Taking a Model 921 Pressure Canner For A Spin
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of certain canning death, I will fear no evil or that my pressure canner will morph into a small version of the Little Boy.
I bought this (gently used) pressure canner about 2 years ago. It's a huge upgrade from using a simple water-bath method to preserve food and is extremely versatile.
In canning, there are 2 methods which are predominately used. The method chosen is dependent on whether the food being preserved is a high acid food or a low acid food. High acid foods can be safely preserved using a simple water-bath method (which I am most familiar with). Low acid foods require heat, under specific pressure, for a specific amount of time to preserve the food without the risk of growing botulinum spores. (Today is the first time that I will be attempting to use the pressure canning method.)
Botulinum Spores Are Toxic And Can Cause a Condition Called Botulism Which Can Be Deadly
High acid foods include:
- tomatoes with the addition of lemon juice;
- fruits;
- pickles;
- jams;
- chutneys;
- and jellies.
Generally these food items have vinegar or lemon juice added to them and contain a ph of 4.6 or lower.
Low acid foods include:
- meat;
- poultry;
- seafood;
- some varieties of tomatoes;
- and vegetables.
Generally these food items don't contain any natural acids and they have a ph higher than 4.6.
As I am teaching myself how to do this, I first, checked to see if I'm covered for large explosions on my household home insurance policy.
Not kidding!
Some wise person said that you should challenge yourself every day by doing something that scares you.
Well folks, this is that "something, something" that scares the living daylights out of me.
I am entering into this with the full knowledge that if I don't do this properly, I could in fact, blow my entire kitchen to smithereens!
I decided to do this pressure canning job outside, hooked up to an external propane source for this reason.
I now understand why my great grandparents were so found of summer kitchens for a few reasons...first it protects the rest of the house from certain disaster, like fire and explosions and it keeps the heat contained and as a result the house will remain cooler when you are undertaking "big batch" cooking projects.
Wish Me Luck As I Dance With Fire, Glass And Pressure Today
I welcome your comments and I invite you to follow me on my journey today...it may be the last day that I have eyebrows. :D
Oh my, as a boy ours ran almost around the clock during the summer. I still chuckle with my brother when as we got older we set aside a stash of jars of grape juice for several years. I was eighteen when we decided to try out the contents. It tasted horrible but we got drunk in a hurry. Oh, to be young and stupid again.
Hahaha! I bet it was like drinking floor polish. I have 2 year old honey mead that's still in storage...I'm saving it for a whopper of a cold because it taste like serious cough medicine...not pleasant.
That's a great opening line for your post! Those pressure canners sure do look like industrial equipment that could blow, big time! And botulism is nothing to be casual about -- although boiling anything from the jars for 20 minutes takes care of any problems. So using the canned goods in soup or stew is good insurance. You will be set for the winter when you are all done!
I'm glad you are using an outdoor stove setup -- it's a lot cooler that way. I do that even for hot water bath processing. I think it saves the burners on the kitchen stove, too. Those big canners reflect so much heat back on the burners and stove surface. And with hours of canning, that adds up.
Enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your canning labor! :D
Thank you @haphazard-hstead! I am working on a post that explains the actual canning procedure...it's just too much info for 1 post. ;)
I learned a lot stepping up from the water-bath method to pressure canning.
I will make sure that I mention the piece about the burners because I completely agree and when I read the manual on the equipment it said exactly that. I am so glad that I spent some extra $ to buy the outdoor propane burner. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. :)
here is the post and complete procedure how to use turmeric powder topically with video, i hope now you can understand it exactly, https://steemit.com/story/@adnanrabbani/home-remedy-or-how-to-cure-cold-flu-and-chest-pain-with-turmeric-poweder-or-i-learn-it-from-my-grand-mother-or-a-true-story-of
@rebeccaryan
I can remember my mother using a pressure cooker similar to the one you are using. It was a 21 quart container, with the capacity to hold 7 quarts.
I see in your pressure cooker. You have 9 jars of whatever size?
You are still keeping the old method of preparing food alive. Canning.
Since we at this point live in two different places during the year.
We have abandoned many important and useful preparations over
the years. Even though Pat did can some tomatoes this year.
Thank you for showing us and reminding us of the value of
preparing foods for yourself.
