I’m always curious about things. Today it’s about what sort of [easyazon-link keywords=”pressure canner” locale=”us”]pressure canner[/easyazon-link] everyone is using. If you’d be so kind as to choose your canners below …
Results:
I guess most people who can check the rim of their jars for nicks or chips. I typically run my finger around the edge to feel for them. This didn’t exactly work in this case.
When the lid on this jar didn’t seal, I looked at the rim of the jar to try and figure out the problem. And then, I looked again. It took me a good while to see it.
One section of the rim looks like it was just starved for glass in the manufacturing process. It’s nice and smooth – which is why I didn’t feel anything – but it’s apparently too thin to hold a seal.
I’m going to have to start inspecting more closely!
I bought heavy-duty shelving supports at my local home improvement center and mounted it on my basement walls. The shelves are parts of an old entertainment center donated by a cousin-in-law.
They can be adjusted to suit varying heights of jars or equipment.
While this manual originally came with a 21-B, it can be used for the 16 quart model as well. It includes recipes and canning times. As this is a vintage manual, please take into account that the currently-recommended canning times may have changed. The University of Georgia’s Center for Home Food Preservation is a great resource with USDA recommendations.
Models known to be compatible with this manual: 21-B, 16A, and 21A.
Click the link to see the manual in Adobe’s PDF format:
21-B Pressure Canner Manual
I recently acquired a grungy Presto 21-B canner; it needed a bit of work. Of course, the gasket and over-pressure plug were old and dry and stiff. The gauge wasn’t sitting on zero and it needed a good old-fashioned cleaning.
When I removed the gauge, it stripped some of the threads out if it’s hole. I had to pick up an appropriately sized tap and die set (1/8 NPT) to clean up the threads so I could put in a new gauge. This resulted in the gauge turning ‘round more and facing toward the “back” of the canner. I used a Sharpie pen to draw alignment marks on the back side so I could still see the gauge.
Hopefully you can see there is less grunge on top of the lid than there used to be.
I used a bit of Bar Keeper’s Friend and a scrubbing pad on the rust stains on the inside bottom of the canner. A nylon brush and a bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid around the edges of the lid and the top of the canner, took care of most of the grunge.
See my 21-B canner page for the parts list for this canner and other similar models. I’ve also posted a scan of the 21-B manual.