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During the Napoleonic War in the late 1700s, Napoleon's army was malnourished, suffering from scurvy and starvation. The countryside had been stripped of food sources. A way had to be found in which to preserve food and get it to the troops.
The French government offered a reward of 12,000 francs to anyone who could come up with a method to preserve food.
Nicholas Appert, a candy maker had a theory that if food was sealed into an airtight container and sufficient heat was applied, foods should not spoil. After 14 years of experimentation Appert won the 12,000 francs. Canning as we know it today was born.
Appert packed foods into bottles, corked them and submerged them into boiling water. Without realizing how it worked the heat killed the bacteria that caused food to spoil.
Water Bath Canning
This technique is used to can foods that have an acidity or pH level of 4.6 or lower. Some examples of foods that can be preserved by water bath canning are pickles, relishes, jams, butters, fruit preserves and acidified tomatoes.
As we all know water boils at 212 degrees F at sea level. This temperature is high enough to kill bacteria, yeasts, and molds that cause food spoilage.
Foods that can be processed on this manner are processed in a water bath canner. It consists of 3 parts: A base large enough to hold the jars being processed with at least 2 inches of water covering the tops of the jars.A rack holding the jars to keep them off the bottom of the canner, and a lid that helps keep the water boiling during the processing.
Water Bath Canner
Pressure Canning
In order to kill bacteria and mold in low acid foods, a temperature of 240 degrees F must be attained. In order to reach temperatures that high; water must be heated under pressure. This is done in home canning by using a pressure canner.
A pressure canner consists of 4 parts:
A base deep enough to hold the size jars being processed without obstructing the locking lid.
A rack on which the jars sit off the bottom of the base and allow steam to circulate around the jars.
The lid which is equipped with a gasket that locks onto the base allowing pressure buildup.
A gauge that regulates the pressure inside the canner. There are 2 types of gauges, dial or weighted.
The dial gauge gives a visual display of the pressure. They must be checked for accuracy often and are prone to leak. I much prefer the weighted gauge. This is a device which can easily be set for 5, 10 or 15 pounds of pressure. It “jiggles” during processing releasing small amounts of steam in order to maintain the proper pressure.
Pressure canners need to be checked on a regular basis. If you use a dial gauge it needs to be calibrated every year. Many county extension offices do this. Check the gasket for stretching, nicks or tears. They are easy to replace and are readily available at hardware stores or by mail order.
Many folks are afraid to use pressure canners. They are entirely safe if you follow the manufacturer's instructions and do not try to take any shortcuts.
In order
Pressure Canner
The Canning or "Mason"Jar
The container of choice for home canning today is known as the Mason jar with a two piece lid.
Invented in 1858 by John Landis Mason, the jar has evolved to what we use today. Early Mason jars were sealed with a zinc screw cap.The jar had a threaded neck onto which the lid screwed onto. The seal was accomplished by a “jar rubber” which fit between the lid and the neck.
Today’s modern canning jars with self sealing lids have been in use for over 50 years.They come in regular and wide mouth; and in sizes ranging from a ½ pint up to a ½ gallon.
The closure consists of a lid or disc which is heated in boiling water for a minute or two and placed onto the neck of the jar. The screw band is applied and tightened over the lid. The jars are then processed, as the jar cools the lids is pulled down onto the neck thus creating a seal.
The jars and screw bans are reusable; the lids are only used once.
Use only Mason jars when canning, they are designed to hold up to the pressure and heat incurred during processing. Do not use mayonnaise or any other jars not designed for canning.
The
Mason jar with 2 piece lid
Other Helpful Tools for Canning
There are a few more pieces of equipment that I want to touch on that are very helpful.
A canning funnel is helpful when filling jars. It makes it very easy to measure the suggested head space.
A Jar lifter, designed for placing and removing canning jars from water bath or pressure canners.
A magnetic lid lifter. The lids need to be placed into hot water to ensure a proper seal. This lid lifter makes it easy to remove the lids form the hot water.
couple
Top left, canning funnel, top right, Jar lifter
bottom, magnetic lid lifter
Be sure and watch for the next installment of Preserving the Bounty, where I’ll discuss freezing fruits and vegetables and also dehydration.
There ar
Paul’s Garden Tip
If you’re like me every spring I would buy several balls of garden twine to tie up plants in the garden. Usually a week or two into the season the twine was a tangled mess. I have solved that problem by using assorted containers to hold my twine. From left a detergent container, center a 3 gallon pail from Dunkin Doughnuts and right, a container with a screw lid. Drill a hole in the lid a bit larger than the twine. Place the twin e into the container and feed it through the hole. Be sure to feed the twine form the center of the spool or ball of twine. It will never tangle on you.
