# AARRGGHH! Pressure canner lid stuck!



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I did 7 quarts of potatoes last night and the lid is stuck! Won't budge. The canner is an antique.....belonged to dh's grandmother but I've replaced seals, plugs, and all. I've used it for several years now with no problems. Tried cold water on the top, tapping it around the rim and no luck. Any ideas? please? Its rather sentimental to me.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I'd try tapping it in both directions with hammers - lightly, of course.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

If it is cold now. try pouring boiling water over the top to expand it. then you can tap it. I would use a mallet not a hammer. or if you only have a hammer use it with a block of wood.


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

well it is unstuck.....the handles crumbled though. At least I can replace them and my potatoes turned out great!


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

I was reading about this happening to somebody on another thread because they allowed the pressure canner to cool overnight with the lid still tightened.

I was wondering - if this happens, is it possible to get it off by heading it back up again, on the stove? Too bad you already got the lid off - I was hoping you'd be able to answer that question.


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## Megabeth (Aug 7, 2008)

You might need a new gasket, or put a little vegetable oil on the old one.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

fffarmergirl said:


> I was reading about this happening to somebody on another thread because they allowed the pressure canner to cool overnight with the lid still tightened.
> 
> I was wondering - if this happens, is it possible to get it off by heading it back up again, on the stove? Too bad you already got the lid off - I was hoping you'd be able to answer that question.



Don't heat up the canner. Just pour hot water over te lid. That expands the lid and not the pot. Like was said before oil the gasket. Mineral oil workss


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

gasket was new last year only a few uses...and yes I let it cool over night...usually don't but I was dog tired and just wanted to lay down. I already oiled the gasket. Its still usable...not all the handle broke so I can get it off and on now but I will be ordering new handles. These are the original ones that were on it when dh's grandmother bought it.


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## texastami (Sep 13, 2002)

I have one pressure canner that does the same thing... and i broke a handle trying to get the dang lid off with a mallet.... 

so what i do now is set it in the sink.... and then twist... gives me great leverage and i can ALWAYS get the lid off, even with a broken handle!! 

Doesnt work for my tall canner but sure works great for a squatty one!  (aren't those just proper terms there for ya!!)


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## goohsmom (May 10, 2009)

I have an antique one without gaskets that this happened to me on my first test run. I was lucky enough to find a thread on the web that detailed how to take care of this without hammers or breaking a handle. Take a table knife and insert it between the lid and the canner, then apply just a bit of pressure. That will release the pressure and allow the lid to come off easily.

Pam


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

My AA did that this year. My son and I even took the screws out of the latch but it still would not open. I finally took a butter knife and slipped it between the lid and pot and gave a tiny twist and off it popped. And I had not left it overnight, it had just dropped to 0 pressure and I waiting an additional 10 min. and it was stuck tight.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

My grandmother always oiled the lid all the way around with "vasoline" BEFORE she placed the lid on the canner to tighten it. She told me this keeps it from ever sticking.


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