Canning Vegetables

How to Can Vegetables

*When canning vegetables you are going to need a good sturdy pressure canner.

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Canning vegetables at home is a worthwhile investment in time as you can save hundreds of dollars over the fall and winter months by not having to go to the store for most vegetables.

Home gardeners especially save by Canning Corn and Canning Green Beans, among all the other great vegetables, fresh from the summer garden.

Pressure Canner, not a water bath canning pot, for all home canning recipes for safely canning vegetables at home.

The reason is simple but compelling if you don't want to become ill or worse from improper canning methods.

You may have experience canning High Acid Foods like applesauce, jams and tomatoes. They can be safely processed in a Hot Water Bath Canner at 212 degrees F for a sustained period of time.

Vegetables are a low acid food. Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria commonly found in meats and vegetables.

The problem starts when this dreadful bacteria finds it's way into a moist, oxygen free and low acid environment, which perfectly describes the inside of a canning jar!

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Botulism spores cannot withstand the temperatures achieved with a pressure canner. Temperature up to 240 degrees F safely kills the bacteria so we can preserve all of our corn, green beans, carrots and squash for the winter months, saving a us bundle of cash and having fun in the meantime!

How do Pressure Canners Work?

You will find both dial gauge and weighted gauge pressure canners. Made of stainless steel or alumninum, the dial gauge version shows you plainly the pressure inside the canner. The weighted gauge model simply rattles at you, and also serves to regulate the pressure inside the canner.

When preserving vegetables of all varieties, the process is the same. You will put a certain amount of water in a pressure canner, as indicated in your manual, but it will not be enough to cover the jars as in a water bath canner.

The reason is that the canner builds up intense pressure as it heats, creating an atmosphere of boiling water and steam, which serves to force out the air through the vent port on top of the canner.

You will vent the canner for a period of time, again check with the instructions on your particular canner. If you don't have the booklet, you can find instructions for most models online.

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1. Fill sterilized jars with cut vegetables and add liquids to 1/2" head space.

2. Place the rack inside the canner and put on the largest burner on your stove top.

3. Add the recommended amount of water and seal the lid down. Many canners will twist down and seal with a gasket, others have twist down knobs. Leave the weight off the petcock port.

3. Heat on high until the water boils and a strong steady steam comes out of the vent port. You will maintain this exhaust stream for 10 minutes.

4. Now put the weight on, or close the petcock vent. You will get to maximum pressure quickly now. The desired pressure will depend on your altitude and the food you are preserving. 11 pounds is common but do check the manual for your canner.

5. Start timing once you are at the right pressure. You may have watch it and adjust the burner to maintain the same pressure-the gauge will show you. If you have a weighted canner, expect the weight to rattle about 2-3 times per minute.

6. Processing time will likely be about 10-15 minutes, depending on your altitude and the size of jars you are using.

7. Now remove from the heat and let the canner cool on it's own, venting out the pressure.

8. When it is safely cooled, take out the jars, place on a large towel and cool overnight. You don't want to stress your canning vegetables jars by putting them out in the cold, however. A nice comfy room temperature is best while they come down in temperature.

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Family Security through Frugal Living from Canning Vegetables