Canning help

[Chiefster23]

Fellow home canners! I need some help. I have been canning for years and I have never had any spoilage, thank heavens. But i do have problems with losing liquid inside the jars. Yesterday I canned 6 jars of garden veggies. Two jars turned out perfect. Two lost some liquid but nothing extreme. And two lost a lot of liquid. I have always had this problem and i don’t know what i am doing wrong.

I do expell all the air from the jars before installing the lids. This year I bought and started using the ball torque tool for installing the bands so I’m pretty sure the lids are on properly. So what the hell am I doing wrong? Yes, I also follow the ball canning guidlines about correct headspace in the jars. I have and use the tool to measure airspace. After pressure canning, I allow the pressure to come down naturally and I allow the jars to remain inside the canner for another 5 to 10 minutes after lid removal before removing the jars from the canner. Help!

[hawgrider]

If I run my juggler on the pressure canner too fast I have experienced siphoning and water loss. Try turning down the heat a little and slow down the rocking motion of the weighted gauge jiggler. Another words you may be running to hot.

[Dwight55]

My first thought would be that the lids are too loose . . .

Second . . . as Hawg said . . . you are running too hot.

I never fill my jars with food or liquid above the shoulder of the jar . . . which gives me a good 1 inch air space that is critical for proper sealing of the jars. I'll put food up to the shoulder . . . add liquid just to where it tops the food . . . then I'll seal it.

I seal with my hands . . . giving them a 76 yr old "firm grip" tightness . . . but not a death grip tightness.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Chiefster23]

Both good suggestions. Thank you.
I am running the pressure canner outside on a coleman propane camping stove. These stoves are well known for piss poor ability to throttle the gas flow down for a slow simmer. I am thinking of trying to get an old antique ‘griswold’ cast iron two burner stove. My dad had one of these for camping trips but he (and the stove) are long gone. Ebay has lots of these for sale, but I would like some input from someone who is actually using one of these today. Anybody have one? Did you have to do any conversion or do they run fine on propane? Anyone have a good lead on a working model for sale anywhere?

And Dwight. I’m using the 1 inch headspace rule and I bought the ball torque wrench this year to hopefully get consistant tightness on all the lid bands. I may ge running the canner too fast with my over feeding the burner problem. It is almost impossible to slow simmer on my stove.

[Mad Trapper]

Both good suggestions. Thank you.
I am running the pressure canner outside on a coleman propane camping stove. These stoves are well known for piss poor ability to throttle the gas flow down for a slow simmer. I am thinking of trying to get an old antique ‘griswold’ cast iron two burner stove. My dad had one of these for camping trips but he (and the stove) are long gone. Ebay has lots of these for sale, but I would like some input from someone who is actually using one of these today. Anybody have one? Did you have to do any conversion or do they run fine on propane? Anyone have a good lead on a working model for sale anywhere?

And Dwight. I’m using the 1 inch headspace rule and I bought the ball torque wrench this year to hopefully get consistant tightness on all the lid bands. I may ge running the canner too fast with my over feeding the burner problem. It is almost impossible to slow simmer on my stove.

Only real problem I've had with jars puking was when the canner got cooled too quickly, just have to patient on that. Hawgs suggestion has merit. Like him I'm using old canners with "jigglers" (Mirromatics). I aim for a few jiggles a minute, maybe 10.

I just bought an old 4-burner countertop propane/gas for the exact purpose you mention. I don't have it setup yet but will try to get some pictures. The burner and the grill plates are heavy cast iron, and a sturdy metal countertop frame.

I'm getting an old table saw stand to use as a base and still need to get some propane tanks.

Don't it suck canning inside when it's ~ 90 oF outside (close next week here)! My idea is I can setup outside in the shade and not heat/humidify the house. I also need to see if I can get two canners on it at once.

[Dwight55]

Only real problem I've had with jars puking was when the canner got cooled too quickly, just have to patient on that. Hawgs suggestion has merit. Like him I'm using old canners with "jigglers" (Mirromatics). I aim for a few jiggles a minute, maybe 10.................Don't it suck canning inside when it's ~ 90 oF outside (close next week here)! My idea is I can setup outside in the shade and not heat/humidify the house. I also need to see if I can get two canners on it at once.

I cured the jars puking when I bought my 3rd canner. Now I put one on my electric stove . . . while I prepare the second. 1st goes into the sink to cool . . . all on its own . . . at it's own pace . . . as I put the second one on to cook . . . and then prepare the third one. About the time the 3rd one is on the stove . . . the first one is cool . . . I empty it and it becomes # 4.

