BOILING WATER METHOD - STEP BY STEP

Fill the canner halfway with water.

Preheat water to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for raw-packed foods and to 180 degrees Fahrenheit for hot-packed foods.

Load filled jars, fitted with lids, into the canner rack and use the handles to lower the rack into the water; or fill the canner, one jar at a time, with a jar lifter.

Add more boiling water, if needed, so the water level is at least one inch above jar tops. Do not pour directly on jar tops.

Turn heat to its highest position until water boils vigorously.

Set a timer for the minutes required for processing the food. Be sure to use correct time for your altitude.

Cover the canner and lower the heat setting to maintain a gentle boil throughout the process schedule.

Add more boiling water, if needed, to keep the water level at least one inch above the jars.

When jars have been processed for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes before removing the jars

Use a jar lifter to remove the jars, and place them on a towel. Leave at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling.

PRESSURE CANNING - STEP BY STEP

Note: The pressure canner gauge should be tested to make sure it is accurate before you begin canning.

Put 2 inches to 3 inches of hot water in the canner. Place filled jars on the rack using a jar lifter. Fasten canner lid securely.

Leave weight off vent port or open petcock. Heat at the highest setting until steam flows freely from the petcock or vent port.

Maintain high heat setting, let steam vent 10 minutes and then place weight on vent port or close petcock. The canner will pressurize during the next three to five minutes.

Start timing the process when the pressure reading on the dial indicates that the recommended pressure has been reached, or when the weighted gauge begins to jiggle or rock.

Regulate heat under the canner to maintain a steady pressure at or slightly above the correct gauge pressure. Quick and large pressure changes during processing may cause jars to lose liquid. Weighted gauges on Mirro canners should jiggle about two or three times per minute. On Presto canners, they should rock slowly throughout the process.

When the timing process is completed, remove the canner from heat and let the canner depressurize. Do not force-cool the canner. Forced cooling may result in food spoilage. Cooling the canner with cold running water or opening the vent port before the canner is fully depressurized will cause liquid to escape from jars and seal failures. Force-cooling may also warp the canner lid on older-model canners, causing steam leaks. Time the depressurization of older models. Standard-size, heavy-walled canners require about 30 minutes when loaded with pints and 45 minutes with quarts. Newer, thin-walled canners cool more rapidly. They are equipped with vent locks that drop to a normal position allowing the canner to be opened when the canner is depressurized.

After the canner is depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes, unfasten the lid and remove it carefully tilting it away from you so the steam does not burn your face.

Use a jar lifter to remove the jars and place them on a towel. Leave at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling.

(Source: University of Missouri Guide No. 1452, “Quality for Keeps: Steps to Success in Home Canning”)