You are below 1000 feet and so fine. The line is not cast in stone nor does it turn lethal within a foot. If you want exact reassurance boil some water and use a thermometer to determine the boiling temp.

And even if you were at 2000 feet you still wouldn't PC everything at 15 psi. Instructions vary depending on the food.

Dave

Congrats on the new PC and ordering those weights are just what you (and I) need(ed).

Thanks - I was generalizing, I should have said "over-1000ft" pressure instead of 15 psig. But I was wondering if you had to take the location of the kitchen into account - if I should put an old coil stove in the basement LOL (DH is already considering another fridge to run only during harvest).

I can't tell what temp water boils here since I've calibrated my thermometers by boiling water and setting them to 212. But thanks, I didn't know how much leeway there was in the altitude tables, figured there must be some. If I ever do any PCing at my parents' house up in the hills, I'll be sure to use the over-1000ft pressure ;-)

Definitely get that extra frig. Too many times that I've not had extra space for cooling.

Ace doesn't update its tracking info very often - store just called and said it came in freight today, and it hadn't even shown as shipped yet! So I could be trying it out this weekend...

Oh, another couple of questions - when using as a BWB, do you clamp the lid down so that it doesn't splash all over (esp. with quarts) and just leave the regulator off the vent? I think I get some boil-over (just did lose some liquid on pints of peaches) because I started my burner too high and was adjusting to try to keep the water from boiling too vigorously - and that's with a glass lid. How do you keep track of how hard it's boiling with the aluminum lid?

I don't use the lid, but it's deep enough not to splash even with quarts. It takes longer to boil, or heat enough.

Oh yeah, 3 minutes ago - more than an hour after the store called - Ace sent me an email saying it had shipped.

I know the pressure will be a little higher in a BWB with a tight-fitting lid but I guess that's not an issue - still wait 5 minutes after shutting off the heat?

When I BWBed that chili sauce the other day I kept a close eye on the pints, had started it boiling at 8, had to turn down to 6.5 to keep boiling without boiling really hard (but much more than a simmer - I was just trying to keep from getting huge volcanoes between the jars and it was only 3 jars - it's harder when there are more in it). The headspace on those looks OK, not totally clean b/c I got some residue when I lifted the funnel out of each one after filling, but looks much better than the peaches (some peaches out of syrup, hope they sink under since they're floating a bit but there is way too much headspace in those).

I use my PC just like the BWB, it takes longer to heat up, since the metal is thicker. I still don't pressure canner anything that can be done BWB, just doesn't make sense by the time it takes to warm up and cool down.

I use my PC just like the BWB, it takes longer to heat up, since the metal is thicker. I still don't pressure canner anything that can be done BWB, just doesn't make sense by the time it takes to warm up and cool down.

I was just looking for a taller pot since mine is a teeny bit too short to BWB quarts, I really have to watch it, and anything longer than 20 minutes I usually have to add water since it spits over too much.

When using it as a BWB you do not lock down the lid. Just set it loosely in place. And you do not put the weight in place either. You just lift the lid periodically to see if the water is boiling - if you can't tell by the sound of the water.

Guidelines say: "A pressure canner may be used for a boiling water bath canner, provided it is deep enough. Make sure the lid is securely on the bottom, but do not fasten or twist-tighten the cover. Leave the vent pipe open so steam can escape and pressure does not build up in the canner."

Dave.

What happens if you leave the lid off? My dad suggested that the last time I was BWBing pickles, but the water was boiling so hard it was hitting the lid so I sure didn't want to take it off (and that's why I was looking for a taller pot).

I know if you take the lid off while processing it causes a drop in pressure, but what if you never put the lid on?

The water shouldn't be boiling that hard. A gentle boil, not rolling boil.

You are not building pressure unless you have the lid locked down. and BWB doesn't need to build pressure.

I know you're not building much pressure unless the vent is closed, but any lid will slightly increase the pressure in a vessel, that's why it comes to a boil more quickly than an open pot.

But since Dave said to leave the lid on rather than off, I was wondering why, since I'm assuming if the water is over the tops of the jars and it's boiling, that's all that's required for a BWB?