We did 56 pints of green beans the other day doing it that way . . . and personally I prefer canning inside as I don't have to carry anything more than 5 feet or so. I built an island in the middle of the kitchen . . . it is the work surface. I actually did not get much time to do much of anything else but that . . . and we did it all in about 4 hours.

Any time I go to an auction . . . pressure canners are one of the first things I look for. Usually pick them up for 25 bucks or so.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Chiefster23]

I cured the jars puking when I bought my 3rd canner. Now I put one on my electric stove . . . while I prepare the second. 1st goes into the sink to cool . . . all on its own . . . at it's own pace . . . as I put the second one on to cook . . . and then prepare the third one. About the time the 3rd one is on the stove . . . the first one is cool . . . I empty it and it becomes # 4.

We did 56 pints of green beans the other day doing it that way . . . and personally I prefer canning inside as I don't have to carry anything more than 5 feet or so. I built an island in the middle of the kitchen . . . it is the work surface. I actually did not get much time to do much of anything else but that . . . and we did it all in about 4 hours.

Any time I go to an auction . . . pressure canners are one of the first things I look for. Usually pick them up for 25 bucks or so.

May God bless,
Dwight

I always let the pressure come down naturally. I never remove the jiggler. But i am guilty of opening up the canner early and still seeing the water inside the jars bubbling away. Maybe that is my problem. Next time i will allow the whole thing to cool down more before opening the canner lid.

And i may have scored a cast iron cook stove. A buddy just tokd me he had one and i could get it cheap. I’m going to look this afternoon.

[Mad Trapper]

I cured the jars puking when I bought my 3rd canner. Now I put one on my electric stove . . . while I prepare the second. 1st goes into the sink to cool . . . all on its own . . . at it's own pace . . . as I put the second one on to cook . . . and then prepare the third one. About the time the 3rd one is on the stove . . . the first one is cool . . . I empty it and it becomes # 4.

We did 56 pints of green beans the other day doing it that way . . . and personally I prefer canning inside as I don't have to carry anything more than 5 feet or so. I built an island in the middle of the kitchen . . . it is the work surface. I actually did not get much time to do much of anything else but that . . . and we did it all in about 4 hours.

Any time I go to an auction . . . pressure canners are one of the first things I look for. Usually pick them up for 25 bucks or so.

May God bless,
Dwight

I've got 2 or 3? 16-quart and 1 22-quart Mirromatic, and some smaller ones/cookers. The 22-quart is great as you can double stack pints on top of the quarts. The 16 and 22 are all same diameter so same gaskets work for all, both take same number of quarts.

I do rotate the canners like you mention Dwight, and I like to prep stuff inside to keep things clean and bug free. It is just sometimes it's too damm hot when the veggies get ripe.

I hope my new 4-burner counter top propane will fit two canners same time, and I can put 4 canners in rotation (might need kitchen help with that). That will get set up outside near a picnic table. I'll load the canners inside, process and cool outside.

To mention another thing, I've collected many 24-26 oz Mason jars (they downsized from the 26oz) from spaghetti jars. They are real deal Mason jars, been using same ones for years, a canner will hold 9 of those some volume is close to same as 7 quarts.

[Inor]

I solved all our canning problems several years ago with my checkbook. I told Mrs Inor, "buy what you need and make it happen". And she did. Maybe she has had the problems you describe but I would never know.

I do know she gets really mad when I try to use one of her canners for my steam bending box. Bad ju ju there boy howdy!

[Dwight55]

I always let the pressure come down naturally. I never remove the jiggler. But i am guilty of opening up the canner early and still seeing the water inside the jars bubbling away. Maybe that is my problem. Next time i will allow the whole thing to cool down more before opening the canner lid.

And i may have scored a cast iron cook stove. A buddy just tokd me he had one and i could get it cheap. I’m going to look this afternoon.

Mine sits straight down in our double stainless steel sink in the kitchen. It stays there in place until the little aluminum popper-upper falls . . . telling me the pressure is gone in the canner. Then depending on where I am getting the next one ready . . . I may open it then or whenever I get to the point that I need to restock it for putting back on the burner.

I also prefer the electric range for canning . . . I know to get it first boiling good . . . steam coming off . . . and then turn it down to 6 1/2 and it will jiggle slowly just like I want it to do.

I am really happy doing mine in the kitchen . . . don't have to walk for stuff . . . it's all within 5 ft of me for anything I need while canning.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Chiefster23]

I would prefer canning in the kitchen, but it just puts too much heat and humidity in the house. I installed new AC this spring. Maybe I will run one batch inside on our kitchen stove and compare results. The kitchen stove is also propane but of course much better burner regulation. I can easily control a very slow simmer on the jiggler weight. FYI, I have an All American pressure canner.

