First time pressure canning, I’m super excited! I have two questions I would appreciate input on.
1. Instructions say to tighten the lids “fingertip tight”. I’m normally fine when waterbath canning, but now that I’m pressure canning I’m worried they’re too lose. As in the rings are baaaaarely still on when I remove them from the canner (rattling around when picked up) and I’m getting broth in the pressure canner water. Do I need to tighten the rings more when putting them on?
2. Assuming it is safe to process for longer than recommended? I added some turkey broth jars (needs 20 minutes) to the batch of turkey meat (90 minutes for quarts) that had extra room in the canner. I processed everything for 90 minutes. Obviously no texture/overcooking risks on the turkey broth. Safe?
Thanks in advance!
by Material_Afternoon_9
2 Comments
I find with pressure canning the rings are always a bit loose when I pull them out. If you have perfected finger-tip tight with water bathing, you shouldn’t need to go tighter and run the risk of buckling; but my tip is turn until met with resistance and then a quarter hand turn past that. With broth in the canning water, you may be moving through the removal steps too quickly. I am overly cautious about siphoning and do it in this way: let pressure come down to zero then 1) remove weight, timer for 10 minutes 3) loosen lid and set it ajar a little bit but not completely off for another 10 minutes and finally 4) remove jars. This reduces the thermal shock and I have had very minimal if any siphoning this way.
As for your second question, I don’t think it’ll hurt oveprocessing the stock. It’ll just be bubbling away in those jars but shouldn’t lose anything flavorvise. But I haven’t been in this situation so defer to others for their experience.
Rings should be looser when coming out of the canner whether pressure or waterbath canning. The lid squeezed down onto the jar when the jar sealed. This draw down creates clearance between the ring and the flat.