My Ball Blue Book arrived today, yay! Five bucks online, and it's
going to be my bedtime reading tonight. And then as soon as Guy's
out of the hospital (pneumonia, ick), we're gonna start the
can-o-thon. He's agreed to supply the food and supplies, and I
supply the labor. We'll split the spoils, as it were. Sounds like a
plan to me.

Serene
--
Spin the auto-sig generator, and she says:

"Don't let what you can't do stand in the way of what you can." -
- John Wooden

In article >,
Serene > wrote:

> we're gonna start the can-o-thon.

> Serene

Are you going to do any pressure canniing? If so and you've never, you
might want to do a practice batch of water so you can a feel for
adjusting the heat temp to keep the pressure stable, without wide
fluctuation. JAT.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com - story and
pics of Ronald McDonald House dinner posted 6-24-2007

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Serene > wrote:
>
>> we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
>
>> Serene
>
> Are you going to do any pressure canniing?

Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.

Serene

--
Spin the auto-sig generator, and she says:

"Sometimes you just need to look reality in the eye, and deny
it." -- Garrison Keillor

In article >,
Serene > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > In article >,
> > Serene > wrote:
> >
> >> we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
> >
> >> Serene
> >
> > Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
>
> Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
> good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
> this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
> and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
>
> Serene

Good plan. You need to pay close attention to the rules for pressure
canning. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has lots of
recipes, too. Published last summer.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com - story and
pics of Ronald McDonald House dinner posted 6-24-2007

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Serene > wrote:
>
>
>>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>
>>>In article >,
>>> Serene > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
>>>
>>>>Serene
>>>
>>>Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
>>
>>Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
>>good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
>>this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
>>and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
>>
>>Serene
>
>
> Good plan. You need to pay close attention to the rules for pressure
> canning. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has lots of
> recipes, too. Published last summer.
>
Speaking of canning. Miz Anne and I went out in the rain this morning to
a local Methodist church hall where they were having "the last annual
giant garage sale." I lonely pint jar, about two dozen quarts, which I
have no use for. Particularly looking for a certain jar lifter, of which
there were none. Miz Anne hauled home about ten bucks worth of stuff to
use in her art classes and a few ornate picture frames. I found nothing
worth my continued attention. Drat!

George, still watching it rain

"Serene" > wrote in message
...
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > In article >,
> > Serene > wrote:
> >
> >> we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
> >
> >> Serene
> >
> > Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
>
> Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
> good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
> this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
> and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
>

If I had it to do over again I would not have bothered buying my 16
quart BWB canner, even though I got it for a few bucks from Goodwill.
I would have just bought the pressure canners I have now. Both of
them from Goodwill also. Cost under $10 for each of them.

The problem with the BWB canners in my opinion is if you have the
stove set too hot the things start spitting water all over the top of the
stove. Since the lid isn't sealed on the water will spit out of it.

With the pressure canner, using it as a BWB canner is simple. You
put in the jars, fill it with water over the tops of the jars, seal on the
lid, then open the pressure regulator all the way, then set the burner on
high and you can walk off and forget about it. You can't heat the food
too hot since no matter how much heat you put into it, as long as the
pressure regulator is off the temp won't budge above boiling point of
water. Sure, the thing may be hissing up a storm like a boiler about
ready to explode but I have no problem with a switching on the vent
and sucking the steam out. You don't have the lid slopping around
and a half a cup of water spitting itself all over the top of the stove,
if you have the burner set too high you just create a lot of steam.

Ted

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> "Serene" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>
>>>In article >,
>>> Serene > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
>>>
>>>>Serene
>>>
>>>Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
>>
>>Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
>>good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
>>this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
>>and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
>>
>
>
> If I had it to do over again I would not have bothered buying my 16
> quart BWB canner, even though I got it for a few bucks from Goodwill.
> I would have just bought the pressure canners I have now. Both of
> them from Goodwill also. Cost under $10 for each of them.
>
> The problem with the BWB canners in my opinion is if you have the
> stove set too hot the things start spitting water all over the top of the
> stove. Since the lid isn't sealed on the water will spit out of it.
>
> With the pressure canner, using it as a BWB canner is simple. You
> put in the jars, fill it with water over the tops of the jars, seal on the
> lid, then open the pressure regulator all the way, then set the burner on
> high and you can walk off and forget about it. You can't heat the food
> too hot since no matter how much heat you put into it, as long as the
> pressure regulator is off the temp won't budge above boiling point of
> water. Sure, the thing may be hissing up a storm like a boiler about
> ready to explode but I have no problem with a switching on the vent
> and sucking the steam out. You don't have the lid slopping around
> and a half a cup of water spitting itself all over the top of the stove,
> if you have the burner set too high you just create a lot of steam.
>
> Ted
>
>
In my experience, if your BWB pot is large enough to allow the proper
amount of water over the jars and then room for boiling,there is not
problem with spitting at all. I often cook other things on my stove at
a full rolling boil as well.
Ellen