If you wish a piece of hacksaw blade can be hot glued to the container to cut your twine.
About Paul Rodman
Paul Rodman has been gardening for over 40 years. He is an Advanced Master Gardener, and American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. He is currently president of the Western Wayne County Master Gardener Association in Wayne County, Michigan.
Rodman is the garden columnist for The News Herald newspaper, in Southgate, Michigan. He has also written for the OrganicGardening.com web site.
He has lectured on various gardening topics throughout southeastern Michigan.
His favorite pastime is teaching children about gardening. For the past several years he has conducted classes for second grade students teaching them about subjects ranging from vermi-composting to propagation.
Posted by pajaritomt (from Los Alamos, NM) on August 24, 2007 at 10:58 AM:
I had no idea how we came to get canning and found this very interesting. The part about using a weight rather than a gage was also interesting. My pressure canner was my grandmother's but it has a gage. I wonder if I can replace the gage with a weight.
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Posted by frostweed (from Arlington, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 11:11 AM:
Wonderful article Paul, and excellent detailed information. I used to can but now I seem to be too busy for it.
Josephine.
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 24, 2007 at 11:13 AM:
If it's a common brand like a Mirro or Presto you could buy a new guage.
Check with your county extension office, some of them will test and calibrate guages.
Paul
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 12:18 PM:
Oh, how I wish the critters out here wouldn't eat everything I attempted to grow--but if I ever do get to move out of the woods, I would love to try canning. Thanks for a very informative article with great pictures, too--I will save it for future reference.
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on August 24, 2007 at 4:04 PM:
Lots of good info! You probably saved some families from doing it the wrong way....great job.
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Posted by victorgardener (from Lower Hudson Valley, NY) on August 24, 2007 at 5:48 PM:
This message was edited Dec 17, 2007 10:37 PM
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 24, 2007 at 7:21 PM:
1769 to 1792
Bonaparte's early years - the French Revolution - the First Coalition - Valmy - Jemappes.
1793 to 1795
Execution of Louis XVI - Neerwinden - Dumouriez's defection to Allies - siege of Toulon - Wattignies.
1796 to 1797
Bonaparte marries Josephine Beauharnais - Montenotte - Dego - Castiglione - Arcola - Rivoli - Cape St Vincent - British naval mutinies - treaty of Campo Formio.
1798 to 1799
Campaign in Egypt - the Pyramids - Aboukir - battle of the Nile - the Second Coalition - Acre - Mt Tabor - Coup of Brumaire - Allies invade Holland - Bonaparte becomes First Consul.
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Posted by victorgardener (from Lower Hudson Valley, NY) on August 24, 2007 at 7:58 PM:
This message was edited Dec 17, 2007 10:37 PM
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Subject: Storing canned items
Posted by rose318 (from Houston, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 8:11 AM:
Hi Rod,
Thanks for the great article. I am looking forward to reading more of them.
I use to can vegetables and fruit back home in New Jersey, but when I moved to Texas I stopped. I was always told to store the canned items in a cool, dry place. I have a garage to store them in, but it is dry and warm. Does it really matter what temperatures you store the canned items?
Thanks,
Patti
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 24, 2007 at 9:06 AM:
Here are the guidelines for storing canned foods from the USDA.
"If lids are tightly vacuum sealed on cooled jars, remove screw bands. Label and date the jars and store them in a clean, cool dark, dry place. Do not store jars above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, in an uninsulated attic, or in direct sunlight. Under these conditions, food will lose quality in a few weeks or months and may spoil. Dampness may corrode metal lids, breaks seals, and allow recontamination and spoilage.
Food that has been properly canned will keep indefinitely, but after a year, some chemical changes do occur. These changes may affect the flavor, color, texture and nutritional value of the canned product. It is recommended that you keep home canned produce no longer than one year."
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Posted by rose318 (from Houston, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 9:11 AM:
Thank you Paul for the great information.
Patti
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 9:37 PM:
You know Patti ~ I had always wondered how the canned goods were stored before a/c. When we see 100+ temps you can only imagine how much hotter to jars would be... Perhaps they did less canning and more drying ~
Interesting topic Paulgrow thanks.
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Posted by gessiegail (from Taft, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 10:23 PM:
Fantastic article...............I love learning this bit of trivia to some but I have never tried to can food.............Didn't most people have basements for the sole purpose of preserving food. My great grandmother did I remember. Then my grandmother always put up food, etc. just like he was talking about (pressure cooker and all)....................
