, why not can the veggies with the chicken too in chicken broth? All you'd hafta do when you go to make pot pie is maybe thicken the sauce a little. If you want to only can the veggies, if it were me, I'd cover the veggies in either hot chicken broth or hot water and pressure can for 40 minutes (because of the peas).

[herbal]

thanks for reply my weight is rocking when cooking then it gets stuck I just touch the weight to get it going again I can tell its not because the heat is low ??????It makes for long canning lately but I live on a island and had to travel to purchase this canner...help would help me get some fun while canning like doing the dishes hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...not watching my weight on the canner.

[Violet]

Try putting on a little cooking oil to see if that helps. If not, you may need to gently use some fine sandpaper on it.

 

[LiveandLearn]

I have a canner question! We waited for the steam to vent, then set the weight on...noticed that a bit of steam was coming out one side, from the edge of the lid. But then, when the pressure got to about 7 pounds, there was a pop, steam started coming out from everywhere, and the pressure dropped.

 

Did I have the lid on wrong? Can I just start over?

 

Help! Thanks in advance!

 

[Darlene]

Yeah, just start from scratch...there should be no steam coming from any area except from the vent hon.

[LiveandLearn]

Thanks, Darlene! I didn't think it was right. Tried it again with the same trouble, only it stayed at 8 lbs pressure after the "pop", with steam pouring out the sides. Tried waiting, but it didn't change, even though it cooked the veggies and the cans sealed. So I'll refrigerate this batch, and try again.

 

I'm not sure what's wrong - I've lined up the lid and closed it carefully, read the instructions repeatedly. I guess I'll just have to keep fiddling with it.

 

 

[Jefiner]

I am getting ready to purchase my first canner, so I am a total n00b! So, asking for thoughts:

 

weight vs. dial gauge

I'm only canning for two people, so:

pints vs. quarts

Brands?

 

I'm picking up a ball blue book today, and hitting teh interwebs for info as well.

 

I will be canning primarily meats (things I find on sale), and not veggies, since I don't garden--that's a challenge in Phoenix anyways!

 

Thanks for any and all insight!

[etp777]

Weight (or both, in case of All American) and pints. All canners are good, all american is top, presto, mirro and t-fal are a lot cheaper. Ball, Kerr or Golden harvest for jars.

[quiltys41]

More pints than quarts. You will want to put your veggies in pints mostly and some of the fruits (did you know you can can up frozen veggies you find on a good sale at the store?). But still going to need quarts if you are going to do any canning of peaches, sauces, ready to eat foods like chili, etc... I do pulled pork, chicken chuncks and such in pints too so there isn't so much extra

 

As for the canner, I like the jiggler myself but others swear by the dial gauge. Oh pick up one of the magic wands with the little magnet on the end too if they have one there. It is such a big helper to get the lids and rings out of the hot water and you can turn it around and use the other end to burp out the air from your jars...handy little thing!

 

Q

[Violet]

Ok, did you check to see if the vent hole is really clean ? You may need to run a pipe cleaner through there, or even a piece of string to clean it out.

It sounds as though your gasket may be bad. Is it new or is it older and maybe brittle ? The gasket should be soft and pliable, no cracks in it. You can check it by taking it out and stretching it. If it seems hard or brittle with cracks, it is time for a new one. If it is too loose and seems sloppy, heat in some warm water, stretch and put back in if the gasket is still soft. You can also try a little oil on the gasket. It sounds like the gasket may not be able to handle the pressure.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Violet]

Jefiner, I would get a weighted gauge canner otherwise you have to get the dial checked before you ever use it, then each year to be sure it is accurate. It will save you trouble of trying to get one tested, plus the expense of buying new gauges.

You can turn a dial gauge canner into a weighted gauge one in most cases, though.

If you want to spend less money, you can get a Mirro weighted canner. The All American are heavy, don't need a gasket, and have both a dial and a weight. It just all depends upon personal preference.

I have 2 Presto canners that I use the three piece weight set on so I don't have to worry about testing the gauges. I can't lift the All American, it is too heavy for me.

 

Also, not all websites are reliable. So, don't trust just anything or even all books. Some are written by well meaning folks, but they have no training in food safety and may not be safe to follow. Any of the USDA/ university sites are good, as long as they are current. This is the leading authority on home canning :http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html

Then, a current copy of the Ball Blue Book is really helpful.

 

Something I like much better than a magnetic wand is a jar lid rack. It is like this :

http://www.canningpantry.com/canning-lid-sterilizer.html

 

 

[brendajo]

 

Violet would you explain how to convert a guage canner to a weighted one? I have an older maid of honer that I would love to use.I have 2 prestos that I use {both with guages}I have never used a weighted one.Do I have to buy any thing different other than the weights? tia

[Jeepers]

Violet, I just bought one of those 'lid holders' at Lehmans this year. I haven't used it yet but I'm sure I'm going to like it.

 

Also, I think one of the most important gadgets you can have is a jar lifter. You need to get the jars out of the canner while they are still hot. My mother in law would use a pot holder (bless her) but when it got damp it would burn your fingers.

 

Mine is similar to this one. Think forceps.

 

http://doitbest.com/Canning+jars+and+suppl...-sku-604796.dib

[Violet]

Brendajo, if your stem on your canner will fit the three piece weight set from Presto, then you are good to go. Just leave the dial on, but only use it to plug up the hole, LOL, or use as a reference. I have even gone to using the weights even though I am one who tests canner gauges at the extension office. It is easier than having to get the gauge tested each year. Cheaper to invest in the weights, too, than needing to buy a new gauge.

Use the weights for your altitude. Here I need to can at 10 lb. pressure.

The Presto part number is 50332.

If you have an old canner with the old petcock, on some you can buy a new stem that will fit.

I am doing this with an old National canner, that is now owned by Presto.

I also did this to my friends old All American that did not have both the dial and the weights like the new models do. It works great !

With the Presto, you will vent the canner for the full ten minutes, then put on the weights. When it rocks steadily, you then start your processing time. It needs to rock the whole time. I like it because I can just listen to it go, not have to run and look at the dial all the time.

If you need more help, let me know. I will do my best to help you out.

 

 

[Crazy4Canning]

Originally Posted By: Violet

Something I like much better than a magnetic wand is a jar lid rack. It is like this :
http://www.canningpantry.com/canning-lid-sterilizer.html

Violet,
I have one of these and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it - some of the best money I spent. I still use the lid wand though, because I'm a weenie and my fingers are really sensitive. I also don't like chasing lids around the bottom of a pan.