FAQ

Yes, pressure canning is safe when you use the right equipment, a tested recipe, the correct pressure and the full processing time.The important thing is not to guess. Follow the steps, vent the canner properly, use the right pressure for your altitude and let the canner cool down naturally.Pressure canning is not difficult, but it does ask for careful working.

A normal pressure cooker is made for cooking food quickly. A pressure canner is made for preserving food safely in jars.For pressure canning, you need stable pressure, enough space for jars, proper venting and a process that is suitable for longer processing times.So even though the two look similar, they are not the same thing.

Yes. The CanMate is made for the European market and can be used in EU countries.The most important thing is that you follow the manual and use the correct pressure for your altitude.

Not exactly.In everyday language, people often use the word “sterilising” for preserving food in jars. But pressure canning is a specific method where food is processed in jars under pressure, at a temperature above 100°C.That higher temperature is needed for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meat, fish, beans, soups and meals.

Yes, meat can be pressure canned, but only with a tested recipe and the correct processing time.Meat is a low-acid food, so it cannot be safely preserved in a normal water bath. It needs pressure canning.This is one of the reasons many people buy a pressure canner.

Yes, many soups can be pressure canned.But you need to be careful with ingredients such as cream, flour, pasta, rice and very thick purees. These are often not suitable for pressure canning, or they need to be added after opening the jar.Use a tested recipe and keep the soup thin enough for safe heat penetration.

Tomato sauce is a bit of a special case.Some tomato recipes can be water-bath canned when enough acid is added. Other tomato sauces, especially with vegetables, meat or less acid, need pressure canning.So the safe method depends on the recipe. Do not assume that every tomato sauce is the same.

Usually, no.Rice and pasta can become too soft and thick during pressure canning. They can also affect how heat moves through the jar.It is usually better to pressure can the sauce, soup or meal base, and add rice or pasta later when you heat the meal.

Sometimes, but you need to be careful.Use only strong jars that are suitable for preserving and check them carefully for cracks, chips or damaged rims. The lid must also be suitable and must seal properly.For the most reliable result, we recommend using proper preserving jars.

The safety principles are the same: low-acid foods need the right pressure and processing time.What can be different in Europe are jar types, jar sizes and ingredients. That is why it is useful to work with recipes and instructions that explain the process clearly for European users.

You can use different jar sizes, as long as the jars are suitable for pressure canning and fit properly in the CanMate.If you process different jar sizes together, use the processing time for the largest jar.

You can mix jar sizes if the processing time is suitable for all jars. Always use the time for the largest jar.Mixing different foods is only safe if they need the same pressure and processing time. If one product needs a longer time, use the longer time for the whole batch.When in doubt, keep batches simple.

There can be several reasons.The rim may not have been clean, the lid may have been damaged, the ring may have been too tight or too loose, or too much liquid may have escaped during processing.It can happen. Do not panic. Just do not store an unsealed jar in the pantry.

Some foods change colour during pressure canning. That is normal.Peas, beans, meat and some vegetables can become darker because they are processed at a high temperature for a longer time.It does not automatically mean something went wrong. Always check the seal, smell and appearance before eating.

Yes, but it is usually not necessary.Below 300 metres, 10 psi is normally enough for many pressure canning recipes. At higher altitudes, 15 psi is needed because water boils at a lower temperature.Using more pressure than needed can affect texture, colour and liquid loss.

No. Stay nearby while the CanMate is in use.You do not have to stare at it for the full processing time, but you do need to keep an eye on the weight and the heat. The pressure should stay stable and the weight should move gently.

If the pressure drops below the required level, the processing time is no longer reliable.In that case, bring the CanMate back to the correct pressure and restart the full processing time.That may feel annoying, but with food safety it is better to be careful.

No. Let the CanMate cool down naturally.Do not remove the weight, do not open the vent and do not put the canner under cold water. Fast cooling can cause liquid loss, failed seals and unsafe processing.Slow cooling is part of the process.

Because pressure canning works with steam and pressure, not with jars fully covered in water.In the CanMate you use 3 litres of water, or 4 litres when processing at 15 psi. That is enough to create the steam needed for the process.

The CanMate is designed for pressure canning.For high-acid foods such as jam, fruit or pickles, a normal water-bath canner is usually more practical. The CanMate is most useful for low-acid foods that need pressure.

Botulism is a rare but serious form of food poisoning caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum.The spores can survive normal boiling-water temperatures. That is why low-acid foods must be processed in a pressure canner using a tested recipe, the correct pressure and the full processing time.It sounds scary, but the solution is practical: use the right method and do not take shortcuts.

No.You cannot always see, smell or taste whether food is unsafe. If a jar is leaking, bulging, spurts liquid, smells strange or did not seal properly, do not taste it.When in doubt, throw it out.

Headspace is the empty space between the food and the lid.It matters because food expands during processing. Too little or too much headspace can affect sealing.For many pressure canning recipes, you use about 2.5 cm headspace, but always follow the recipe.

For Mason jars, it is best to remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled and sealed.That way, you can see more clearly if a lid later comes loose. It also prevents rust and stops food or moisture from getting trapped under the ring.The lid does the sealing. The ring is mainly there during processing.

Yes. Many CanMate users start with no experience at all.Start with the manual, choose a simple tested recipe and take your time. The first batch may feel a bit exciting, but after that the process becomes much more familiar.You do not need to know everything before you start. You just need to start carefully.