Buying is OK as long as it is available.
If the day should come that it isn't. Ugh
Francis
Rebecca
For all you have done for me. The circle comes back to you as it should.
Thank you for being so kind to me an unwashed Steemian.
I have Resteemed your winning post and hope many others will too.
Thank you so much.
Francis
Thank you Francis! What a week!
I am happy to report that I survived and @knarly327 and I didn't blow anything up in the process.
4 large batches are complete and that equates to 85 jars being safely stored.
This is about 1/2 way so I have another weekend to devote to the endeavor of food preservation before the snow flies. ;)
Oh by the way, I guess we're both writing in homesteading! HAHAHA!
Rebecca oh Rebecca.
Where art thou. You lovely little thing you.
I need your guidance again.
Francis
@rebeccaryan
Oh Rebecca. I have no right. Suffer with me in this asking of mine. Would you please?
One of my own. @countrygalk has posted an unusual photo of a tractor that is painted up in the American flag logo.
Would you please be so kind as to visit her blog and give her a thumbs up for me.
Put the bill of your kindness on my tab that I already owe you.
Just adds to my heavy burden to you already. What is one more straw?
A broken back they say. Ha
Francis
You. Yes You. You hear me loud and clear Burning Man...If that day should come, you climb into your truck with Pat and you come way north and to the east... We'll open the underground railroad if we have to.
Got it! Pinky-swear this to me Old Man, so that I can sleep at night. ;)
Oh that is sweet! I am gonna get myself one of those one day soon. Maybe by next canning season. Right now I am using a Presto 23 qt. Works fine but it's not an AA. Happy dancing!
Thanks @tamaralovelace! I am happy to report that there were no accidents...the only thing that was seriously harmed was all the vegetables that we've been prepping for the last 2 days.
How's Rodney doing?
Aww, all those poor vegetables, first Dr. Slicen Dice, then boiled alive lol . They are going to taste great this winter! He's inching toward better, day by day, thanks to all the healings and prayers washing over him. They help, I can testify! I posted an update, if you are interested in reading it. I can't express my gratitude enough for your inquiry :) <3 <3
This reminds me of my sweet grandmother when she use to can in her kitchen. She would always tell me to stay away from it for the reasons you mentioned. Thanks for reminding me of the times I spent with the lady that I loved more than anyone in the world.
Aw!! This is the sweetest sentiment. I miss my grandparents too. A lot of what I have come back to in my life are the life skills taught to me by my great grandparents and my grandparents. I spent a lot of time with them and do many of things that they taught me through osmosis when I was a little girl. They raised their families and grew up during the depression. Everyone hunted, gardened, farmed, canned, knit, sewed, cooked and baked from scratch. These are all survival/life skills and I'm so lucky that had exposure to their knowledge. (That combined with google and you can't go too far wrong...Lol!))
I adore canning. I admit it, I'm a full blown food preserving addict. I still remember my first pressure canning experience. Everything went off without a hitch but I was a nervous wreck the entire time, right down till I heard each and every lid pop once out of the canner. I know you are gonna love it too!
I haven't used anything like this to preserve food before and it would probably be a good idea since I've had a lot of things in the past which I leave and forget about for a while and I come back to it being inedible.
Thanks for letting us know about this @rebeccaryan. This may save some of our lives haha
boy that's a good idea Rebecca this winter you will be proud of yourself when you open them quart jars of home canned food.I can remember Mom Cannon day after day with one of them pressure canners but I noticed yours holds 9 quarts I'm not sure that the one mom had held that many thanks for sharing.by the way mom done hers on a wood burning stove
Did she have a summer kitchen too @cowboyk? This is a wonderful memory that you have of your Mother's efforts.
We finished 4 large batches and put 85 quart jars away for the winter. We are about 1/2 way through our food preservation efforts. I have another weekend to put in yet...so just like your Mom, it's a several day process. You pretty much have to get at it, when the produce is ready, coming straight out of the garden. :)
in my grandpa's log house there was a summer kitchen.which we moved into after Grandma's death.the little house I was born in had four rooms
Luck luck! I hope you do get to keep your eyebrows!
This is one of those skills I've always wanted to learn. Next year I'm putting in a garden, so I'll have to. I didn't realize it could explode! Eep!
Canning anything yummy?