Canner Question

[brendajo]

I found a great sale on chicken today and when I got home my new 3 piece presto weight gauge had arrived in the mail. So of course I had to try it out Got my chicken in the jars vented my canner for ten minutes.Put the weight on and watched the guage go to 10,11,12,13 then a little steam escaped so I adjusted the heat it stayed on 13lbs for the full 75 minutes never rocked never wiggled or Jiggled just an occasional spurt of steam. I am assuming my guage was off a few lbs.Is this normal Is'nt it suppossed to rock or something? TIA

[Darlene]

You probably should have raised the heat a little to get the weight moving a couple of times/minute. Since you haven't had the dial gauge check yet (even new ones need to be checked), it very well could be off.

 

I'd be willing to guess that you probably under pressure canned your meats.

[Violet]

On a Presto the weight has to jiggle the whole time. My guess is your gauge is off by quite a bit. You do not rely on the dial if you are using the weights. You must have it jiggle or rock the whole time for it to accurate.

Your chicken is underprocessed. You either need to figure out what is wrong with the canner and reprocess within 24 hours of the initial canning, or pop the lids, then remove a bit from the jars and freeze them. That or keep in the fridge and eat within 2-3 days.

[brendajo]

Tried again today with just water in the canner.weight started rocking at 14 lbs. This is a new presto canner. If my guage is off this much I can just imagine how many more people are trusting presto guages to be accurate on new canners.I am changing both of mine over to weights so I don't have to rely on guages any more.thanks.

[Violet]

Brendajo, I am glad you did that. Did you reprocess your chicken ?

That is why I stress you MUST get even a new gauge tested. They are often off by as much as 4 lb. We test a lot of new gauges that are bad to start with. Presto has been contacted. They just seem to plain not care !

So,this is why I am suggesting if possible, to change the dial over to a weight. Or, at least use the gauge as a guide, not to rely upon, along with the weight.

I have an old canner here I tested that my daughter got free. The lady who had it said it worked, they had been using it. Well, the gauge is off by 6 lb. ! Makes me wonder how they survived canning with one that bad. I am trying to get the parts to convert this old one over to a weighted gauge before I give it back to my daughter.

 

[Jeepers]

Brendajo, sorry you are having such aggrevation with your canner. I have a weighted type canner and it is so much easier. You'll never have to have it re-calibrated. Not much room for error with those. I'm sure you will be happier with it when you get it changed over.

 

I wonder if the gauges are are correct when they leave the manufacturing plant but get messed up while being jostled in shipping?

 

Probably not but tryng to give the benefit of a doubt.

[Marina]

Brendajo, I'm feeling your pain! I have a glasstop stove, so I ordered the 23-QT Presto canner (stove manual says I can can on it). I assumed the dial gauge arrived accurate??? I've been reading the posts on this forum this past weekend and realized I could get the 3-pc weight, so I ordered it today. Curious to know if my gauge is off, too. Especially since I've used it several times already. The good news is (I guess) is that I processed it high (13-14 lbs) because I couldn't get it to 11 lbs

 

Violet, thanks for the info on the weights needing to rock the whole time. Anything else I need to know?

 

Thanks bunches,

M

[Violet]

Part of the problem is they are cheaply made. My last one on my NEW canner, when I used it the plastic lens fell off the front !

I see so many that are bad right out of the box. Honestly, Presto seems to not care. Even I am using the weights now.

Marina, be sure to have yours checked since you canned food with it. If it is off your food may be unsafe to eat. I am sorry, but this could be true. I would hate to find out you got ill or your food spoiled.

Also, I just want to insure you are venting the canner the full 10 min. before the weight goes on. That, and use 2-3 inches of water in the bottom, no matter what your booklet says.

Then, you let the jars sit in the canner before removing them. This is a new guideline, too.

First, research done at the University of Georgia for the US Department of Agriculture has shown that to be safe, holding times at the end of the canning process need to be lengthened. More specifically, they used to recommend that after the food had been processed in a boiling water bath for the correct amount of time, the jars should be lifted out without waiting. Now they recommend, “When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.” For pressure canning, the recommended holding time was two minutes. Now the recommendation is to wait ten minutes.

 

 

[Marina]

Originally Posted By: Violet

Also, I just want to insure you are venting the canner the full 10 min. before the weight goes on. That, and use 2-3 inches of water in the bottom, no matter what your booklet says.
Then, you let the jars sit in the canner before removing them. This is a new guideline, too.
First, research done at the University of Georgia for the US Department of Agriculture has shown that to be safe, holding times at the end of the canning process need to be lengthened. More specifically, they used to recommend that after the food had been processed in a boiling water bath for the correct amount of time, the jars should be lifted out without waiting. Now they recommend, “When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.” For pressure canning, the recommended holding time was two minutes. Now the recommendation is to wait ten minutes.

Yes, I vent the full 10 mins before weight goes on.

I put 2-3 inches of water in the bottom -- Actually, I put in 3 qts, to the bottom line. I just tried measuring and if I'm hearing you correctly, I should be putting water *over* the bottom line.

After pressure goes down, I take off regulator and vent for a few mins before removing lid. I believe you're telling me after the pressure goes down, remove regulator and vent 10 min *before* opening lid? Or vent 10 mins *after* opening lid?

No problem if I have to throw anything out. Sure beats the alternative!

I will endeavor to persevere!

[Darlene]

Violet, so the new guidelines are that whether it be waterbath or pressure canning, that we are to leave the jars in the pots, in the water, for an additional amount of time before totally removing them outta the pots?

 

Why is that? What will the extra 10 minutes sitting in the pressure canner with the top off, after it's been under heat and pressure for say, 90 minutes, plus the depressurizing process, add to the saftey angle?

