My wife is getting ready to use our All American Pressure Canner to can string beans. However, having never used a pressure canner before, she is confused by the directions that come with the canner. Can anybody give us the steps to go through? Do the beans have to be blanched before putting them in the jars? What are the preliminary steps? Do you just put the beans in the jars, put the jars in the canner, bring it up to pressure and then cook for the recommended amount of time? Should the covers be on the jars while pressure canning? We have the beans already cut up into small chunks but are unsure where to go from there. Maybe somebody that has used this canner could e-mail us. Thanks alot!

-- Steve A (albrecht@ndak.net), July 30, 1999

Answers

How about posting the answer? We have brand new All American Canner but no instructions. Any info is better than no info. Next step is to write to the company I guess. Or, if too much to post this addy is correct. Thanks

-- Needinfotoo (m1932@webtv.net), July 30, 1999.

Into clean jars pack beans tightly(approx. 1" pieces)leaving 1/2 inch room at top. Add 1/2 tsp salt for pints;1 tsp. salt for qts. if desired. Fill jars with boiling water. Add cap and ring and screw down firmly but don't crank them down. Lids should be placed in hot water before use..softens the sealent slightly. Don't boil. Place jars in canner which has approx. 2" of water in bottom. Fasten lid clamps firmly oppposite to opposite until all closed Open steam petcock and heat canner until steam freely come out valve for ten minutes. Then close petcock and start processing. Watch carefully until pressure reaches 10#--then adjust your burner to keep this level of pressure for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for qts. Important to not let pressure vary too much during processing or will suck the liquid out of your jar. When time is complete turn off burner and let canner cool until pressure back to zero. Open petcock slowly to let out any pressure and open. Cool jars away from draft..should hear the ping when they seal or when the button goes down when pressed. They will often seal as they come out of the hot canner into the cooler air. Do not take off rings until next day when jars are totally cool...then you can remove them and wash jars in soapy water and store in cool preferably dark place. These are the instructions for the All-American canner I have used for thirty years. Recommend you get a copy of Stocking Up from Rodale Press which has everything you will ever need to know about canning/freezing fruits and veggies. Good luck.

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), July 30, 1999.

OOPS...Mutti forgot to tell you that jars should be hot before you put boiling water on your beans...I put the jars in my sink and fill with hottest tap water. Usually turn my water heater up on canning days. Also, always always hold jar over canner when taking out for a few seconds...sometimes you have a defective jar and the bottom will break out and you can picture the mess...have had this happen with grape juice...not a pretty kitchen sight !!

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), July 30, 1999.

Again...this is for raw packed beans...no need to precook...kitchen will be hot enough.

-- Mutti (windance @train.missouri.org), July 30, 1999.

I recommend the "Ball Blue Book" a "Guide to home canning, Freezing and Dehydration." It gives very goo, step by step. instructions on many canning methids, receipes and pressure amounts and times. I'm a canning newbie and it is really a help. I got mine at Orchard Hardware in southern california but have noticed them where ever canning things are sold.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), July 30, 1999.

Steve,

smfdoc beat me to the best advice to be given. By all means get the Ball Canning book. I got mine at Wal-Mart. It goes into great detail on how to can stuff you never even thought of canning as well as the standard stuff like your green beans.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), July 30, 1999.

a really great site for this info can be found at:

http://www.mrssurvival.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=9

regards, eddy

-- eddy (xxx@xxx.com), July 30, 1999.

A familiar cookbook to many people is Joy of Cooking by Rombauer. It has complete canning instructions. Very good. You may be able to find it in your library and then photocopy the section.

-- marianne (mabobholden@aol.com), August 01, 1999.