What's the best way to handle the second batch when canning?

[schmije]

I like to make large batches at a time when I'm canning, but I often have too many jars to put in my canner at one time. I've never been sure what to do with the second set of jars while the first one processes. Should the food (today it was pasta sauce) be kept warm in the pot? I don't want to let it overcook, dry out, etc. Should it be placed into the jars and sit on the counter?

I'm guessing that the correct procedure is to make smaller batches, but that would make the lengthy process even longer, and I'd probably end up making fewer batches in the end.

I've seen pictures of people who make dozens of jars in a day, so I'm curious how you do it.

 

[bobbi-j]

Yesterday I canned 23 pints of tomato sauce. My canner only holds 9 jars at a time... So, for the second batch, I just kept the sauce warm on low. put the cover on so it didn't cook out too much and let it be. The third bunch of jars, i shut the heat off, left the cover on, and waited. I don't really know what the correct procedure is, either, but that's how I did it.

 

[Jared77]

We keep it on as low as possible. We can in very large batches and as long as whatever we're working on stays warm we haven't had an issue.

Lid stays on temps set as low as we can get it and stir fairly frequently just like when you were cooking it down. It might thicken a touch but not enough to make that much of a difference.

This keeps the temp even without over cooking it or thickening it too much.

Just like Bobbi-j on when we get close to the last batch and depending on processing time of the batch in front of it I'll turn off the burner knowing what's left in the pot will hold temp till it's time to go in.

So long as your not adding cool or even room temp liquids to warm jars and putting those into a hot canner you should be fine. Your mix to can needs to be pretty warm but it doesn't need to remain at a high temp to can it.

 

[Smart Red]

I've seen pictures of people who make dozens of jars in a day, so I'm curious how you do it.

Two pressure canners and a six burner stove. Yup! I'm spoiled.

 

[baymule]

@Smart Red that's my goal!! I have a 33 year old canner, next I want an All American pressure canner.

I do the same as the other posters, plus whatever I am canning, the "leftovers" are what's for supper.

 

[canesisters]

Wow... I'm either not canning enough or I'm a total slacker that's gonna die of botulism. I usually just fill all my jars and rotate them through the canner. As soon as one batch can come out, the next goes in. Of course, I'm usually doing raw pack tomatotes or something like pickles....

 

[Ridgerunner]

Cane, it's been nice knowing you.

My leftovers are generally for supper or they go in the fridge for later if it is only a small amount. I make a lot of soup. I do the hot pack method so I consider any leftover corn or green beans as blanched so I bag it up and freeze them for use in soup later if there is too much for supper. I have a few bags of a quart of corn or green beans in the freezer now each waiting to make soup.

I'm not worried about botulism with things I waterbath because the acid level is high enough that botulism can't grow in it. I will add lemon juice to tomatoes if I waterbath them to make sure the acid level is right. I just don't trust tomatoes that much, especially if I add onions, peppers, or other stuff to make a sauce. Even with extra acid I pressure can them anyway. Really, are you going to overcook sauce? It's possible you can get mold on some waterbath things but that should be visible when you open the jar. As long as you keep things sterile that should not be a problem. At least I don't worry about it other than try hard to keep everything sterile.

If you pressure can the recipe will say for everything to be hot if you use the hotpack method. I've never done it but if things cool off I'd use the time for the coldpack method if there is any difference. Often there is not.

The only thing I've ever canned back to back was waterbath cucumber pickles. I haven't really worried about those and never had a problem.

 

[freedhardwoods]

We know a little bit about large batches.

Canning is my wifes department, but I do know that she just lets the jars sit on the counter waiting their turn. She has 3 canners going when we're working up corn and green beans.

It still took her all day on our last batch of corn this year. 113 quarts that day. It took me 20 hours to pick, shuck, wash, and cut it. I started at 6 am the day before.