Tuna Canning Open Session - with PICS

5871 Views 49 Replies 28 Participants Last post by Chrome Bumper, Aug 10, 2007

StickFish

Discussion Starter · Jul 19, 2007 (Edited)

Well since we can't fish this weekend we are canning. You know how boring it is baby sitting a canner, so come keep us awake from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday July 21st. You may bring a beverage of your choice and a lawn chair as we will be confined to the garage and drive way.

I'm not going to put you to work, but come talk tuna or just have a brew.

I didn't really want to call it a TA meeting even though we are all jones'ing to get back out, and since those are usually at some reputable location other than my den of inequity

HiTekRdNek, Hoggemin and I will be manning the canners and the smoker last count was around 7 canners at one stage or another and probably more fish than we know what to do with.

Broken Halo is in the Kegerator - $1 a pint on your honor

If you have not been to the lumber yard and wish to attend - drop me a PM - we're in Tigard not far from Home Depoe

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StickFish

Discussion Starter · #21 · Jul 20, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

I use a camp chief propane stove two burner and had zero trouble keeping it at the right pressure - I don't blast it to get it going - put run about medium till it boils and once the weight goes on drop it down to maintain pressure. 70'000 BTU is probably a bit much since there is very little water - I don't see the problem as being explosive cause the check weight would not allow, rather everything running dry and then the jars exploding - but I didn't stay at a holiday inn express last night.

Chesapeake

· #22 · Jul 20, 2007 (Edited)

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

StickFish said:
I use a camp chief propane stove two burner and had zero trouble keeping it at the right pressure - I don't blast it to get it going - put run about medium till it boils and once the weight goes on drop it down to maintain pressure. 70'000 BTU is probably a bit much since there is very little water - I don't see the problem as being explosive cause the check weight would not allow, rather everything running dry and then the jars exploding - but I didn't stay at a holiday inn express last night.

Im not sure why the warning. I'm thinking it has to do with control. Some of the turkey cookers wont adjust down low enough. If you try to run the unit for 100 minutes with the pressure weight releasing steam to controll the pressure you probably would run out of water. Not sure, i've never tried it. My weight starts to wobble at 15 PSI.

With my turkey cooker I can easily get the pressure above 15 PSI without the weight even on the cooker, and thats with the burner only at half throttle (dont ask how I know this).

Another thing to note: With my turkey burner I melted the bottom out of a turkey pot when it ran out of water. It happened real fast right after the last of the water was gone. The same might happen with a pressure canner, but maybe the thicker aluminum would prevent this.

Teton

· #23 · Jul 20, 2007 (Edited)

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Chesapeake said:
Im not sure why the warning. I'm thinking it has to do with control. Some of the turkey cookers wont adjust down low enough. If you try to run the unit for 100 minutes with the pressure weight releasing steam to controll the pressure you probably would run out of water. Not sure, i've never tried it. My weight starts to wobble at 15 PSI.

Its just a manufacturer's warning just to cover their butts.

My weight starts to wobble at 15 psi too (that is what it is calibrated for anyway). I do 100 minutes at ~15 psi on a crab cooker/turkey burner (my first few runs last year were done inside....no more). For some reason, I can turn the cooker down plenty far enough. Just make sure the vent hole is not blocked when you begin canning. I add just a bit more water to make sure it doesn't boil dry by the end of the time period. This isn't rocket science, but a little attention to detail is necessary to keep safe. :food:

Herring Problem

· #24 · Jul 20, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

circafish said:
Hi there
What do you use for a rub/seasoning on the vacum pack lot?
Thanks for sharing!

Rub for loins

One bowl-mix
Herb and Garli seasoning (Get from store in Sesoning section)
Minced dried onions 1 teaspoon
Peper corn- grind pepper in bowl- doesn't take a whole lot
White pepper pinch
Mix up in bowl

Take clear plastic wrap lay on counter top, add 1/4 teaspoon of mix onto the plastic wrap. Lay loin on the mixture( Loin should be dry)
Next rub the mix on the loins and it should be lightly covered. The more mix used the stronger the flavor will be.
For those who like it warm , take a a fresh alapeno and slice it lenght wise and place on top of the loin before sealing.

