Wow, pressure canning! You are going all in.

I just recently started canning (water bath canning only), and in addition to reading through posts here, the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has been helpful.

Beth

The pressure canner was only $30 more and there is so much more I can can, including non-acidified tomatoes

Which brand and which model did you buy? Weighted or gauged or both? Makes a big difference in use as only a few models are approved for canning and one of them needs a bit of modification.

Best place to start is NCHFP. It is the underlying foundation, the source of guidelines for all the other resources on canning.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_press_canners.html

And we usually recommend not going by the manual as they are far too often outdated.

And there is lots of info here on the various models and their use as well.

Dave

Edited to add - pressure canned tomatoes still need acidification

My wife bought it. It is a pressure canning kit -- I would assume as it is a canning kit is approved for canning. :)

I'm not really sure I understand, why is acid required for tomatoes, when you can pressure can other vegetables - potatoes, beans, peppers, etc., without adding acid? That's what the USDA guide I am reading says... there are no acid added recipes for just about everything except tomatoes.

Honestly all of this will be thoroughly cooked after uncanning....

I see - it is because of the low processing time -> http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1969930/pressure-canning-tomatoes

< It is a pressure canning kit -- I would assume as it is a canning kit is approved for canning. :)>

Sorry but that is not the case. There are several brands out there that "claim" to be safe for pressure canning but that do not meet the safety guidelines. There are only 3 brands USDA approved for canning - All American, Presto, and only as a last resort - Mirro.

I know it is confusing - and is frequently discussed here in detail. But the bottom line is because those other foods are all processed for much longer times and in some cases at much higher pressures than tomatoes. So adding the acid allows for the shorter processing times at lower pressures and results in better quality. Tomatoes are the one exception or were, applesauce was added to the list a couple of years back year since the pH of them varies so.

Sorry we over lapped.

Dave

It is a Presto -> http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/presto-pressure-canner-16-qt-capacity?cm_vc=-10005

That's a good on although their price is high. You might want to consider buying the 3 piece weight set for it so that you don't have to have the gauge tested every year. You just use the weight and ignore the gauge. amazon sells them part # 50332 for about $10. http://smile.amazon.com/Presto-Pressure-Canner-Regulator/dp/B000HMBVQ8/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440110558&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Preso+canner+weight

Dave

I will go with the recommended spaghetti sauce recipe to avoid adding acid.

That's fine if that particular spaghetti sauce is the only form of tomatoes you want to can as it is the one exception to the rule. Can I ask why you are so opposed to adding the acid? Better color retention and most find that it doesn't affect the taste in anyway, especially if you use the citric acid as that is what is used in all commercially canned tomatoes.

Dave

My wife suffers from GERD (reflux) and is not supposed to eat foods high in acid, it increases stomach acid production. I have had boughts of it as well, and neither of us are really supposed to eat tomatoes at all.

Is there any good reason I can't add basil to the spaghetti sauce recipe? It is a low acid recipe and I don't imagine a little basil will change the consistency any. I imagine with sauce, increasing the processing time isn't going to hurt the flavor? I have no qualms increasing the processing time. Do you have to put it through a food mill or sieve? I don't usually do this.. or peel, either.

Also adding sugar will make the garden tomatoes inedibly sweet

In canning you can always add dried herbs and spices. But you cannot add fresh ones as they change the pH. But go easy on the basil as it is notorious for going bitter during shelf storage. As a general guide it is better to add more after opening the jars if necessary.

Using dried herbs and spices does not require increasing processing time for any reason. And increasing the processing time to try to cover adding fresh herbs or other ingredients not included in the recipe doesn't work. First because increasing the processing time doesn't effect the pH and even if it did we have no way to know how much of an increase is needed.

It sounds like you are wanting to make some major changes in the spaghetti sauce recipe, to pull it more into line with what you want to end up with rather than what the approved recipe intends. I hope you understand that just because something is pressure canned doesn't mean we can make up our own recipes or make big alterations in the approved directions.

For example, the sugar is needed for its free-water binding role. You can reduce it a bit but not eliminate it because free water changes the pH.

