# Pressure canner question



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Newbie question here. 

I used my pressure canner for the first time last night. I went with tomatoes because I figured if I messed up they would be the easiest to boil away any diease. 

I adjusted the temp on the stove to regulate the steam in the first 10 minutes of processing. The instructions said once the regulator was put on to increase the temp if it had been adjusted to create an even stream of steam. I turned it up and could hear boiling inside. That didn't concern me as much as how the release of the steam sounded. I could slightly hear the rocking of the regulator but what was the loudest was the spewing sound of steam. It was loud-almost like how air sounds coming out of a tire that has popped. But it sounded more like wet air. 

When the whole thing was over I noticed there was very little water left in the canner. I only put in 3 quarts-as instructed but there was barely enough left to cover the bottom of the canner. 

I do so much better when I see things in action then when I try to read and make them right. Next up is a ton of butter beans and the margin of error there is too slight to mess up.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

As long as there was _some_ water in the canner it was ok. What brand of canner do you have? You may have better responses from those that have that brand also. Loss of water usually is due to having the heat too high.


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

What one wants to do is bring the water to a boil and let the canner vent for 10 minutes. This purges the air from the canner. After placing the weight on the stem, you want the weight to rock about 2-4 times a minute. If yours was rocking faster than that, you had the heat too high.

ETA, what type of stove? Electric or gas? Some electric stoves are difficult to regulate the heat.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I got the $65 one from Walmart this year. :lol: If I can master this I plan to ask Santa for the All American. Did that with the grain mill as well. I can sell the idea better if I can prove I'll use it.  

My GE stove is electric. Mine was rocking much faster! Much, much faster. I must have had it up too high. 

I'll turn it down tonight when I can the butter beans. Thanks!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

PrettyPaisley said:


> I got the $65 one from Walmart. Thanks!


What brand is it? Probably a Mirro or Presto.

Yes, you probably had the heat too high. You want a gentle rocking of the weight. This sounds terrible, but think of passing gas. You just want a little release of pressure 2-4 times a minute. You don't want a rip-roaring release. :tmi:


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

suitcase_sally said:


> What brand is it? Probably a Mirro or Presto.
> 
> Yes, you probably had the heat too high. You want a gentle rocking of the weight. This sounds terrible, but think of passing gas. You just want a little release of pressure 2-4 times a minute. *You don't want a rip-roaring release. *:tmi:


:smiley-laughing013::smiley-laughing013::smiley-laughing013:

I got the Presto canner/cooker.


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

The presto weight rocks constantly, not a couple times a minute like others. There should be some release of steam but not enough to dry out the canner.

When I put the weight on I turn the heat up a bit to get the weight rocking, then once it starts I back it back down to the lowest setting I can get and still have the weight rock. This might take a few adjustments to figure out.

Don't start your timing until you get it to the right setting.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Prickle is correct in that Presto weights are intended to steadily rock unlike other brands.

Shannon I honestly can't follow your steps as outlined above but if there was only that small bit of water left in the canner then something was seriously out of whack. When properly used the PC should contain almost the same amount of water when finished as when you started. A loss of approximately 1/2 cup is common but no more.

So I would like to suggest that before you try canning any other foods which could easily end up under-processed and so unsafe to eat, you first do some practice runs with your canner using jars of water with some food coloring added to them. It is a good way to learn how to adjust your heat and learn how your canner works without risking wasted foods or other risks. 

First, and this is crucial, there are 3 models of the Presto 16 qt. 1 has a gauge and a 3 piece weight set for 5-10-15 lbs., 1 has a gauge and a 1 piece counter weight of 15 lbs., and 1 has no gauge and the 3 piece weight set. Please tell us which one you have? Also please tell us your altitude so we know which weight you should be using.

Put 3-4 inches of water in the canner and heat it up to almost, but not quite, boiling. Note the heat setting on your stove. Fill 4 pint jars with red colored very hot water, put on lids of course, and set them in the canner. Put on the lid and lock it down put do not put on the weight (what you called the regulator). Do NOT change the heat at this time. Instead make a note of how long it takes for your current heat setting to cause steam to actively vent steam out of the vent. Once you know that time I can tell you how much to increase your heat the next time if that is needed.

Once steam begins to flow out of the vent pipe let it continue to do so for 10 mins. Also note if steam is leaking out anywhere else. After 10 mins. put on the 10 lbs weight.

If you have the model with the gauge AND 3 piece weights, when the gauge reads 11 lbs. your weight should begin to gently rock. Note how much time it took to get to that point. If the weight begins to rock and the gauge does NOT read 11 lbs. then your gauge is inaccurate and should be ignored. Weights are accurate, gauges are not.

If you have the model with the gauge and the 15 lb. counter-weight then it will not rock until 16 lbs on the gauge. If that happens then will be totally dependent on your gauge and should really buy the 3 piece weight set so you can safely process at lower pressures.

If you have the model with only the weights then once it begins to rock gently you are at 10.5 lbs. and can just leave the heat setting as is. If the weight begins to really hard rattle, turn the heat down VERY slightly one time and one time only. Too high a pressure is safer than too little pressure. Run the canner like this for 25 mins.

Follow the guidelines on the proper cool down procedure. When time to remove the weight wait an additional 10 mins before removing the lid. When you do, there should be almost the same amount of water and it should still be clear. If it is red stained then siphoning happened because the heat was adjusted too much.

It takes practice to learn how to use a pressure canner effectively but as with all things, practice makes perfect. 

Hope this helps.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

This is why I like having a gauge with the weight set. My presto has both. With my electric stove, I found I could turn the heat down to 1.5-2 (very low) and maintain pressure just fine.

The weight will wiggle gently - if it is rather wild and you hear a lot of spitting of steam, you have the heat too high. Mine will wobble around and every once in a while (2-4 times a minute) it will give a an actual spit of steam. If I crank the heat, I can get the pressure building way over what the weight will release at - I have had it near 15 lbs and spitting like a banshee one time when I walked away for longer than I should have - I have my weight set adjusted to hold it around 12 PSI. It was still climbing when I turned it down - so I know that at a rapid boil on my electric stove, I can build pressure way faster than the weight can release. 

Even after 90 minutes, I have enough water that I only need to add a pint to bring the level back up for the next batch.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I have the weight gauge where I can take off two of the pieces if I need 5#s of pressure or one piece if I need 10# or leave all three on for 15#s. 

Surely I have the heat up too high. 

Judylou-I'll practice and let you know what happens. Thanks!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I am at an altitude where I need a bit more than 10 lbs pressure, but did not want to go all the way up to 15. So I clipped a couple of washers and slip them on with the 10 lb ring. I had to experiment some to get it right.

For the AA - I taped two pennies to the round weight to accomplish the same thing. 

Since both these units have a pressure gauge, it wasn't that hard to figure out.


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