Picture it....you had a heck of a busy day and the last thing you want to do is make dinner. Thoughts of fast food don't seem fast at all when you think about the lines. Who wants to shop after work? Money? The cost alone is enough to make you cringe. But what if.......you could have home cooked goodness, made by your own hands, MONTHS after you made it? Dinner you made, not McDonalds, not KFC, but a GOOD dinner that you don't have to cook on those days when you just don't WANT TO COOK. That's where pressure canning takes you places your hot water bath just can't. Your imagination is really all you need........ seriously!
Basically, if you can cook it, you can 'can' it too. Why settle for just green beans when you can have green beans and mushrooms. How does Red Cabbage & Apples sound, yum....with bacon too! We don't just mean homemade Spaghetti and meat balls. Corn beef & Cabbage anyone? Spanish Rice? Potato, Leek, & Mushroom soup? Carrots with Ginger & Almonds? MMMM....Boston Baked Beans anyone? Got your attention yet? How about Clam Chowder? That did it, you're dreaming now aren't you! These are just a few that we do as part of our normal canning season. Dinner in a Kerr or Ball jar is far better than dinner from a box. We would much rather go to the pantry instead of the store when we want canned mushrooms.
Basically, if you can cook it, you can 'can' it too. Why settle for just green beans when you can have green beans and mushrooms. How does Red Cabbage & Apples sound, yum....with bacon too! We don't just mean homemade Spaghetti and meat balls. Corn beef & Cabbage anyone? Spanish Rice? Potato, Leek, & Mushroom soup? Carrots with Ginger & Almonds? MMMM....Boston Baked Beans anyone? Got your attention yet? How about Clam Chowder? That did it, you're dreaming now aren't you! These are just a few that we do as part of our normal canning season. Dinner in a Kerr or Ball jar is far better than dinner from a box. We would much rather go to the pantry instead of the store when we want canned mushrooms.
Some of you may not have taken your pressure canning 'leap of faith' just yet, while others have done vegetables' and want to do more. Well, there are more benefits' than just avoiding TV dinners. We grow or raise all our own food. We don't have to worry about the electricity going out or the freezer breaking down. We KNOW what we are eating! And if we have to 'buy' ingredients, we can do it from healthy sources, at the peak of the season, when prices are better and food is at its best.
Ok, for those of you who haven't jumped on the pressure canning band wagon........let's go over some basic things first........
Ok, for those of you who haven't jumped on the pressure canning band wagon........let's go over some basic things first........
Pressure Canners - does size matter...
OK, this is what caused us to postpone the plunge into pressure canning, the sizes! It can be confusing for a novice canner, so let's go over some basics - simply talking about the canners we use and why. We have three sizes, 8 quart - 12 quart - 22 quart. Don't let the sizes confuse you, you can't fit 22 quarts into the 22 qt canner, anymore than you can fit 8 quarts into the 8 qt canner. Do you need 3 separate canners? No, just get what you will need - good questions to ask are: What are you planning on canning or hope to start canning in the future? How many people are you feeding? How much space do you have for storage? So, let's talk about our three pressure canners.....
8 quart canner - we can fit 5 wide mouth pints or 6 regular wide pints into it. That's right, you can't pressure can quart jars in the 8 quart canner. We use it for small canning projects, like side dishes - green beans, carrots, etc.
12 quart canner - we can fit 10 regular pints, 8 wide mouth pints, OR 7 quarts OR a combination of 7 pints & quarts. We use this canner mainly for our quart canning, such as complete meal for two. Most big batches of soups, chili, stew, etc. will fill around 7 quarts.
22 quart canner - this is our dream canner. Though we can only fit 7 quart jars in it, we can fit up to 16 wide mouth pints or 20 regular pints. Saves lots of time when we start canning our garden or when we were canning some donated fish for the local soup kitchen.
8 quart canner - we can fit 5 wide mouth pints or 6 regular wide pints into it. That's right, you can't pressure can quart jars in the 8 quart canner. We use it for small canning projects, like side dishes - green beans, carrots, etc.
12 quart canner - we can fit 10 regular pints, 8 wide mouth pints, OR 7 quarts OR a combination of 7 pints & quarts. We use this canner mainly for our quart canning, such as complete meal for two. Most big batches of soups, chili, stew, etc. will fill around 7 quarts.
22 quart canner - this is our dream canner. Though we can only fit 7 quart jars in it, we can fit up to 16 wide mouth pints or 20 regular pints. Saves lots of time when we start canning our garden or when we were canning some donated fish for the local soup kitchen.
All Canners are the same, right?
