Someone in the Home Canning Yahoo group asked recently about how she could fill the remaining slots in her canner. It seems the green beans in her garden were only producing about three quarts at a time, and she hated to run a canner less than half full. I don’t blame her for that, so I tried to help her … but I kinda hit a snag on the green bean issue … thanks to the fact that green beans only take 20 minutes in the pressure canner. Honestly, there’s not a lot of pressure canner foods that only require 20 minutes, so I had trouble offering her a quick alternate suggestion.
It brought back memories of my earlier post entitled “What can you do when you have open spaces in your pressure canner?” … and got me thinking … there’s no way to sort the NCHFP recipes, so there’s no way to do a quick look to see what you could potentially add to your canner when you’ve got a few holes unfilled.
An old boss of mine wrote me a letter of recommendation many years ago, and I’ve always loved one of his comments. He said: “Lane has the innate ability to spot the problem in any sort of system: computer, operational, structural, more … but she never walks into my office to tell me about a problem … without already having a solution in-hand to fix it.”
Voila, your solution! Now when you have three or four slots left in a canner, here’s a listing of the NCHFP-approved canning recipes … broken out by type of canner … and length of processing time. Find your time, and see what else you can include in that same batch when you have space left! 
| NCHFP times for your BWB, grouped by time
|
||
| food | size jar | time |
| apple butter | half-pints and pints | 5/10/15 |
| apple juice | pints or quarts | 5/10/15 |
| grape juice | pints and quarts | 5/10/15 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apple butter | quarts | 10/15/20 |
| apple juice | half-gallons | 10/15/20 |
| apple rings, spiced | half-pints and pints | 10/15/20 |
| berry syrup | half-pints and pints | 10/15/20 |
| cayenne pepper sauce | pints | 10/15/20 |
| easy hot-sauce | half-pints | 10/15/20 |
| grape juice | half-gallons | 10/15/20 |
| grapefruit and orange sections | pints and quarts | 10/15/20 |
| mango salsa | half-pints | 10/15/20 |
| mayhaw juice | pints or quarts | 10/15/20 |
| mayhaw syrup | half-pints and pints | 10/15/20 |
| spicy cranberry salsa | half-pints or pints | 10/15/20 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| grapes, whole, hot pack | pints and quarts | 10/15/15/20 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apple butter, reduced sugar | half-pints and pints | 15/20/25 |
| blender ketchup | pints | 15/20/25 |
| cherry (sweet) topping | half-pints or pints | 15/20/25 |
| chilie salsa | pints | 15/20/25 |
| chilie salsa II | pints | 15/20/25 |
| country western ketchup | pints | 15/20/25 |
| fruit purees | pints and quarts | 15/20/25 |
| green tomato pie filling | quarts | 15/20/25 |
| lemon curd | half-pints | 15/20/25 |
| mango sauce | half-pints | 15/20/25 |
| peach fruit topping | half-pints and pints | 15/20/25 |
| peach-apple salsa | pints | 15/20/25 |
| rhubarb | pints or quarts | 15/20/25 |
| tomatilla green salsa | pints | 15/20/25 |
| tomato and green chile salsa | pints | 15/20/25 |
| tomato ketchup | pints | 15/20/25 |
| tomato salsa with paste tomatoes | pints | 15/20/25 |
| tomato taco sauce | pints | 15/20/25 |
| tomato/tomato paste salsa | pints | 15/20/25 |
| zucchini-pineapple | half-pints and pints | 15/20/25 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| applesauce | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| berries, whole, hot pack | pints or quarts | 15/20/20/25 |
| berries, whole, raw pack | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| cherries, whole, hot pack | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| cranberries | pints and quarts | 15/20/20/25 |
| cranberry sauce | pints and quarts | 15/20/20/25 |
| grapes, whole, raw pack | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| mangoes, green | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| papaya | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| pineapple | pints | 15/20/20/25 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apples, sliced | pints or quarts | 20/25/30/35 |
| mixed fruit cocktail | half-pints and pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| nectarines, hot pack | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| papaya | quarts | 20/25/30/35 |
| peaches, hot pack | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| pears, Asian | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| pears, halves | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| pineapple | quarts | 20/25/30/35 |
| plum | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| spicy jicama relish | pints | 20/25/30/35 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apple pie filling | pints or quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| apricots, hot pack | quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| apricots, raw pack | pints | 25/30/35/40 |
| cherries whole, raw pack | pints or quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| nectarines, hot pack | quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| nectarines, raw pack | pints | 25/30/35/40 |
