The okra recipe is the same as the NCHFP guidelines for canning okra except for the processing times. You'd need to use the NCHFP times.

I just skimmed the Vege Sausage Soup recipe but no big problems jump out at me other than they fry the sausage rather than boiling but if well drained to remove the grease that's ok.

Again, their processing times are different than NCHFP's (longer) for making soup with meat and they don't follow the 1/2 and 1/2 rule of 1/2 product and 1/2 liquid (at least they don't mention it) so desity issues could arise. She says in the recipe that the cream isn't part of the canned recipe, it is added just prior to serving so that is no problem.

I didn't go through all their recipes but you can just take their recipes and compare them with the guidelines for the same recipe at NCHFP to make the necessary changes.

Dave

OK thank you Dave. OHHHH I completely MISSED that one on the 1/2 and 1/2 rule! Didn't even catch it. I remember reading on the soups you have to have as much juice or broth or stock as some call it as you have in the soup to have the right consistancy.
OK thank you again!

They do have steps in various recipes, now that I explore them more, that wouldn't be approved.

They use a steam canner for some things (many do) but they aren't technically approved as they have no testing.

They also double and triple batch many things. And then they let the jars sit filled on the counter waiting on the pressure cooker batch. In the case of their green beans that could mean hours of waiting and cooling before they get pressure canned. That is NOT a good way to go and would invalidate the processing times.

They pressure can summer squash - not approved.

And they add fresh herbs rather than dry to many things. That's a potential pH problem.

Those are just the potential problems I saw so use their recipes and techniques with care.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Noll's Home Canning

Not to mention Beef Barley Soup - barley isn't a canning-safe ingredient, and the recipe calls for an entire stick of margarine (gack) for an 11-quart batch....

I love the idea behind their site, and the photographic step-by-step details would be really helpful, I would think. If only their methods were more up-to-date....

Is it not safe to double a batch? Why would that be? I'm trying to learn all this stuff.

ALSO you said ...... And then they let the jars sit filled on the counter waiting on the pressure cooker batch....

HOW could you avoid doing that? Is it not safe to do a big batch of beans or something and have them sit for a little while until you do the first batch in the canner? I know in reason you couldn't allow them to sit say 5 or more hours (but with them being hot, I usually get them started in a pot before I put them in the jars so they're cooked a little.) I had 2 batches of snap beans and put one batch in hot water to wait while the others pressured canned. Was that ok to do? Don't think I could handle 100 pounds of them at a time though. lol

Linda Lou can explain it better than I can but generally batch doubling is not recommended, but especially with low acid foods.

You can safely double jams, jellies and similar high acid foods but it isn't recommended either because you'll likely have gelling problems and mistakes in amounts are easily made or ingredients get left out.

First, because it invalidates the approved processing times. The approved processing times are computed on single batch processing. Jars that sit and wait for processing take longer to come back up to temp while processing so the time at temp would be reduced and unsafe.

Secondly because low acid food like the green beans and other vegetables MUST have their high temperatures maintained throughout the entire process to prevent bacterial growth. That is why the approved recipes give you the amount needed for a canner load up front:

An average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.

If left to sit and wait on the counter the temp of the produce falls and in the low-acid, O2 in the jar, environment bacteria can re-grow quickly. The longer they sit the more potential contamination. Not to mention the jar breakage when one goes from cooler into hot water.

So 1 batch at a time from boiling in pot to jars to the hot PC and up to pressure ASAP is the way it is supposed to be done. OR you can do like many of us do and run 2 PC's at the same time but you need help and to work fast to pull it off. ;)

Dave

PS: Great catch on the barley and margarine Robin! I missed that one. Yet another example of why it is so important to work only with accredited sources. ;)

OK thank you Dave. I see what you are talking about now.

With some things, sequential batches aren't such a problem; take soup, for example. When the first batch goes in the canner I turn off the soup pot and there it sits. When the first canner load is cooling down I begin prepping the jars and lids and heating up the soup; when I'm at the "weight off, final 10 minutes" stage I begin filling jars for the second batch. First load comes out, second load goes in - rinse and repeat. Just don't fill the jars until it's their turn. :-)