Favorite canning equipment / books ???

[Ibicella]

What do you guys recommend for meat?

I want to be able to can stock and meat scraps.

I'll also probably do whole veggies and fruits.

 

[BarredBuff]

Mirro Matic presure canner. The absolute best, very safe. As for times, recipes etc. Ball Blue Book all the way.

 

[framing fowl]

Your local county extension office should also have free pamphlets about canning for your region. These will be adjusted automatically for your altitude.

 

[MissJames]

Your local county extension office should also have free pamphlets about canning for your region. These will be adjusted automatically for your altitude.

LOL! that's easy ! Sea level . I live in the SC Lowcountry.

Thanks Everyone. This is absolutely the best forum with the most generous people!
At least one of my daughters is also interested in canning so this is a big help.

 

[freemotion]

What do you guys recommend for meat?

I want to be able to can stock and meat scraps.

I'll also probably do whole veggies and fruits.

If you have a flat top stove, be sure to check that your canner is approved for use on a flat top. I originally chose my 23 quart Presto for this reason, over All-American. I have two Presto's now and use them quite a bit....canning season is just beginning for me, as I do meats, soups, stews, catfood, etc, almost exclusively. I can get 20 pints into each canner.

 

[Bethanial]

I love my new steam canner!!!!

What Bee said!!!!

Also highly recommend the jar lifter! I've seen it done with just tongs, and tried ONE jar that way. After dropping it (it didn't break) and upsetting some of my other jars (everybody sealed, though), I got my jar lifter back out!

On cookbooks and recipes - on a VERY strong recommendation, and browsing through it, I'm requesting "So Easy To Preserve, 5th Edition" for Christmas. It's done by the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, has over 185 recipes, and has chapters on freezing and drying in addition to canning (can ya tell I'm reading off the order blank? )

Anywho, it's $18 (includes shipping if you're in continental US)
Office of Communications
117 Hoke Smith Annex
Cooperative Extension Service
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1456
phone: 706-542-2657
fax: 706-542-0817
email: cespub@uga.edu

Can mail in your order, if ordering more than 12 copies, price drops to $15, contact 'em for shipping costs if it needs to go out of the 48. Accept checks, money orders, or credit cards.

 

[Homemaker]

Sorry I'm new to this so, I can only tell you what I have. Which is:
-A giant stock pot that I use as a waterbath canner
-rack
-funnel
-magnet thingy- although I love the spoon idea and I'm going to try it next time
-Tongs-for shoving stuff in jars
-Jar Tongs
-Quart and pint sized jars. Some wide mouth jars for packing whole fruits and pickles.
-I can never have too many seals.

If I had a million dollars, then my "kit" would be different. Here is my dream stash:
-I would add a pressure canner (and maybe that steam canner that sounds cool)
-Stainless steel funnels. I don't know that it would really be necessary but, it sure looks neat)
-Beautiful linen towels with fruits and preserves printed on them. They would only be used for canning. And my husband and kids would never ever use them to dry their hands or stain them with mystery goo.
-A warehouse of Jars- Quart, pint, and those cutesy little half pint jars I'm always eyeing up when I go to the store.
-More shelf space.

 

[sheaviance1]

You are probably going to laugh at my favorite canning tool. I have a very long plastic spatula handle (minus the spatula) that I use for removing air bubbles from my jars. Nothing else works as well as this handle! To me, it is irreplaceable.

 

[TanksHill]

Homemaker, it sounds like you almost have everything yo dream of already. For the pressure canner I just got the Presto, it was not that expensive and it works great. I would not bother with the special towels. Their just gonna get jam all over them!!!


sheaviance1... What a great idea. It sound like a spatula handle would be a great tool.

g

 

[sheaviance1]

Tanks, thank you for the warm welcome. I'm a poster on BYC as well as BYH and love those forums, so I already know that I will love it here