I try for a gentle but steady boil - but maybe I try to get it boiling too quickly, though I've learned not to turn it to High, I keep it around 8 but then I still have to turn it down. And then it seems to volcano up between jars and between jars and canner, more than in middle.

I've been canning on this stove for years and still haven't learned to control it - I can't seem to simmer soup stock either, on Simmer Select it's too low but then without that governor on, my stock will end up boiling even on 3.

Just to clarify it is NCHFP that says leave the lid on, not me. The primary reason is if the lid is off the water evaporates much faster and your water level falls faster. With lids on the steam condenses inside the lid and drips back down into the pot.

Plus without a lid on the surface temp of the water falls since it is exposed to the ambient air temp so while the water deeper in the pot may still be boiling the water on top of the lids is less than 212.

I know using a pressure canner in any manner is new to you. But they have been in use forever and any question you can possibly come up with has been asked and answered years ago. So relax. Don't make yourself try to re-invent the wheel. It will only stress you out and make the PC learning curve that much steeper.

Dave

You could always pop the rubber seal out of the lid and use it "locked" in place for BWB. It would be loose enough that way to let air out as needed. And the rubber wouldn't be unnecessarily exposed to any more heat than it needs to be. But you might have condensation dripping outside the pot. I get that with regular BWB pots occasionally anyway.

Good point about the evaporation and the surface temperature being lower (though maybe not if it's boiling rapidly). I will just have to wait to see if my glass lid will fit the Presto, that might be the best solution, though I was hoping to get rid of the large stockpot (with glass lid) I bought to use as a BWB (I have a slightly smaller one with a SS lid that goes with my set, I use that for stocks).

Hoping to avoid dripping - I have hard water spots around the "power burner" b/c of BWBing and the associated splashing/spitting/dripping.

> I will just have to wait to see if my glass lid will fit the Presto, that might be the best solution, though I was hoping to get rid of the large stockpot (with glass lid)

You can get rid of the pot and keep the lid :).

I am always struggling with storage space in my kitchen, so i feel your pain :). And I never thought to use a glass lid for BWB! I will have to see if my lone glass lid fits my stockpot....

Have you looked through your cookware to see if there is a lid to something else that fits? Do you have a big 11-12" skillet...

The lids to my larger chicken fryer type skillets fit my 22 qt Mirro pressure canner when using it as BWB...I no longer have the beat up skillet with the tempered glass lid but I sure saved the lid, it's with my canning supplies :)

I have a universal lid too bought years ago, Amazon, hardware stores, cookware supplies sell them. I don't use actual lid to my pressure canner when using it as BWB at all. Any lid that will stay put and not fall into the pot is good....

I used LOTS of aluminum foil for lids. I've thrown almost all of mine lids away and just use the foil.

I'd prefer the glass lid so I can see the water boiling (though I can tell with a stock by sound when it's more than the simmer I want, I haven't the ear to tell an almost-dying boil from a gentle boil in a BWB). I just thought I'd sell my big stockpot with the lid since it wasn't cheap, it's got a nice sandwiched copper bottom.

I haven't gotten the Presto so can't go picking out accessories yet ;-) - should be coming today or tomorrow.

It's HEEERE!! Unfortunately after I brought it in the house (met the Fedex guy in the driveway) I saw the bottom corner was bashed in. They put Styrofoam spacers in 2 of the top corners (to protect the handles, also gauge and single-weight regulator packed inside the foam) but nothing on the bottom corners! The PC isn't dinged that I can tell, just a little scuff but I emailed Walmart.

And (maybe I should post this on the Bad Lids thread), the pint jars came packed in a very heavy cardboard box with dividers, wish they all came this way, the rings were barely screwed on so no grooves in the sealant. Somehow one outer row still managed to get dinged rings, but I don't care, I'll use others for processing and put these on for sale.

I checked my stash and I don't have as many regular-mouth pints as I thought, 10 old salsa jars (fine for resale since I don't get them back but have sticky label residue), a dozen Ball pints with the letters/numbers on the bottoms (how old?), another dozen I think are from the 80's, and a dozen I think are really old since they are more square and have almost a frosted bottom with concentric rings. I don't really want to use those for things I'm selling, I haven't even used them for us yet since I bought them a couple years ago as part of a big lot on Craigslist. I also have 13 Ball/Kerr ones from the farmhouse basement (along with a lot more quarts) but those are definitely more than 30 years old.

