Pressure Canning

[Bigdogbuc]

So I've been checking out Pressure Canning on various sites; YouTube, Mother Earth News and others. I think come Income Tax time, I'm gonna' pull the trigger on an All American pressure canner, most likely the 930 Model...

http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamerican930pressurecanner.htm

I really dig being able to take advantage of not only the long term storage canning offers, but being able to take advantage of sales on meat and produce, as well as knowing WHAT you're putting in the jar. Plus canning your own Chili, Spaghetti Sauce, soups...way cool idea.

Bacon, will probably be my first project. Not gonna' lie. It's so easy it's ridiculous. If I can get it together, I may try starting a small garden next year. I have a double lot, but I rent, and though my landlords are a super cool old couple who have a small farm themselves, I would probably be cut to container gardening or something like that. Which I don't mind doing some research on to see if it's viable. Not sure if it would be worth the effort and cash outlay for the small amount I'd be able to grow. Most likely be stuck with some peppers, tomatoes, stuff like that.

Anyone else do pressure canning, have any recipes, tips or tricks?

[HuntingHawk]

All American canner is paying for quality once. Your grandchildren will be using it.

Another option for vegetables is roadside stands buying what is in season.

An easy something to start with is chicken legs. Depending on their size, I can fit 5 or 6 in a quart jar. Three on the bottom with the legs up & the ones on the top with the legs down. When I open a jar I then take the liquid, skin, & bones & make chicken broth.

One of my favorite things to can is meatloaf. Comes out perfect every time.

[Inor]

Mrs Inor does quite a bit of pressure canning. Like HuntinkHawk says, the All American canner is the only way to go. There is nothing to break on the thing - no seals to replace, nothing. Plus, any cooking tool that you have to bolt together is just too cool for words! The only bad thing with it is: we have a glass top stove in the house and the canner is too heavy for it. So that means, Mrs Inor is usually setting up a propane camp stove IN MY GARAGE! I know, you would think a woman that really loved me would leave my domain in the garage alone, but I guess it is a small price to pay for the food she makes with it... :D

[RWalls]

536
Stupid iPhone sideways pictures

Here's mine, it's an all American can't remember model number but maybe 931.

Canned lots of good stuff. I also got a cheap backup at a garage sale. A presto Walmart model.

537

[HuntingHawk]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/stickypost/canners.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/stickypost/media/canners.jpg.html)

The tall one with the bail handle is WWII era. I converted both of mine to use both gauge & weight/jiggler.

[HuntingHawk]

I like canning chicken legs & pork shoulder. Both make excellent BBQ sandwiches. The pork I add a slice of pineapple to each jar before canning.

[HuntingHawk]

Anything at a store that is in a can you can can also. When doing stews & such you don't want to add potato or rice as due to the cooking time of the meat in the jar the starch will turn to mush. But potato you can can separately in pint or quart jars.

Stews you can can to your taste. I will often do jars of chicken stew & add one entire leg to each quart jar. Adds alot of flavor but have to take the leg apart when eating.

I sometimes do chili lightly spiced without beans. Alot of uses for it.

When I can get farm fresh eggs I'll do them with beet slices. Commercial eggs might be up to 30 days old so not come out right canning them.

[HuntingHawk]

If you ever need All American canner parts:

http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamericanpressurecannerparts.htm

[Bigdogbuc]

Anything at a store that is in a can you can can also. When doing stews & such you don't want to add potato or rice as due to the cooking time of the meat in the jar the starch will turn to mush. But potato you can can separately in pint or quart jars.

Stews you can can to your taste. I will often do jars of chicken stew & add one entire leg to each quart jar. Adds alot of flavor but have to take the leg apart when eating.

I sometimes do chili lightly spiced without beans. Alot of uses for it.

When I can get farm fresh eggs I'll do them with beet slices. Commercial eggs might be up to 30 days old so not come out right canning them.

I watched a video of a guy canning Ham and Beans. He didn't soak the beans, tossed them in the liquid from the ham and cooked them for about an hour (maybe 1/2 cooked), then canned it up. He said he did it so the beans didn't turn into mush. That will be my second canning project. I love Ham and Beans.

I'll most likely being using my propane burner for my "Deep Fried Turkey Cooker".

I may just walk through the store and and start getting ideas of stuff to can!

[HuntingHawk]

If the beans were half cooked before canning they would have absorbed most of the liquid they needed. I bet he needed some extra TP. The gas caused by beans is mostly eliminated by soaking & doing atleast one rinse & change of water.

One of my favorites is called cowboy bacon & beans.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/stickypost/baconampbeans001_zps1e114985.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/stickypost/media/baconampbeans001_zps1e114985.jpg.html)

[MrsInor]

HuntingHawk - recipe please?

I have canned stew and the potatoes don't get mushy. I have also canned potatoes - Inor says they taste better than fresh.

[HuntingHawk]

Potatoes are 10PSI for 40 minutes for quart jars. When you do meat you are looking at twice that canning time.

[HuntingHawk]

2 cups dry pinto beans
2 cups great northern, navy, or kidney beans
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
2 whole green bell peppers, diced
1 whole onion, diced
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder, optional
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced

Soak the beans as you normally would. I cut the bacon into pieces & lightly pan fry to remove some of the fat before canning.

[Just Sayin']

HuntingHawk - recipe please?

I have canned stew and the potatoes don't get mushy. I have also canned potatoes - Inor says they taste better than fresh.

MrsInor, he was telling us how good your canned potatoes were while we were at dinner tonight. You've gotta make him bring you down here sometime, we'd love to have you!