There has been a LARGE amount of interest when it comes to pressure canning. I am fairly new to it myself, but I’ve done A LOT of research and feel like I know the in’s and out’s of the process! There is a lot of information to sift through out there, and have come across a lot that aren’t safe and it can be dangerous to pressure can if you don’t know what you are doing.
But don’t worry! This the USDA, blogs, and youtube videos can help you learn to get over your fears! It is really such a great skill to know and learn.
There are two different types of canning
- Water Bath Canning– (Used for high acid foods, like fruits)
- OR Pressure Canning– Method I’m using in this post (Used for low acid foods like meats and vegetables)
You CANNOT substitute these processes, you must pressure can vegetables, meats, broths, etc with low acid. There is a very harmful bacteria that can grow called botulism, and it will grow in your food if you don’t make absolutely sure that you have killed ALL of the spores in your food.
Things should do when pressure canning:
- Follow only approved recipes
- Know your altitude
- Use the appropriate weighted gage
- Keep on your maintenance for your canner (be sure to get your gage checked at least once a year)
- Follow cook time durations exactly (to be sure the botulism spores are killed)
- Use quality jars and lids
#1 Fear of Canning: Botulism
Botulism is a dangerous toxin that can grow in canned foods. They like low moisture, low acid, no oxygen, and 40F-120F (can you see why they like canned goods?). Even though this is a real fear, don’t let it discourage you from learning how to preserve your own foods! If you follow the correct procedure’s, you will not need to worry about your food.
- Always follow approved recipes: Lot’s of people will argue with me on this one. But you really should only follow recipes that have been proven safe. There is a science behind canning and making sure you have that balance is vital for shelf life. There probably are recipes that are just fine and you would be fine to make them, they just haven’t been tested. I won’t tell you you ‘can’t’, but it’s definitely a risk you take. If you are just starting out, only use recipes you know are approved (like from the USDA’s book or the Ball Blue Book), there are MANY recipes out there that can help you.
- As an added safety measure, boil your food for 10-15 minutes. Botulism cannot live in temperatures above 185F (some are confused by this, Botulism spores die at 250 F which is why we have to pressure can, Botulism toxin that is the cause of the disease dies at 185 F. Therefore, low acid foods can be boiled if you want to be extra cautious.
#2 Fear Pressure Cans exploding
There are fears that your canner can explode. Although this can happen, it is rare. If you are following your pressure canner’s instructions and keep up on your patience on your canner, you won’t need to worry! Here are some things you can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:
- Be sure to read your pressure cookers manual. Seriously, don’t skip this. Every pressure cooker is different, and it is important to read it before you start canning food in it.
- Check your pressure cooker’s valves, sensors, latches, and seals before each use. Clean your pressure cooker—Many pressure cooker explosions are due to blocked valves or build-ups of food and other particles. Keeping your pressure cooker clean will reduce the chances of an explosion. (I like to put the vent up to my eye and make sure I can see through it. This is where the steam escapes.
If you do these things, you will have no need to fear!
Step by Step Guide to Pressure Canning
Here is a step by step guide to pressure canning that I made! I put it as a pdf form so you can download it and print it off for yourself:
I hope that helps! Let me know in the comments if you have any comments, questions, or concerns!
Thanks for visiting!
xo, Jamie
