pressure versus water bath
 

I only have a water bath canner, and no desire to buy a pressure canner. :shifty

My g'ma used to can everything only with the water bath; but now my new ball blue book doesn't give any guidelines for the low acid foods EXCEPT in the pressure canner.
anyone know of any websites or have an older book they'd be willing to part with that has canning times for water bath?


FTR she canned EVERYTHING and we never got sick. :giggle She had the BEST recipe for beef stew that she canned....yummy.....I miss my gramma! :heart

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

I don't think I would risk canning non-acidic stuff in a water bath canner. The water bath canner does not get hot enough to kill botulism...

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

My folks used only the pressure canner. Do you think maybe you could borrow one to see how you like it? I would definitely not do meat in a water bath.

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

right now I jsut want to do green beans. :giggle I will probably still freeze my meat. the ball book tells me to do green beans in the pressure canner, though. I think if I do a hot pack and process it longer it should be the same, but I don't know how much longer to process.

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

The trouble with green beans is the texture. I tried hot-water bath canning dill beans a few years ago, before I had my pressure canner. I heated them until boiling (in the sterilized jars) and then they all pretty much sealed- but the amount of time it took to process them turned them really, really mushy. I just used a basic rule of thumb to process until they were internally boiling (any cool spots could harbor bacteria that could grow- even though I put them in an acidic vinegar mix).

Pressure canning goes so quickly- I was so hesitant to do it, and probably still would be, but a friend surprised me with a pressure cooker/canner. I am still surprised how much I love it! I can get a lot more done. I use a basic rule of thumb of- acidic and high heat foods (like jelly, which is poured into sterilized jars while boiling hot) are just fine for a hot water bath method, but anything thick/ and or sugary needs to be pressure-canned (for example, I'm doing apple butter and probably apple sauce and apple pie filling next week). I would totally recommend even borrowing one and giving it a shot!

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

:sigh
Nobody's gonna let me get out of using a pressure canner, are you??
:laughtears

Honestly I'm just too lazy to buy one. :blush I will keep it at the top of my wish list, though.

---------- Post added at 10:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 PM ----------

plus next year we will have a REAL garden, so I should be looking for more jars and probably wish I had a pressure canner by then, eh?

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

Well...if you are just doing green beans you could do the lactic fermentation method and not can them at all. :hiding

About lactic fermentation:
http://handmaidenkitchen.blogspot.co...e-of-food.html

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

I JUST read nourishing traditions and they mention that in there! :thumbsup
thank you!!

Re: pressure versus water bath
 

I remember when I was growing up that a lady canned green beans using water bath....her whole family got very sick due to botulism. I guess that colors my decision a bit...