Pressure canning - does acidity matter?

[Rebekkah]

Hi -

I'm wondering if I can pretty much can anything (w/no cream or noodles)? For example, I'm making a big pot of my special chili - can I just can it and process according to other chili recipes, or is there a level of acidity or some other variable I need to take into account?

I ask, because I'd really rather use my own recipe

Thanks -

[blissful]

Hi Rebekkah, are you using a pressure canner to can your chili? If it has meat in it, it must be done in a pressure canner. In the US there are university extension recipes. These are tested to see if they are safe, so generally and culturally we use those recipes in the US. Other countries have different cultural rules. So since I'm from the US and from Canada, I generally use the recipes or close to those recipes for pressure canning.


If you are in fact pressure canning, you would pressure can your goods for the period of time required in the recipe for the longest time required for any one ingredient. Like if it is meat, then it gets pressure canned at the pressure and the timing, of the meat. (90 minutes) (generally some vegetables are less time) And salt, it is not required, but used for taste in pressure canning.



If you are talking about water bath canning, then yes the acidity matters, so you shouldn't probably change the type of vinegar, or the acidity in the recipe you are using.


Does that help?

[Rebekkah]

Thanks, Blissful!

Yeah, I'm pressure canning - chili with meat, I was thinking 90 minutes at 10 PSI (weighted gauge), which seems to be pretty standard for all the recipes I've been looking at. I will check out the university extension recipes.

I've been water bath canning for years, and would never think of changing the ratios in the provided recipes. I'm new to pressure canning this year, and I've so far just followed recipes from a pressure canning cookbook I bought. I just want to make sure it's still safe to pressure can one of my own recipes.

Thanks for your help! :)

[blissful]

Rebekkah, usually when I search for recipes in google I search 'university extension recipe canning xxxxxxx', and then you get loads of university extension websites/recipes/ideas. Good luck with your canning girl!