[Mad Trapper]

I would prefer canning in the kitchen, but it just puts too much heat and humidity in the house. I installed new AC this spring. Maybe I will run one batch inside on our kitchen stove and compare results. The kitchen stove is also propane but of course much better burner regulation. I can easily control a very slow simmer on the jiggler weight. FYI, I have an All American pressure canner.

"I would prefer canning in the kitchen, but it just puts too much heat and humidity in the house." - My point with using the outside setup.

I have an old rare 3-burner Coleman that uses white gas. It is very controllable, and would be dandy for canning, but white gas prices are just too much. That one is for car camping, SHTF, or when needed for outdoor get togethers. I put a 5-gal pot on that and boil lobsters.......

There is a story behind how I got/found that stove.......free

When I was looking for an outdoor burner, I thought about the turkey deep fryer burners too. Not sure if they can be regulated down enough?

[Chiefster23]

Yes, older Coleman white gas stoves work really great. But I don’t want to deal with a gasoline stove again. Saw a whole camp kitchen go up in flames over one of these stoves so no more for me.

[Mad Trapper]

Must have been an idiot using the stove. Also those not for inside use, without ventilation.

[Chiefster23]

Camp kitchen, as in an outside kitchen area set up for tent camping.

[Chiefster23]

I got an old Griswold 712 stove yesterday and it is in great shape. I disassembled it to check the orfices and it doesn’t have any!!! Each burner assembly has adjustable needle valve for gas control. So it should be relatively painless to get this thing running on propane. I will need to make two adjustments. One for the gas needle valve and one for the air/fuel ratio. Anyone ever do this before and have any shortcuts or advice?

[Slippy]

I got an old Griswold 712 stove yesterday and it is in great shape. I disassembled it to check the orfices and it doesn’t have any!!! Each burner assembly has adjustable needle valve for gas control. So it should be relatively painless to get this thing running on propane. I will need to make two adjustments. One for the gas needle valve and one for the air/fuel ratio. Anyone ever do this before and have any shortcuts or advice?

In before Bucket Back or Gambit make orfice cracks! Get it? Orifice Cracks? HA! :)

Also, Pics of the stove!!!

[Chiefster23]

1644016440

[Chiefster23]

1644116441
This is the needle valve and adjustable cap

[Mad Trapper]

Needles are probably for switching from nat gas to propane.

Great find! Might want to plump in an air line first, check valves/fittings for leaks w/soapy water. Then fit a hose w/tank regulator and on/off valve

[stevekozak]

1644016440

Very nice!!

[stevekozak]

1644016440

Very nice!! Is that the same one your friend had that you had posted about on PF some months ago?

[Chiefster23]

Very nice!! Is that the same one your friend had that you had posted about on PF some months ago?

Yes. Same stove. He never did anything with it so after some pestering, he decided to sell it to me for what he paid for it. $75.
I found a youtube video on how to adjust antique gas stove burners and he described these exact same needle valves. The valves in this stove are for natural gas but there are other web instructions that claim these valves can also be used for propane without modification. Tomorrow I will buy the fittings necessary to connect to my propane tank and experiment. I will post my results.

[Chiefster23]

Stove update. I disassembled and cleaned up the adjustable gas needle valves. I purchased a gas regulator and fittings to connect the stove to bottled propane. Youtube videos said to throttle the needle valves almost completely shut and adjust until i got a nice 3/8 inch long blue flame. Then adjust the air flow to eliminate any smoke and/or yellow in the flames. SUCESS! Everything seems to work as it should . I contacted a very nice guy in new england who explained to me how to convert my stove to fixed propane orfices it necessary along with suppliers where I could buy the parts. I don’t think that will be necessary, but if anyone wants that info just ask and I will share that info.

So canning peaches is on the schedule for this morning using my new porch stove set-up. This stove is free standing without any baffles or wind screen. I will need to fab up some kind of wind block around the stove but that should be easy enough. Looks like I am in business.

[Dwight55]

Well . . . looks like I got my mind changed for me . . . guess we'll be canning this bunch as well.

God has been seriously good to us in our garden this year . . . have never seen it this good in my 76 years tromping around on this planet.

We had planned on just giving them away . . . but got reminded that some of the family could use them . . . so guess I'm back in the canning business.

Will be something to look back on this winter . . . that's for sure.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Chiefster23]

Since it is just the wife and I, we plant a small garden. So I might only can a few pints or quarts per day. For instance, tomorrow I will probably be doing 2 or 3 pints of green beans and maybe 2 jars of salsa total. This is a pain processing in small batches, But well worth the extra effort when winter time comes. I need to go take an inventory of empty jars I have available to fill.