Pressure Canning Process

What happens here

Place the filled and sealed jars into the pressure canner, ensuring the water level in the canner is appropriate (slightly less than halfway up the jars). Close and lock the pressure canner lid securely. Turn the heat to high. Once the safety mechanism on the canner pops up and the weighted gauge (jiggler) starts to consistently "jiggle" (indicating it has reached the desired pressure, e.g., 5 lbs), turn the heat down to medium-high to maintain a steady jiggle. Set a timer for 10-12 minutes (for quart jars at 5 lbs pressure, refer to your canner's manual for specific times and pressures based on altitude and jar size). After the timed processing, turn off the heat and allow the canner to cool naturally. Do not try to force cool it. The safety mechanism will drop when pressure has fully released. Once it's safe, remove the jiggler, then carefully open the lid away from your face to avoid steam burns.

Goal: Safely process canned tomatoes to ensure long-term preservation