Welcome to canning season. Easily recognized by the sight of vegetable gardeners running screaming from tomato plants and pressure canners spitting and sputtering in homesteaders (and wanna be homesteaders) kitchens across the land.
One of the comments I get a lot from readers, friends and neighbours is ... really??? Really. You DON'T like Game of Thrones. I do not.
The second most common comment I get is ... "I wish I weren't so afraid of pressure canning".
Today I'm going to tackle the canning.
For years when I made chicken broth I would put it into baggies and shove it into the freezer. Just fill the baggie, lay it flat to freeze and then you can stack them all up in the freezer so they're all in there nice and neat.
I do the same thing with soups, stews, chili ... anything liquidy. And it works great.
Except they slip. And slide. And when you want to use them you have to defrost them.
I wanted instant chicken broth. The kind where you just pop the top and pour it into your soup, stew, cereal or whatever.
So once I got my pressure canner I started to can my broth and I haven't looked back (into the freezer) since then.
Pressure canning is not difficult, not dangerous and not all that time consuming.
And at the end of it you have beautiful jars filled with stuff that's even more convenient than stuff from the store because it's already in your house. I know. You're afraid. That's probably a good thing, but you don't need to be.
Today I'm going to walk you through the basics of pressure canning your own chicken broth. If you're interested in doing more of this sort of thing you'll need a couple of things. A pressure canner (duh) and a good, tried and true, book on canning. I have a few. My favourites are The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and Ashley English's Canning & Preserving.
I am by no means a pressure canning expert. I've been preserving and canning since I was young but just like with gardening there's always someone who knows more than me. That's pretty much true of everything actually.
First things first. You need to make some chicken broth. Here's my recipe which is really more of a guide of what to throw into the pot. When I buy or make roast chicken I never eat the leftovers. Instead, after one meal I put the rest of the carcass into the freezer for making chicken broth with later. It always works out that by the time I've used up all my chicken broth, there are enough frozen chicken parts in the freezer to make broth again. The roast chickens are great to use because they have that roasted flavour to them which is perfect in broth. PERFECT I SAY!
I make the broth the day before I know I'm going to can it. Making broth and canning all in the same day is for crazy people.
I USE THIS MIRROR PRESSURE CANNER.
It's among the lower priced pressure canners and has always worked very well but has the WORST instruction booklet probably ever made.
If you want to go high end, the best of the best, The All American Pressure Canner is the way to go.
How to Pressure Can Chicken Broth
Organize yourself. Get everything ready.
Prepare
- Heat 3" of water in a pressure canner.
- Heat your broth in a large pot and keep at a very low simmer
- Put your canning seals and rings in a pot of barely simmering water. Not boiling!
- Stick clean canning jars in a 225f / 105 c oven.
What You'll Need
- funnel
- magnetic lid lifter
- jar lifter
- damp cloth or paper towels
- canning jars
- canning jar seals and lids
You can buy a kit with the jar lifter, funnel and magnetic lid lifter for about $10 on Amazon.
Steps
- Fill your jars with hot broth making sure you have 1" of headspace between the broth and the rim of your jar.
TIP
In canning, the "headspace" is the amount of space you leave between the rim of the jar and whatever you're filling it with. Each thing you can requires a different headspace. For example canning tomatoes might require a ½ head space while canning chicken broth requires an inch. Usually the thinner the liquid the more headspace it requires because it pulls up towards the lid easier when under pressure. The reason you leave headspace is so the liquid isn't pulled all the way out of the sealer when under pressure. This would prevent a seal from happening.
2. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp towel. If anything at all is left on the rim the jar will not seal.
3. Using your magnetic seal lifter, pull out a seal from your pot of hot (not boiling) water and place it on the jar.
4. Put your ring on and finger tighten. You don't have to put your rings in the pot of water. I just do it because I always have.
TIP
Do not over tighten your rings. As a side note, once your jars have sealed you can remove the rings. There's no reason for them to remain on the jar. The seals are what keeps the jar sealed. The rings are only needed during the actual sealing process.
5. Using the jar lifter, place your hot packed jars into the pressure canner. Different products and sized jars require different processing times.
For chicken broth in 500 ml jars (pint) you process for 20 minutes.
If you are using 1 litre (quart) jars, process for 25 minutes.
Use a second rack if necessary.
NOW you start canning.
- Before processing you need to "vent" your canner. Get rid of the air/steam inside so you can build up the proper pressure. To vent your canner:
6. Put the lid on your canner (without the weight on it) and turn it up to medium/high. When steam starts coming out of the top, set your timer for 10 minutes.
Once those 10 minutes are up your canner has been properly vented and you're good to go.
7. Put your 10lb weight on the canner* and wait for it to come to pressure. When the weight jiggles or knocks a few times every minute, your canner is up to pressure. Only start your timer for processing once your canner is up to pressure.
Getting a canner up to pressure can take several minutes.
Once your weight is jiggling and you're at pressure set your timer.
