Steam-Pressure Canner
For safe operation of your canner, clean petcock and safety-valve openings by drawing a string or narrow strip of cloth through them. Do this at beginning of canning season and often during the season.
Check pressure gage.—An accurate pressure gage is necessary to get the processing temperatures needed to make food keep.
A weighted gage needs to be thoroughly clean.
A dial gage, old or new, should be checked before the canning season, and also during the season if you use the canner often. Ask your county home demonstration agent, dealer, or manufacturer about checking it.
If your gage is off 5 pounds or more, you’d better get a new one. But if the gage is not more than 4 pounds off, you can correct for it as shown below. As a reminder, tie on the canner a tag stating the reading to use to get the correct pressure.
The food is to be processed at 10 pounds steam pressure; so—
If the gage reads high—
1 pound high—process at 11 pounds.
2 pounds high—process at 12 pounds.