After the rub has been applied, seal the plastic wrap around the loin, the polace the loin in the vacum packer bag and vcum pak for the freezer.

Take loin out to cook, thaw and place loin in a oven dish and bake at 350 for 9 to 12 minutes . remove from oven oven and slice add mustard and eat.

Or place on BBQ cook serring sides and remove and eat.

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HiTekRdNek

· #25 · Jul 20, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Ttt

Han Solo

· #26 · Jul 20, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

1) Don't can TUNA! indoors. Can today smell it tommorrow (forever).

2) Make sure to add enough water. The water regulates the temperature. As long as water is boiling off the temp will not go above about 250 degrees at 15 #. I use a 23 Qt Mirro. Correct water level for me is 1/2 way up the top row of jars.

3) Make sure the fire goes out if you are getting done late. Once I just turned the gas off and crashed when the last load was done. I woke up the next day to hear the canner still hissing. Yikes 12 hours cook time.

I'd love to be there but a friend is having an engagement party at the same time and he invited first.

Teton

· #27 · Jul 20, 2007 (Edited)

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Pilar said:
2) Make sure to add enough water. The water regulates the temperature. As long as water is boiling off the temp will not go above about 250 degrees at 15 #. I use a 23 Qt Mirro. Correct water level for me is 1/2 way up the top row of jars.

Exactly. My canner fluctuates between 15 and 17 psi while canning. The boiling water and superheated water vapor stays just about 249-250 deg F, (Thanks for reminding me about Thermo I John, had to remember how to read a saturated steam table.)

Also, you can tell if your pressure gauge is out of calibration by recording what pressure your petcock wobbles. For example, mine begins to wobble at about 15 psi. If your gauge begins to change, get a new one, expecially if you want to can at 10 psi.

Fshklr

· #28 · Jul 20, 2007 (Edited)

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

pilar..a few questions?

Pilar said:
1) Don't can TUNA! indoors. Can today smell it tommorrow (forever).

2) Make sure to add enough water. The water regulates the temperature. As long as water is boiling off the temp will not go above about 250 degrees at 15 #. I use a 23 Qt Mirro. Correct water level for me is 1/2 way up the top row of jars.

I have a presto 23 as well, I've canned mega pints of salmon using the above water height as directed in #2.. never ever a problem.

I use far more water than recommended, and the canner usually stays around 14#'s

I canned 7 pints and 24 half pints of Tuna last yr in the kitchen on the house stove...no smell, nothing.
No after smell?????

I've read it here several times "don't do it indoors"...is there a reason or possible "SMELL DANGER" for doing indoors???

Broken jars??? I always start with jars sitting on stove in hot water, then pack, then place in hot water in canner, top of with hot water that jars were preheating in.

:lurk:

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Spoonplugger

· #29 · Jul 20, 2007 (Edited)

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

My wife and I do it indoors all the time. Just add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the water, which helps with the odors and keeps the jars clean. I don't know, maybe our sniffers are getting weak but it doesn't seem like we have a problem.

A couple other things we do that may be odd. 1. Leave a full 1" void above the tuna. 2. Pack jar tight. 3. Don't cover bottom jars with water (only up to bottom of ring.) 4. We add 1/2 teas salt & maybe jalapeno or garlic. We add NO liquid of any kind.

We never have smelly water. Maybe its the 1" void. Don't know for sure.

Teton

· #30 · Jul 20, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Spoonplugger said:
We never have smelly water. Maybe its the 1" void. Don't know for sure.

Yes, the headspace in your jars is likely the reason you don't get any oil in the water (and resultant smell).

fish_on

· #31 · Jul 21, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

U guys need any more canners or burners?

