You're probably overthinking it. Are you worried about blowing something up or eating tainted food?
Either one can ruin yer day...
Not really worried about blowing anything up but, for example, I learned last night on another board that starchy food like rice and pumkin are a no no. Like potatoes need to be cut into cubes, etc
Ah, so proper procedure is what has you befuddled.
If you care to do some reading, the USDA has a canning website that can answer lots of your questions. I spent some time there when I started canning meat.
Ball & Kerr also have a canning website that has some good info.
The good thing is nothing much has changed on the canning front in the last Century or so. What holds true back then still rings true, everything was figured out long ago, we just have to take the time to re-verify..
I have read the Ball and Kerr sites, and some of the USDA stuff. Its really sad that canning has gone "out of style" So many skills that are disappearing
How would distilled water avoid a pressure valve build up in a pressure cooker?
the food being cooked in a pressure cooker would put off much more particulates in the steam than any water would ever do if cooking food directly in one. In the case of canning, it's never going to happen. You never keep it boiling long enough to generate any scale or whatever to plug one up. They have safety valves on the pressure cookers.
(I won't relate the story of an ex wife, but I can assure you if not used properly, the safety valve on a pressure cooker will open, and the ceiling in the kitchen will be totally immersed in tomato juice)
My grandmother nearly died from botulism poisoning from home-canned green beans. Try as I might I've wanted to try canning but just can't bring myself to do it. Husband has. It sits on my plate, not touching anything else on my plate. Lol
Funny the things that stay with you.
I freeze or dehydrate. I have a sourdough starter I keep "happy" and bake with every once in a while. I've tried fermenting -- sauerkraut and some pickling. Kombucha gives me heartburn.
But I did try a ginger tea fermentation that was kinda like a really tart ginger ale. One of these days I'm gonna brew some beer.
I keep saying I'm gonna try canning but honestly, even if I canned something, I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat it.
Funny the things that stay with you.
I freeze or dehydrate. I have a sourdough starter I keep "happy" and bake with every once in a while. I've tried fermenting -- sauerkraut and some pickling. Kombucha gives me heartburn.
But I did try a ginger tea fermentation that was kinda like a really tart ginger ale. One of these days I'm gonna brew some beer.
I keep saying I'm gonna try canning but honestly, even if I canned something, I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat it.
Its pretty safe as long as you know what you can and cant do. And green beans is one I learned last night, you cant do. Knowledge is power
We grew up on canned food. Grandparents had an empty lot next door to the house that was used for a family garden. Everybody met to weed, plant, weed, harvest, weed, and then had a big canning party a couple times of the year.
We never did ripe tomato's as mom was afraid of them, but did the beans, okra, and squash. The cucumbers were pickled and canned.
I currently do pickles and okra with the half of a jalapeno pepper in each pint bottle to add a little spice.
I tried pickling green tomatoes last year, but the Juliette variety(a tad bigger than cherry tomatoes) just didn't do well. The skins were extremely tough.
When fall gets here, I'll pickle the green tomatoes just before the first frost. The vines are full of them about that time.
We never did ripe tomato's as mom was afraid of them, but did the beans, okra, and squash. The cucumbers were pickled and canned.
I currently do pickles and okra with the half of a jalapeno pepper in each pint bottle to add a little spice.
I tried pickling green tomatoes last year, but the Juliette variety(a tad bigger than cherry tomatoes) just didn't do well. The skins were extremely tough.
When fall gets here, I'll pickle the green tomatoes just before the first frost. The vines are full of them about that time.