Not milling the ingredients as called for in the recipe changes the density substantially. Unmilled, unpeeled tomatoes tomatoes are not a sauce in canning terms. They are crushed tomatoes at best. So when a low-acid sauce processing time is used for crushed tomatoes you get under-processed food OR you use the crushed tomatoes processing instructions.

Not peeling tomatoes increases the bacterial count substantially, affects the density, and the pH. That voids the processing time called for and you have no way of knowing how much of an increase would be needed. Sure you could process them for the mixed vegetables/meat processing times of 90 min. and probably be safe but you wouldn't want to eat the scorched mush that results.

So using a pressure canner instead of a BWB does give us a bit of leeway. But it does not mean we can just do as we wish. That is an assumption that many new to canning make - "now that I have a pressure canner I can can anything I want". It just isn't true.

Dave

I understand - thanks. But honestly, I think this fear is overblown - has there ever been a case of botulism due to the density being slightly off due to not precisely following a recipe, when otherwise properly pressure canning? I doubt it. There are only 28 cases a year of food borne botulism... that would mean that you have a 14 times higher chance of being struck by lightning (28 in 385,000,000 vs 1 in 960,000.)

All the same, I am the nervous type, so I will follow the recipe, or go with a different crushed or simply halved tomatoes recipe and just add the acid.

What you say may well be true and it is a common response from those new to home canning. We have many discussions here about it. But it is difficult to over-blow something when it is potentially fatal rather than just a case of the trots or heartburn. Especially when it can so easily be avoided.

We all live with risks that are beyond our control but there is no reason to live with risks we can easily eliminate.

Dave

Chronic reflux can cause cancer. In fact, I daresay statistically the risk of serious health complications and death from the acid in those with chronic reflux is higher. It is just not as.... cut and dry. No one can get sued for that risk.

Anyway... since I will be following the recipe... point me to a good discussion about sieving tomatoes? :)

Sorry didn't mean to imply GERD was just heartburn. Was just referring to the good old standard stuff we all get now and then.

<point me to a good discussion about sieving tomatoes?>

Do you have equipment already or need to buy? Several methods/options available depending on how much you want to spend, how easy you want it to be, and how much you will be processing.Equipment ranges from an old fashioned cone-shaped chinois to a hand cranked Foley Food Mill to the Victorio/Roma tomato sauce mills (most commonly recommended) with attachments to motorized mills.

Pics of various types - https://www.google.com/search?q=tomato+mill+food+mill&biw=1665&bih=956&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIr_yR6N2_xwIVjXuSCh14oQn9

Dave

Thanks - I just did it by hand using a sieve, and it was a ton of work, between the peeling, and the sieving, and the simmering.... and this was just the standard 30 lbs of tomatoes (which turned out perfect for the tomatoes I had ready.) Between the 10 pints I got of this, the 15 bags in the freezer, and the 2 bags of dehydrated Sungolds, it is definitely more than enough tomatoes for the winter for us. The rest of the harvest is going to friends/family or to the food bank.

The famous "spaghetti sauce without meat" is in the pressure canner right now. I followed the recipe exactly, only making changes for dried herbs. There will be plenty of room to tweak the taste when it comes out of the jars. Oddly, despite being mostly yellow tomatoes, the sauce turned out red.

I started with some green beans - carefully following the published timetables (I even did it at 13-14 psi, and an extra 5 mins, just to be on the safe side - and I am at sea level.) Next up is some peppers.

Honestly I will boil it all for 10 minutes after uncanning anyway just to be on the safe side.

Dave, I want to easy can some whole roma and sliced globe tomatoes right with the skin on with the added acid. Is there any reason I can't just stick them as is in a can, add the 2 tablespoons lemon per quart, and then process per the whole tomatoes without added liquid recipe. Is there a reason to skin them? Is added liquid benefical for any reason? I want it to be the closest thing to fresh tomatoes possible. Like store canned diced tomatoes.

There are directions for doing them with no added liquid.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/tomato_without_liquid.html

Actually it is in their own juice because you squish them into the jars until there is enough of their own juice to surround them.

The method that is easiest and gives the most like fresh tomatoes IMO is the whole or halves packed in tomato juice. If you don't have your own tomato juice to use then buy a bottle of the best or favorite commercially canned juice to use.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/tomato_juice_pack.html

But yeah there has to be some form of liquid included for full and proper heat penetration and to insure that all the air gets our of the jar. Your choices are water, tomato juice, or 2 methods with their own juice.

