I love eating apple spreads, marmalades, and fruit butter. I always have a stack of these in my fridge. Also salsa – can’t do without it. Recently I have been thinking of canning at home. Having decided to go the healthy way, I am switching to no chemical preservatives. I wonder if I can use the instant pot for canning? Yes, you can use the steam canning method for food in the instant pot. You can use an instant pot to do water or steam canning, however, pressure canning is not recommended in the instant pot. Allow me to explain in detail. Let us first understand canning. What is Canning?Canning is a wonderful cooking method that allows you to preserve food (mostly fruits and vegetables) by keeping them in cans. This method does not require any added preservatives and chemicals. It also saves you from spending unnecessary cash. However, canning can be dangerous if not done properly. There are two common types of canning techniques that are used for home canning. One is water bath or steam canning and the other method is pressure canning. Food high in acidic pHs like jams and jellies are best canned using water and steam. Foods low in acidic content are best canned using pressure canning methods. As I mentioned earlier, you cannot use the instant pot as a pressure canner. Jar Preparation for Canning using an Instant PotYou have three methods by which you can safely sterilize and prepare your jar for canning :
Hand washing is a simple method. Place your jar in the sink and fill it with hot water to sterilize them. While pouring the hot water, make sure it pours out from the rims. Another way of sterilizing your can is by placing it inside the dishwasher and using a hot cycle. Canning Jars can also be sterilized using your very own instant pot! How to Sterilize Canning Jars in the Instant PotStep 1 – Make sure your jars do not have any cracks or chips anywhere. If there is any crack, the sealing process will not happen. Step 2 – Place your jars in the sink and put hot water inside. Rinse after some time. Do this just before sterilizing them so the jars remain hot. Step 3 – Add a cup of water and a spoonful or two of white vinegar. Vinegar helps to keep the jars clean. Step 4 – Place a trivet in your instant pot. Add the jars. A six-quart instant pot can comfortably hold six to seven half-pint jars. Step 5 – Select the steam option and reduce the cycle until it shows one minute on the digital display. Set the vent to sealing position. Once done, remove the jars from the pot and add hot water to keep them hot.
Steam Canning with an Instant PotLet us proceed towards steam canning food using an instant pot.
For visual clarity regarding the entire procedure, watch the video below.
Let us now look into some helpful tips for steam canning in an instant pot Also read: How to Steam in Instant Pot Without Steamer Basket? Tips for Canning Food Safely Using an Instant Pot
The Relationship Between Elevation and Processing TimeDepending on the elevation level of your city, adjust the processing time as follows :
Why Can’t We Use an Instant Pot as a Pressure Canner?It’s all about science and spores. For pressure canning, you need the food to be processed at a specific pressure. Failing to do so will make the food unsafe for usage. You see, you need to kill the bacterial spores. And for that, you have to bring the temperature to 240-250° F. This kills the bacteria and makes it shelf-stable. Inside the instant pot, you have no means to check for the accuracy of pressure. Even if the pressure is digitally displayed, the accuracy cannot be confirmed. The bottom line? Don’t use your instant pot for pressure canning. For pressure canning, it’s best to use the pressure canner in the home setting. It will have a dial gauge or a pressure gauge that will give you accurate readings. Use the instant pot for steam canning recipes. Let us now understand the process of how to safely “can food” in the instant pot. ConclusionIf you don’t want to eat chemical preservatives, home canning is for you. You can easily do steam canning in an instant pot. Just make sure the recipe you choose has a high pH. Follow the steps and tips above for a safe canning procedure. Don’t forget to watch all the videos linked above. Remember, home-canned food is safe, as long as the process of canning is safely followed. All the best! Other articles you may also like:
Can you use your Instant Pot for canning?"Instant Pot can be used for boiling-water canning. However, Instant Pot has not been tested for food safety in pressure canning by USDA.
Why cant you can in an Instant Pot?Unfortunately, you cannot use an instant pot as a pressure canner. This is because pressure canning requires the food within the pot to be kept at a specific pressure to ensure that it's safe to eat. This is simply impossible to do in an instant pot.
Can you pressure can jars in an Instant Pot?You can see that during the pressurized cooking time, the temperature inside the Instant Pot fluctuates between 239ºF and 242F. 239ºF does not meet the USDA safe canning recommendations for preserving low-acid foods.
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