Breaking in a new canner

I Just got an All-American 930 canner and I read that it needs to be “broken in” a few times for it to seal properly. I bought it used but it was only used once. It works fine, but there is a popping sound once or twice as it heats up. Is this normal? I used a slight amount of Vaseline, as directed, on the mating surfaces.

Dan Norgard
Prescott Valley, Arizona

Yes, that is normal. The canner lid is just seating firmly to the bottom with a tunk. — Jackie

Canning potatoes

I’ve got a question about your Q&A on 4-18, you talk about raw packing potatoes and onions, I’ve been using your book page 154, and boiling my potatoes for 10 minutes, then pressure canning as stated. My potatoes are more like potato soup, they lack texture. Is the raw pack something new? Will this method help my potatoes have better texture, I’ll be sure to pencil this in you think it will help?

Pamela Riggle
Madison, Alabama

Actually, raw packing potatoes and other vegetables is not a new thing, but the old way we used to do them. However, the new recommendations are that we pre-heat our potatoes before packing them. Some varieties of potatoes, chiefly those high in starch, do sometimes break down when packed as slices or small dices. I can not recommend that a person raw pack vegetables, although that’s what I do myself, because of the new recommendations by experts. Raw packing does produce canned potatoes that are more consistently firm. I am always sure to use boiling water to cover the raw potatoes and exhaust my canner well before closing the petcocks and beginning to build up pressure. — Jackie

2 COMMENTS

  1. I will say that the cooked before canning potatoes make really great soup. I think next time I can potatoes, I will do some for soup and add celery and onions in the canning process. Then just heat with milk and WA-LAA! you have soup.

  2. I have an All American canner which I have used for 2 canning seasons now and love it. It makes the noise you are speaking about and I wondered what it was but now I don’t have to be concerned. I did research caners before I purchased mine and it is the best caner on the market. It was more expensive but the safety features and ease of use sold me. I have done quite a bit of canning with it and have never had any problems.

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