Steam Canning - A BETTER Alternative To Water Bath Canning!

[@susantoney2816]

As a newcomer to the world of canning your video is just want I needed! I have water bath canned but find the amount of water and the time it takes to come to boil is wasteful. Enter the Steam Canner. I LOVE this thing! So much more efficient and enjoyable to use.

[@alienem1]

Hi, Love your video very instructive. I do have a question. My canner was spurting and steam was coming out of the side. I lowered the heat but steam was still coming from the side. One time I had to turn it off and then re-turn it on. It did get to my calibration mark "T" on the gauge. Did I do something wrong? It doesn't seem like the lid sits firmly on top. Any suggestions. Thank you.

[@TheGumbootGarden]

When I steam can, the lid does jiggle, spit steam and some water droplets a bit. This can leave the surrounding stove surface a little wet. However, if it does this too much, try beginning at a lower temperature and slowly raising it, as needed. So long as the calibration is checked yearly and the mark is being hit while steam canning, it will be safe to can. Maybe your burner runs very hot.

[@chevypreps6417]

Excellent video, thank you. I have the same steam canner and have found it works very good. It is a real time saver for sure.

[@N8vmama605]

Thank you so so much for this video! Just got a steam canner and I was wondering if you could tell me how long I should steam can vegetable soup? Thanks again for all of your valuable information! ❤️

[@TheGumbootGarden]

Fantastic, I hope you enjoy your steam canner! There are so many things you can preserve with it! ..Jams, sauces, chutneys, pickles, etc. However, you have to be careful with soups. Most soups need pressure canning, which requires a different process and equipment. This is due to the lower acidity of the ingredients. In the Ball Book of Home Preserving that I have, the only soup allowing steam canning is a roasted leek and tomato soup. Best to use recipes that have been tested to be safe in some Ball canning books.

[@nydiaschimp9640]

Did you reuse store bought jars and lids? I’ve been so curious to see if that’s an option as I hate wasting jars from the store.

[@TheGumbootGarden]

Yes, about half of the jars I use are reused store bought jars and lids. Although this is frowned upon in US canning, many other countries do this regularly. I have heard they can break during processing, but I’ve never had trouble with them. (Although pressure canning is probably a different story.) There is usually a higher chance they don’t seal though. So when setting them on the table to cool, I’ll give a little push down on any unsealed jars to see if they’ll pop and seal, which helps. (Not sure this is ok, so do at your own risk.)

[@jeanb.7963]

Great video. You explained the process very well. Those are not standard mason jars, and lids, what are they?

[@TheGumbootGarden]

No, they aren’t. I reuse jars from store-bought products, which I know many may not agree with. I haven’t had any trouble with them, except that they don’t always seal as well as the standard mason jars. So I use mason jars for tomatoes and other products that take more time/effort to make.

[@jeanb.7963]

@@TheGumbootGarden thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

[@cdelaney5047]

I have canned for years and rarely had jars not seal. I much prefer the steam canner but having a high failure rate. I cleaned the lids, tops of jars, used new lids but still failures in each batch- should I retry with new lids?

[@TheGumbootGarden]

Check to make sure you don't have any chips or imperfections on your jars. If that's not the problem, try recalibrating your steam canner. Maybe the point at which you're beginning your timing isn't quite to the temperature it needs to be. Send a set of empty jars through a test run to check the point it stops raising is the same point that you're using to begin your timer for canning. Hope this helps and good luck with your canning!

[@russellt9059]

Did you have to add more water after you sterilized the jars

[@TheGumbootGarden]

No extra water was needed after sterilizing. I can usually get 2 rounds of sterilizing and canning done without adding extra water, but always check just in case.

[@russellt9059]

Ok thanks

[@ginakendrick2581]

So I put my zucchini relish in the canner after it was warmed up of course everything was done as if I was going to do a water bath. I have a gas stove. The red needle went all the way to the dark green till it couldn’t go anymore and then I started my timer there were some spitting on the side of the pot of water, but the temperature was all the way down as low as I can get it. Meanwhile, steam keeps directly coming out so I started my timer because a needle can’t go any further however, all this being said, somebody said to take a digital thermometer, and to test the temperature inside by putting it in the hole I did, and the temperature temperature is only 205 and it is supposed to be 212 so I’m a little confused and now I’m concerned, the temperature is not going to Bob 206 even though the letters on really tight it’s not shaking. Steam is coming out about 8 inches in a regular intervals of the entire 20 minutes of my processing.

[@TheGumbootGarden]

Hmm.. I’m not sure about this. I would contact the manufacturer, maybe you have a faulty temperature gauge. My cover rattles a bit and spits steam while it’s at its bathing temperature, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Just be sure the steam is pointing away from you.

[@Adee-at-Rainier]

Water boils (or becomes steam) at 212 degrees while at sea level. But at higher elevations water boils at a lower temperature because the air pressure is lower. So follow instructions for canning at higher elevations. This might be part of the issue. But I don’t know your specific circumstances.

[@ginakendrick2581]

@@Adee-at-Rainier thank you I am at 1500 on top of a mountain that explains it it’s boiling. The steam is coming out full speed ahead, at least 8 inches from the side of the canner, but the temperature inside reads 206 constantly the thermometer is digital and I have not had it calibrated but that’s the circumstance. The red needle is going as high as it can go in the dark green, which is mypoint for safety

[@elizabethbrown1276]

I was disappointed with my kitchen crop steam canner. It is no longer color coded according to elevation, now the segments on the dial are so narrow and hard to read. I haven't used it yet and considering returning it. I ordered it believing it was going to have the same color coded dial that you have. Very disappointed.

[@TheGumbootGarden]

Hi Elizabeth, I just checked and see what you mean about it being different. The color coded dial is certainly more pleasing to the eye, but the adjustable pointer may be better to work with. I had to mark my dial with a Sharpie at the spot to start my timer. Once you test the temperature gauge holding point, you’ll only need to worry about the red arm and when it hits your adjustable pointer. I don’t use the color indicators at all.

[@qknight2904]

Did you purchase the aluminum version?