Friday, February 22, 2013

Ask Granny... Vacuum Seal vs. Canning and Pressure Cooker vs. Pressure Canner





Q. I have the system that sucks air out of mason jar using a seal-a-meal. Does the water or canning process not only take the air out but sterilize the product? What I am asking is why can't you use just the seal a meal product that goes on mason jars and suck the air out?

A. Vacuum packaging or sealing and canning cannot be considered the same. Both the preservation methods involve the sealing of food in a container, but in canning the food that is sealed is heat-sterilized, which kills microorganisms. This is why there is no need to store canned food in the fridge. In the case of vacuum packaging, the food present inside the container is not sterile and microorganisms in the food are still present. But due to the removal of air from the storage container, the vacuum packaged food will stay fresh for a longer time in the fridge or freezer.

Q. What’s the difference between a pressure cooker and a pressure canner?

A. According to USDA, a pressure canner must be able to hold at least 4 quart jars, and have a gauge or weight to allow you to measure 5, 10, and 15 lbs. pressure. A pressure cooker is usually smaller and only has one pressure weight built in. You can cook in a pressure canner as well as can… but you can’t can in a pressure cooker.



22 comments:

  1. Actually, it is POSSIBLE to can foods using a pressure COOKER rather than a pressure CANNER, BUT IT IS AN INCREDIBLY BAD IDEA. I go around and around with some folks on this, as I teach canning to others.

    In order for food to be stored safely, without fear of botulism, etc., the food being canned MUST be heat-treated, as you point out, but heat must be held CONSISTENTLY at not less than 240 deg. F (10 lbs. pressure) for a specified period of time, depending on what you are canning. Both time and temp are critical; this is why the instructions tell us that if the temp falls below 240 deg. F (10 lbs. pressure) at any time, YOU MUST bring it back up to temp and start the count all over again.

    This temp also increases exponentially over 2000 ft. altitude.You must check your recipe for how much pressure to add, based on your altitude and the food being canned.

    Any less temp, or processing for less time than the specified length for the food being canned, at your altitude, is an invitation to food poisoning, and this is not always detected by looking at the food or smelling it. Even if it were, why would anyone go the expense and work required to can food, only to have to throw it out? Or worse, risk a life-threatening illness? Ever had food poisoning? I have (from "eating out", by the way); if it doesn't kill you, you may wish it would, at least temporarily.

    So, yes, it's POSSIBLE to can food using a pressure cooker. DON'T DO IT. Plain and simple. And I know of foolish people who have refused to heed the warning, because "grandma did it this way, and it worked just fine for grandma". Folks, grandma probably didn't have a choice; and grandma had YEARS of experience, and knew exactly what to do and how, for years before you became old enough to pay attention. Grandma would have loved the convenience of a modern pressure canner, I'm sure, but it was not an option for grandma. You're not your grandma. Don't try it.

    As to using the canner as a COOKER, obviously, this will work, but, I don't do that either. Canners are aluminum. Do you really want to eat food cooked in aluminum? I do not. I cook my food in glass cookware or stainless steel cooking pots (I've had the stainless Revere Ware for 40 years, and I steel love it!). Also, whatever you cook in aluminum, especially high acid foods, will enter the pores of the aluminum and discolor the metal, as well as taint the metal, so that it will leach into whatever you put in the canner next.

    So, no, I don't mix my cookers and canners. One is for COOKING, the other is for CANNING, and, in my personal opinion, never the twain shall meet! ; )

    Happy and safe canning, y'all!

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    2. As long as your pressure cooker can generate 15lbs it is a fine canner. You give no reason why it can't be used as a canner beyond calling people foolish who do it. Pressure is pressure. I not only can but I sail all over the world and eat the food I can with the same pressure cooker I save stove fuel with. Please stop calling people names to make you point. If you have a real point make it.

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  2. Thank you for all this great info. I'm still new to canning doing jams and jellies.I really enjoy canning and may try pickles this year. What's your advice on making homemade pectin from apples? More work then what its worth?

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    1. Actually making pectin (I've only done it from apples) is pretty simple... here's the link to how I did mine... http://canninggranny.blogspot.com/2011/09/making-and-canning-pectin-from-apples.html

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  3. Sooo when you make your pectin--are the potency results unique to each batch or are they consistent?

    And off topic--because I want to make you proud (and possibly pat myself on the back).
    I am in the middle of a kitchen renovation that I am doing all by my lonesome. I refinished the cabinets and tore out the ancient broken tile counters when I got a phone call. The fresh lemons I've been asking about at my local farmers market were in. The timing was bad--but they acquired these special for me--so I was obligated. Ended up with about 200 lemons. Made lemon squash (nearly 6 dozen pint jars)in my partial kitchen, with no counters--but have a working sink. Day 1 I juiced the lemons using your method. Day 2 I made my concentrate and canned. I had an 18"x24" table work area. All jars were covered and cooled on the dining room table. I figure If I can do this with the kitchen apart--I can do anything once the new kitchen is done! Can't wait to lazily sip lemonade this summer (at least until the garden explodes).
    Thank you for all your hard work--you have made it so much easier on me!

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  4. what are the benefits of having a pressure canner over a water bath ?

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    1. You can only can acidic foods like tomatoes, jams, and jellies using a water canner. To can vegetables, meat and everything else, you must use a pressure canner

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  5. How lovely! Your tips were so helpful. thanks for sharing this. The next time can you give us some tips of using pressure cooker

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  7. Okay, you've convinced me to get a Best Vacuum Sealer All I needed was the little push - been wanting one for a couple years and now I can justify it. And for the little plastic containers that can't be recycled. Drill some holes in the bottom for drainage and use them for seedling transplants for the garden.

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  10. I want to cook soups and freeze them in canning jars and have ordered a product online that will vacuum seal these jars for me. I have never canned but I found online that there are canning jars that I can freeze in. I know that I must leave space in the jar for expansion. Do I wait until the soup is cooled off before putting it into the jars? Must I purchase these jars online only? Would the canning jars that they sell at Ace, etc. not be advisable for freezing?

    All standard canning jars (Ball and Kerr) can safely be placed in the freezer. Jars take up a lot of freezer space and are somewhat dangerous because they can and do break easily. Cleaning glass out of a freezer would be about the last thing on my list of things to do.

    A better method for freezing soup (and many other foods) is to quick-freeze it in user-friendly amounts first. I use 1-cup plastic containers for soup so that I can use 1 for one serving (nice for lunch for one), or I can pull out more if I need more servings. After they are frozen I pop them out of the plastic containers and stack them and seal them with my FoodSaver in a bag. They fit better in the freezer. You can do the same thing in inexpensive 1-quart plastic freezer containers if you need larger amounts than 1-serving sizes.

    You should probably check the manufacturers instructions about vacuum-sealing soup before it's frozen, or after; and whether that can/should be done in a jar. Call the toll-free number for more information. I always use regular canning jars to put my freezer jam in. Into the freezer,and I have never had one break on me.

    The package says not to reuse the seals. Do you reuse them or throw them out after each use? You shouldn't reuse the lids when they are used for home canning. They can be used over and over for vacuum sealing. I've kept my dry-goods like beans, seeds, grains, pasta, etc. in wide-mouthed canning jars of all sizes and have used the lids over and over. Eventually the sealing compound can get old and brittle and not hold a seal, in which case it gets tossed and replaced. I also soften the sealing compound on the lids in warm water before using them the first time on a vacuum-sealed jar.


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  12. Thank you for the information – I’ve ordered a vacuum sealer.I love the fact we can store food, soups etc and it lasts months now without spoiling.

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