Basic canning question

[oscar615]

I know there are two types of canners, one is a pressure canner, the other is a non pressure canner(maybe called a hot water bath?). Basically it is a big pot. I also know that they each have different purposes. I think the non pressure is for non acidic foods and the pressure is for acidic foods. Set me straight if I am wrong.

My question is, instead of buying one of each, could I buy just the pressure canner and when canning stuff that does not need the pressure just remove the gasket or leave the lid on loose? That way I would get the function of both types of canners from the one pressure canner.  Again let me know if I am off in my thinking, but it seems like a pressure canner with a loose lid becomes a big pot just like the non pressure canners.

Thanks for any thoughts and advice.

[Rusty Shackelford]

I know there are two types of canners, one is a pressure canner, the other is a non pressure canner(maybe called a hot water bath?). Basically it is a big pot. I also know that they each have different purposes. I think the non pressure is for non acidic foods and the pressure is for acidic foods. Set me straight if I am wrong.

My question is, instead of buying one of each, could I buy just the pressure canner and when canning stuff that does not need the pressure just remove the gasket or leave the lid on loose? That way I would get the function of both types of canners from the one pressure canner.  Again let me know if I am off in my thinking, but it seems like a pressure canner with a loose lid becomes a big pot just like the non pressure canners.

Thanks for any thoughts and advice.

It's backwards.  Water bath is for acidic foods.  First, water bath canners are cheap.  You can probably find one for about $20 - maybe cheaper at a yard sale/thrift shop.  The difference is the size.  Water bath canners take a lot of water that you have to bring to temperature where pressure cookers don't.  You could probably use them in the manner you want, but you'd lose the economies of scale.  Our water bath canner holds 8-12 quart jars.  My guess is that our pressure cooker, with enough water would hold about 4. 

[MountainMeg]

I picked up a water bath canner with all the tools on eBay for less than $20 shipped.  I need to look at the pressure canner, but pressure cookers make me nervous.  I'll have to get my stepdad to give me pressure cooker/canner lessons.

[Atash Hagmahani]

Pressure canning is specialized. Do you really want to can meat, green beans, carrots, peas, and other non-acidic foods? Most people can mostly fruits, including tomatoes. For these you just need a hot water bath. If you screw up, they will spoil, but their spoilage is obvious and it's not as deadly anyway.

So, personally, I would start with the hot water bath, and only worry about pressure canning if you are really serious.

MountainMeg, I understand why pressure cookers and canners might make you nervous, but they are really fairly safe. The worst that usually happens is a big mess. It's only twice atmospheric pressure. Have you ever heard headlines about a family of 8 killed by an exploding pressure cooker? Modern pressure cookers, like modern guns, have several safety features.

[darwinslair]

I have wanted a good pressure canner for years.  I ended up bying a 21 qt All American.  Price was not too bad either.  $200 new. I have a large hot water bath canner as well.
Tom

[Ryder]

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=3661&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=pressure+canners
Here is a source for a really good pressure canner. No rubber gasket required. That means years down the road it will still work. We have one and are very satisfied with it.
Check out "the blue book of canning" by ball for info on canning.
We call home canned vegies "summer in a jar".

I will post a photo of two jars of tomatoes with one that went "bad". They were canned in 1995. In the background is our little hydroponic herb garden.

[darwinslair]

The All American is also machined metal with no gaskets.  Lehmans makes some great stuff on the survival do it yourself side of things, but you pay top dollar if you buy directly from them.

Tom

[MountainMeg]

MountainMeg, I understand why pressure cookers and canners might make you nervous

Never said I was rational all the time...     I tend to be a visual person, so reading directions only makes it hard for me to accomplish complicated tasks.  Seeing them done, along with the written instruction, works better with me.  I find my best retention to be from a combo aural and visual, such as a classroom with lecture & text book.

[opsec]

Do you really want to can meat, green beans, carrots, peas, and other non-acidic foods?

If we don't have access to commercially produced meat and vegetables, then we may have to.

[MountainMeg]

Do you really want to can meat, green beans, carrots, peas, and other non-acidic foods?

I'd prefer freezing as the storage method unless power for the freezer is difficult to get.

[opsec]

I would only expect the grid to go down permanently. Or at least be so unreliable as to make freezing impractical.

[oscar615]

I have one of those aero gardens too. They are pretty cool.

I will read the Ball book and decide from there.  But I do think I will want to can beans, carrots and peas.  I am wanting a preservation method that doesn't require freezing.  Right now I have the dhydrator going on a bag of froxen peas.  It seems to be working pretty well.  So maybe that is the way to go.

[Ryder]

Shop for bannanas when they go on sale then dehydrate them into delicious candy/trail food. Your dehydrator can also make great jerky. My step mom makes the best venison canned in mason jars.

[oscar615]

Well, I dehydrated some frozen peas.  It seemed to work pretty well.  But I bit open a few of them and they seem like hollow spheres now.  Is that normal? I guess the next thing is to rehydrate a few and see how those turn out.

[opsec]

Oscar,
   Could you keep posting updates on this experimentation you are doing? I'm interested in the shelf life you get out of these DIY dehydrated foods. Can you put some of the peas in a jar on the shelf at room temperature and let us all know how long they remain edible?