Canning Questions?

[Roda]

According to the experts on garden web forums, the booklet that comes with the canner is not updated. And yes the gauges can be off by 4lbs and needs to be tested every canning season.

Here is canning link:

Open Original Shared Link

What aspect is outdated? I find the site very hard to navigate and get info from.

[purple]

What aspect is outdated? I find the site very hard to navigate and get info from.

Here is one quote from Carol on that site:

Don't trust the Presto manual for canning instructions. Those manuals are not updated to reflect current processing times and standards.

[kdana]

I'm a little late to the discussion, but will echo roda and ranger on the Ball Blue Book of Canning. It's incredibly cheap for such a useful book. They just released an anniversary edition Open Original Shared Link. I imagine it's pretty similar to the copy I have, and at $5.99 it's well worth the investment. I think Amazon sells it too.

So far this season I've made jalapeno jelly, pear/blueberry jam, sweet cucumber pickles and cold-pack plums. Looks like I have a delicious winter ahead!

[Roda]

I've managed to to do two batches of orange marmalade and have canned 16 pints of stewed tomatoes. Not too shabby for plants from the flower bed!

[purple]

Just today, for my first time, I canned 9 pints of sliced peaches. The tomatoes are still not red..............

[farmgirl12]

Hey there,

I am what is considered a "Master Food Preserver" associated with Washington State University. I would recommend to you to go to the georgia state universities extension site, get a copy of their book "so easy to preserve". Also, the USDA has a publication for canning. I can everything, have a small farm, my own chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits as well as a huge garden, fruit, raspberries, grapes, figs, blackberries, strawberries etc.

You will want--as said above, a water bath canner as well as a pressure canner. I actually prefer the older presto canners, as they are thicker and heavier and less prone to warp. If you find a good deal on one or get one handed down to you--you can have all the parts replaced --go to the manufatures web site and get part #'s--you need to have all pressure canners that have dial gauges tested every year by the county extension ajency--usually costs 3-4 bucks--but well worth it.

anyway--good luck--have a great time. The suggestion for the Ball blue book for canning was excellent. Kerr also has a very good hard-back one. Also keep in mind things change--rules etc. so you should not use old receipes without referencing them to newer ones. As i said earlier--The georgia state university--is the bomb so to speak!

Happy canning!

Noel

[farmgirl12]

Ok, I have now finished reading all of the posts for this, and I am getting concerned--so here are the most important books that I could recommend and I will put them in order of importance:

1)USDA Complete guide to Home Canning

National Institue of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539

2) Food Safety Advisor (EM4895) Try calling Washington State University (509)335-2970--they will be able to help you aquire it.

3)So Easy to Preserve, 5th Edition--from the Cooperative extension, The University of Georgia, www.soeasytopreserve.com

4)Ball complete book of Home Preserving, by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard--can find at Costco

5)Ball Blue book

6) Joy of cooking, all about canning and preserving by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Beker

and,

7) the Jamlady Cookbook by Beverly Ellen Schoonmaker Alredh

I can give more information if needed, but also go the Washington State University Extension web site and get more info. Please be aware that a lot of methods and myths have changed. Be careful you will enjoy tons of wonderful--gluten free goodies from your own pantry!

[farmgirl12]

one last post,

try this web site Open Original Shared Link lots of good info.

Hope I helped!