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Do I need a pressure canner?
http://cookaholics.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2663
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Author:  Tatoosh [ Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Okay, I've been reading this thread with interest. Let me up the ante. You don't just need a pressure cooker, you need a pressure canner, but as long as you are going to indulge in another "highly useful, almost requisite" culinary tool ...consider a better quality pressure cooker than can do pressure frying.

Not to be done with standard pressure cookers unless you have a deep desire to be up close to a potential bomb, Fagor and Magefesa make specific models that are capable of pressure frying. I like Fagor's "Marine Model" aka "Pressure Magic" pressure cooker and it is high on my "hunting" list when doing yard sales and craigslist searches when we return to the USA.

Author:  Emilie [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Reporting back on the Onion and Rosemary Confiturra, and is it ever delicious. Very easy to make, especially with a mandoline for slicing the onions (I have an inexpensive Swissmar Borner and it works great). The only thing I did differently than the recipe is I used kitchen shears several times to cut the onions when they were almost finished reducing. That way it's not like they're chopped, but they're not as long and stringy as they would be otherwise. And I put the rosemary and bay leaves in cheesecloth. I learned that lesson when I made bacon jam a while back and forget to take out the bay leaves before I pulsed it several times in the FP. They were definitely unpleasantly noticeable in the texture afterward.

My pressure canner hasn't come yet, and since the recipe doesn't make a lot (picture below, if I did it right), I figured I'd just keep a bigger jar in the fridge and put one in the freezer and then I'll give the two smaller ones away. Now I'm just trying to imagine all the wonderful things I'm going to be eating it on!

Emilie

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47869278@N03/8340237281/in/photostream

Author:  Tatoosh [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Oh my gosh, tell me about the bacon jam, please. Or have you discussed it in a different thread?

Author:  marygott [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 3:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

It is in the Christmas Gifts thread, Steve. Very yummy stuff.

Mary

Author:  jeanf [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Emilie - I would use that stuff on potato pizza. Would be heavenly. Slice potatoes paper thin (I sometimes nuke them in a steamer for 3 minutes to soften) and layer on pizza dough to which you've coated in EVOO and then layer potatoes and dollop the onion confiturra and sprinkle w/ kosher salt.
(and I see by your jars that we share a love for the same Bonne Maman jam - love that stuff)

Author:  Cubangirl [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 3:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

I was so happy to read your post Emilie, I am on my way to the kitchen to make both the bacon and the onion jam. I will use the bags for the herbs. Hoping to be able to take a small jar of each to my sil who's making us dinner tonight. I am planning to put it in the fridge and freezer as well.

Author:  Cubangirl [ Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Made the bacon jam and it is in the fridge. Man is that stuff good. I also made the onion confiturra. I have not really eaten that yet, but I messed it up and used too much vinegar. It called for ¼ cup red wine vinegar and I used ½ cup sherry vinegar (don't like red wine vinegar or maybe we just have a poor brand) but like sherry vinegar so much more. The extra made it take much longer to reduce. DH tried both and says I have to learn to use the pressure canner so I can make more at one time and we can always have it.

On a related note, I used these when I was making the bacon jam. It made it so much easier to separate the pieces. I don't know why I didn't get it sooner. Someone had recommended the Rösle ones a while back, and they'd been in my save for later cart since then. I bought both to compare and returned the Rösle. They were $31.00 and the other $12, and the only difference I found was that the Rösle were longer (12"). Ends were exactly the same. I can't imagine needing them longer than 10".

Author:  Tatoosh [ Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Thanks, MaryGott, found the link. Making bacon in a day or two, so I'll do a bit extra for the "jam". How sweet does it come out with the brown sugar and maple syrup? I'm almost out of maple, so I may have to resort to honey.

Author:  marygott [ Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

It reminds me of a sweet barbecue sauce. Specifically the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. I think it was originally made as a condiment for burgers, so think ketchup. But better.

Mary

Author:  Emilie [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Do I need a pressure canner?

Finally reporting back, now that I've officially entered the world of pressure canning. It was very easy -- I just followed the instructions in the manual and the result was four beautiful quarts of golden chicken stock, currently smiling down at me from my glass-door kitchen cabinet. The problem is -- it's going to be painful to use them. In some bizarre sense, they're like a trophy. Go figure.

Now I'm gathering potential recipes to make/can this summer/fall, and looking through some old favorites to see if they might be suitable. So I have a couple of questions for you canning veterans. First, is it true that you can't can anything with flour in it? I think I read that somewhere, which would eliminate some of the soups I'd love to can. (Unless there is a suitable thickener substitute?)

Second, is there a typical shelf-life of things that are pressure canned, or does it solely depend on the ingredients? I've ordered a copy of the Ball Blue Book of Preserving, which I'm sure will have lots of answers for me. But I figured I'd throw them out in the meantime along with my thrilling report that I've graduated from water bath to pressure. :lol:

Thanks!

Emilie

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