Pressure canner sizing/filling

[peejay]

To those that have/use pressure canners, do you have to fill them (with jars) or can they be used at less than full capacity?

I'm seriously considering buying one but, although expensive, there's not a huge amount of difference in price between the sizes so I'm trying to decide on what size to go for.

It seems that around the 921 range, the smaller/larger ones are simply taller/shorter with same diameter so the ring-size required (we have gas hob) would be the same for whichever.

So, other than being less efficient if not filled, are there any other implications of not filling one?

[Brambles]

I have a 16qt Presto and it will process 8 500ml jars at a time. I did read somewhere that if you only have 2 or 3 jars to process then fill a few more jars with water to make up the numbers, but I can't find the source now. But there does seem to be some confusion regarding minimum number. Ball recommend a minimum of 4 but the USDA National Centre for Food Preservation apparently has no opinion. I did a quick google and found this info

http://www.healthycanning.com/minimum-j ... e-canners/

This website is reputable and has good advice and recipes.

Personally I have never processed fewer than 4 simply because I have always had the ingredients. I suppose you need to think about how much produce you will be preserving in one go. Because there are just two of us and going by the system I grow veg to preserve and the cost of buying meat in bulk, I couldn't see myself having enough of anything to fill more than 8 jars at a time. The only exception being Apple season.

The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning is a good place to start and has all the info you might need.

http://www.healthycanning.com/wp-conten ... vision.pdf

I am really pleased with my Presto I've had it some years now and I wouldn't be without it I did buy a gasket set some time ago but as yet I have not needed it. Don't get sucked in to the All American talk about no need for a gasket on their canners either. Firstly, a gasket lasts years, and I worked out that I could buy 100 years' worth of gaskets for my Presto and still not spend the difference in price between the two.

Good luck and be prepared to spend fortunes on jars now. Happy Canning.

[ukpreppergrrl]

Ooh excellent advice! Ta muchly!

Don't get sucked in to the All American talk about no need for a gasket on their canners either. Firstly, a gasket lasts years, and I worked out that I could buy 100 years' worth of gaskets for my Presto and still not spend the difference in price between the two

But the All American has wing nuts and looks the mutts nuts!!! P.S. I also buy cars based on colour...

EDIT: I've just checked my All American manual and it doesn't mention a minimum number of jars, just the maximum number and the time to process the differently sized jars at different altitudes. But as the website says, these are new guidelines from 2016.

[Brambles]

Ooh excellent advice! Ta muchly!

Don't get sucked in to the All American talk about no need for a gasket on their canners either. Firstly, a gasket lasts years, and I worked out that I could buy 100 years' worth of gaskets for my Presto and still not spend the difference in price between the two

But the All American has wing nuts and looks the mutts nuts!!! P.S. I also buy cars based on colour...

EDIT: I've just checked my All American manual and it doesn't mention a minimum number of jars, just the maximum number and the time to process the differently sized jars at different altitudes. But as the website says, these are new guidelines from 2016.

My Presto manual doesn't mention a minimum number of jars either, neither does the USDA manual, is why I googled it, wish I could remember where I read about jars full of water to make up the numbers.

Anyhoo, whatever you decide to do I hope you get as much pleasure out of preserving as I do. There's nothing more rewarding than looking at a cupboard full of home grown and home preserved food.

[Abagorth]

Ooh excellent advice! Ta muchly!

Don't get sucked in to the All American talk about no need for a gasket on their canners either. Firstly, a gasket lasts years, and I worked out that I could buy 100 years' worth of gaskets for my Presto and still not spend the difference in price between the two

But the All American has wing nuts and looks the mutts nuts!!! P.S. I also buy cars based on colour...

EDIT: I've just checked my All American manual and it doesn't mention a minimum number of jars, just the maximum number and the time to process the differently sized jars at different altitudes. But as the website says, these are new guidelines from 2016.

