Pressure Canning..

[thatguy]

totally newbie canning question..

My wife wanted to make some Jalapeno Jelly so we borrowed our neighbors pressure canner and a Ball Blue Book (instruction manual)..

BUT there is only a recipe for 'hot water' canning for the jelly - no instructions for a pressure canner

Are there certain items that you can't can with a pressure canner?

Brian

 

[TnAndy]

No, any food can be pressure canned, but some foods don't HAVE to be.....those with enough acid, (like some tomatoes) or enough sugar ( most jams/jellies ) in the mix that pressure canning isn't required.

The advantage of pressure canning is the internal temperature of the canner gets way hotter than 212 that you'll get in a water bath.....killing off any potential bacteria that would cause your food to spoil.

You can use the pressure canner as a water bath......just put enough water in it to cover the jars and leave the lid off so it doesn't build pressure. ( Normally, a pressure canner only requires a couple inches of water to turn to generate the high temp steam inside )

 

[michael.white]

From what I was reading, you can can jams using the hot water method, but you don't have to. You should be able to can about anything with a pressure cooker. My parents did berries, relish, tomatoes, green beans etc... all the time. I've done gobs of peaches and habenero pickles. You may want to run a test batch first. The temperature in the pressure cooker will be higher than what you'll normally see, but the cooking time for canning will be much shorter:

Pressure x Volume = (amount of material) x Constant x Temperature

Increase the pressure and, for a fixed volume and amount of material, you'll increase the temperature.

Good Luck!

 

[thatguy]

thanks.. That makes since to just use the pressure canner as a 'hot water' canner - but we "couldnt see the forest for the trees"

Brian

 

[MossRoad]

It is my understanding that pressure canning never hurts anything because it kills bacteria that may survive lower temps as in a water bath.
On the other hand, if you water bath can some foods (like low acid veggies, for example) the water bath method may not develop high enough temps to kill all of the bacteria.
You can use a pressure canner for a water bath canner by just leaving the lid off or loose (its then just a big, deep pot).

As for jalapeno jelly, no need to pressure can it because it is high acid. So, just leave the lid very loose on the pressure canner, as in tipped to one side leaving about an inch open on one edge. I have found that aluminum pressure canners are hard to boil water in with the lid off, but putting a loose lid on top holds the heat in and it boils quite nicely.

Here's an explanation why you don't need a pressure canner for jalapeno jelly.
How to Make Your Own Homemade Pepper Jelly (complete directions with photos)

And some more recipes...
Canning 101 - How to Can Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Recipe | One Hundred Dollars a Month

Pressure Canning | Food Garden Kitchen

 

[dmccarty]

totally newbie canning question..

My wife wanted to make some Jalapeno Jelly so we borrowed our neighbors pressure canner and a Ball Blue Book (instruction manual)..

BUT there is only a recipe for 'hot water' canning for the jelly - no instructions for a pressure canner

Are there certain items that you can't can with a pressure canner?

Brian

Jellies are loaded with sugar so they do not need a pressure cooker to increase the temperature to preserve the food. I suppose you could use a pressure cooker, but it will likely be faster to use the hot water bath. A pressure cooker takes time to pressurize and to depressurize.

Sugar serves as a preserving agent, contributes flavor, and aids in gelling. Cane and beet sugar are the usual sources of sugar for jelly or jam. Corn syrup and honey may be used to replace part of the sugar in recipes, but too much will mask the fruit flavor and alter the gel structure. Use tested recipes for replacing sugar with honey and corn syrup. Do not try to reduce the amount of sugar in traditional recipes. Too little sugar prevents gelling and may allow yeasts and molds to grow.

Here is a good site about canning. National Center for Home Food Preservation

Later,
Dan

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Just be sure to buy liquid pectin for the jalopeno jelly or it won't set.

 

[forgeblast]

If you have a pressure cooker, just don't put the weighted jiggler on. It will work just like a water bath.

 

[thatguy]

Thanks for all the input.. The jalapeno jelly was success (and delicious) - she also canned some pickled jalapeno peppers

Brian

 

[TnAndy]

If you have a pressure cooker, just don't put the weighted jiggler on. It will work just like a water bath.

Nope.....

You can use the pressure canner as a water bath......just put enough water in it to cover the jars and leave the lid off so it doesn't build pressure. ( Normally, a pressure canner only requires a couple inches of water to turn to generate the high temp steam inside )