| peaches, hot pack | quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| peaches, raw pack | pints | 25/30/35/40 |
| pears, Asian | quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| pears, halves | pints or quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| plum | quarts | 25/30/35/40 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apricots, raw pack | quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| blueberry pie filling | pints or quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| cherry pie filling | pints or quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| nectarines, raw pack | quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| nut meats | half-pints or pints | 30/35/40/45 |
| peach pie filling | pints or quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| peaches, raw pack | quarts | 30/35/40/45 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| crushed tomatoes | pints | 35/40/45/50 |
| standard tomato sauce | pints | 35/40/45/50 |
| tomato juice | pints | 35/40/45/50 |
| tomato veggie juice | pints | 35/40/45/50 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| standard tomato sauce | quarts | 40/45/50/55 |
| tomato juice | quarts | 40/45/50/55 |
| tomato veggie juice | pints | 40/45/50/55 |
| tomatoes, whole or half in water | pints | 40/45/50/55 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| crushed tomatoes | quarts | 45/50/55/60 |
| figs | pints | 45/50/55/60 |
| tomato paste | half-pints | 45/50/55/60 |
| tomatoes, whole or half in water | quarts | 45/50/55/60 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| figs | quarts | 50/55/60/65 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| tomatoes, whole or half in tomato juice | pints or quarts | 85/90/95/100 |
| tomatoes, whole or half raw, no added water | pints or quarts | 85/90/95/100 |
——
And now, the same thing for Pressure Canners:
| NCHFP times for your Pressure Canner, grouped by time
|
||
| food | size jars | time |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in water, @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 5 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| apples, sliced | pints or quarts | 8 |
| applesauce | pints | 8 |
| berries, whole, hot pack | pints or quarts | 8 |
| berries, whole, raw pack | pints | 8 |
| cherries, whole, hot pack | pints | 8 |
| fruit purees | pints or quarts | 8 |
| grapefruit and orange sections, hot pack | pints or quarts | 8 |
| grapefruit and orange sections, raw pack | pints | 8 |
| rhubarb | pints or quarts | 8 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| applesauce | quarts | 10 |
| apricots | pints or quarts | 10 |
| berries, whole, raw pack | quarts | 10 |
| cherries, raw pack | pints or quarts | 10 |
| cherries, whole, hot pack | quarts | 10 |
| crushed tomatoes @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| grapefruit and orange sections, raw pack | quarts | 10 |
| nectarines | pints or quarts | 10 |
| nut meats | half-pints or pints | 10 |
| peaches | pints or quarts | 10 |
| pears | pints or quarts | 10 |
| plum | pints or quarts | 10 |
| standard tomato sauce @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| tomato juice @15lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| tomato veggie juice @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in water, @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in water, @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 10 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| crushed tomatoes @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| crushed tomatoes @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| standard tomato sauce @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| standard tomato sauce @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomato juice @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomato juice @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomato veggie juice @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomato veggie juice @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in tomato juice, @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in water, @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in water, @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved, raw with no added water, @ 15lbs | pints or quarts | 15 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans, snap and Italian | pints | 20 |
| chicken or turkey stock | pints | 20 |
| crushed tomatoes @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| crushed tomatoes @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| meat stock | pints | 20 |
| Mexican tomato sauce | pints | 20 |
| spaghetti sauce without meat | pints | 20 |
| standard tomato sauce @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| standard tomato sauce @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| tomato juice @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| tomato juice at 6lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| tomato veggie juice @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| tomato veggie juice @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 20 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans, snap and Italian | quarts | 25 |
