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Farm Kitchen:  Home Canning  |
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Tribe Generator
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Misty
Missoula
Montana
USA
4 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 4:02:13 PM
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Hello,
I am hoping to start home canning for the first time this year so that I can have access to local foods all year long. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for canners. I saw the one in the link below, and am intrigued by it. Has anyone ever tryed it?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice!
http://www.harvestessentials.com/batobastca40.html
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 4:25:34 PM
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I have a friend who swears by her steam canner. I have always used a water bath canner myself. I just feel like it is better and not any more expensive for sure. Alot of times steam canners arn't recomended as being as safe as water bath. I don't know about that..I just know that I am more likely to burn myself, being me. haha
I feel like getting the biggest water bath canner you can find with a rack and lid (even used works well) they are available everywhere...and a pressure canner if you plan to can low acid items like veggies and meats. (tomatoes are acid enough to can without one) is the best plan. Start with the water bath though for sure.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 4:49:26 PM
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I haven't ever canned before, but I want to try canning this fall too! It's really exciting to think that I can serve my family something that I grew and canned all by myself!
Alee |
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Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 7:15:14 PM
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I agree with you Aunt Jenny. I water bath can every year and have never had any issues. We are just finishing the strawberry jam that I canned last year and it tastes as good as the 1st jar we opened last fall. I don't know much about the steam canner but I know water canners are not very expensive and are easy to use. I hope this helps.
cheers,
mag |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 7:19:29 PM
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Do you have to have special equipment to do water bath canning? Or can you just use your everyday kitchen equipment?
Alee |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 9:26:45 PM
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A water bath canner is just a big tall pot with a rack that holds 7 quart jars underwater (the water needs to boil 7 inches above the jars) and a lid. You CAN use any big stock pot and use a folded terry towel on the bottom instead of a rack..but you may not have one tall enough for quart jars. I do alot of canning in pints, too, though, and my stock pot gets used also when I am doing lots of canning.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4178 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4178 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2007 : 04:07:56 AM
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| A jar lifter is a much needed item too. Michele |
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sewgirlie
True Blue Farmgirl
1894 Posts
Sheryl-lyn
Calverton
NY
USA
1894 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2007 : 07:59:56 AM
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I use my lobster pot for canning larger jars and a regular stock pot (or a pot you use to make a lot of potatoes for mashed potatoes) for my pint jars. That worked perfectly and I had them on hand already. The waterbath canning sets are cheap enough though if you need to buy.
A good wooden spoon for stirring the items in the jars is a must. This lets air out and does not crack the hot jars (I do hot pack). It is so much fun to can and rewarding too. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
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BotanicalBath
True Blue Farmgirl
1014 Posts
Elizabeth
Ohio
1014 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2007 : 2:49:45 PM
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Dh picked up a big canning pot with the rack in it at an auction. I am a little scared of anything other than jellies and pickles (the self preserving stuff by % of sugar or salt). But I also got about 30 bale jars... The Glass is in great shape, but they didnt have any gaskets. I have sorted sewing trims and buttons in them... and I will be putting my soap additives in them too. Does anyone use these for actual canning? How would you use them? Is there a place to get new wires? A few are rusty in spots and I dont want it to rub off on sewing stuff or flake off into the soap.
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com www.Botanical-Bath.com www.BotanicalBath.etsy.com http://botanicalbath.blogspot.com/
"I do my housework in the nude. It gives me an incentive to clean the mirrors as quickly as possible." |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2007 : 9:48:41 PM
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YOu have to buy rubber gaskets (new ones) for sure. I don't think I would chance it. They are cool for storage though, arn't they?
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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BotanicalBath
True Blue Farmgirl
1014 Posts
Elizabeth
Ohio
1014 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 09:48:23 AM
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I was going to get new rubber gaskets for the soap additives.... I think it would be best to seal things like clays and ground kelp and orange peel kinda stuff. But I dont think bits of ribbon and trim need to be sealed. I think they look pretty lined up in these jars, and I feel so much more organized. I need all of the organization I can get.
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com www.Botanical-Bath.com www.BotanicalBath.etsy.com http://botanicalbath.blogspot.com/
"I do my housework in the nude. It gives me an incentive to clean the mirrors as quickly as possible." |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 2:12:58 PM
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I love using mason jars as storage, and usually you can find new rings and gaskets everywhere in the fall. Look in the kitchen items aisle of your grocery store.
Alee |
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campchic
True Blue Farmgirl
312 Posts
Erin
Nebraska
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 08:56:36 AM
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Has anyone ever canned on a ceramic glass cooktop stove before? I just got a new stove.