I can't wait to see exactly how to put up fresh fruit or preserves..................
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 10:30 PM:
Nope, no basements in my area of Tx and as you get closer to the coast ( like Houston), the water table would not permit a basement. Makes me wonder what they did for canned goods storage in the earlier days.
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Posted by gessiegail (from Taft, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 10:33 PM:
I remember my great grandma's house in Skidmore , texas ............about 30 miles from here..........the house was built way up high on pier and beam..........thus providing the basement for food................remember how high the houses were built.............I am 65 and I still remember when I was a little girl she kept potatoes, onions, and all kinds of food down in "that room" we called it.................with a very low ceiling...........
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 10:38 PM:
I suppose like a root cellar and that would probably stay a bit cooler too.
This message was edited Aug 24, 2007 9:38 PM
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Posted by gessiegail (from Taft, TX) on August 24, 2007 at 11:15 PM:
I can only suppose that was the reason for storing so much food 'down there'.................
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 6:37 AM:
Thank you, Rod. Your article gives me the itch to pull out my
canning jars and give it another whirl. The only problem is
that there is no farmer's market nearby and the fruits and veggies
from the grocery stores never give a satisfactory result - too green,
too ripe, too deteriorated for an excellent result.
I am also finding that I don't have a cool enough space here
for storage - no basement - and even if I had a garage, it would
be about 130 degrees in there on any summer's day. Sigh.
I don't think the carport will do either, and there's no room in
the fridge. I'll keep watching this thread - maybe I can finally
get some use out of that dehydrator I bought on a whim some
years ago :o)
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:13 AM:
Mahnot, lots of creative indoor places to store canned goods. Behind books on shelves, under beds, in closets. It is a secure feeling to have a stock.
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:23 AM:
LOL, Podster, you have no idea about how forgetful
I can get. I'd be finding something in 2025 that I just put
away this year ! Good ideas though - I'll start scouting
around for unused space, but it'll probably be filled with
quilting fabrics.
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:30 AM:
Ahhh.... sometimers disease here too. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I can't... lol
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:34 AM:
What really bothers me the most, Podster, is that
I often can't remember where I put the stuff I want to
keep safe or the things I'm not supposed to lose track of.
I'm afraid my Sometimers is turning into Ofteners.
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Posted by podster (from Deep East Texas, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:52 PM:
LOL ~ ever write it down and lose the list... It's bad : ))
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Subject: Dial gauge versus weight
Posted by BDale60 (from Warren, PA) on August 24, 2007 at 7:40 AM:
Interesting article, Paul.
Can you say a little more about why you prefer a weight to a dial gauge? I assumed, as a newcomer to canning, that the dial gauge would give me a more precise reading on the pressure. When the gauge indicates the pressure is a little too high or a little too low, I can adjust the flame on my gas range accordingly. Is it possible to do the same thing with the weight? If so, how?
Thanks
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 24, 2007 at 7:50 AM:
Dial gauges need to be calibrated to ensure that they are accurate.
It they are dropped or struck accidentally they can become inaccurate.
Weighted gauges do not have that problem.
With weighted gauges you also adjust the burner on the stove. You want the gauges to “jiggle” or rock back and forth as the steam escapes
Paul
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 9:22 AM:
I've always used a weighted gauge. Grew up with them....easy as pie.
By the way....great article Paul!!
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Posted by gloria125 (from Greensboro, AL) on August 24, 2007 at 10:28 AM:
I always use a weight. I would advise to always clear the pressure vent on the canner, or pressure cooker first before putting the weight on, especially if the utensil has been stored. Ive never used the dial guage.
Thanks, Paul, for your coverage in this article. Ive noticed several people in the forums who say they are afraid of pressure canners.
A pressure canner is not nearly as scary as a table saw. Both deserve your full concentration when you are using it.
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 10:38 AM:
Well said Gloria!
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 24, 2007 at 10:38 AM:
Gloria
You are certainly correct, as long as you follow the instructions in the manual it is as safe as any other tool in the kitchen.
Paul
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 10:41 AM:
Been using a pressure cooker...and canner for as long as my memory goes back....I was an adult before I knew that folks were timid of them....
I could cook potato soup in the pressure cooker when I was 10 or 11....didn't know that there was any other way.
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Posted by BDale60 (from Warren, PA) on August 24, 2007 at 11:05 AM:
Speaking as a newcomer, I don't think it is necessarily "timidity" on my part. I've been reading a lot as I learn about canning (including the USDA and extension materials everybody raves about) and they constantly reinforce the dangers and pitfalls of canning. I didn't have a problem with pressure canning until I started reading about it. :)
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 12:00 PM:
Mainly they are covering their butts. There's so many idiots out there who think that they're self proclaimed experts, and you don't need steps 'x, y or z', that the government has to limit their liability.
