Using a pressure cooker

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dayna

dayna

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Okay, so I bought this pressure cooker I THOUGHT to can meat into jars....

Then I realized when using it THERE IS NO RACK!

So how do I jar up meat in this thing? Can I make a rack? The rack is just to raise it up off the floor of the cooker right? Also, the instructions have no instructions or guidelines for canning meat...

So I'm confused. I bought it for canning but it looks like it's just for cooking? Did I waste my money or can I make this work?

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Keep in mind I've used a pressure cooker one time. To make bone stock. I have no idea how the mysteries of the pressure cooker work.
 
Well you can make your own rack. Layout some canning lids in a rosette pattern, screw side down, that will fit the bottom of the cooker. twist tie or otherwise fasten the lids together. I did that using pop rivets for years till I found a replacement rack for the canner. It works.

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Canning food requires attention to detail. Follow directions to the letter till you understand the principles involved. Go to the library get a copy of the Ball book or the online USDA guidehttp://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html. Know your ALTITUDE and make the necessary adjustments. [Sorry, the legal dept wanted me to say this.] :)
 
A pressure cooker and canner are two different things? According to everything I see on the internet they are the same.... So now I'm more confused than ever.
 
The pressure cooker and pressure canner are the same thing-- usually a "canner" is a big one -- but it is all the same--
there is no difference at all except application.-- and a folded dish towell on the bottom of the cooker/ canner to set jars on will work if you cant find some extra jar rings [like mentioned above] or-- any grate to keep the glass from sitting against the bottom of the cooker.--read the instructions and make sure that the weight on your cooker is a 10 lb -- if so you can do it fine-- I supose you are not above 1000 ft elevation so you don't need a 15 lb weight,
 
Now, my pressure canner has a pressure dial to measure pounds of pressure so low acid foods are processed at the correct rate. The pressure cooker I had a few years back didn't have the dial. Michaels4, you've been doing this a long time--how do you correctly measure pounds of pressure in a cooker w/out a dial so you know what pressure to safely can at?
 
the weights on the cooker/ canner set the pressure, most cookers come with a weight that is set to hold the pressure at 10 lbs before it starts rocking, cookers designed expressly for canning have a weight that is adjustable from 5 , 10 or 15 lbs, some have gauges also, so you can double check and see what is going on. if you are canning at high altitude, [new tables tell you 1000 ft] elevation you should use a 15 lb weight to set the pressure, -- the older canning guides set the altitude adjustment at 4 000 ft .and some at 5000 ft.--any way-- the 90 min cook time for canning meat [except fish]in qt jars-- has a lot of safety room added into the cook times, and in a small cooker canning pt jars at 10 lbs for 90 min will be plenty safe even at fairly high altitude.
 
Do a google search for
what is the difference between a pressure cooker and a pressure canner

This is one page that looks to explain it good.
http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/consumer ... cooker.pdf

You cook in a pressure cooker.
You can also cook in a pressure canner, as it is a bigger pot, but you are better keeping the canner just to can your foods in. Always check the petcock hole to make sure it is clean, so the pressure canner, can vent freely before you start.

This is another good page to read.
http://canninggranny.blogspot.com/2013/ ... g-and.html
From this page.....
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.

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If you bought the pressure cooker new and still have the reciept, you
could take it back to the store where you bought it.
 
great. so I wasted a hundred dollars. <br /><br /> __________ Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:19 pm __________ <br /><br /> I just checked and my pressure cooker is 15 pounds of pressure whatever that means.
 
At 15 lbs (1 bar) you can bottle anything you want to ,at any elevation .I do it all the time in my small cooker when doing small batches of pint jars

__________ Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:48 pm __________

most presure cookers come with a weight that is designed to maintain a pressure from .8 to 1 bar, [11.6 lbs to 15 lbs] pressure--so-- 15 lbs is very adequate for all meats, and low acid canning projects.

__________ Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:55 pm __________

My smaller pressure cooker is a 15 pound cooker as well. If you choose to procede,---then-- after the bottles are in the cooker, make sure there is about 2 inches of water in the cooker before you put the lid on and turn on the burner, then just make sure the weight is rocking before you start the processing timer. And keep it gently rocking for the entire cook time, and let it cool down by it's self [no cold water] when the time is up,-and when cooled down, remove the weight carefully with a hot pad, to make sure there is no pressure still inside, then remove the pressure cooker lid. Best of luck. How ever you choose to go with this
 
Thanks. I'll do some more reading. I wish my Grandmother was a live for a variety of reasons, but I know I could have learned all this from her. :) I'm thankful for all of you here that can share your knowledge.
 