In an earlier blog, we went over some very basic descriptions of canning methods, and some basic things to think about when buying used, 'Can You Can Ma'am', but let's go over in more detail about the different types of pressure canners out there. We'll use ours as examples. We have pressure canners with pressure gauges and those without. They all have certain features that are the same. Both have a Vent Tube in the lid. Both types require a rubber gasket that fits in the lid to help seal it during the canning process. Both types have a gadget that fits on the Vent Tube. They all need a rack to sit the canning jars on during the process. This is where the difference comes in.
Gauge less Pressure Canners.....
You actually use the gadget itself to tell the canner how many pounds of pressure you need. Add the amount of water you need depending on the size of the canner. (2 quarts for our 8 quart canner; 2 1/2 quarts-3 quarts for our 22 quart canner). Add your jars, twist the lid secure. Turn on the heat to high and wait for the steam to come out of the vent tube. You need to let steam escape the Vent Tube for about 10 minutes, letting pressure build in the canner, than place the gadget on the Vent Tube (at the required 5, 10, or 15 pounds of pressure that your recipe calls for). All of them have an emergency safety release, or what they call a overpressure plug. This plug will pop, releasing all the pressure before it causes the canner to cause injury.
Gauge less Pressure Canners.....
You actually use the gadget itself to tell the canner how many pounds of pressure you need. Add the amount of water you need depending on the size of the canner. (2 quarts for our 8 quart canner; 2 1/2 quarts-3 quarts for our 22 quart canner). Add your jars, twist the lid secure. Turn on the heat to high and wait for the steam to come out of the vent tube. You need to let steam escape the Vent Tube for about 10 minutes, letting pressure build in the canner, than place the gadget on the Vent Tube (at the required 5, 10, or 15 pounds of pressure that your recipe calls for). All of them have an emergency safety release, or what they call a overpressure plug. This plug will pop, releasing all the pressure before it causes the canner to cause injury.
Now you let the pressure build up into the canner until the gadget wobbles/giggles constantly for 3-5 minutes (follow the manufacturer's suggestion). At this point you turn down the heat, adjusting it so it gadget wobbles/giggles on and off constantly through the canning process. Don't worry, it will take a little time before you KNOW exactly what to set your stove at. It's different, whether gas or electric, as it can also vary by individual stove or canner size. Once you get the wonderful noise you'll learn to love, (after eating something in January you canned in October), you just set the timer for the length of time the recipe requires.Just a short note: If it doesn't wobble/giggle at all, then there isn't enough pressure. If it wobbles/giggles to much than the pressure is getting to high. It's better to wobble/giggle to much than not at all, but with this kind of canner you can hear what it's doing without checking it all the time like with a gauged pressure canner.
After the length of time you need for that recipe, you just turn off the canner and let it sit and cool for 30 minutes. After that time you can take the pressure control off the canner and open the lid. Remove the jars so they can cool completely. Replace the water and then you just start your next batch!
After the length of time you need for that recipe, you just turn off the canner and let it sit and cool for 30 minutes. After that time you can take the pressure control off the canner and open the lid. Remove the jars so they can cool completely. Replace the water and then you just start your next batch!
Pressure Gauge Canners.......On the canners' with pressure gauges, the gadget is more of a stopper. It's still a pressure control, but one that prevents steam from escaping the vent tube. It works a little different than a gaugeless canner, but times, etc. will be the same.
With this type of canner, you still add water, clamp the lid, turn up the heat, just like the gaugeless canner. When the steam comes out the vent tube, you still place the pressure control on the vent, but this is where it's a little different. This pressure control has two positions, open or closed. You want it closed for the canning process.
You watch the gauge, waiting for the pressure to build to the 5, 10, or 15 pounds of pressure required for your recipe. Turn the heat down to prevent it building too much pressure. With this type of canner, you have to keep checking the pressure gauge to make sure you're maintaining the right pressure.
NOTE: It's ok if your canner pressure is higher than the recipe requires. But always make sure you don't build up to much pressure. With this canner, if you hear the pressure control wobble/giggle it's because you're getting far too much pressure in the canner! You can open the pressure control a little to let out steam until the pressure goes down to the safe zone.
Like the other type, you maintain the canner for the length of time needed to safely can the food. It also needs to be turned off at the end of time needed, allowed to cool for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes you open the pressure control for 10 minutes. Than you can open the canner and remove your jars to the counter to finish cooling. Replace the water and start another batch!
NOTE: It's ok if your canner pressure is higher than the recipe requires. But always make sure you don't build up to much pressure. With this canner, if you hear the pressure control wobble/giggle it's because you're getting far too much pressure in the canner! You can open the pressure control a little to let out steam until the pressure goes down to the safe zone.
Like the other type, you maintain the canner for the length of time needed to safely can the food. It also needs to be turned off at the end of time needed, allowed to cool for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes you open the pressure control for 10 minutes. Than you can open the canner and remove your jars to the counter to finish cooling. Replace the water and start another batch!
Been there, done that, so what?
