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| (This is really MY very own Granny Smith!) |
Q. I can’t seem to get a handle on cooking
dry beans…cook them before pressure cooking? or do not cook? ~ SS
A. The "canning experts" recommend soaking and partially cooking dry beans before canning. Some folks can them dry... for quarts use a cup of beans, for pints, used a half cup of beans... fill the jars with boiling water... add salt, other seasonings and veggies or meats, put hot, sterilized lids on and pressure can at 10 lbs. pressure for 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts. (the lbs. pressure and times are the same as for canning soaked and pre-cooked beans) ~CG
Q. I am considering getting a pressure
canner. I have never used one before. What is a good one to get? ~ MJ
A. My personal opinion is get the best you can afford, a pressure canner is an investment that will last for many years. I really like my All-American pressure canner (they come in several sizes). It's easy to use, has no gasket to ever have to replace, has both a weighted gauge and a dial gauge, heats and comes up to pressure quickly, and is a real work horse. It is, however, expensive ($200-$400) and is definitely an investment that will last a lifetime and probably the lifetimes of several generations. A less expensive, but still great canner, is the Presto (16 qt. or 23 qt.) which is less than half the cost of the All-American. It DOES have a rubber gasket that will need to be replaced every few years. But it's a good pressure canner. ~CG
Q. Can you use an electric hot plate to
pressure can? ~KD
A. In short, yes... but don't make the mistake I did by purchasing an inexpensive hot plate... get a good one... the one I bought wouldn't heat up enough to EVER bring the water to a boil in my canner. I have no recommendations as to brand since I gave up on the hot plate idea after my "cheap hot plate" experience (it was a $29 Black and Decker) ~CG
Q. Is it possible to substitute powdered pectin for
liquid pectin? ~SH
A. Yes!
1 Tbsp liquid pectin = 2 tsp powdered pectin.
Mix 1 package powdered pectin in 1/2 cup water and boil for
1 minute. Pour into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 1 cup. Use as
you would liquid pectin. ~CG
Q. After I am finished canning am I supposed to
remove the rings from the jars? and why or why not? ~JR
A. Yes, you should remove the rings after about 24-48 hours and before you store your filled jars, for several reasons... first, during the canning process, a vacuum is created, causing the jars to seal... during the process air is "burped" out of the jar and sometimes a bit of food or liquid "burps" out with the air and can become trapped underneath the ring and cause rust, lids that are difficult to remove, or spoilage. Also, if (heaven forbid!) your jar lids come unsealed after they are stored... leaving the lids on can make it more difficult to spot an unsealed lid and if spoilage occurs, can even cause jars to break from the swelling of the spoiled food... if just the flat part of the lid is on the jar and it comes unsealed or the food inside spoils, the lid will just pop off... a much easier mess to clean up than broken glass mixed with smelly, spoiled food. ~CG
Q. I have friends who re-use their canning
lids. I didn't know that they could or should be re-used. Can they be reused ~AL
A. It's not recommended to reuse the flat part of canning lids, they're made for single-use only (you can reuse the rings over and over again)... I personally never reuse lids, it's just not worth the chance you take with all the work you put into preserving food... some folks do it and have no problems... I won't take that chance myself. ~CG