My Presto manual doesn't mention a minimum number of jars either, neither does the USDA manual, is why I googled it, wish I could remember where I read about jars full of water to make up the numbers.

Anyhoo, whatever you decide to do I hope you get as much pleasure out of preserving as I do. There's nothing more rewarding than looking at a cupboard full of home grown and home preserved food.

I found this:

8.Place a tea cloth in a large pan with lid or pressure cooker and stand the jars on it, this is to avoid direct contact between the bottom of the pan. Wedge them tightly, using spare jars if necessary. Pour in hot water and bring to the boil, make sure there is enough water to completely immerse the Le Parfait jars secure the lid as normal. A pressure cooker is ideal for this process.

from http://www.leparfait.co.uk/le-parfait-super-jars.html scroll to the bottom and select the how to preserve tab. Doesn't mention jars full of water just spare jars.

[Brambles]

The process described there is water bath canning Abagorth, a totally different procedure.

[Abagorth]

The process described there is water bath canning Abagorth, a totally different procedure.

Ah sorry, it mentioned large pan or pressure cooker so thought they were referring to both methods.

I was doing some research on canning today, as I thought I'd give it a try, I have a really large stock pot I can use for water bath canning, and I can borrow a pressure cooker from somewhere to give pressure canning a trying before investing in a pressure cooker.

My main concern is the cost of the jars, seals etc.

What is your take on re-using jars Brambles?

[Jay]

We have always used a water bath here over an open fire (free fuel!), we reuse all our jars just replacing all the lids (twist cap) with new ones, (the old ones are recycled for slingshot targets) the jars are sterilized in boiling water prior to use. Not sure of the cost in the UK but out here the jars and lids are inexpensive as long as you buy from the local farmers markets.

[Brambles]

Jars can be re-used any number of times. I have some old Kilner Dual purpose jars that were my mother's and I still use them today, although not for pressure canning anymore as they hold too much sentimental value for me to risk them. My other canning jars have been used many times and I have in excess of 200 in total and in a good year I can fill them all with produce. Bought over time, one or two jars a week you don't feel the sting quite so much. The two piece lids are essential and the discs can only be used once for canning, but you can keep them to use with jars for storing dehydrated foods or other dry ingredients.
Now to the processes, Hot water bath canning or bottling is suitable for high acid foods such as fruits and tomatoes and can be done in any large pot with a lid that can hold the jars submerged, but to safely can or bottle meats and vegetables known as low acid foods, you need a pressure canner(not cooker that's a different thing) I suggest you download a copy of the USDA Guide to Home Canning I linked to in my first post, this will provide you with all the info you need. HTH

[Abagorth]

Jars can be re-used any number of times. I have some old Kilner Dual purpose jars that were my mother's and I still use them today, although not for pressure canning anymore as they hold too much sentimental value for me to risk them. My other canning jars have been used many times and I have in excess of 200 in total and in a good year I can fill them all with produce. Bought over time, one or two jars a week you don't feel the sting quite so much. The two piece lids are essential and the discs can only be used once for canning, but you can keep them to use with jars for storing dehydrated foods or other dry ingredients.
Now to the processes, Hot water bath canning or bottling is suitable for high acid foods such as fruits and tomatoes and can be done in any large pot with a lid that can hold the jars submerged, but to safely can or bottle meats and vegetables known as low acid foods, you need a pressure canner(not cooker that's a different thing) I suggest you download a copy of the USDA Guide to Home Canning I linked to in my first post, this will provide you with all the info you need. HTH

Thank you for the info Brambles, pretty dumb of me not to twig that pressure cookers and canner are different

When I asked about re-using jars I meant jars that mayo or pasta sauces etc. come in from the supermarket rather than re-using kilner type jars.

Guess I'll stick to water bath canning for a while and see how it goes, I want to make some Tomato Ketchup and some relishes (done this before but in very small quantities and just bottled rather than canned.