Pressure Canning Tips

I did some canning yesterday.  Squash and Zucchini were the the stars of the stage.  Thirty five squash made ten pint jars and five zucchini, of various sizes, made seven pint jars.  I add in "various sizes" for I purposely used the zuc that had gotten a little out of hand.  You see, here in Tennessee, we had very high temps for a few weeks then rain, rain, rain.  The rain caused a few zucs to grow wild and out of control and the garden was too muddy to pick.  I am happy I took time on a Sunday morning to spend a few hours puttin up.  I will appreciate my efforts more when winter rolls around and I have ready-to-go squash and zuc for my minestrone soup!

While canning, I devised some tips for canning veggies.  Especially listed for pressure canning. 

Tip #1  soak rubber gasket in canner while heating up water.  this will allow it to make an easy fit and quicker seal.  this is only needed before the first batch.  after that it is already swollen.

Tip #2  splash a tablespoon of white vinegar into the pressure canner while heating water.  this will prevent your jars from becoming cloudy while cooking.

Tip #3  heat jars in microwave.  fill halfway with water and heat off and on until ready to use.  then use the boiling water in the jars to fill jars again once you put the hot veggies in.  brill.

Tip #4  loosely hold dish rag around canner to catch water until seal has formed.  it can make a big mess with an older canner.

Tip #5  you don't want your canner to constantly rattle.  when rattling begins, turn the heat down a touch until it regulates again.

Tip #6  store pressure canner weight, the little round thing that regulates pressure, wrapped in a paper towel to prevent rusting. 

Tip #7  when using a pressure canner for the first time, involve a friend.  assure them that they won't get hurt.  sometimes an extra dose of confidence is all you need.  plus canning is more fun with a friend!

Aren't these beautiful!? 

Every time I can there is always at least one or two jars that I look at and say "Oh, you're going to the Fair!"  And I am not kidding.  I take canned items to the Robertson County Fair every summer.  And canned squash as beautiful as this is surely a winner!