Pressure Canning Directions

Fill your canner with 3 quarts of water. Yes, that is all the water needed.   Check the manual for your particular canner to verify how much water.  

Remember, pressure is the key to safety in pressure canning. The pressure buildup is what causes the high heat necessary. 

The jars do not need to be covered like a water bath canner.  Set the rack on the bottom of the canner and heat water until hot, not boiling. Keep warm.

Wash and rinse your jars and lids. 
Jars can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher

You don't need to sterilize jars in pressure canning. The high temperatures reached in the canner will sterilize everything. You DO need to start with clean jars.

Keep jars and seals hot until ready to be filled.

For keeping jars hot, I have two options for you.

1. Place the clean jars upside down in a large pot with 2 or 3 inches of hot water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Leave the jars in the water until ready to be filled. 
2. You can also wash the jars in the dishwasher and then simply leave them there until ready to fill. Keeping the door to the dishwasher closed keeps in the steam and heat. Remove the jars a couple at a time as needed.
3. This third way is my preferred method. Place your jars in your canner.  The water should be warming anyway as you prep your food.  With your jars in the canner they will get heated up at the same time.  

An easy way to keep seals warm is place the seals in a small pan of water. Bring to just below a boil and remove from heat. 

Remember when you are pressure canning everything will be well sterilized in the canning process.  You don't need to boil the lids.  Only warm them.  

Leave the seals in the water until ready for a jar. I usually move this pan to a potholder just to the side of my stove because often I need all the burners.

Prepare and pack food according to instructions in your recipe.

Fill jar leaving the recommended head space. Remove air bubbles by running a non-metallic spatula around the inside of the jar. I like to use a plastic orange peeler for this step. It is small and easily slides down. A small rubber spatula will also work.

Wipe the rim of the jar clean with a damp tea towel or paper towel.

Place seals and rings on jars. Tighten finger tight. You really don't have to crank down hard, snug is fine. 

Place jars on the rack in the pressure canner. The jars must not sit directly on the bottom of the canner. Be sure jars are not touching each other. Steam needs to flow freely around each jar. Sometimes this takes a little maneuvering, twisting the jars so that the flatter sides leave more room.

Place the cover securely on the canner. Heat to boiling. Do not place the weights on yet. At this point steam should be escaping from the vent or the weighted gauge opening. 

Allow steam to vent for 10 minutes. This is an important step don't skip it. This pushes all the air from the canner. After the 10 minutes, close the vent or put on your weighted gauge and let the pressure build.

When canner reaches correct pressure, lower your heat to maintain pressure level. 

Adjust heat as needed to keep it at the correct pressure.