* NOTE: If you live anywhere above an altitude of 1,000 feet you'll need to change the weight used when canning. This page has a great adjustment chart and link to finding out your altitude.
20 minutes for 500 ml (pint) jars
25 minutes for 1 litre (quart) jars
8. When your timer goes off and your jars have finished processing, turn the stove off. Leave the lid on and allow the pressure canner to return to normal pressure. Once the pressure is down to normal you can remove the lid. Wait another 10 minutes and then remove your jars.
The only time canning is dangerous is when you don't follow the directions. You MUST follow the instructions exactly. If you under process you'll be in trouble. If you don't use the proper headspace you could be in trouble. If you don't use the exact ingredients called for you'll be in trouble.
But as long as you can follow the rules ... no trouble. Just don't wing it.
I've had my canner out on the stove for the past few weeks and I imagine that's where it will stay until the end of fall.
It's a big gawdawful looking thing sitting on the stove. And I love it. That big gawdawful production, Game of Thrones? Not so much.
disclaimer: Yeah, I know you love Game of Thrones. You cried when it ended. It's the best show ever made. I understand. I just don't like it.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Sue
Hello,
Just a question about the pressure weights. If my elevation requires 10lbs of pressure, is okay to use the 15lbs of pressure?
Thanks,
Shelagh
Help! The Mirro Canner you recommended is no longer available and I don't want to spend over $500 for the All American....is there something else you could recommend? Please?
Karen
HI Shelagh! I'm afraid those are the only two I'm very familiar with so I couldn't recommend anything else. :/ If I were you I'd look online for a used Mirro or All American. ~ karen!
Helen
Hello Karen, I have a very old Presto Cooker-Canner which is made of aluminum. I'm wondering if you, or perhaps a reader, would know if I may insert a Stainless Steel bowl into the Cooker to use as a liner to keep from cooking on the aluminum surface? Do you believe this would cause a problematic situation? Thank you so much for your help.
Karen
Hi Helen! I wouldn't be afraid of cooking in aluminum (it poses no health risk according to the scientific community) but I would be a bit afraid of cooking in very old canner. I'd have it checked out somehow to make sure the seals and pressure gauge are working properly. As far as adding a stainless steel bowl into it, I personally wouldn't do it. The only issue you'll have with cooking in aluminum is with acidic foods like tomatoes. They can ruin the aluminum finish and the aluminum can make the tomatoes taste funny. ~ karen
Kristen
I have a Crock Pot brand pressure cooker. Can I use this for canning safely?
Karen
Hi Kristen! Pressure cookers are only built for pressure cooking. Not canning. So no, you can't use this for pressure canning. ~ karen!
Melissa Keyser
I might be the only person who has never seen Game of Thrones. Can you tell me more about those awesome labels spanning over the lid? What kind of paper/sticker is that?
Veronica
Thanks for the info. on canners---might consider---
Game of Thrones? Have heard about it --- don't watch T.V. It sounds awful!
Teri
BTW, Karen, this is an excellent post - particularly because you do the photos with arrows. I love arrows.
I grew up with my mom canning (not pressure) and also my mom canning (pressure cooker !!!!! not canner !!!! on the boat!!!! in the Queen Charlottes (Now Haida Gwaii) after we caught our limit and she was beyond cooking more fish !!! so she canned.
ok, we didn't die and she used an ancient pressure cooker... I don't know why we didn't die....
but unlike so many, I wasn't scared off canning. She canned, we ate, I live,.... (and I don't advise using a cooker as a canner)
I BWB and pressure can with aplomb. (such a great word).
AND I have so many young folk come visit who wide-eye at me that I CAN. Stupid, really it is so simple.
Karen, please keep posting how-to stories. because as you and I know, this stuff is simple! you just gotta get the gear and take a deep breath.....
and for more info, check out https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMrsVolfie
Beth Kollé
We just got a Miele steam oven, and canning is one of the side benefits, besides that it warms up pizza perfectly. I have not yet tried it, but as I understand from the appliance store where we bought it you basically sterilize your jars in the steam oven, then fill them will hot whatever, clean the rims, put the lids and rings on and line them up in the steam oven for canning.
I'll be able to try it next year when we have produce, as we neglected our garden this year - can't wait!
Karen
?? I had no idea you could can in a steam oven! Maybe it's the equivalent of a water bath as opposed to pressure canning? I'll have to look it up. Interesting! ~ karen
Barb
I love my pressure canner! I have a Presto and it works great! I’ve canned spaghetti sauce with meat, meat balls, pulled pork, chilli, beef stew, soups and bacon, yes BACON!
Karen
I've done chili and I LOVED having jars of chili could just open up on a cold night. BUT it was - chewy, lol. The ground beef in it, I mean. I called it Chewy Chili. ~ karen!
Sabina
Hmmmm...I dunno, still kinda intimidated by the pressure canner. I have been the blessed recipient of my grandmother's canning kettle and revert to peasant Sicilian dialect when I'm canning!
