Time for canning.

[Beentown]

Have okra and pickles being run tonight. Won't be long until I am doing salsa and the rest of the tomato products. Final event will be pepper relish, hot spread, pepper jelly and some kraut stuffed Marconi's.

 

[Mike]

What pressure canners are you using, if any? I'd like to can meat in the future.

 

[Jackalope]

What pressure canners are you using, if any? I'd like to can meat in the future.

I'm using a Presto 16 quart pressure canner from the 70s that was given to me years ago from a friend who had no use for it. Fits 7 quarts at a time. Pressure canning is required for meats and low axis foods. If you're gonna get one get a big one. Greenbean quarts need 25 minutes at 10 lbs. then you have to let the canner return to ambient pressure by itself. So you can only do one canner load an hour. Some meats take over an hour in the canner.

 

[Mike]

Was looking at this one...
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU

 

[Diane]

I bought the Presto 16 quart this past fall.

 

[Beentown]

Mine is so old I don't remember what it is.

 

[jagermeister]

I didn't grow any cucumbers this year so I've been keeping an eye out at the farmers market. Usually for about two weeks you can get the pickling cucumbers 10 for a dollar. Stopped in yesterday and they said it was about 2 weeks out. The ones they has were 89 cents a pound which is robbery.

Dude, you and Jessica make a trip up to the lake... I'll give you all the cucumbers you want. I picked about 15 lbs worth on Friday. lol

 

[DJK Frank 16]

Mike unless you plan on doing a lot of pints, get the presto 16 instead of 23. It holds 7 quart just like the 23. You can double stack pints in the 23 though, so if you are gonna do a boat load of pints versus quarts, then the 23 may be worth the extra money.

 

[Mike]

Mike unless you plan on doing a lot of pints, get the presto 16 instead of 23. It holds 7 quart just like the 23. You can double stack pints in the 23 though, so if you are gonna do a boat load of pints versus quarts, then the 23 may be worth the extra money.

Thanks!

 

[Diane]

Sounds like a good one. I like to add a clove of garlic and some dill to mine. If you wanted to make a larger batch I bet you could make them shelf stable if you boiled the brine before filling the jars and processed them in a water bath for 5 minutes.

Looks like I'll have lots of cucumbers. So, if I try this, how do I know whether or not they spoiled?

 

[DJK Frank 16]

Looks like I'll have lots of cucumbers. So, if I try this, how do I know whether or not they spoiled?

We do the boiling water mix into the jars, then water bath for 5 minutes. As long as the jars seal you should be OK. I think if they spoiled for some reason, you would notice visually or from the smell when you opened them.

 

[Diane]

We do the boiling water mix into the jars, then water bath for 5 minutes. As long as the jars seal you should be OK. I think if they spoiled for some reason, you would notice visually or from the smell when you opened them.

Thanks!

 

[DJK Frank 16]

We did 26 pints of pickles spicy and dill and 7 quart of beans.

 

[DJK Frank 16]

 

[Buckmaster]

I never added heat to make pickles. They simply get cold packed. Add a pinch of Alum to create that extra "crispness, crunch, and snap".

 

[Mike]

I cold pack too.

 

[Diane]

Mine are already sliced, if that makes a difference. I've always only had them in the fridge, but they keep for 3 or so months in there.

 

[Mike]

Technically cold packed pickles should be eaten in a few weeks.

 

[Jackalope]

I hot pack and water bath them also so they'll keep on a shelf. cold pack pickles don't require it but they have to be stored in the refrigerator and don't keep as long.

DJK. Mind sharing your pickle recipes?

 

[Mike]

I bought the 16 quart Presto last night. Gonna get serious.