r/Canning • u/SaWing1993 • 22h ago
General Discussion Processing Time?
Hello everyone! I just wanted to reach out and make sure I'm interpreting these directions properly: The canner needs to be brought to the full listed pressure before the processing timer is started for the jars inside, even if the water is boiling before that point. Right?
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u/theycallmeMrPickles 21h ago edited 21h ago
Yes, for pressure canning, time starts once proper PSI is hit and must be maintained for the entire time. If it drops below, you need to bring back up to proper pressure and start time again. You'll also want to vent for a full 10 minutes at a rolling boil where steam is actively coming out before putting on the weight / cover before bringing to correct PSI.
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u/SaWing1993 21h ago
So on aveaverage, how much time should it take to reach the full pressure needed? Or would that vary for each recipe? I feel like it took an awful long time for this soup to get up to pressure, almost 30-40 minutes
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u/Deppfan16 Moderator 17h ago
it can vary depending on the burner, the pressure canner, the amount of jars inside, and the weather even.
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u/Coriander70 17h ago
It can take a long time! I sometimes sit in the kitchen reading a book while I wait …
One advantage of the weighted gauge over the dial gauge is that you don’t have to watch it as closely. It will start to jiggle when it reaches the correct pressure. Once it’s fully pressurized, you can adjust your burner if you hear the jiggling speed up or slow down too much.
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u/mckenner1122 Moderator 15h ago
Take notes each time you pressure can so that you know what you’re dealing with the next time.
I have a very awesome gas burner stovetop that cranks out BTU’s like an angry dragon. It takes NO TIME for my 3qt of water to boil, then vent. (I rarely PC less than a full thermal load). I used to have a hard time keeping the pressure down to my 11 psi.
Downside? Full canner loads take forever to naturally cool down. So - I still have to take extra time there.
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u/spirit_of_a_goat 2h ago
Thank you for this confirmation! I did my first full batch of 7 quarts of ground meats in my 23 qt Presto, and it took over an hour to come down.
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u/mckenner1122 Moderator 2h ago
Oh gosh yeah! Quarts and of dense stuff? Turn the heat off and go watch a movie, LOL.
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u/Coriander70 21h ago
Yes. After you close the canner, you bring the temperature up to the point where it is venting a strong plume of steam. (The water in the canner will be boiling at this point.) You continue venting for a full ten minutes. Then you close the vent and it starts to pressurize. You don’t start timing until the full pressure has been reached. Please read your canner instructions very carefully and follow each step meticulously - the results will not be safe otherwise.