As for the peeling - it is strongly recommended because (1) it is the source of the majority of any bacteria, and (2) the peels don't remain attached to the fruit most of the time, they separate, roll up in in ugly chewy pieces of paper. But some elect to leave them anyway.

Is added acid beneficial in anyway - besides the safety factor already discussed? Better color retention, less darkening, and many would argue fresher taste but taste is subjective. Citric acid works better for that than bottled lemon juice.

Dave

Thanks. Would you recommend using a boiling water bath or pressure canning for the best results?

If you aren't going to add the acid then definitely PC. With the acid added as recommended then i don't think it makes much difference in the end results. They will be softer either way but for me the PC is more convenient most of the time since i do a lot more PCanning than BWB so the PC is always available and I like the shorter monitoring times and less heating up the kitchen or going back and forth to the outside canning.

Dave

Peter, You are in the right place to learn all about canning.

Dave is the expert and there mare other members too.

Good luck with your new endeavour..

Sey

Sey, yes Dave is certainly the expert here and I appreciate his help. Thanks.

I managed to get the pressure up to 14.5 pounds on the gauge. The weight was jiggling starting at about 13 pounds. I was trying to do a 15 pounds for 15 minutes recipe. I started the timer at 14 pounds but the weight was jiggling furiously so I figured it was 15 pounds.

The recipe was acidified tomatoes (with bottled lemon juice) so I wasn't overly concerned.... there should be no botulism risk, no? I later saw in the manual that the pressure regular is not to be used to measure pressure and is just a safety device. I think if I want 15 lbs I need to buy the weight set.

The final product turned out really bad, all of the liquid was at the bottom and these unappetizing sponge-looking tomatoes were crammed against the top, and one of the bottles lost about half of its liquid. It looks like some kind of science experiment. I think next time I will just BWB the acidified tomatoes... I was turned off by the 85 minutes processing time. I will have to find another recipe.

I am not really sure I understand the acidification, in that if I add lemon juice, but it is all settled at the bottom and the tomatoes pulp is crammed on the top, surely the acidity varies significantly throughout the jar. If it is 4.0ph at the bottom and 5.2ph at the top, can't the spores grow at the top?

There is a pretty heavy learning curve associated with proper pressure canning so it isn't something anyone gets "right" the first time out - or even the 5th time out.

If your altitude doesn't require using 15 lbs. why do so since the end result will always be less desirable than using lower pressures will deliver. And if you gauge read 13 lbs and the counter-weight was rocking then your gauge is off by at least 2 lbs.

Starting the timer before the required weight is actually reached results in under processed foods so why do it? Or if all you needed was 11 lbs and you let it get to 14 lbs then the food is over-processed so why do that? In other words the weight isn't something one should be guessing at or estimating. It not only affects the end quality but the safety of the food.

As a result of pressure fluctuations you created what is called siphoning in the jars - never desirable and easy to avoid with a bit of patience and practice. It calls into question if the food is still safe to consume or just of poorer quality.

So what is usually recommended is to first learn how to use the PC properly by doing some practice runs with jars of colored water. Once you are able to run a batch without having to make frequent adjustments in the heat and keep the pressure stabilized at the proper pressure and find still clear water in the PC when you open it (no food coloring in it) then it is ok to proceed with doing foods.

While processing, be it BWB or PC, the added acid is well distributed throughout the food in the jars just as it would be if you added it to a pot of boiling water. The processing time for BWB and the processing times for PC (due to the addition of pressure) insure that the contents of the jars are brought to a rapid boil inside the jars. But that only works when one does it correctly. Variations in timing or fluctuations in pressure prevent proper processing so need to be eliminated.

Dave

I did the 15 lbs of pressure as it had a much shorter processing time. I thought it might turn out better. I guess not.

I started the timer because the weight was showing 15 lbs by rocking heavily. I assumed it was more accurate than the gauge. Apparently the weight that comes with the PC is not meant for that.

According to online sources (including the NCHFP), loss of liquid from the jars, unless extreme, does not make an unsafe final product: http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#10