Pressure vs water bath

[seedcorn]

I water bathed tomatoes until my mom gave me her canner-think of her every time I use it, side benefit. My question, if you own a canner why would you even think of using water bath? For me, by the time the water bath gets hot, I'm done with canner. I only can tomatoe juice and salsa.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I cannot see any reason to use the water bath method and I can over 100 jars every year. It would take sooooo long to use only water bath.

I guess the fear of pressure canning has something to do with folks reluctance to use the pressure pots . Also initial cost of a pressure unit is more.

 

[vfem]

I use both because I'll run both at the same time.

I only do pickles/relish/jams/fruit in the waterbath....

Pressure Canner is for the veggies/soups/meats.

I follow the BlueBook for safety. Better safe then sorry!

 

[seedcorn]

I use both because I'll run both at the same time.

I only do pickles/relish/jams/fruit in the waterbath....

Pressure Canner is for the veggies/soups/meats.

I follow the BlueBook for safety. Better safe then sorry!

Same time? You much more serious about it than I am. Any good pickle recipes? I like a firm pickle, mom's were mushy. If mom couldn't do it, I'm too chicken to try.

 

[vfem]

Ball sells some pellets in a jar called 'pickle crisp'. I only use it for the canned pickled. I also make refrigerator pickles, which are not canned and I just make the brine, cool it and pour it over fresh cukes. I then let them sit to flavor on the counter for 24-36 hours before putting in the fridge. They stay super crisp and can stay in the fridge up to a year! Of course... that way can be a storage/space issue. But the pickles sure are AWESOME!

I'll have to dig through my other computer for recipes on those though.

 

[seedcorn]

Would be interested in refrigerator pickles. Although wouldn't last more than a week after ready.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, space is my problem with refrigerator pickles.

Some tricks to get crisper pickles. Use pickling cucumbers, not slicers. That really makes a difference. I use Boston Picklers but there are other pickling varieties.

Use the smaller ones. Don't let them get big and ripe.

Use them as fresh as you can. The longer they set the more likely they are to get mushy.

 

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OCIST 5 July 2012 Cucumbers First Picking and Processing
First picking of cucumbers, a quarter bushel or ten pounds were obtained. The cucumbers were made into juice. Annotated pictures depict the process. I find this juice to be remarkably refreshing. A great way to utilize cukes. Eat to live not live to eat.

 

[journey11]

The pressure canner surely is more efficient...heats up quicker and uses less water. I would use mine for water bathing, except that it is an old National #7 and I can't take the guage off easily. If you take off the pressure gauge or jiggler (depending on what kind of canner you have) and take off the gasket, you can fill it up and use it exactly like a water bath canner...no need to have both really. (Unless you sell canned goods like V and keep 'em going all the time )

I was told you can also pressure can your pickles, jam...other high acid foods, but you will very likely cook them to death because they don't need that high of a temp and pickles and such are so fragile anyway. I tried the old trick of putting a grape leaf in with my last batch of pickles (tannic acid) and it really did make a huge difference (water bathed).

I love my pressure canner though. It has a nice flat bottom and I can use it on my ceramic cooktop. My water bath canner has a wavy bottom and won't work on the cooktop. I have to take it outside and put it on my Coleman camp stove. It does take forever to heat up. I think I'd do better if I invested in a turkey fryer (the bottom part).

 

[Mickey328]

Frankly, I only pressure can stuff that absolutely has to be done that way. I can get 3 batches out of the water bath in the time it takes to do one in the pressure canner. I also find it easier, because I don't have to watch the dial. As long as the water's boiling, which doesn't take all that long, I just set the timer and take it off when it's done. No need to let it cool down or any of that...just take it off the heat, pull the jars out and set them to cool.

Admittedly, my pressure canner will hold more jars at once which is convenient, but I could also get a much bigger water bath canner if I were so inclined. I do all my tomato stuff in the water bath along with all jams and fruits.