Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Bump... I also have been nervous about canning but want to do it this year. Fuzzy, you canned lemon curd, what method did you use? And does it make sense to buy a pressure cooker?
The (other nervous) Nancy

Nancy
I have never used a pressure cooker when canning, but typically I can fruit, pickles and tomato sauce and just use a water bath. I have never canned anything with a protein, so a water bath has always been sufficient.
ilene

Thanks, Ilene.

I pressure can broth, stews & soups all the time. I make the soups & stews for my son & his family. It is a way to give them an easy meal in their busy life. They are both good cooks, but time is a factor with 2 young children (soon to be 6 & 8).

I have the "Ball" book and will study it. My cooktop is gas and pretty heavy duty. Thanks for the quick responses and info. I will do it this year. I love this board!
Nancy

We can 16 bushels of tomatoes (roma) each year as tomato puree. Jars go into an industrial barrel set over a large propane tank, it takes 24 hours to get cool enough to remove the jars. The FDA would just love the way we do it.

I so want to buy a pressure canner for broth, taco meat, etc. Half of my weekday meal dilemnas surround forgetting to defrost food.

A couple of things I've learned over the years about canning:

If you are canning things that are high acid (most fruits, tomatoes, and pickles), a water bath system is fine. There are charts available from your local extension service (like this) that will assist you in determining what is acidic enough to can, and the times needed to ensure safety. I think the Ball book has already been mentioned - another good resource.

Don't cool jars upside down. It can interfere with the seal (that is the old-timey way for jellies - fill with hot preserves, cap, turn upside down. Don't do it. Use a water bath and keep them upright.)

Make sure your cooktop can handle a pressure canner if you use one. Most glass/ceramic cooktops instruct you not to use a pressure canner as it can break the top (combination of the weight and heat).

Darcie
Good advice on the cooktop. I have corian & it has cracked. They say it was from the heat. We have had it repaired numerous times & I really am disappointed that it keeps cracking. I don't use high heat, but I do pressure can.

I have a book called Stocking Up. It's great.

I second Rhonda's suggestion. I have Stocking Up III -- great fruit butter recipes.