Darlene
My husband hates eating trout because of the bones. So I learned 40 years ago to clip the fins off after cleaned (and beheaded--poor things) and can them in quart jars with a little vinegar and liquid smoke. Most of the bones dissolve and he'd use it like tuna fish. Just a thought for the fisherpeople out there.
sigi
I HATE Game of Thrones too!!!
So happy to know i'm not the only one!! :)
Susan Alexander
I’ve read through all the posts and, as usual, LOVE this blog.
I didn’t find a definitive answer...I know a pressure cooker is smaller than a pressure canner, but I have a pressure cooker and would like to try canning before I buy a big pressure canner. No one I know (friends or family) has ever canned anything, or even know what that means, so you all are my “go-to” people.
So the question: is my pressure cooker the same as a pressure canner, just smaller? It has a vent, a thing that rocks back and forth (no idea about its weight), I can buy small jars to test it, I can fill it partially with water, and it has a rack for the bottom. I think it meets the criteria.
I always wanted to can food, and I would buy a pressure canner (and the books), but wondered if I already owned the same thing, but in a smaller version.
Thank you so much for your help. Sorry if this sounded sort of...well...dumb, but I am city-bred, live in the suburbs, but adore the country, fishing, and especially woodcarving.
Thanks again,
Hugs,
Susan.
Karen
Hi Susan. A pressure cooker isn't the same as a pressure canner. You need a pressure canner for canning because it's built to create accurate pressure when canning. If it only came with one weight, that's a sign it shouldn't be used for canning. :/ You need to use the proper weight to ensure proper pressure for canning. Get yourself a canner and don't make the mistake of buying a small one thinking it's all you need, lol. One day you'll inevitably be cursing yourself for not getting a bigger one. :) ~ karen!
Susan Alexander
Thank you, Karen!
I’m ordering the two books you recommended because I love to read up on things before making a big purchase. I appreciate your recommendations.
I totally agree with you on two things...
First...always try and buy the best and largest tool/item that one can afford when entering new and exciting territory, otherwise the regret is overwhelming, and
Two...I don’t like Game of Thrones, either!
This week (because you give me courage), Charlie and I are going to try and change the plumbing under the bathroom sink. You don’t happen to have a blog on that, per chance? Otherwise, I’m Youtubing it. ☺️
Have a great day.
Hugs,
Susan (and Charlie).
Teri
@susan, even though we all are jonesing for the All American, I sez that a 23 Quart (or whatever - big) Presto is the way to go. (and a friend gave me an All American, so I have 2 pressure canners - I use the Presto first, the AA comes out when I have double batches).
The Presto is MUCH lighter than the All American, so you can lift it now and in 20 years. The Presto is big/tall, so you can put in 7 quarts or 14 pints (don't let the 23 quart thing get you, you can only fit in 7 quart or 7 litre jars - and if you get a second tray you can stack pints (1/2 litre) if you choose to can smaller jars).
The Presto has easily obtained replacement parts (seals etc). get one with a dial gauge but buy the weights, too.
Get a Presto with a gauge for your eye-candy, but buy the weights because they are reliable and don't need testing... If you want good reliable pressure canning Youtube, check out Mrs Volfie - https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMrsVolfie. practical and honest and REAL how to can.
Susan Alexander
Teri...EXCELLENT advice! I wanted an in-between version, so I’ll be buying the larger Presto as soon as I read the books.
And, I spent the last three hours watching Mrs. Volfie!! OMG! I love her!
Thank you so much for your reply and suggestions!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
Susan (and Charlie, of course) ☺️
Suzette
We accidentally got a pressure cooker instead of the canner i had intended to get. Just as well, my partner happily uses the cooker, but it intimidates the heck out of me, so pressure canning is off my list!
Macks smith
sorry.but u are missing out on lots of good good home canning.Whether by water bath, pressure canning.Salsa, grape jelly.Then there is dehydrator to dry out onion, mushroom, cartots.
Whitney
I use my pressure cooker to can dry beans. Mostly pinto and garbanzo.
So easy and better than store bought. Because, dry beans are kind of like frozen things- no one had time to cook beans or thaw when it's 15 minutes until dinner.
You put them in the jars dry, add water and salt maybe a like garlic and dried onion and jalapeno put the lid on and 90 minutes later you've got tummy beans.
Karen
Interesting! I would never have thought to do dry beans in a canner! ~ karen
Teri
I usually soak the beans before canning - and they ALWAYS expand more than I expect! but I love having them in the pantry. Hmm. I think I need to do an inventory......
Sherry
Sorry to be the canning pedant - add to my previous comment: you're Canadian - and Bernardin's instructions may still say to heat them - but they are made in the same factory as Ball, just stamped with different logos. The corporate overlords have conflicting advice for different brands of the same item...? Also, Ball and Kerr have both warned against heating jars in the oven. The jars are not manufactured to take the dry heat and the glass can be damaged.
So, skipping the lid simmering leaves a burner open for warming the jars. Either use the canner and remove excess water if pressure canning or use that open burner for a water bath. Yeah, I know so much for saving work/room if you have other large pots on the stove.