Even if you already know that you’re supposed to get the pressure gauge of your pressure canner tested annually, you probably have never done it because there are very few places that will test it these days. However, there is a very inexpensive way to make sure your pressure canner is processing at the correct pressure: change the pressure regulator that came with your canner to a weighted gauge regulator.
The weight gauge regulator comes in three pieces: with all three pieces stacked, the regulator will rock at 15 pounds pressure. Remove the top ring, and the regulator will rock at 10 pounds pressure, and with just the base piece, the regulator rocks at 5 pounds pressure.
When you change to the weighted gauge, you no longer need to use the dial you may have on your canner to monitor the pressure, as you’ll know that it’s at 15 pounds pressure when it’s rocking back and forth. (You may find the dial useful to see how quickly the pressure is rising, but it’s not essential. If your dial is completely broke, you can still use your canner when you have a weighted gauge.)
You won’t be able to monitor a pressure other than five, ten, or fifteen pounds, so if you are at an altitude that requires, say, thirteen pounds pressure, you’ll simply want to round up to fifteen pounds.
If you’d like to upgrade your pressure canner to a weighted gauge, we have the Presto weighted gauge here at Harvey’s for $20.
We also have the Presto pressure canner sealing ring and overpressure plug if yours is looking the worse for wear. To see if it’s the right one for your canner, you can look at the compatible products on this page on Presto’s website.
No matter how much or how little canning you’ll be doing this year, we hope you’ll shop at Harvey’s for your jars, lids, pectin, tools, and more!