I first started canning with a pressure cooker last summer and experienced
my share of problems/mistakes. I have asked this newsgroup for help and as
usual several people have responded to help. I tried all their ideas, and
although my results improved, I still lost too much water from my jars
during the process.

I just found a publication put out by the University of Alaska that I had
picked up while stationed there, dealing with canning moose and Caribou.
After reading it, I learned that an additional step was recommended, that my
canning instructions hadn't mentioned.

After putting the required salt in the jars, you fill them and leave the
required headspace. Then came the missing step:

"Exhaust for 15 minutes. This is done by placing the open, filled jars in
the cooker. The cooker should have about 2 inches of boiling water in it,
on the fire. Cover and let steam for 15 minutes. Remove and fill jars with
boiling water or meat from another jar. Leave headspace."

Then the instructions continue:

"With clean cloth, wipe lip of jar very carefully."

"Seal. Any bit of grease, salt or meat left on the lip will keep the jar
from sealing and the meat will spoil."

"Fill cooker by placing sealed jars on rack in cooker in about 2 inches of
boiling water, put lid on tight with valve open, place on fire and let steam
escape from the valve for 5 to 7 minutes."

Then it proceeded with the instructions I found in my canner.

Last night I canned 4 quarts and 7 pints of beef. Every jar came out with
the right amount of water left in the jars.

Most of you probably already knew this, but I didn't, and if it will help
even one of the visitors to this newsgroup, it was worth it.

Dwayne