My new Canner - and I have a few Questions

[jomoncon]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered my All American 921 Canner and it finally arrived!! I've been wanting one for quite a while, and finally saved up enough Discovercard points to get it almost free. After reading the manual, and trying to digest everything, I decided to put it to a test. I put about 4" of water in it, and set it to boiling. I used only the 5 pound weight just so I could see how the jiggle goes. After the weight started jiggling, I reduced the heat to see if I could get to the "4 jiggles to a minute" level.

Here's my question. I though a jiggle would be one jiggle, but mine jiggled for about 5 seconds, and I was getting only 2 per minute. So I upped the heat, but the jiggles got longer - about 10 seconds, but it was doing this about 4 times a minute. Is this correct, that a jiggle is not just once, but a series of quick bursts?

I tried it yesterday on my kitchen stove, but plan on getting a propane burner to use on the patio. This is to keep the heat and humidity out of the house during the summer months. In New Orleans, the last thing we need is more heat & humidity! I know a few of you use these propane burners. Any tricks to their use?

Thanks so very, very much for any help.

Jo-Ann

PS: Isn't jiggle a funny word when you have to use it a couple of times in the same sentence!!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

It's usually about 3 times a minute, if it is over hissing and spewing I would make sure you are not going above your desired pressure and turn it down a hair. You don't want to go below your desired pressure or you will have to start the process over again so I would rather it be a hair over say 10 pounds than have to start completely over, just make sure you have put in enough water to not run it dry. It takes a few tries on your stove to see where you have to make adjustments and I am sure it will be different on your outdoor burner.
Hope that helps some..

 

[wyoDreamer]

My mom used to use a pressure cooker all the time, but that was eons ago
From my memories, the jiggle is a short burst of hisses. You will get a short burst of hissing, then it will stop for a little while, then another short burst of hisses, then it will stop, ...

 

[Momagain1]

my jiggle is a constant ...almost like a "train on the tracks"

you can put colored water in the caNNING jars seal them ..then after you "can" the water, if any of the colored liquid is in the canning liquid..then you need to work on it...

you most likely had siphoning...this results from turning up/down the heat too fast/slow or inconsistent pressure...

GL...

 

[jomoncon]

My mom used to use a pressure cooker all the time, but that was eons ago 
From my memories, the jiggle is a short burst of hisses.  You will get a short burst of hissing, then it will stop for a little while, then another short burst of hisses, then it will stop, ...

my jiggle is a constant ...almost like a "train on the tracks"

GL...

That's what I needed to know - a burst of hisses, rather than just one! That answers my question exactly. Thanks so much for the answers.

 

[ooptec]

hey,

Pressure gauges for canners, and american sells them, are quite inexpensive. If there isn't a threaded hole already it would only cost a few $$ to get someone to put one in, the lids are heavy enuf. Make sure it's a 'pipe' thread tap tho.

I find that things have to be initiated very slowly in canners, adjust heat up very slowly so 'siphoning' or the contents boiling out doesn't occur.

That being said once you catch on, and find at what dial setting your stove is at to maintain pressure I just set it at that and let it slowly climb up. Venting for the first 10 mins is a must also.

I started canning everything in sight, well, meat and fish wise, and boy howdy it's fun.

But then I always did like any kind of canned fish.

cheers

 

[SillyChicken]

we have a new one with a pressure gauge.. love it better than the old "jiggler" kind. Much easier to manage!

I am curious about the canned fish! That's one thing we've yet to can!

 

[ooptec]

hey,

Been canning what we call jackfish (northern pike) I think same/similar to muskies. Works well.

Also when the wild sockeye salmon were such a deal in the groc store canned a whack of that too.

Lots around here can their old layers

cheers