"ellen wickberg" > wrote in message
newsH0ti.28203$_d2.23387@pd7urf3no...
> Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> > "Serene" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >>
> >>>In article >,
> >>> Serene > wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
> >>>
> >>>>Serene
> >>>
> >>>Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
> >>
> >>Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
> >>good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
> >>this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
> >>and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
> >>
> >
> >
> > If I had it to do over again I would not have bothered buying my 16
> > quart BWB canner, even though I got it for a few bucks from Goodwill.
> > I would have just bought the pressure canners I have now. Both of
> > them from Goodwill also. Cost under $10 for each of them.
> >
> > The problem with the BWB canners in my opinion is if you have the
> > stove set too hot the things start spitting water all over the top of
the
> > stove. Since the lid isn't sealed on the water will spit out of it.
> >
> > With the pressure canner, using it as a BWB canner is simple. You
> > put in the jars, fill it with water over the tops of the jars, seal on
the
> > lid, then open the pressure regulator all the way, then set the burner
on
> > high and you can walk off and forget about it. You can't heat the food
> > too hot since no matter how much heat you put into it, as long as the
> > pressure regulator is off the temp won't budge above boiling point of
> > water. Sure, the thing may be hissing up a storm like a boiler about
> > ready to explode but I have no problem with a switching on the vent
> > and sucking the steam out. You don't have the lid slopping around
> > and a half a cup of water spitting itself all over the top of the stove,
> > if you have the burner set too high you just create a lot of steam.
> >
> > Ted
> >
> >
> In my experience, if your BWB pot is large enough to allow the proper
> amount of water over the jars and then room for boiling,there is not
> problem with spitting at all. I often cook other things on my stove at
> a full rolling boil as well.

Unfortunately I have a hideous Amana electric range where the burners
are small and close together. I couldn't fit a full 25 quart BWB on the
thing, and even the pressure canner is difficult. The worst part though is
the burners plug into these terminal block things that are made out of
the worst plastic imaginable. If when you set the canner on the burner you
center the canner, it overhangs the burner and the immediate area gets so
hot that the plastic socket things shrivel up and the wires melt and the
burner goes out, then I have to shut everything down and lift the stove top
to wire in the replacement. I usually have to replace the sockets - part
number 5303935058, I almost have it memorized - about 2-3 times
every burner during the summer.

And the worst part of it all - a few years after we bought the house we
replaced the furnace, and when we did that I had the gas line guy plumb
in a gas line to the back of the stove. So I could chuck that POS electric
stove and put in a gas stove if I could just convince my wife to go for it.
"The kids will turn on the stove and burn the house down" is the current
excuse she uses to argue against doing it.

Ted

"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote in message
...
> *clipped*
> And the worst part of it all - a few years after we bought the house we
> replaced the furnace, and when we did that I had the gas line guy plumb
> in a gas line to the back of the stove. So I could chuck that POS
> electric
> stove and put in a gas stove if I could just convince my wife to go for
> it.
> "The kids will turn on the stove and burn the house down" is the current
> excuse she uses to argue against doing it.
>
> Ted
>
My gas stove has safer burner dials that one has to push to turn on. Now
that "Uncle Arthur" visits so often, *I* have a hard time getting the durn
thing lit.
I've got my eye on a new stove with a double oven: a short one stacked on a
bigger one underneath. and one 15,000 BTU big burner. Hooha.
Edrena

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> "Serene" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article >,
>>> Serene > wrote:
>>>
>>>> we're gonna start the can-o-thon.
>>>> Serene
>>> Are you going to do any pressure canniing?
>> Not yet; can't afford the extra equipment. I think it's probably
>> good for me to try my hand at BWB stuff until I'm confident that
>> this is something I'm going to do. The Blue Book has a TON of pickle
>> and chutney recipes, so I'll start there.
>>
>
> If I had it to do over again I would not have bothered buying my 16
> quart BWB canner, even though I got it for a few bucks from Goodwill.
> I would have just bought the pressure canners I have now. Both of
> them from Goodwill also. Cost under $10 for each of them.

Good to know. I already have a pot suitable for BWB, but I will
keep an eye out for a pressure canner. I just got an $18 pasta
roller at our local "depot for creative reuse" (translation: a
thrift store geared to artsy types and hippies, with things like
bins full of miscellaneous puzzle pieces, barrels of egg crates,
etc.), so maybe I'll have similar luck with a canner.

Serene
--
Spin the auto-sig generator, and she says:

Discordianism: Where reality is a figment of your imagination

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:

> And the worst part of it all - a few years after we bought the house we
> replaced the furnace, and when we did that I had the gas line guy plumb
> in a gas line to the back of the stove. So I could chuck that POS electric
> stove and put in a gas stove if I could just convince my wife to go for it.
> "The kids will turn on the stove and burn the house down" is the current
> excuse she uses to argue against doing it.

Last professional kitchen I worked in, I had 4 6-burner Wolves (in
addition to a grill, salamander, deep fryer, and broiler).... The ranges
weren't the problem, it was when I had 4-8 prime ribs going and someone
turned off the ovens. I wound up pocketing the dials.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
>
> > And the worst part of it all - a few years after we bought the house we
> > replaced the furnace, and when we did that I had the gas line guy plumb
> > in a gas line to the back of the stove. So I could chuck that POS
electric
> > stove and put in a gas stove if I could just convince my wife to go for
it.
> > "The kids will turn on the stove and burn the house down" is the current
> > excuse she uses to argue against doing it.
>
> Last professional kitchen I worked in, I had 4 6-burner Wolves (in
> addition to a grill, salamander, deep fryer, and broiler).... The ranges
> weren't the problem, it was when I had 4-8 prime ribs going and someone
> turned off the ovens. I wound up pocketing the dials.
>

Dang why didn't I think of that! Great idea!

Ted