Quote:
Originally Posted by EBCIII
I just found it on Amazon I have put in my wish list, Thanks again, Beale.
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Beale if you have access to the internet which you do or you wouldn't be here.
You can find the ball book on line and you can look at this link.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...89381419,d.cGU
But before you do read what I have to say about canning.
the best way in my opinion is to get either the presto or the All American canner.
The presto is lighter and doesn't cost as much.
It has a gasket and weights that are washers.
The All American has no gasket and has a weight that has three different positions 5 10 and 15 pounds you can put it on depending on the pressure you want.
All American weight.
Presto canner weights washer style.
Both sit on a vent pipe.
Always make sure it is clean and you can see through it.
As pressure builds up in the vessel it will lift the weight up and release steam.
Both have gauges so you can see how much pressure you have.
If you have a glass top stove you need to get the presto because it has a smooth bottom and that is what most of the manufacture recommend for glass top stoves.
If you live at sea level to 1000 feet you will more than likely only use the 10 pound weights.
If you live above this the PSI goes to 15.
This is because water boils at 112 degrees at sea level.
The Gauge.
Make sure it isn't stopped up.
If you will notice it shows what the temperature is at a certain pressure.
5 psi is 228 I0 is 240 15 is 250 20 is 259.
These temperatures are for sea level, not 5000 feet.
The higher we go the lower the temperature is for water to boil.
If you find an old canner that doesn't have weights and only a gauge or an adjustable pressure release valve like mine.
The instructions for canning will tell you to process at 11 PSI from 0 to 2000 feet 12 psi from 2000 feet to 4000 feet 13 psi for 4000 to 6000 and 14 psi from 6000 to 8000 feet for the recommended amount of time.
Complicated.
The weights are better.
This is because weights will never change or go bad and gauges can sometimes read wrong.
The standard for replacing the gauge is I think no more than 2 pounds high or low off calibration.
You should always vent a good head of steam from the vent pipe for 10 minutes before you put the weight on when the weight starts to jiggle and the gauge reads the correct pressure you then start the processing time.
At this time turn the stove down so the weight isn't going off all of the time and letting off steam.
My stoves setting for this is a little under medium.
You should always keep an eye on the pressure gauge.
You want that gauge to sit as nice and steady as it can but never going below the recommended pressure.
If it does get the pressure back up and start the time over again.
Once the time is up turn the stove off and let the pressure go down on its own.
Don't get in a hurry and pull the weight off.
Doing this will ruin your canning process and it can and will ruin everything you have done.
Remember the jars have that same pressure in them.
The reason they dont break is because they have the same pressure around them.
If you let off the pressure too fast the jars dont have time to cool and they explode inside the canner.
Everything needs to equalize slowly.
The other reason you dont want to pull the weight is because you can and will get one bad %&^$ed steam burn.
Don't quick cool the canner it can and will ruin it.
Think of that big thing full of steam cracking in your face.
Not cool.
Just let it sit and cool down on its own.
Now some canners you can take the lid off while they are under pressure.
You dont want to do this.
The presto has a locking device that wont let you do it.
look at the gauge make sure it is on zero and take the weight off.
At no time do you want to but bare skin on the canner they are extremely hot.
Just a few safety tips and reasons why things are the way they are.
Instead of just saying dont do it.
Worth