Novice canner question

Recently a reader posted a comment as follows: "Novice canner question for you, Patrice! I just bought (and want to use) a Presto pressure canner. Do I need to have the gauge checked at my local Extension Office before the first use, or just after each season's canning session? Thanks for the help!!"

Okay, the "official" answer is this: Of course you should get the gauge checked at your local Extension Office. You should get the gauge checked on every day that ends with "y" and every month that has 30 or more days in it. The world will implode if you don't get that gauge checked now.

Unofficial answer: Unless you have reason to suspect your gauge is off, new canners are extremely unlikely to have problems. If you have any doubts, then by all means get the gauge checked (it takes literally two minutes, if that). But for a new-out-of-the-box canner, I think you'll be fine.

My gauge went off this past winter (confirmed by our local Extension Service), so we ordered a replacement. We had the replacement gauge tested before installing it on my pressure canner, and it was fine.

In short, as a novice canner, if you have any doubts about your gauge's accuracy, don't hesitate to get it tested. However the odds of a new canner having a faulty gauge are, thankfully low.

Just in case

In the last month, I've been canning up some veggies. During the process, I noticed the gauge on my pressure canner didn't seem quite accurate.

To compensate – and until I had the time to get the gauge checked – I canned the veggies at a higher-than-recommended pressure, just in case.

When I mentioned this concern to Don, he immediately got online and ordered a replacement gauge ... just in case.

I called our county's Extension Service about testing the gauge, and found I could have it tested on a walk-in basis. So last week I brought my canner's lid with me and visited the Extension office.

I never knew how a gauge was tested, so it was interesting to see the tiny compressor she used. She had to make sure the fitting was correct before pumping the compressor with a small hand pump.

It took her mere moments to confirm yes, my gauge was off. She recommended the purchase of a new gauge (which Don had already done). I don't know why I always thought gauges could be "adjusted" if they were off, but apparently that's not the case.

I bought this pressure canner shortly after Don and I got married in 1990, and of the many times over the years I've had the gauge tested, this is the first time it's been off. I guess 30+ years is plenty long enough to ask any gauge to last.

The new gauge came in the mail the same day I got my old gauge tested. I'll get this new gauge tested as well, before using it (that was the Extension agent's recommendation).

Then – because we believe in the philosophy that two is one and one is none – Don ordered another pressure gauge ... just in case.

If anyone has a pressure canner, getting an extra gauge – just in case – is a smart idea.

What type of pressure canner should you use?

A reader named Kris sent the following question which was so excellent I thought it should be highlighted.

I have an unrelated question for you. I know you are an expert food preserver. What is your opinion on pressure canners? I have a 23qt Presto that I have been using for years with no problems. But I have read that a lot of serious canners do not like them. I agree that All American is probably better but they are double the price. Thanks for any input you can give.
-- Kris

I have an All American which I purchased new about 22 years ago. I have used it massively and can absolutely testify to its quality, durability, and general ease of use. In fact, everyone who's owned an All American waxes eloquent about the brand.

However those who own Presto's are just as passionately attached to their brand. There's no doubt Presto's reputation is excellent.

I think the debate between the two brands can be summed up in an excerpt from my ebooklet Canning FAQs: 100 Basic Questions About Canning (available here).

Commercially there are two types of home pressure canners available: Presto and All American.

The advantage of a Presto canner is its cost. Prices range from about $70 to $85. The disadvantage is the gasket on the lid – it must be checked and replaced every so often to ensure a proper seal.

The advantage of an All American canner is its heavy-duty quality and the lack of a gasket (it has a metal-to-metal seal). The disadvantage is cost – depending on size, prices range from about $180 to $450 (the best-selling model #921 is $210).

I own an All American (model #921) and adore it. However, every canner becomes passionately attached to his or her particular brand and model, so go with whatever brand you prefer. In a nutshell, Presto canners give you the best bang for your buck, and All American canners are of higher quality. Both brands have a long history of home-canning excellence.

Some people may ask about Mirro canners. My understanding is older Mirro canners are of high quality, but the company was sold a few years ago and the quality of new canners has declined to the point where new Mirro pressure canners are no longer recommended. According to one forum: “Newer [Mirro canners] are cheap imitations of the original. The lock spring is prone to breakage and so are the gauges. Parts for them are now in limited supply and difficult to find and per the company, only limited parts production is the future.”

Whatever type of canner you use, you must familiarize yourself with the manufacturer’s instructions. Remember how I keep harping about not taking shortcuts? This is one of them. Manufacturer’s instructions are there for a reason: they tell you how to properly use the product. Pressure canners can be tricky, and you need to learn their correct usage per the manufacturer.

Bottom line: If you own a Presto and you're satisfied with it, there is absolutely no reason to switch. You'll get years and years of excellent usage out of your Presto.  However if you're of a prepping mindset, I recommend you purchase several spare gaskets and keep them put away just in case.  (I've purchased a number of spare overpressure valve gaskets for my All American as well.)

