It isn't a matter of "benefits", but which type of canning a particular food requires.

The only things one can can with a BWB is high acid foods like pickled products, fruits, and jams and jellies. Pressure canning opens a whole new world of home canning - meats, soups, stews, salsa's and other tomato recipes, vegetables, etc. none of which can be done in a BWB.

And one doesn't "switch". ;) Most do both BWB and pressure canning. It all depends on what foods you want to can.

And there is also an element of convenience to the PC as it requires much less water and with experience, can be done faster with some things than a BWB so uses less heat as well.

Dave

PC can do most everything, as mentioned. A BWB can only do high acid foods.

wow, I've only done jams, jellies, fruit... I have a lot of studying to do! I don't eat meat, but I was planning on doing a lot of tomato items. I thought tomatoes were high acid? I'm confused. Time to study! Thank you so very much.

No tomatoes are considered a borderline acid food. That is why additional acid in the form of citric acid or bottled lemon juice has to be added to them for canning.

If you plan to do any other vegetables - beans, corn, peas, carrots, etc. they all have to be pressure canned.

Time to study!

National Center for Home Food Preservation is the place to do it. ;)

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Some say add lemon juice to tomatoes, I say no, as it can impart a taste. Lemon juice in the BOTTLE is the only one allowed, so it can't be fresh squeezed due to different acid levels. As a safer alternative use granulated citric acid, NOT ascorbic acid as they are not the same. Citric has no real flavor so it just gives the tomatoes a bit more acid.

And some say lemon juice can "impart a taste" but just as many of us say it doesn't.

Bottled lemon juice is the requirement stipulated by NCHFP Ken, and they even give the ReaLemon brand name. Citric acid is an alternative (as is vinegar) but citric acid is not proven in any way to be "safer".

Let's not let our personal preferences mislead others in terms of safety. ;)

Dave

DigDirt,
Safer citric, maybe no, but adding a little more than a half teaspoon per quart doesn't add any taste or liquids to a tomato based sauce, so it CAN make it safer to can at home. I used to add a whole teaspoon of citric a while back. I detest the taste of RealLemon as its made from concentrate and just has no decent flavor that I would use in anything. Who hates to use Pomona pectin because of the tiny amount of calcium it has in it? Some people can taste things others can't. Citric acid has no taste, just a very sour effect in the mouth. Adding vinegar would require several cups to get the acidity down to a safe canning level. Keep in mind its still just 5% acidicty, and not as powerful as citric. To each his own.. Quite honestly, I could care less about any preachings of the NCHFP, or FDA. I feel that common sense and my own canning methods are far safer compared to any that may be stated as being 'not recommended'. As mentioned before, the statement 'not recommended', only tells me that no federal agency or testing labs have done any lengthy testing of the product in question. Recipes are fine for the beginners, but with all I do here, I don't even bother with recipes or measuring anything including bread dough, pastries, or any cooking or baking. I know what is needed and use my common sense when it comes to home canning. Steam canners are safe for me, as I have wasted many hours testing and have concluded they are safe for some high acid things that I PERSONALLY do here. People complain about sugarless jellies getting moldy, never happens here. What did that mold come from? The reason is simple, increase the acidity and you will have a product that will not spoil as easily. Same with pickles. Heat turns cukes to mush in no time. If I were to attempt to heat process my very delicate peppronici, they would be just mush in a jar. I use a very safe method to can them, and as far as I am concerned, and all the testing I have done, with my vacuum method, they have not given me any indication of any possible contamnation from botulism, listeria, or any other bacteria, spore, or harmful anything. Simply put, botulism cannot live in high acids, and neither can any of the other contaminates. That doesn't mean I would condone making pickled eggs, however, as they are simply too dense to can at home, and would leave many doubts in my mind about food safety no matter if my great great great grandmother made them centuries ago, when things were noticably different compared to today.
Just got an AARP flyer about some new 'super bugs'. These concern me too, as they should by everyone. We has humans are become less resistant to viruses and diseases, no matter how we live our lives. Personal preferences might not be what you like here, but when you post your own 'personal preferences' about home canning issues you are also doing something that others might find obsessive.

I'll get down off my soap box now as I have said my piece.

No need for the soapbox, Ken. I have no issues with what you are saying - disagree perhaps in the part about NCHFP, but no real issues.

I just don't want anyone reading this to get the idea that using citric acid rather than bottled lemon juice somehow makes canning tomatoes safer. There simply is no evidence to support that.

Taste is in the mouth of the beholder, true, but bottled lemon juice and citric acid are equally safe when canning tomatoes.

Dave

Again, it all depends on the AMOUNT of citric acid added, or if you like lemon flavor the amount of bottled lemon juice.. The more added acid, the better it will be as far as safety is what I am saying. Obviuously no one should skip the heat processing. I guess people are not bothering to read many threads now. We just got several spagetti sauce questions in several threads.