Pressure Cooking

• 1). Determine whether the food you want to preserve is acidic or basic by consulting reliable sources like the USDA or your county extension agency. The only way to can low-acid food is in a pressure cooker. The time and pressure varies based on the kind of food you are canning, whether you cook the food beforehand and the elevation where you are pressure canning. Consult your canning guide for time and temperature guidelines based on elevation. If it does not contain the information, find a guide or a cookbook that does.
  
  
• 2). Select high quality food to can. Commonly pressure-cooked canned foods include all kinds of meat products, fruit and vegetables. If you are canning meat, select the leanest cuts available. Remove all visible fat before canning it. Fat interferes with the seal between the top of the jar and the lid, which could prevent the jar from sealing. When canning fruit and vegetables, remove any soft spots or blemishes.
  
  
• 3). Wash the jars and rings in a dishwasher or in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Place the jars bottom-side down on a dishcloth.
  
  
• 4). Prepare the lids by boiling water and adding the lids to the water. Turn down the heat so that the water barely simmers.
  
  
• 5). Put the rack or grate that came with your pressure cooker on the bottom of the vessel, add water and heat it using medium to high heat. The water needs to boil to can food. Most canners require at least 2 inches of water in the bottom of the pot. If you can without the grate or rack, the jars may break.
  
  
• 6). Prepare the food according to the recipe. Add the required amount of liquid for the food and poke a knife or spoon into the jar to release any trapped air. If you need more liquid, add it. Canned meat needs water or broth, vegetables use water and fruit typically requires a syrup made from water and sugar.
  
  
• 7). Wipe off the top of the jar with a wet paper towel or clean, damp dishcloth. Place the lids on the jars, then the rings. Tighten the rings and put the jars into the pressure cooker. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and follow the directions for your cooker for the required venting and processing time, depending on the amount of heat and pressure inside the cooker. Adjust the stove's heat to maintain the proper amount of pressure for the required canning time. Turn off the burner at the end of the processing time and let the pressure in the cooker drop naturally before opening the lid.
  
  
• 8). Lift the jars out of the pressure cooker with the jar tongs and place on a dry kitchen towel to cool. If you have jars that did not seal, either reprocess them or refrigerate and eat the food within a few days.
  
  

Hot Water Bath Canner

• 1). Select high quality, acidic food for canning. Some fruit like peaches and pineapple lend themselves to hot water bath canning. The acidity of tomatoes varies, so the safest way to can tomatoes is in a pressure cooker. Never process any food containing meat or meat broth in a hot water bath.
  
  
• 2). Fill the hot water bath canner about one-third of the way up with water and heat it on the stove.
  
  
• 3). Prepare the jars and lids by sterilizing them in boiling water. Unlike in pressure cookers, the temperature of the jars and food in a hot water bath canner never reaches more than 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the boiling point of water at sea level.
  
  
• 4). Put the food in the jars, add hot liquid to cover and remove air bubbles with a clean knife, adding more liquid if necessary. Wipe the top of the jars with a damp cloth, put on the lids and rings and tighten the rings.
  
  
• 5). Place the jars in the hot water bath. If the water in the pot does not cover the jars, add more water so that it covers the jars by at least 1 or 2 inches. Do not start timing until the water boils.
  
  
• 6). Process for the recommended amount of time and remove the jars with jar tongs. Place on an absorbent towel and let cool before storing in a cool, dark place.