It’s just about time to fetch canners out of the basement or garage.  Fresh summer produce is on its way.  When was the last time your dial gauge pressure canner was tested for accuracy?  If it’s been more than one year, it’s time for a re-check. 

Home canning is a relatively simple process, but many variables can affect your finished product.  There are so many resources with unsafe information that it is important to make sure you are following the most recent safe home canning guidelines. One guideline for home canning foods safely is using a pressure canner to process low-acid foods, such as vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish.  These low-acid foods must be pressure canned at the recommended time and temperature to destroy Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning. Home canning low-acid foods in boiling water canners is absolutely unsafe because 212 degrees F is not high enough to destroy botulinum bacteria.

With good reason, most people have a healthy regard for the possible dangers of pressure canners. Usually this respect is based on an old story of a pressure canner “blowing up” in someone’s grandmother’s kitchen.  Regardless, it is important to realize that pressure canners are safe if the safety precautions are followed and the canner is used properly.  Dangers arise when the unit isn’t maintained and/or used properly. To make sure your pressure canner is working properly, all dial-gauge pressure canners should be tested for accuracy each year.

Fayette County as well as other counties will be testing dial gauge pressure canners. Fayette County dates are on June 16 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm or June 24th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at Fayette County Agricultural Center 1415 US Rt 22 SW Suite 100 Washington Court House. To register for an appointment in the county of your choosing and day, go to  https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZmRGyULCOG5d65  Appointments are 15-minutes, so please arrive on time.  You only need to bring the pressure canner lid to be tested.

Remember, home food preservation can be safe, simple and easy to learn!

 

FOOD PRESERVATION Webinars

Need an update on using your canner or help on how to can some different foods? To register for webinar click on topic.

Tuesday from 4:00pm-5:00pm
Date and Topics
June 16 Canning and Freezing Vegetables
June 30 Canning and Freezing Fruits
July 14 Making Pickles
July 28 Makin Salsa
 

Pat Brinkman is also offering virtual series of classes on food preservation.  Here is a list of the remaining virtual classes which are held on Wednesday afternoons from 4-5 pm:

June 10 Pressure Canning
June 17 Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
June 24 Dehydration

To register call Pat Brinkman 740-239-5170.  You will be provided with the link to connect to the program.