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Posted by BDale60 (from Warren, PA) on August 24, 2007 at 12:17 PM:
Makes sense. So far it seems like a fun and productive activity, and the steps required are reasonable.
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 24, 2007 at 12:35 PM:
You'll do fine Brian...it IS fun and productive.
Using a bit of common sense about safe food handling is the main requirement.
Something that's fun and productive for your child to do is make jelly for their teacher as a gift. Use commercial juice in place of the fresh fruit step and it's a snap.
We did Cinnamon CranApple one year. Boil a few cinnamon sticks in the juice before adding the sugar and pectin. It works up beautifully and hardly any mess. Grape is nice too.
This simplifies the process enough so that you're done in an hour or so at the most....great for young one's attention spans.
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Posted by BDale60 (from Warren, PA) on August 24, 2007 at 1:35 PM:
Mel,
A very good idea on several levels. Gets the youngsters involved, makes a nice gift for a hard-working teacher, helps me expand my range of canning techniques...might be some left over after the teacher gets her gift...:)
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on August 24, 2007 at 5:31 PM:
Great article Paul - love the history behind it!
Thanks for the additional ideas Mel!
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 6:44 AM:
Well, now I feel like a real idiot - I got a pressure cooker as
a gift about 5 years ago but have been too chicken to use it.
The instruction booklet is still sitting inside the pot, LOL.
OK - if you read a horror story in the news about how some
poor old lady in Texas blew her house up with a pressure
cooker, that just might be me :o)
Edited for spelling - sheesh !
This message was edited Aug 25, 2007 6:06 AM
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Posted by gloria125 (from Greensboro, AL) on August 25, 2007 at 7:47 AM:
O.K. here is a little story about blowing things up in the kitchen:
I found a recipe that said to cook an eggplant in the even, after it was cooked you mix the contents with butter and garlic, and serve it as a dip. I put the eggplant in the oven to bake. The oven has an automatic shut-off. It is (was) a counter top convection oven. I went to do the laundry, when I heard a loud noise in the kitchen. When I investigated, I found the eggplant had exploded, blew the door off the oven, and spattered the kitchen with bits of eggplant.
Moral of this story: an eggplant, or even an egg is a mini pressure cooker. If you don't puncture an outlet for steam to escape, or cook at a very low temperature, it can explode. If you get a block in your pressure cooker steam vent, it can explode. Follow the instructions to make sure the steam is still venting from your cooker - you wont have any trouble. If you bake a potato, or an eggplant, puncture the vegetable to let the steam escape.
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 8:09 AM:
Zowie, Gloria, but you lead an exciting life !
Thanks for the tip. I won't forget, even if I don't like
eggplant, LOL.
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Posted by gloria125 (from Greensboro, AL) on August 25, 2007 at 9:38 AM:
Mahnot: If you think that was exciting, you should have been here when the snake crawled in my oven for a stay. Helpful, I must say because he did catch a few mice while he was here.
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Posted by Mahnot (from DFW area, TX) on August 25, 2007 at 9:47 AM:
I would have bricked up the oven, sold the house and
moved to Italy. Your life is crowded with incident, Gloria,
and far too exciting for my taste, LOL.
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Posted by rentman (from Frankfort, KY) on August 28, 2007 at 6:39 AM:
Paul
Can a dial gauge be replaced with a jiggle one ?
Are there different weights ?
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on August 28, 2007 at 9:07 AM:
My weighted gauge has 3 holes...each gives a different pressure weight...but Paul will have to answer whether you can just interchange them.
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 28, 2007 at 1:41 PM:
I have a new Mirro . 3 yeras old.
The weight is actually in three pieces.
With all 3 pieces you get 15 lbs psi. Take 1 piece off and you have 10 lbs psi. Take 2 pieces off and you have 5 lbs psi.
As far as replacing a dial with a weighted guage, I'm not sure. Try emailing the service dept of the brand you have and ask them. Be sure to inculde the model number.
Paul
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Posted by rentman (from Frankfort, KY) on August 29, 2007 at 6:46 AM:
I have a Presto Pressure Canner 16 Quart, haven't 'fired' it up this year.
It has a gauge And a jiggle weight, but as I remember the heat needs to be adjusted to maintain correct pressure.
I think I'll look for the instruction book :)
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on August 29, 2007 at 1:23 PM:
That is correct, you adjust the pressure by adjusting the heat on the stove.
