ARGH, scary

[Christy]

Grin, it took some time for me to get over the fear of all this new-fangled fancy-schmancy equipment. The Presto Pressure Cooker!

Whatever will they think of next eh? Flying machines?

Anyway, Crazy4Canning who deserves the medal of helpfulness herself, has written in detail how to go about using this beastly machine.

So yesterday I made pumpkin-potato-soup and it was time to face my fears. Cleaned the canner that someone had sent me at great expense from the USA. Sterilised a liter jar and in the soup went. It was weird putting water over the jar as that's not done with waterbath canning.

It took forever to come to the boil and there are scary noises coming from the kitchen. Plus a plume of steam from the little pipe-vent thingie. So now I'm counting 10 minutes until the jiggle thingie can go on top and then it's official, we are pressure canning.

 

Mercy me, it's been steaming for minute only and already the dial thing is on 3. You may laugh but this is unknown equipment here and my heart is beating a tad faster with all the new things happening

 

Report will follow as soon as mission is accomplished.

[Christy]

Good grief, the jiggle has just begun and the dial is on 17. That can't be right can it?

Phew, C4C has explained how experienced canners don't really need the dial but listen for the jiggle. If that is anything to judge by, there is a lot of pressure in that can all right!

 

Grin grin grin, my computer is just around the corner of the kitchen and I'm sitting here listening for the jiggle and hoping NOT to hear a mighty BOOM.

Had turned the gas down a little and the jiggle almost stopped. Sigh, my head hurts and I need a neck massage to rid the tension....

 

[Christy]

SUCCES!

One liter of soup, safely canned and cooling down.

Another step towards survival and prepping food.

I'm over the moon!

Thank you C4C for your emails and patience.

[Cat]

**Hoping all is well...**

 

No *boom*??

 

 

 

 

 

[Stephanie]

congratulations!

[Cat]

You were still composing as I was reading...

 

 

:banana2:

 

 

WAY TO GO!!!!

 

 

 

 

[Christy]

Ya'll may laugh at this cos you're lightyears ahead of me but this is a big step! The jar was still boiling when it was taken out and is cooling slowly. On a towel in the kitchen, free from draft.

It was the boost that was very much needed now things are not too well. I tend to sniff out new things for a while first, gather info and carefully try them. Not one to run in head over heels and take big risks.

 

Having read C4C's email over and over again, it was now that time. Celebration time.

Oh and the headache is gone too.

[Cat]

Nope... we never laugh.

 

Maybe giggle a little remembering how scared we were, too.

 

 

W're just as proud of *you* as we were of ourselves when *we* first did it by ourselves.

 

We KNOW how scary it was... and are so happy that you had a successful first pressure canning experience!!!

 

 

May it just be the start of a lifetime of preparing fresh, healthy foods for your family!!!

 

 

(And who knows... you might just start a whole new trend in your neighborhood, too!!! )

 

 

 

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

Cat lied. We laugh like a giddy bunch of school girls, because you have joined "the club."

 

YAY for you on your first go!!! I was petrified myself the first few times I did it.

[michelle]

Whew! Glad it went well... I'll confess I bought my presto canner last spring.... and haven't used it yet. You've inspired me. Maybe I'll take the plunge too. Glad it went ok!! Congratulations~

[scrappy quilter]

Congratulations on learning a new skill.

[Darlene]

You did awesome Christy...I'm so proud of you.

[Christy]

Thank you ladies. You can imagine what a relief if is to hear others were scared too on their first time of canning.

Cat already wrote it might help pull someone over the edge reading about my antics and it's a joy to see one person working up using hers now.

 

I'll be online until tomorrow morning and than offline for a week or so. Looking forward to hear if more people had a stab at the old pressure canner.

 

Giggle, the soup ought to be in the storageroom by now but I leave it on the countersink. Just to pat it on the lid when passing by.

Ok it'll go into cupboard.... tomorrow

 

 

 

[Darlene]

Originally Posted By: Christy

Giggle, the soup ought to be in the storageroom by now but I leave it on the countersink. Just to pat it on the lid when passing by.
Ok it'll go into cupboard.... tomorrow

I don't think my children would ever admit this, but I really believe that they think it's adorable the way I talk to my jars, telling them how pretty they are, how proud I am that they made it through the 'fire', etc etc etc.

The jars I can are visually pleasing, mentally they contribute to me making progress in my preps, but most of all, they warm my heart.

[DenimDaze]

I love using my chainsaws and the pressure canner scared me too!

 

I can laugh about it now, but the thing sat there in its box for a couple months as I continued reading in this forum and realizing just how much I really needed to can my own meats and soups.

 

When I used it for the first time I waited until all my children were in bed and asleep so I could concentrate on the new scary gadget.

 

Now I love my canner. Love it love it! I'll even can when my kids are awake now.

[Dee]

I called a friend and asked her if she'd teach me how to pressure can and I'd help her get her beans ready. She jumped at the chance for help as did I. After one time, seeing how easy it really is, I was hooked. The friend kept trying to tell me she needed to teach me more....uh yeah, she just liked the help!

 

After all these years I still love looking at my jars all lined up on the shelves. I love telling them what beauties they are and I know they love hearing it.

 

You have now joined the world of pressure canning and believe me, the chance of saving your family has increased 1,000 fold. Great work Christy!!!

[ScrubbieLady]

Originally Posted By: Dee

I called a friend and asked her if she'd teach me how to pressure can and I'd help her get her beans ready. She jumped at the chance for help as did I. After one time, seeing how easy it really is, I was hooked. The friend kept trying to tell me she needed to teach me more....uh yeah, she just liked the help!

After all these years I still love looking at my jars all lined up on the shelves. I love telling them what beauties they are and I know they love hearing it.

You have now joined the world of pressure canning and believe me, the chance of saving your family has increased 1,000 fold. Great work Christy!!!

This is what I did after my canner sat in the laundryroom for 1 1/2 years. After that I was hooked. Now to find space to store all this stuff. I already water bath canned but the pressure canning really cinched. Now, there isn't hardly anything I can't put in a jar and save.