Canning question

A reader posted a question on a temporary blog post I took down, but I didn't want her question deleted because I thought it was a good one. She wrote:

Speaking of canning (you're my 'go-to gal for all things canning), I have wanted to email you, but couldn't find an address on your blog. I did the unthinkable....my fizzle fazzeled before my canner's pfhitting finished, i.e. I fell asleep while canning chicken in the pressure canner!!!! Thank goodness nothing exploded, BUT, the bottom of my canner is now rounded rather than flat (boohoo). Can I still use this canner, or should I bite the bullet and get a new one. PS: it's a Presto 16-quart (gosh, where did I first learn about that)? While I feel this is an inappropriate place to ask this question, I would love your input. Thanks.

Off-hand I'd say the canner is ruined, but since I've never encountered this kind of problem, I can't say for certain. I would absolutely contact the manufacturer and explain the problem (though understand it's in their best interest to suggest you purchase a new canner). Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is her canner ruined?

This reader's experience underscores the importance of vigilance during canning. Once -- only once -- did I get close to blowing the roof off our house because I forgot to check the pressure canner. Foolish me, I got involved in writing on the computer. By the time I remember and scrambled into the kitchen, the canner pressure was in the screaming red zone. I turned off the heat and got the hell out of there. Thankfully nothing happened but it taught me a harsh lesson: pay attention. Now whenever I use the pressure canner, I clip a kitchen timer to my collar and set it to beep every five or six minutes to remind me to go check the pressure. I haven't had a near-accident since.

The importance of using a pressure canner

In the comments section of my last post on the canning closet, someone asked about how folks canned low-acid foods in the past without a pressure canner.  My guess is, they didn't.  Or if they did, they faced the very real possibility of poisoning themselves with botulism because of improperly canned food.

I decided to address this issue in a separate post rather than burying my answer in the comments section, because it's so important.

If you're interested in learning to can, please remember this: NEVER EVER EVER CAN LOW-ACID FOODS WITHOUT A PRESSURE CANNER.  Boiling-bath methods DO NOT KILL THE MICRO-ORGANISMS in low-acid foods.  I'm serious about this, folks.

Some people swear that their grannies never used a pressure canner and only used a boiling-bath to can meats, veggies, etc.  Well, granny must have been blamed lucky she didn't kill her family using that technique.

A small anecdote: early on in my canning days, shortly after my husband and I got married, I decided to can up a favorite dish of mine: chicken in homemade barbecue sauce. I followed all the steps and canned two 18-pint batches (my canner holds 18 pints at a time) for a total of 36 jars.

I was so proud of myself! Here were all these gleaming jars of chicken and BBQ sauce. I didn't need to refrigerate them - I could store them on a shelf at room temperature. It was a novel and wonderful concept.

It's worth noting that in those days I stored my jars with the rings still on because I naively thought the rings were necessary to keep the lids tight. They're not, of course.

A week late I decided to open a jar and have the contents for lunch. When I looked at the shelf that had my canned chicken on it, I gave a cry of dismay.

Every lid - every single lid on my 36 jars of chicken in BBQ sauce - was bulging. I had evidently done something wrong.  The lids hadn't sealed properly and the food was contaminated. Since the jars had rings on, the lids couldn't pop off - but they would have if the rings weren't holding the lids in place.

It broke my heart, but I threw out the contents of all those jars. It also taught me an important lessons: pressure requirements and processing times are in place for a reason. Shortly thereafter I bought my beloved canning bible, Putting Food By, and have seldom had a failure since.

I taught myself to use a pressure canner simply by following the directions that came with the canner.  Anyone can teach themselves to can simply by following directions and not skipping any of the safety steps.  Alternately, your local County Extension Service usually has classes or at least individuals who can teach you to use a pressure canner.

There's nothing mysterious about using a pressure canner, it's just a matter of keeping an eye on the pressure gauge (I highly recommend a kitchen timer to clip to your collar so you'll remember to check the pressure every five minutes or so).

But whatever you do, do NOT think you can escape using a pressure canner if you're serious about preserving foods.  All meats, vegetables, and most sauces, etc., are low-acid and need to be pressure canned.

A reader pointed out a distinction I should address: a pressure CANNER is not the same thing as a pressure COOKER.  I've never used a pressure cooker so I can't speak with authority on those, but I do know they're not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably.  A canner has a gauge which gives you the accurate buildup of pressure in the canner.  Not sure about what gizmos a pressure cooker has.

I'll try to answer questions about canning in the comments to this post, but please don't try to convince me (or worse, any novice canners reading this) that boiling-bath methods are safe for low-acid foods - because THAT IS INCORRECT.

Okay, taking a deep breath and stepping off my soap box....