Adventures in home canning

[ninevirtues]

Buy apples.
Make applesauce-- four little jars' worth, consider it a test batch.
Haul out home canning kit (gift from Mom-- thanks, Mom!)

Following instructions: Prepare jars, ladle applesauce through funnel into clean jars, seat lids, screw on rings. Try to avoid considering the distinct possibility that I will poison myself through sheer ignorance.

Place the lot in water bath canner, turn on stove, wait for water to boil.

Time passes. No boiling.
Time passes. Still no boiling.
Time passes..... and no boiling.

Slide the canner over so it straddles two burners and try again. Nope, still no boiling, but now I hear the heating element cycle on and off. (Hmm.) Place lid on canner. Ah, the sweet sound of boiling water ensues. Process four little jars of applesauce as per the instructions and consult the internet for guidance.

Ah..... here it is: Home canning in a standard boiling water canner will not work well on a glass or ceramic topped stove.

a) The canner is much larger than the burner, which may overheat the stove top and cause it to crack
b) The canner has a ridged bottom, which again is apparently not good for the stovetop.

Who knew?

Solution: either...

a) Get small canning rack and convert existing stockpot to small canner.
b) get canner made specifically for glass or ceramic stovetops.
c) Buy steam canner that runs on electricity and does not require a stovetop.
d) Buy coleman stove and use existing canner on that.

Fine. Let the plotting commence.

Comments

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Try to avoid considering the distinct possibility that I will poison myself through sheer ignorance.

Highly unlikely (experienced fruit canner speaking here). Apples are acid enough that the worst that can happen is probably something going moldy if it doesn't seal properly. And that, you can SEE. The invisible ickies are far more likely with non-acid stuff like canned green beans (non-acid things really do need to be pressure-canned).

If you want to be 110% sure, store the jars in the refrigerator (but then, what's the point of canning them?) Don't try to freeze them unless you've left expansion space in the jar (which you didn't if they were canned properly.)