Canning season is upon us! For the sake of food safety please schedule an appointment to bring your pressure canner to the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Richmond County Center office to have the dial gauge tested.
Your pressure canner is a very important piece of equipment when it comes to home food preservation. Making sure it is working properly is a precaution that should be taken seriously. If the dial gauge on your pressure canner does not register correctly, you could be jeopardizing the safety of the food you just canned. So, to avoid any issues with the proper function of your pressure canner, you need to have it checked.
There are two types of pressure canners, a weighted gauge and a dial gauge. The difference is that the weighted gauge rocks or jiggles under pressure, whereas the dial gauge has a dial that registers the amount of pressure in the canner.
Dial Gauge
N.C. Cooperative Extension recommends getting your dial gauge tested yearly for accuracy. A dial gauge canner needs to register the correct pressure to ensure that the foods being processed are properly canned. There is a potential for unsafe processing if the gauge reads 2 pounds pressure high or low, jeopardizing the safety of the food in the jar. If the gauge registers more than 2 pounds high or low you need to replace the gauge.
Brands that can be tested at your N.C. Cooperative Extension Office:
- Presto
- Maid of Honor
- National
- Magic Seal
- Kook-Kwick
Weighted gauges are noisy because the pressure is released and rocks or jiggles the weight but they are always accurate when used correctly and do not require yearly testing. Make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions to know what the correct procedure is when using a weighted gauge pressure canner.
Weighted Gauge
To schedule an appointment to test your dial gauge please call Cheri Bennett at 910-997-8255 N.C. Cooperative Extension-Richmond County Center.