OK, so you already use a pressure canner. How far have you taken your pressure canning journey? Vegetables' of course, soups & stew too. Or maybe you just started? Why not spice up your pantry with your imagination?
There are some very simple points to make it fun feeding your family fantastic!
1. Green Leafy Vegies - lightly blanch them before you can them. You can get more green goodness in a pint by just blanching your greens.
2. Juice - don't be shy with flavor. Add fresh squeezed orange juice to your beet greens, yummy.
3. Mixing and Matching - if you want to combine thing, say green beans and mushrooms, use the longest time required. Green beans take 30 minutes (pint) and mushrooms take 45 minutes (pint). Simply process for the 45 minutes.
4. Meat & More - meat is the main stay for many meals, but it can be very expensive for many. By canning meat, you can make your money stretch and keep it safe to eat. But honestly, can meat cooked, really. Canning raw meat doesn't look lovely, nor does it have the flavor of cooked meat. Besides the drippings from the cooked meat will add tons of flavor to your favorite meal. Beans, need to be part way cooked before you can them. The canning process is never long enough to finish the cooking process and no one wants crunchy Baked Beans. You can even can most beans that are fully cooked if used in a complete meal. Fish & Seafood - Pints, that is the most important thing to know. Always can fish or seafood in pints.
5. Meals in Minutes - You can 'can' more than stew. So things need to be prepared or slightly cooked before you can them. There are advantages here. You want creamy soup? Add fully cooked potatoes, along with partially cooked potatoes. This gives your soup creamy thickness and still leaves potato chunks to make your meal filling. Beans? Add lentils to your dish, you'll have a thick bean soup with creamy fullness as the lentils make the base.
There are some very simple points to make it fun feeding your family fantastic!
1. Green Leafy Vegies - lightly blanch them before you can them. You can get more green goodness in a pint by just blanching your greens.
2. Juice - don't be shy with flavor. Add fresh squeezed orange juice to your beet greens, yummy.
3. Mixing and Matching - if you want to combine thing, say green beans and mushrooms, use the longest time required. Green beans take 30 minutes (pint) and mushrooms take 45 minutes (pint). Simply process for the 45 minutes.
4. Meat & More - meat is the main stay for many meals, but it can be very expensive for many. By canning meat, you can make your money stretch and keep it safe to eat. But honestly, can meat cooked, really. Canning raw meat doesn't look lovely, nor does it have the flavor of cooked meat. Besides the drippings from the cooked meat will add tons of flavor to your favorite meal. Beans, need to be part way cooked before you can them. The canning process is never long enough to finish the cooking process and no one wants crunchy Baked Beans. You can even can most beans that are fully cooked if used in a complete meal. Fish & Seafood - Pints, that is the most important thing to know. Always can fish or seafood in pints.
5. Meals in Minutes - You can 'can' more than stew. So things need to be prepared or slightly cooked before you can them. There are advantages here. You want creamy soup? Add fully cooked potatoes, along with partially cooked potatoes. This gives your soup creamy thickness and still leaves potato chunks to make your meal filling. Beans? Add lentils to your dish, you'll have a thick bean soup with creamy fullness as the lentils make the base.
BUT......
Thought you would get a blog without a but didn't you? There are things to avoid to make your canning a success.
Don't add milk or sour cream to your meals, add the milk or sour cream when you heat up your dish.
Noodles don't work well in pressure canning. Besides, homemade noodles fresh is far better for your homemade goodness.
Rice. We have canned rice dishes. But if you use rice, expect one or two jars not to last on your shelf, even though many will. About 5%-10% of our rice dishes have been tossed because the lid popped on the shelf. But we still enjoy Red Beans & Rice, Spanish Rice, and more throughout the year! We don't lose enough to discourage us.
Ok, so either you haven't started yet or you are still new at it, but that doesn't mean you have to stay that way does it? Just think about that wonderful dinner you didn't have to cook on that day you were just too tired to do it. Lastly, think about the money you'll save at the grocery store!
Clam Chowder anyone?
Blessings
Brenda Lee
Don't add milk or sour cream to your meals, add the milk or sour cream when you heat up your dish.
Noodles don't work well in pressure canning. Besides, homemade noodles fresh is far better for your homemade goodness.
Rice. We have canned rice dishes. But if you use rice, expect one or two jars not to last on your shelf, even though many will. About 5%-10% of our rice dishes have been tossed because the lid popped on the shelf. But we still enjoy Red Beans & Rice, Spanish Rice, and more throughout the year! We don't lose enough to discourage us.
Ok, so either you haven't started yet or you are still new at it, but that doesn't mean you have to stay that way does it? Just think about that wonderful dinner you didn't have to cook on that day you were just too tired to do it. Lastly, think about the money you'll save at the grocery store!
Clam Chowder anyone?
Blessings
Brenda Lee