Apply Lids, Pressure Can, and Cool

What happens here

After filling the jars with stew and ensuring proper headspace, use a magnetic stick to retrieve the warm canning lids from the small pot and place them centered on each jar. Screw the canning rings onto the jars, tightening them "Grandma tight"—snug but not excessively tight. This allows air to escape during processing. Carefully place the sealed jars into a pressure canner filled with warm water. Close the pressure canner, ensuring it's properly sealed, and process the stew for 90 minutes at 10 to 11 pounds of pressure. Once the processing is complete, allow the pressure canner to cool naturally until the safety button drops. Open the canner, carefully remove the hot jars, and use a moist rag to wipe down each jar and tighten the lids if needed (though it should only be a 'Grandma tight' seal). Let the jars sit on the counter undisturbed for 2-3 hours to cool and fully seal. For best practice, monitor the jars for approximately 10 days to confirm they have a good, secure seal before storing.

Goal: Safely seal and preserve the stew for long-term storage through pressure canning.