What's everyone's opinion on rebel canning?

[Primes]

I know, I know, controversial issue. I haven't tried it yet myself, but I fell down the rabbit hole of people talking about it on YouTube and showing off their years old rebel canned items and their experiences with them

I just signed up to this place because I have a microscope and I figure it might be interesting to share what slides of, say, dry packed potatoes look like compared to traditional water packed potatoes after different periods of time. I know, me in my kitchen with a couple cans is not nearly as scientific as a USDA lab, but definitely something that I'd find interesting and maybe some of you would too? But there are places online where you'll just get banned for anything seen as encouraging stuff the USDA doesn't endorse I haven't spent enough time here to get a read on how this place might take it

 

[catsraven]

I have done a few things, but I use the guidelines most of the time. I prefer to sauté my vegetables before canning them. Like onions and garlic, peppers etc.

 

[LadyLocust]

I will add one more site at the end of this post. I don't hold much stock in what any gov. agency claims. That said I do usually use the pressure canner. If it came down to it and I didn't have that option, I would do water bath canning without fear. My Ggma canned for her family of 6 children with a water bath canner and a little wood stove.
I like this gal's videos.

 

[Amish Heart]

My amish neighbor water baths everything, just for a longer time if it's meat or green beans. Half the people in our town are like that, the other half use pressure canners. Most also use the box water bath canners, too.

 

[snappy1]

I'm for it!

 

[Solar Geek]

I am a rebel as I just bought my 3rd electric canner. 2 Nesco/Carey, 1 Presto digital. Have not opened the Presto as you need a bunch of time to get used to each canner. I have a new glass top stove so had to use them. We are a fully solar powered home so no gas in the house.

Lover my N/Cs. Use them every week even most of the winter when you would not think of canning.

Edison Test Laboratories (ETL), the former brother company (now separate) to our USA based Underwriter's Laboratory (UL -- Usually seen as "UL listed") fully approved the N/C that it would perform as it promised. Meaning that the machine reaches and holds proper temps when filled with full canning jars. NO agency "approves" a pressure canner. NONE, it is a myth.

Recipes, however, are tested for safety so I follow the recipes. No sense in worrying, I have enough on my plate without poisoning someone. But the science does not support that WB will kill the necessary bacteria no matter how long you boil some ingredients.
I make the approved recipe and just add the iffy items (cream, butter, oils you know the drill) when I am going to use it).

Your kitchen, your rules.

 

[Pearl]

Primes, please post in new member introductions and tell us a little about yourself! Welcome to our forum!

 

[Primes]

I am a rebel as I just bought my 3rd electric canner. 2 Nesco/Carey, 1 Presto digital. Have not opened the Presto as you need a bunch of time to get used to each canner. I have a new glass top stove so had to use them. We are a fully solar powered home so no gas in the house.

Lover my N/Cs. Use them every week even most of the winter when you would not think of canning.

Edison Test Laboratories (ETL), the former brother company (now separate) to our USA based Underwriter's Laboratory (UL -- Usually seen as "UL listed") fully approved the N/C that it would perform as it promised. Meaning that the machine reaches and holds proper temps when filled with full canning jars. NO agency "approves" a pressure canner. NONE, it is a myth.

Recipes, however, are tested for safety so I follow the recipes. No sense in worrying, I have enough on my plate without poisoning someone. But the science does not support that WB will kill the necessary bacteria no matter how long you boil some ingredients.
I make the approved recipe and just add the iffy items (cream, butter, oils you know the drill) when I am going to use it).

Your kitchen, your rules.

Sounds like you have an awesome setup,

I am a rebel as I just bought my 3rd electric canner. 2 Nesco/Carey, 1 Presto digital. Have not opened the Presto as you need a bunch of time to get used to each canner. I have a new glass top stove so had to use them. We are a fully solar powered home so no gas in the house.

Lover my N/Cs. Use them every week even most of the winter when you would not think of canning.

Edison Test Laboratories (ETL), the former brother company (now separate) to our USA based Underwriter's Laboratory (UL -- Usually seen as "UL listed") fully approved the N/C that it would perform as it promised. Meaning that the machine reaches and holds proper temps when filled with full canning jars. NO agency "approves" a pressure canner. NONE, it is a myth.

Recipes, however, are tested for safety so I follow the recipes. No sense in worrying, I have enough on my plate without poisoning someone. But the science does not support that WB will kill the necessary bacteria no matter how long you boil some ingredients.
I make the approved recipe and just add the iffy items (cream, butter, oils you know the drill) when I am going to use it).

Your kitchen, your rules.

Wow your setup sounds incredible, running solely off solar is a huge achievement on its own. Definitely jealous of the 3 canners too, I'm still struggling to find a decent sized one but here's hoping black Friday is good to me! Great info, gives me some stuff to think about

 

[Tim Horton]

I watched over the shoulder of a very experienced, seasoned canner as they got, learned how to use the Carey counter top canner.. Helping prep all manor of products to can with this machine.. It was easy to use it seemed, and worked very well for its capacity.. I would recommend that brand..

As far as ...rebel... products and processes goes.. The most controversial thing I have participated in was the canning of homemade Spam.. It actually went well, tasted good to the point it didn't last long..

 

[snappy1]

I have a 16 qt and 23 qt Presto. Work great! I have an electric one in my Amazon list, but figure it will be be too much even on Black Friday. The only barrier I really have with canning is some types of noodles don't hold up well to the process. I take my own recipes and PC for the item that takes the longest- usually meat. I don't PC seafood at all. I don't know how it would hold up and am a little leery.

I now use my pressure canner to steam can instead of water bath. Uses a lot less water and therefore time and electric to heat it.

 

[Primes]

I have a 16 qt and 23 qt Presto. Work great! I have an electric one in my Amazon list, but figure it will be be too much even on Black Friday. The only barrier I really have with canning is some types of noodles don't hold up well to the process. I take my own recipes and PC for the item that takes the longest- usually meat. I don't PC seafood at all. I don't know how it would hold up and am a little leery.

I now use my pressure canner to steam can instead of water bath. Uses a lot less water and therefore time and electric to heat it.

Steam canning was a game changer for me too, and I'm not even in a situation where conserving energy is paramount yet. Not sure why it's not more common to see in books - especially with stuff that only needs to be canned for a few minutes. Feels like such a waste when it takes longer to boil the water than your cans actually take to process lol

 

[Primes]

I watched over the shoulder of a very experienced, seasoned canner as they got, learned how to use the Carey counter top canner.. Helping prep all manor of products to can with this machine.. It was easy to use it seemed, and worked very well for its capacity.. I would recommend that brand..

As far as ...rebel... products and processes goes.. The most controversial thing I have participated in was the canning of homemade Spam.. It actually went well, tasted good to the point it didn't last long..

I bet that was delicious, I didn't try spam til I was 25 but I think I'd die happy if spam fried rice was my final meal lol. I'll keep an eye out for that machine - guessing from your name you're Canadian too so I imagine I'll be able to get one without importing

 

[Caribou]

I pressure can, mostly meat and fish. The wife does the water bath canning. There is a book, "40 Years in the Wilderness," by Dolly Faulkner. She lived at a cabin with the only access being by air, and she didn't own a plane. Sometimes her husband's visits would be over a year apart. She water bathed meat until she got a pressure canner. She remarked that the pressure canner was much faster. She and her kids survived. She reported no poisoning.

A friend of mine grew up poor with several siblings. He learned to can from his dad. He reused lids and he used empty jars from store purchases as long as the seal on the commercial lids passed his inspection. Neither of these people followed USDA rules.