I have a big pressure caner, I also have that exact same pressure cooker and, I use it for small batch canning (it will hold 4 quart jars.) Simple, just fold up a flour sack towel in the bottom, place the jars, then fill to 2 inches from the top with cold water, secure the lid and put it on the stove on medium high. When it starts sputtering and hissing, it's at pressure, reduce heat to medium to maintain that for 90 minutes. Remove it form the heat and let it depressurize until you don't get any steam when you use a spoon or spatula to tip the pressure cock on the top. Open it up and use jar tongs or a pot holder or thick towel to remove the hot jars of now canned food.
 
When I put the jars in the pressure cooker are they open at the top? Then I add the flat tops after I remove them from the cooker and put the rings on?
 
NO, you fill them just to the bottom of the threads, place the flat lids and, the rings barely finger tight, don't snug them down. The contents of the jar will boil for a long time and, a little of the liquid may seep out of the jars during canning. That's normal and perfectly fine. After you take them out of the canner, just let them cool to room temp. The lids should all be sealed by then. Any that don't seal either need to be refrigerated and used in a few days or have the liquid topped off, the rim of the jar cleaned and a new lid used to re process them. ALWAYS make sure the rim of the jar is completely clean when you place the lids.

You will want to boil the lids for 5 minutes while you fill jars, that sterilizes them and, warms the small ring (usually red) that seals the jar and, they work best if put on the jars while hot. I have a little magnetic lid pick up but tongs work as well to get the lids out of the hot water.

Once the jars are cool and sealed, you can either remove the rings entirely so you don't have to buy so many, or, if you have enough, just snug them down and leave them on the jars. I leave mine on but, the lid is what makes the seal so, it doesn't matter either way..

Low acid foods need to be pressure canned (meats, most green vegetables, etc... High acid foods (most fruits, pickles, jams and, tomatoes) can be water bath canned. Just put the lids and rings on the same, put in any pan that will allow water to the bottom of the threads (using a towel under them if the pan does not have a rack) and hold at a full boil for 20 minutes, remove from water and let cool - they seal as they cool.

NOTE: If you make jam or jelly, DO NOT tilt, shake or otherwise disturb the jar for 48 hours after canning - it can be that long before it sets up properly.
 
BlueMoods":2myxr7n0 said:
I have a big pressure caner, I also have that exact same pressure cooker and, I use it for small batch canning (it will hold 4 quart jars.) Simple, just fold up a flour sack towel in the bottom, place the jars, then fill to 2 inches from the top with cold water, secure the lid and put it on the stove on medium high. When it starts sputtering and hissing, it's at pressure, reduce heat to medium to maintain that for 90 minutes. Remove it form the heat and let it depressurize until you don't get any steam when you use a spoon or spatula to tip the pressure cock on the top. Open it up and use jar tongs or a pot holder or thick towel to remove the hot jars of now canned food.
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Thank you, -- you explained it well, -- and easier to understand then the way I was explaining it---
 
Now I want one. :) I would love to make canned soups and can some meat too. I saw one for a good price on ebay and if it stays in a good price range I may get it.
 
cmfarm":3ku90rim said:
Now I want one. :) I would love to make canned soups and can some meat too. I saw one for a good price on ebay and if it stays in a good price range I may get it.
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I have several, Two,- 21 qt All American gasketless "canners", and some regular pressure cookers, They all work great for "what ever" I want to do with them-- I think they are wonderful.-- and an old buck or doe-- is tender and tasty in pot pie after a trip through the pressure cooker,
 
I agree, best kitchen tool to have if you raise meat animals, hunt, fish or have a garden, or just want to buy the tougher, less costly meats and get dinner on the table w/o having the oven or crock pot going all day. I have a 21 qt All American and, the little Wear Ever like Dayna's. I use them both a lot. Usually the small one for making dinner if I'm not caning. Both get used for caning depending on how many jars I have to process. They will tenderize even the most stringy, shoe leather piece of meat. (Note that canning fish takes 120 mins under pressure, meat 90 mins.)
 
I have a pressure cooker/canner. I can can up to 4 quart jars in it at a time and it can be used for cooking meats and such as well. I agree with what JohnMC said. So no, you didn't waste $100.
 

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