So I think I’ve decided that a great way to start out the week is with a how-to every Monday (we’ll see how it goes!). And today I thought I’d start off with some pressure canning since I had my canner out last night and had a chance to snap some pictures while I was at it. I’m also going to share with you the spaghetti sauce recipe that I use since it’s tomato time (for us, anyways!).

 

 

 

Pressure Canners come in different sizes and can be tall and lean like mine (a 22-qt canner) which is more suitable if you can a lot of pint-sized jars (I believe mine holds 17 pint jars which can be stacked as it comes with a rack for the bottom of the canner and another to place between the two layers of jars), or they can be short and stout which is more suitable for quart jar canning as its wide structure allows for a larger number of quart jars.Whichever you use, this process will be the same.

 

1. Always check and make sure the vent tube on the top is clear of any blockage. You can do this by removing the lid from your canner and holding the vent tube up toward a light and look through it. 

 

2. Depending on your canner, add either 2 or 3 quarts of water to the canner, as well as 1 Tbs. vinegar (or 1 tsp. cream of tartar) to make sure your jars come out clear and clean. (My canner uses 2 quarts of water and the other type of canner generally calls for 3 quarts- but you should check your manual or look up your canner online to be sure).

 

3. Add your (filled) jars and secure the cover of your canner. These covers can be tricky- but a lot of the time, they have these handy arrows that show you where to line it up for easy closing:

 

4. With your pressure control (weights) OFF and nothing obstructing the vent tube, place your canner on the stove on high heat. Once steam is released at a steady pace from the vent tube, let steam vent for 10 minutes.

 

5. Place the appropriate pressure control weight on top of vent tube (please wear an oven mitt when doing this!) as called for in the recipe you are canning. You should generally have 3 different weights ranging in size: small (5 lbs.), medium (10 lbs.), and large (15 lbs.).

 

6. With stove still heating on high, monitor the control. Once it begins jiggling vigorously, reduce heat to achieve a steady rocking and set the timer to process according to the time outlined in your recipe. Once that time is up, shut off heat and leave the canner ALONE. A good rule of thumb is allow it to cool for an hour before removing the pressure control (always use an oven mitt please!) and cover. Always remove the cover by tipping it AWAY from your face. *To test if the pressure is all the way down, you can nudge the pressure control with a gloved hand. If steam comes shooting out, it’s not ready. Just walk away and let it cool longer. If you hear a hissing noise that is NOT accompanied by steam, it is just the sound of air entering the canner.*

 

7. Remove your jars with a jar lifter (jars will be HOT!). Place jars on a toweled surface or cooling rack. Do NOT place jars onto a cold/wet surface or jars could break. Allow jars to sit at room temperature for minimum of 12 hours (my own rule of thumb is 24 hours). After 12 hours, check jars for a proper seal. If metal lids spring back when pressed in the center, they are not sealed and contents should be used/refrigerated of reprocessed. If center of lid is curved down and does not pop back, a proper seal has been achieved.

 

8. Store jars in cool, dry place after labeling with contents and date. Enjoy!

 

 

-12 lbs (24-30) tomatoes, peeled & chopped (don’t squeeze out the juice!)

-(4) 12 oz. cans tomato paste

-3 cups chopped onions

-5 cloves chopped garlic

-1 green pepper, chopped

-3 Tbs. canning salt

-1/4 cup brown sugar

-2 tsp. black pepper

-1 1/2 tsp. paprika

-2 tsp. oregano

 

Mix together in a heavy stock pot. Stew for 1 1/2- 2 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally. Put in jars and pressure can for 15 minutes @ 10 lbs. pressure. 

Makes approx. 6-7 quarts.