canning

[clodhopper]

I used my presto on a turkey fryer burner (later realizing the instructions said NOT to do this) and lets just say I found out what catastrophic failure means.

There aren't a lot of options for pressure canners. Presto is pretty much the most available. They are all aluminum anyway, so it doesn't matter much. I found a big steel one once, but they were selling for over $1000, so I canned that idea. (see what I did there?)

I run my presto on a propane camp stove (Camp Chef Outdoorsman) with care. My wife has been banned from running the pressure canner as she destroyed one and bulged the bottom on a second. If you are careful, you can use an aluminum canner as is on a turkey fryer or camp stove, but you need to run more water and operate at a low temp. Lately, I run a scrap circle of 1/4" plate steel on my stove under the canner. It takes longer to get up to temperature, but this significantly reduces the risk of ruining your canner.

Why do I use the camp stove you ask? Because I can put that deafening roar of the operating canner outside instead of listening to it.

The camp stove works great with regular water bath canning. I can run two at the same time. And since we are typically canning late summer and early fall, it puts all that heat and steam outside instead of fighting the AC inside. And that leaves the stove top open for food prep.

Yeah, the wife and I can like pros.

[Irving]

Don't forget to buy and store jar lids, salt and sugar.

One of the first "prep" items I ever bought was six, 1 lb containers of salt from Wal-greens for .50 a piece. Still have 5 full ones. A while back I was offered three 50lb bags of Mortons iodized salt. I gave one of them to a neighbor (who is a "prepper" but reluctantly took it), and I kept two. Now we have 106 lbs of salt. About the only thing I think we have enough of.

[TheGrey]

One of the first "prep" items I ever bought was six, 1 lb containers of salt from Wal-greens for .50 a piece. Still have 5 full ones. A while back I was offered three 50lb bags of Mortons iodized salt. I gave one of them to a neighbor (who is a "prepper" but reluctantly took it), and I kept two. Now we have 106 lbs of salt. About the only thing I think we have enough of.

That's not enough salt. Do you have sea salt? Ice cram salt? Kosher salt?

Go get more!

[mcjhr]

That's not enough salt. Do you have sea salt? Ice cram salt? Kosher salt?

Go get more!

Himalayan pink salt!

Eta: Hawaiian red salt!

[rbeau30]

Himalayan pink salt!

Eta: Hawaiian red salt!

Along with Vinegar (pickling meat is step #1 in red beans and rice if you have meat) I have a couple unopedned cases if kosher salt as that is really the only salt I use. was thinking about iodized salt for the necessary nutrient, but I have enough of that in my other preps for rendering water safe.

[hollohas]

I use an All American pressure canner. Love that thing. Money very well spent. I will hand it down to my daughter when I die.

[ChunkyMonkey]

One of the first "prep" items I ever bought was six, 1 lb containers of salt from Wal-greens for .50 a piece. Still have 5 full ones. A while back I was offered three 50lb bags of Mortons iodized salt. I gave one of them to a neighbor (who is a "prepper" but reluctantly took it), and I kept two. Now we have 106 lbs of salt. About the only thing I think we have enough of.

Once you start to preserve meat or fish with salt.. 100lbs of salt is nothing.. That's why its so cheap too.

[TheGrey]

I made Hawaiian Cowboy Candy tonight. Does anyone know how long it should sit to develop flavor, before serving it?

[hollohas]

Grey - what is Hawaiian Cowboy Candy?

[SamuraiCO]

+1 for the All American canner. Tattler canning lids. They are reusable and local CO company.