P is for Pressure Canning

Pressure canning is something that is fairly new to me. I have only been doing it for about 3 years now. I have always been afraid of it blowing up in my face. Honestly, it is really easy to do, once you get the hang of it. I use it mostly to can my veggies such as green beans, corn, carrots and potatoes.

I started out with a Presto canner and hope to someday upgrade to an All American canner. I was lucky to find another Presto canner at a yard sale last summer. The previous owner had only used it once and to can jams. I use my boil water bath canner for that.

Having two pressure canners makes putting up my veggies so much faster. It does make the house hot though, so I tend to do it at night, which means I am not finished until after midnight most nights.

Canning green beans has been the easiest, and the most often thing canned here. We love our green beans and always grow a ton. Enough to have a jar 4 times a week if needed. All I do is add the fresh green beans to a hot and sterilized jar, add some canning salt (not needed, but I like the taste it adds to the beans) and some boiling water. Whip down the rim, add the lid and put on the ring, but not too tight. After it has been canning at 10 lbs of pressure for 20 minutes, they are done. I have to wait for the pressure to drop down in the canner though. That takes about 30 minutes or so. Then I can open the canner and take out the green beans.

Here they are fresh out of the canner. I love to listen to the ping of the lids sealing. The next day, I will check to make sure all jars are sealed and wash up the jars. I take the rings off before I store them though. I have always been told to do that so that we can tell if a lid has come unsealed. Not to mention the rings rust really easily.