StickFish

Discussion Starter · #32 · Jul 21, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Something to add about the water level - follow the instructions for your individual canner. For instance my Presto says only 3 qts of water. Its the steam that does the work - not the water. Water only gets to 212 - live steam is much hotter

Reel Creel

· #33 · Jul 21, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

I Hate work!!! working on sat is a big bummer!!! :frown:

StickFish

Discussion Starter · #34 · Jul 21, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Reel Creel said:
I Hate work!!! working on sat is a big bummer!!! :frown:

Since when do you work on Saturday - oh ya, you fish on weekdays now. You'll be missed Perry, maybe next time

Moldy45

· #35 · Jul 21, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Hows it coming ? has there been any Tuna fish fountains yet? :grin: :cheers:

Something Good

· #36 · Jul 22, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

Everything was OK when I left there a few hours ago. No major mishaps yet just one broken Jar. I'm not saying anything but I'm not sure if keg's and tuna canning were meant to go together.:grin:

Paddler

· #37 · Jul 22, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

I've only canned indoors, never any smell. Fill it up with water to just below the ring on the bottom layer of jars. Process for 115 minutes at 15 PSI at this altitude. Works great. We have hard water, so the bottom layer has deposits on them, which comes off with white vinegar. Easy, my wife and I make a good team.

Just need to get to the coast and do my ocean shopping for the year.

StickFish

Discussion Starter · #38 · Jul 22, 2007

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

More later, but Hoggemin just left. All told we did about 350# of tuna today - it was staggering to see the pile when we started loading up - pictures to come - and yes only one jar broke - knocked from the table - a party foul

OK I'm going to bed now - if I can find it - ya that way

just a quick thanks to everyone who dropped by - Something Good - thanks for the handy work on the snacks, Puffin for providing a bunch of the snacks. Obviously more later - but what a fun day

StickFish

Discussion Starter · #39 · Jul 22, 2007

11

Re: Tuna Canning Open Session

It was pretty obvious to the neighbors that something was going on at the lumber yard. Mrs C couldn't even park her Van anywhere near the house when she came back from the store.

Pretty much the day was about canning tuna - Hoggemin jamming on the jars

And if you know Mike you know he always buys in bulk - just a small sample of the stack of jars. Also featured was the very kind contribution of a case of home made Pinot from fish_on

All told we had 8 canners and 6 burners available - not one Presto bomb despite the outdoor cooking gear warning.

What made the day more fun was the dogs who came out to keep us awake and enjoy some snacks - Something Good in the kitchen wooping up on some spicy tuna cups ala Pilar style, Yellowfin hand roles, Yellowfin tuna cups with cilantro.

Duck snacks courtesy of Teton

From Left to right - Teton, fish_on, his gf Bridgette

From left to right - 2slow, fyshndad, fyshnson

One of my neighbors was out for a walk, but when she saw this fine example of Saltyness - she decided the other side of the street was safer - don't blame her - from left to right HiTekRdNek, CDJ356, and Puffin

I think the whole day is easily summarized by this wide open food blister smile. Flora the wonder dock/duck/goose/boat/vacuum dog

We canned tuna with jalepeno, garlic, black pepper, sweet Thai Chile sauce, smoked in alder, peppercini, did I say garlic - not all together but various combinations - some tuna off the smoker never made it to jars - some jars never made it home - well we had to find out what the Thai Chile tasted like OMG! I think that jar lasted two minutes. Not one jar seal failed.

Garlic Jim's showed up later with 3 extra large pies - those disappeared almost as fast as the tuna hand roles, friends left with gifts of cases of tuna, others got some lessons on rod building and repair, and one couple out for a late night walk who wanted to buy some tuna left with a gift of loins and canned tuna a smile and, "have a nice night!"

Again thanks to everyone who came over it sure made the chore of canning what looked like an endless pile of tuna a pure pleasure and made the time just fly.

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HiTekRdNek

· #40 · Jul 22, 2007

What a great time we had. Allot of work and a allot of fun too.
Thanks for hosting this Ted.

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