I do have some newer wide-mouth pints (2 dozen in cardboard boxes bought at Goodwill, 1 box never opened, and a flat I bought at Walmart or TSC) but those seem more suited to pickles than to apple butter.

I only use the Wide Mouth Pints for my pickles, since they are usually more expensive, and it's hard to get those spears out of a regular mouth jar.

Yes, that's why I want to save them for pickles and use the RM for apple butter, salsa, chili sauce, etc. I have tons of quarts (RM and WM), didn't realize I was so low on pints.

I got an email back about the canner, just saying I can return it to local store. I don't want to return it, would like to exchange it but I haven't seen it on the shelves in either of the 2 stores near me. I was hoping they could find it in stock, or offer to Fedex a replacement for the same price, and then refund me when I return the first one (after I get the 2nd one and make sure it's OK).

I guess I can order it again (same bundle), and get another case of jars to boot, but I don't know what they'll refund me if I just return the PC (receipt had jars at $13.32 and PC at $66.68. So that might be all I get back - and if I order the PC alone it's $74, I don't know if they'll refund the $74 if I return the first one since I've already reported which order it damaged. I don't want the jars for $13, might have to return the whole bundle.

Oh, and it was shipped with the lid clamped on, so good thing I got the spare gasket from Ace. I'll have to see if the original leaks, maybe soaking it in hot water when I wash it will help. But that's a Presto issue, not a Walmart/Fedex one. The regulator came in the same part number bag as the one from Ace (but the Ace one had a label applied with 50332 number on it) so I thought maybe I didn't need to order that but sure enough it was the 1-piece weight. Wonder why Presto doesn't just sell these PCs with the 3-pc regulator?

The regulator is not the same as the 3-piece weight set. They get more money if sell separately, plus there are people just don't use weights, just the dial.

The lid should have been on, and it will be super tight. Run the gasket under as hot of water as you can stand, gently pulling it at the same time. Shouldn't be a problem.

If it's just scuffed, I wouldn't worry about it.

I know about thinking you have plenty of jars, then realizing that there's not as many as you thought. I was going to trade with another guy, qts for pts, then when I counted how many qts I have left, I decided that I didn't have any to trade.

It's just the principle - figured I should let them know the box came looking like this

And I need more jelly jars! I have 6 unused plain ones, not sure if I should make blackberry jelly in them today, or maybe blackberry-peach syrup, but then all I have left is quilted crystal (again, 1 dozen bought last year, and 3 dozen older ones in the cardboard boxes bought at Goodwill).

That's definitely a shipping problem, but just a scuff, I don't think I would want to deal with the hassle of returning and the like.

I'm down to 5 jelly jars, without dropping old jelly. One year, when I was learning to make jelly, I bought and used 40 dozen. Some of the old jelly is some of those.

I looked at WM at their jars, the 1/2 pints are plain, but they are the short squatty ones. I rather have the quilted ones than those.

This post was edited by myfamilysfarm on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 19:32

I had been using the quilted ones just for us, but then put some Wild Blueberry Syrup and Blueberry Chipotle (with triple sec) in some as my "top shelf" stuff. I have to buy more plain jars to keep thing simple, don't want to put grape jelly in 2 different kinds of jars. I have to decide if/what to make for another fancy kind to use the quilted ones.

The plain ones I have are exactly the same size (8oz, RM) as the quilted ones - were you looking at the 8 oz widemouth? I have a dozen of those, used last year for DD's diced peaches but it works out much easier to just do peaches in pints and put some in leakproof (twiston lid) Rubbermaid container for her lunch. I guess they make cute serving bowls but I can't think of what to can in them.

I'm planning to do spiced apple rings in my half pint wide mouths this year. I also like them for the chunkier jams/chutneys, and single serving peach halves. Last year I used a couple for roasted peppers, but that was admittedly because I ran out of the larger jars while canning.

Elevation and pressue:
PSIG variation(for example) from 1000 ft to 2000 ft elevation translate to about 0.65psig difference . So for couple of 100 ft it is not significant at all, as it relates to the temperature inside the PC.