Erin |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 11:55:16 AM
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I have years ago when I lived in Idaho we had one. YOu just have to be careful..those pots are heavy. I don't know if I would do it again. If you have a camp stove that might be better for the water bath part. It would be awful to crack the top!!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Daisy
True Blue Farmgirl
107 Posts
Daisy
Thistle Sprig Farm
NW Indiana
USA
107 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 2:51:03 PM
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I do a lot of my canning on my outdoor cooker. You know those things they sell to fry turkeys in that have the crab pots. It works fabulous because the heat is so intense.(also it keeps the heat outside!) A few years ago we canned 200 qts of grape juice in one day. One very long day.....but it was doable because of that cooker. No waiting between batches for the water to reheat. When I take them out of the water I wrap a towel around them so they don't crack from the difference in air temp as I carry them to the table to sit and cool.
Aunt Jenny 7 inches of water above the jars to water bath?? I thought it was only 1 inch. How on earth do you find a pot that is that much taller then your jars? I've been doing the 1 inch for years and it's always worked.Hmmmm
Daisy
Thistle Sprig Farm |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 05:28:59 AM
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Erin, several years ago when I was replacing my stove, I looked into the ceramic top stoves at several stores and every time I mentioned to the sales person that I wanted to can with the stove, they all told me that I would crack or scratch the top and that they didn't think the heat would be distributed correctly or canning. That's why I stayed away from those types of tops. At least that's what 4 sales people told me.
Tina
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 2:01:09 PM
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I bought a ceramic top stove 2 years ago and can on it all the time. You just have to be careful not to scoot the canner across the top or it will scratch. I was leaning toward buying a conventional stove and talked with the saleman who told me he had a ceramic top he canned on all the time. Of course, that could have just been a line but I really haven't had a problem.
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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Annie S
True Blue Farmgirl
756 Posts
Annie
Custer
S.D.
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2007 : 6:37:40 PM
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Glad I hopped onto this site. I want to learn how to do some canning myself (next year after I have a garden). I also have a ceramic stove top, so all this info is very interesting. I too love using the small canning jars for sewing tidbits and also have a collection of the old blue canning jars above my kitchen cabinets along with other old time collectables. But you all have inspired me to get going on this canning thing. Thanks.
Peace and love.
Annie |
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cinnamongirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1682 Posts
Carrie
Canada
1682 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2007 : 10:51:14 PM
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| My girlfriend and I have been using ceramic stove top for a few years I find it is ok. |
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KarenP
True Blue Farmgirl
666 Posts
Karen
Chippewa Falls
Wisconsin
USA
666 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2007 : 05:05:37 AM
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I work with a gentleman that cans and has a glass top stove, he says it works but not well. He bought a Turkey Fryer and uses the burner for canning.
He says he has more control with the gas instead of the glass top stove.
Just my 2 cents
KarenP
"Purest Spring Water in the World" |
Edited by - KarenP on Jun 16 2007 05:06:00 AM |
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campchic
True Blue Farmgirl
312 Posts
Erin
Nebraska
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2007 : 05:54:20 AM
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Turkey fryer idea is a good one . We use ours all the time while camping. I just cringe at the thougt of ruining the new stove top.
Thanks for the comment.
Erin |
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EmmJay
True Blue Farmgirl
352 Posts
Mary Jane
Amherst
Nova Scotia
Canada
352 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2007 : 06:50:55 AM
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Oh the turkey fryers are wonderful. You have a BIG pot, and then set a table beside it with the jars, and make an assembly line for canning.
I shared with a neighbor a couple of years ago, and we did so much, and had fun while doing it. Several hundred jars of beets and pickles, and a drink now and then while outside....
MJ
"Thank GOD I'm a country girl"
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o134/EmmJay07/ |
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herbquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
891 Posts
Kristine
Bonney Lake
Wa
USA
891 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2007 : 09:20:23 AM
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We have a glass top stove, but bought a large 2 burner propane "camping" stove for on the porch. We use it for camping, power outages & canning. I have a couple of banquet tables that I put plastic table cloths on. We use one table for prep work & to be processed and another for cooling.
The other thing is that the kitchen inside isn't a huge canning mess.
Blessings,
Kristine ~ Mother of Many & Herbalist
www.herbalmomma.com
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nashbabe
True Blue Farmgirl
687 Posts
687 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2007 : 10:02:45 AM
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Keep a fire extinguisher handy if ya use the turkey fryer, obviously not as dangerous as using hot oil in them but still, you don't want to lose your deck or anything.
Bale jars: yes, I would use them for soap additives with some new gaskets, but I wouldn't can in them. Stick with Ball jars or thereabouts. Gotta have that perfect seal or it's all shot to heck, of course. :-)
Grew up on a farm...moved to da city...grew up a farmgirl!
http://nashbabe.blogspot.com |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2007 : 1:17:55 PM
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| I have been fighting with not enough space on my stove for years. The canner is so large it takes two burners and the heat is never even. I never thought of using a turkey fryer outside. What a great idea. |
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Farm Kitchen: Home Canning |
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Home Canning