| carrots | pints | 25 |
| chicken or turkey stock | quarts | 25 |
| meat stock | quarts | 25 |
| Mexican tomato sauce | quarts | 25 |
| okra | pints | 25 |
| spaghetti sauce without meat | quarts | 25 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in tomato juice, @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 25 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in tomato juice, @10lbs | pints or quarts | 25 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved, raw with no added water, @ 10lbs | pints or quarts | 25 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved, raw with no added water, @ 11lbs | pints or quarts | 25 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| asparagus | pints | 30 |
| beets | pints | 30 |
| carrots | quarts | 30 |
| tomatoes with okra or zucchini | pints | 30 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beets | quarts | 35 |
| peppers | half-pints or pints | 35 |
| potatoes, white | pints | 35 |
| tomatoes with okra or zucchini | quarts | 35 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| asparagus | quarts | 40 |
| beans, fresh lima | pints | 40 |
| okra | quarts | 40 |
| peas, English or green | pints or quarts | 40 |
| potatoes, white | quarts | 40 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in tomato juice, @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 40 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved in tomato juice, @5lbs | pints or quarts | 40 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved, raw with no added water, @ 5lbs | pints or quarts | 40 |
| tomatoes, whole or halved, raw with no added water, @ 6lbs | pints or quarts | 40 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| green peanuts | pints | 45 |
| mushrooms | half-pints or pints | 45 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans, fresh lima | quarts | 50 |
| green peanuts | quarts | 50 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| corn, whole kernel | pints | 55 |
| pumpkins and winter squash | pints | 55 |
| winter squash and pumpkins | pints | 55 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| clams | half-pints | 60 |
| soups (except seafood) | pints | 60 |
| spaghetti sauce with meat | pints | 60 |
| succotash | pints | 60 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans, baked | pints | 65 |
| beans, dry with tomato or molasses sauce | pints | 65 |
| chicken or rabbit, with bones | pints | 65 |
| potatoes, sweet | pints | 65 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| clams | pints | 70 |
| crab meat | half-pints | 70 |
| spaghetti sauce with meat | quarts | 70 |
| spinach and other greens | pints | 70 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans or peas, shelled, dried, all varieties | pints | 75 |
| beans, baked | quarts | 75 |
| beans, dry with tomato or molasses sauce | quarts | 75 |
| chicken or rabbit, with bones | quarts | 75 |
| chicken or rabbit, without bones | pints | 75 |
| chili con carne | pints | 75 |
| meat, ground or chopped | pints | 75 |
| meat, strips/cubes/chunks | pints | 75 |
| mixed vegetables | pints | 75 |
| oysters | half-pints or pints | 75 |
| soups (except seafood) | quarts | 75 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| crab meat | pints | 80 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| corn whole kernel | quarts | 85 |
| corn, creamed | pints | 85 |
| succotash | quarts | 85 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| beans or peas, shelled, dried, all varieties | quarts | 90 |
| chicken or rabbit, without bones | quarts | 90 |
| meat, ground or chopped | quarts | 90 |
| meat, strips/cubes/chunks | quarts | 90 |
| mincemeat pie filling | quarts | 90 |
| mixed vegetables | quarts | 90 |
| potatoes, sweet | quarts | 90 |
| pumpkins and winter squash | quarts | 90 |
| spinach and other greens | quarts | 90 |
| winter squash and pumpkins | quarts | 90 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| fish | pints | 100 |
| soups (seafood) | pints | 100 |
| soups (seafood) | quarts | 100 |
| tuna | half-pints or pints | 100 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| fish, smoked | pints | 110 |
| ******** | ******** | ******** |
| fish | quarts | 160 |
——-
Bookmark the list! Never leave a space in a canner again!
The next question is … can you process something for longer than required … just so you can fill a canner?
The answer to that is YES! It’s a really bad idea to process a food for less time than the NCHFP recommends … and your food will suffer from some nutritional degradation the longer you process it … but you’re not going to create problems with food safety if you process a jar of food longer than required. I wouldn’t suggest adding more than 5 additional minutes to a pressure canner load, or 10 minutes to a BWB load … but sometimes that little bit of flexibility can help you fill a canner. We don’t want to waste energy … but just remember, you should ONLY add more time than the NCHFP suggests … NEVER, EVER use less.
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