 

I guess I'm just not understanding what staying in the hot water for a few extra minutes is helping to do. (see? this is why I don't mind people asking WHY cause *I* always wanna know WHY...lololol)

 

And Marina? You hang in there girl...you're gonna do just fine.

[Violet]

Marina,

The mark may not be 2 to 3 inches. Measure it to be sure. Sometimes the canner instructions and the USDA methods are different. I suggest you follow USDA methods because they are tested and retested for your safety.

You let them sit in the canner with the lid off in the water bath for 5 min. In a pressure canner, you wait until the pressure is all the way down, then remove the weight and the lid. Let them sit for 10 min. Yes, it does help with safety, but also supposed to help with siphoning of the contents, so I was told. You know how some jars sometimes bubble over.

All this stuff keeps us on our toes. My mind is clogged, ha ha.

Today I am sewing. Making cloth napkins. I made a new ironing board cover, too. Cleaned out the pantry a little bit. Need more storage containers. I like Tupperware best.

 

 

[Marina]

Originally Posted By: Darlene

And Marina? You hang in there girl...you're gonna do just fine.

I sure hope so. When I can do a 1/4 ton of apples, I'll know that I've arrived!!!

I hope I don't have to throw my goods out because I made your French Onion Soup and it looks divine. Mmm-good!

M

[Violet]

Marina, you will be just fine. Tired from it all, but fine.

Too bad you were not here so you could join in the canning classes at the extension office. You could see if yours offers them, too.

I love apples canned with little cinnamon red hot candies in the syrup. MMM. So pretty, too. My grandbaby loves them. They look really pretty on a holiday table. That and the brown sugar applesauce, too. I think he is old enough to have fun with different colored pears, too. Just add food color to the syrup. He would love that.

I stocked up some on sugar. Maybe I should get more so I can make more for him. You know, we Grammies will do anything for our grandbabies ! Things we wouldn't do for anyone else.

 

[Marina]

Okie-dokie, I'm keeping track of all your notes, Violet. I'm so grateful for your patience, as I've only been canning a month. My brain is full, too!

 

You guys rock!

 

M

[Darlene]

Violet's a great teacher...you can't go wrong with her.

[Violet]

Thank you so much both Marina and Darlene ! This is truly one of the best sites I have found anyplace.

Darlene is so wise in her approach to not only food preservation, but life in general. I really appreciate Darlene, too.

I am glad to be here !

[brendajo]

I tested my older canner with the weights, the guage on it was perfect.Thank God.It is the one I have been using.I did not reprocess the chicken just refrigerated and gave it to my oldest ds who is the father of 4 of my grands.He called me last night

to tell me he was buying him a pressure canner this week and would be at my house saturday to learn how to can chicken.He said it was the best he had ever tasted.Sometimes failures turn out to be a blessings.I did tell him that new canner had better have the weights not the dial.

[Marina]

Brendajo, that is awesome your gauge was correct. I'll know next week if mine is accurate.

 

Happy Canning!

 

M

[Violet]

Good, Brendajo !! That is good news anyway. Just keep on helping teach others, it is an important thing to do. Also, I am proud of you all for what you are doing in preserving food for your families !!

Good job for all of you !!

We can hope your canner is fine, Marina, but if you use the weights you can just ignore the dial once you get the weights to "jiggle" and start your processing time.

I got one part for my daughter's canner today. Need to order the others online, I guess. No one seems to have in stock what I need. I am converting it over to a weighted gauge canner, too.

 

[Cricket]

Hokey smokes. I used my Presto dial guage right out of the box without having it checked. I thought I had until the next season to do that.

 

Fortunately, on my smooth cooktop, I have trouble keeping the dial down to 11, and my weight jiggles the whole time. I knew i was over-processing, but figured it was better than under-processing.

 

Now I have the thre piece weight set to use, and I don't have to worry.

 

Violet, thank you for all the relevant guidelines. i will definately leave my water and pressure canned jars in the canner for the longer period at the end.

[Violet]

Cricket, well now you know. I am happy to help.

It won't hurt to overprocess, but underprocess is a different story.

I used my three piece set today and it was so easy. Just listen to it jiggle away. I canned some beef chuck today and the extra broth I had, too. They all sealed, too.

 

[Marina]

Originally Posted By: Violet

That, and use 2-3 inches of water in the bottom, no matter what your booklet says.

Violet, Do you mean I should have 2-3 inches of water in the canner *before* adding the jars?

[Darlene]

Yes Marina...before the jars are added.

[herbal]

Hello I need help here I got a new Mirro to replace my old one and decided to follow the book dumb .......I put the 8 cups of water in and ran out..I know I was running it to high thats probably the problem..I was to do 90 minutes the bean tomatoe hamburger recipe,well at about 82 minutes I noticed no steam coming out so I turned it off.I have alot of money invested in this recipe as I do everything organic Im hoping I dont have to do this over again all the jars are sealed and I left it over night in the canner and opened the canner this morning and everything was still warm.The kind of hamburger I used was wild buffalo I cooked it well before hand and soaked it with paper towel to get all the fat out.

[Darlene]

Well herbal, like you said, you have alot of money invested in that recipe.

 

You need to put 2-3 inches of water in the bottom of your canner before you even put the jars in. You've under processed it, and you shouldn't have kept it in the canner all night with the lid on either.

 

I feel bad saying these things cause it's not that I want to upset you but home canning is an exact science and shouldn't be casually tossed by the wayside thinking "that's good enough". That leaves the product you've spent so much money and time on, very vulnerable to you and your family.

 

You can however, re-process it tomorrow...just put enough water into your canner and don't run it so high. Do it right...yanno what I mean?