Freeport, Ill. --As home canning season approaches, ensuring your pressure canner is working properly is an important first step. Dial gauges on pressure canners should be tested each year to confirm they are accurate and operating safely.
Only a pressure canner can reach the high temperatures required to safely process low-acid foods, such as vegetables and meats, at home. When processed at the correct pressure for the recommended amount of time, you can safely preserve them for long-term storage.
Because accuracy is critical for safe food preservation, pressure canner gauges should be tested annually. Additionally, if the canner has been dropped or if you suspect it is not reaching the correct pressure. Over time, dial gauges can become inaccurate and may read either too high or too low.
When a gauge reads too high, the canner may not reach the required processing pressure, resulting in underprocessed, unsafe food. However, if the gauge measures too low, the food may become over-processed, leading to a loss of quality and a mushy texture. If a dial gauge differs by up to two pounds of pressure, you can make small adjustments during processing. However, gauges that differ by more than two pounds must be replaced.
The only way to know whether your pressure canner gauge is accurate is to have it tested. University of Illinois Extension will offer Pressure Canner Testing Clinics beginning in May and continuing through July at local county Extension offices.
Bring the pressure canner lid with the gauge attached to the clinic. Extension staff will inspect the lid, gasket, and gauge for accuracy and provide recommendations for safe use.
Weighted-gauge pressure canners do not include dial gauges and do not require testing. However, Extension staff can still inspect your canner and answer any questions you may have.
Pressure Canning Testing Clinics will be held at University of Illinois Extension-Stephenson County from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, and Thursday, July 9. Register by calling our office at (815) 235-4125 or visiting our website at go.illinois.edu/PC. If you cannot attend our clinic hours, you can call ahead to drop off the canner lid, complete the intake form, and pick it up later.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.