# Canning information needed.



## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

Does anyone know where I can find a chart that gives accurate temperatures inside a canner at differing altitudes and pressures.

Plenty of information out there about minimum pressures at various altitudes but I'm having trouble tracking down actual temperatures.

For example at 2010 feet and at 15lb what temperature does the canner reach.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

A chart like that would be nice if anyone has one, all I can offer is some math
The same factors that lower the boiling point of water outside of a canner work within it (pressure difference) so for 2000 feet altitude boiling point would be lowered by 2.1 degrees C. So a pressure canner at 15psi (above atmospheric pressure) should have a temp of about 119 degrees C (246F) instead of the 121 (250F) it would have at sea level.

Hopefully I got this right, I have been up way to long


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

http://www.gopresto.com/recipes/canning/fruits.php

http://msuextension.org/publications/HomeHealthandFamily/MT198329HR.pdf

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/selecting_correct_process_time.html

http://www.sbcanning.com/p/pressure-canning-safely.html

http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1396/canning-temperatures-and-processing-times.asp

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/FN_Food_Preservation_2008-04.pdf

http://missvickie.com/canning/Canning Times.htm

From the last link: "Water boils at 212 degrees F, at sea level, and at a lower temperature at higher elevations. Turning up the temperature under the pot or letting the water boil for a long time does not raise the temperature of the water above its boiling point. To make water boil at a higher temperature, it has to be put under pressure, such as in a pressure canner. When a food is processed at 10 pounds pressure, the water boils when it gets to 240°, rather than at 212°. This is high enough to kill the bacteria that causes botulism poisoning."

I'm no expert at it, but the way I read it, the pressure reading at a given altitude causes the water to superheat at a specific *"safe for canning"* temperature. To answer your question, I'd go with 240-250° degrees since it takes 240° to kill the botullism. To achieve that temperature at higher altitudes requires a higher canning pressure and a longer canning time.


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## eddy_dvyvan (May 8, 2012)

Evening Wellrounded,

Could you please let me know where you got your jars and lids from?. Cant find too much around here and no one seems to know what im talking about .

Thanks and sorry for hijacking your thread


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

eddy,
If you're after Ball mason then ozfarmer on ebay or their website are the cheapest in Australia. They have specials through the year and occasionally free post. Fowlers I buy only secondhand and get lids and seals from ozfarmer as well, as they are the cheapest if you factor in post. I also buy tatter lids online from Redback Trading.

Next big buy up of fowlers I need to do I'm going to approach them direct and see if I can get wholesale. I use more in a year them they supply to all the hardware stores in the area.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

cowboyhermit said:


> A chart like that would be nice if anyone has one, all I can offer is some math
> The same factors that lower the boiling point of water outside of a canner work within it (pressure difference) so for 2000 feet altitude boiling point would be lowered by 2.1 degrees C. So a pressure canner at 15psi (above atmospheric pressure) should have a temp of about 119 degrees C (246F) instead of the 121 (250F) it would have at sea level.
> 
> Hopefully I got this right, I have been up way to long


Thanks,
Found this http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/boiling-point-water-d_926.html so I'll draw up a table tomorrow for my altitude.

I'm trying to get to the bottom of a few cases of scorching I've had and I think it's the difference between using the gauge... 12lb and the weights... 15lb. Anything that is a little touchy (contains more sugars) seems to scorch at 15 lbs but not 12lb, I was wondering just what the temp difference was.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Wellrounded said:


> eddy,
> If you're after Ball mason then ozfarmer on ebay or their website are the cheapest in Australia. They have specials through the year and occasionally free post. Fowlers I buy only secondhand and get lids and seals from ozfarmer as well, as they are the cheapest if you factor in post. I also buy tatter lids online from Redback Trading.
> 
> Next big buy up of fowlers I need to do I'm going to approach them direct and see if I can get wholesale. I use more in a year them they supply to all the hardware stores in the area.


WOW!! I just paid $1.50 for regular lids at Dollar General, up 25 cents from last year.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

JayJay said:


> WOW!! I just paid $1.50 for regular lids at Dollar General, up 25 cents from last year.


We wish! Regular lids are $3.95 and wide $6.95 plus post. I paid $34.00 for the last dozen regular quarts. Our local made jars are $44.00 a dozen for a quart equivalent and the lids are $24.00 on top of that and seals another $4.00.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I didn't realize you guys had your own style of jar, are the metal lids one time use as well, or just the seals?

I don't worry too much about stuff like bpa but when I heard that the canning jars lids were coated with it, it's just one of those things that makes you wonder why. The tattler lids are good but I wish someone would come up with a stainless steel version. I don't see why a pop top version with a separate gasket wouldn't work.

The only other style I knew of was the Weck, which I love except for the price


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

cowboyhermit said:


> I didn't realize you guys had your own style of jar, are the metal lids one time use as well, or just the seals?
> 
> I don't worry too much about stuff like bpa but when I heard that the canning jars lids were coated with it, it's just one of those things that makes you wonder why. The tattler lids are good but I wish someone would come up with a stainless steel version. I don't see why a pop top version with a separate gasket wouldn't work.
> 
> The only other style I knew of was the Weck, which I love except for the price


Fowlers make stainless lids and lacquered tin lids. I only buy stainless and some of my lids are 30 years old. Seals are said to be one use but I'll reuse them if they are in perfect condition. The seals sit in a groove on the outside of the jar, just below the top and the lid sits down over it. I've never had high fat meats etc not seal when using these jars. The down side is the price.

http://eatatdixiebelles.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/step-by-step-guide-to-preserving-in.html this page has some good pics of the jars and how the system works.

When I first started canning I could pick up hundreds of jars at farm sales for a dollar or two. No one was preserving. Now I'm lucky if I find one or two at a secondhand shop for $1.00 each (without lids).


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Very cool, at least it shows my idea for stainless steel reusable lids is possible, a lot less waste and no plastic or rust.
I still think that a "snap" type lid with reusable seals would be awesome. 
It is too bad about the price thing, same with Weck although it looks like these may have a better seal, Weck jars come in some really nice/useful shapes and sizes. I really like jars with no "neck" and straight sides.


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