Canning Questions

[LuckyStrike]

I am pretty sure I understand the basics of canning, I'm sure it will take some practice but I have some general questions.

Are all pressure canners aluminum? I understand the food is inside a glass jar, but regardless I keep aluminum as far from my food as possible.

Do mason jar lids really contain BPA?

Where are the best places to buy supplies? Jars, lids and a canner?

Thanks in advance.

[zap]

Oh Boy, you got lots of questions, lol

I have only canned tomatoes and jelly and I don't pressure can them, I just boil the jars in the biggest pot I have.

I think OHL does lots a cannin', you might wanta ask Ima, she is in chat quite a bit.

[k-os]

I think I read somewhere that if it's acidic enough (tomatoes, for example), you don't need a pressure canner.

That's about the extent of my knowledge, unfortunately. I asked for a pressure canner for Christmas. You may have heard what I received instead. Ha! On the bright side, I just found out that one of my best buddies has one . . . and I am going to borrow it!

[Heimdhal]

-Most modern pressure cookers are cast aluminum. Some older ones are steel. The All Americans, which are considered one of the best home canners on the market, are cast aluminum. Aluminum will not get into your food. In fact, nothing will, thats the idea. If stuff could get IN the jar, the jar isnt working right. The cannings whole purpose is to expel gasses from the jar and create a vaccum. Once a vaccum is achieved, nothings getting in while its under pressure, or after it cools and seals. Its fine ;)

-Yes, most contain BPA. Most store bought cans do as well. Yes, its a concern. No, not a major one all things considered

-You can find deals online, but its hard to beat ACE for being able to go to the store, visualy inspect your equipment and take it home that day, with no wait. You can find used jars at garage sales and the like. As long as they arent damaged, they are fine to use. No, most groccery store jars are NOT fine to use, they use a different process and glass temper and are liable to shatter in the pressure canner.

Hope that helped ;)

[Heimdhal]

Also consider you can dry pack dry goods in mason jars with O2 packs. We do this with herbs primarily and small quanty stuff like specialty grains/flours/rices etc.

[mightymanx]

The Ball "Blue Book" is the bible of canning.

The older the version the better. The old ones tell you how to can wild game as well as most other things that modern folk don't think about.

I hate to say it but wally world has lots of canning stuff.

The Achiles heel of Post SHTF canning is going to be the lids. Rings jars and everything else is reusable lids are not reusable I know people that try but they get about a 30% failure rate by boiling them to bring them back.

I don't know anybody that wax cans anymore I have not seen it done firsthand since the early 90's.

Hope that helped.

[k-os]

LuckyStrike, there are usually lots of jars at thrift shops . . . Goodwilll, Salvation Army, etc.

[osoab]

The Ball "Blue Book" is the bible of canning.

The older the version the better. The old ones tell you how to can wild game as well as most other things that modern folk don't think about.

I hate to say it but wally world has lots of canning stuff.

The Achiles heel of Post SHTF canning is going to be the lids. Rings jars and everything else is reusable lids are not reusable I know people that try but they get about a 30% failure rate by boiling them to bring them back.

I don't know anybody that wax cans anymore I have not seen it done firsthand since the early 90's.

Hope that helped.

I will reuse the lids I water bath or pressure can with for my dry canning. That is if I don't damage the lid terribly when opening.

I will add to look at farm stores for the cheaper price for canning jars, much cheaper than at the grocery store and sometimes wallyworld.

[chad]

tattlers are bpa free, reusable, and made by americans:

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

i've one failure in about 7 years of using them. they are awesome.

[ArgenteumTelum]

Another good thing about the All-American pressure canner is that the lid to pot connection is metal-to-metal---no rubber gasket to break down/dry rot and put an end to your canning process. The instructions just call for using vaseline as a lubricant in the metal-to metal mating area every so often.

[osoab]

Where's Imacannin when you need her?

[chad]

like mm said, get a good canning book. ball sells one at the harware store for $6 or so. the blue book realy is the standard. it's all about acid levels. some stuff you can water bath can in a pot or whatever, some stuff you need a pressure canner for. altitudes also play a part. a good canning book will have all of the altitude adjustments, amounts of lemon juice to add to change ph, what type of canner to use, safe times, etc. once you get a good book and some canners, it's really quite addicting.

[BabushkaLady]

LS; I think most of your questions were answered here . . . I'd add that the biggest hurdle to overcome is confidence. It's intimidating knowing that you could do it wrong and poison yourself. I'd suggest finding someone that will be canning and invite yourself to be their helper. Also bring your supplies and foods to can with them. You'll feel better knowing you got hands-on training.

Another great resource is Jackie Clay. She cans up stuff I would have never thought of!
http://www.backwoodshome.com/advice/askjackieonline.html

I will tell also that everyone's taste is different. I got a few jars of beets from a friend and I almost spit them out! Way too much cloves!! So go by the blue book recipe and then adjust for your own taste. You might start out making small batches then eating them before you can up a huge supply.

Always ask for jars at yard and estate sales. Lots of folks throw them out if they don't can.

Good Luck!

[mightymanx]

tattlers are bpa free, reusable, and made by americans:

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

i've one failure in about 7 years of using them. they are awesome.

You just made my day

THANK YOU!!!!!!

[ArgenteumTelum]

Also, be sure to use canning salt--not regular table salt.
AT

[Tumbleweed]

I've canned about one hundred and fifty quarts of meat in the last month in jars recently bought from grocery, hardware stores and walmart. Had two jars break in the canner. I have one of the all american canners that holds 14 quarts. It has developed a little pitting where it seals. It's not enough to stop me from canning but I'll send it back when I'm done to see what they can do about it.

I have some hot jalapeno chilli peppers I water bath canned in 2006. I've had a crew of mexicans working for me the last few days and I've been feeding those peppers to them. The jars seals were good so the peppers are fine. Things will keep a long time but you have to always be sure there is a vacum before you open the jar.

[Old Herb Lady]

I do alot of canning in the summer and fall but I can tell you I am very small-time compared to ImaCannin.
She is the Canning Goddess that I would ask and I was hoping she would be back on here already !

Over the years, I have learned so much, but I still learn something new every time I can something.
Every single time.

Most of the time everything goes ok, but there have been times when I've messed up & didn't know weather to laugh or cry !!

For example, 2 summers ago I brought in a couple bushels of pickling cucumbers, spent all morning washing them, soaking in cold water, etc,
don't know what I did wrong but ended up with MUSHY PICKLES !!! I was like WTH !!!
WRONG RECIPE is what had happened ! I ended up probably 2 dozen quarts of soft pickles !
No crispness whatsoever. Ugh.

I couldn't possibly give advice on canning because the more I learn , the more I need to learn.

One time my spaghetti sauce turned out too sweet, another time too bitter, it took me years to get it to be where it was perfected. Years ! Imagine how many tomatoes that took ! Crazy !

I do have the Ball Blue book like mentioned here and I have ALL the canning gadgets, All American Pressure Canner, hundreds of cans, lids, rings .

We go to Big Lots & Save a Lots for all that stuff & I think Aldi's too.

Oh, and one time my lids starting popping off in the canner !

I'm much better at helping people with what I know & do everyday .... herbs !

[gunDriller]

i suggest checking all the jars when you buy one of those 12 packs of canning jars.

sometimes they chip in transit and you are left with a razor sharp edge.

then you come along and hold the jar tight & slice your finger open.

happened to me, using a Bally can.